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War of the Spanish Succession
Definition

War of the Spanish Succession - The Bloody Struggle for the Throne of Spain

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was the first of several major wars fought between the great powers of Europe in the 18th century. Triggered...
Truths Wrapped in Fiction: Mesopotamian Naru Literature
Article

Truths Wrapped in Fiction: Mesopotamian Naru Literature - Originality in Writing Ancient Bestsellers

Originality in literary compositions in the ancient world did not carry the same weight and value as it does today. In recent centuries, authors have...
German East Africa
Definition

German East Africa

German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a colony of Imperial Germany from 1885 until 1918. The territory, much larger than Germany itself, covered...
Ten Ancient Mesopotamia Facts You Need to Know
Article

Ten Ancient Mesopotamia Facts You Need to Know - Fun Facts on the Cradle of Civilization

Mesopotamia is the ancient Greek name (meaning "the land between two rivers," the Tigris and Euphrates) for the region corresponding to modern-day Iraq...
Mesopotamian Naru Literature
Definition

Mesopotamian Naru Literature - The World's First Historical Fiction

Mesopotamian Naru Literature was a literary genre, first appearing around the 2nd millennium BCE, which featured a famous person (usually a king) from...
Aethelred I of Wessex
Definition

Aethelred I of Wessex - The Forgotten Victor of the Battle of Ashdown

Aethelred I ruled the Kingdom of Wessex (southern England) from 865 to 871 and led the English resistance to the Viking invasions of Britain. He won...
Ten Great Ancient Mesopotamian Women
Article

Ten Great Ancient Mesopotamian Women - Monarchs, Generals, and Scribes

The lives of women in ancient Mesopotamia were regulated by a patriarchal hierarchy, but within this social structure, there were many who distinguished...
Near East
Definition

Near East - A Modern Term for an Ancient Land

The 'Near East' is a modern-age term for the region formerly known as the 'Middle East,' comprising Armenia, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan...
Gutians
Definition

Gutians - The Great Villains of the Sumerian Scribes

The Gutians were a West Asiatic people who are thought to have lived around the Zagros Mountains in a region referred to as Gutium. They had no written...
Belgian Congo
Definition

Belgian Congo - One of Africa's Most Notorious Colonies

Belgian Congo was a colony of Belgium from 1908 until 1960. Prior to that, the region had been the Congo Free State (created in 1885), which was effectively...
Inanna and Ebih
Article

Inanna and Ebih - A Poetic Narrative on Feminine Power

Inanna and Ebih is a Sumerian/Akkadian poem attributed to Enheduanna (circa 2300 BCE), daughter of Sargon of Akkad. The work's original title is Inninmehusa...
Enheduanna - Poet, Priestess, Empire Builder
Article

Enheduanna - Poet, Priestess, Empire Builder - Redefining the Gods for the People

Enheduanna (circa 2300 BCE) is the world's first author and was the daughter (either literally or figuratively) of the great empire-builder Sargon of...
War of the Austrian Succession
Definition

War of the Austrian Succession - How One Woman's Right to Rule Plunged Europe into War

The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) was a major conflict fought between the great powers of Europe, sparked by a dispute over the right of...
Viking Ship Construction
Image Gallery

Viking Ship Construction - A Step-by-step Visual Guide

In this gallery of 30 illustrations, we present the stages and techniques required to build the type of Viking ship Harald Hardrada, the future Norwegian...
Anglo-Zulu War
Definition

Anglo-Zulu War - Britain's Invasion of Zululand

The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 saw British-led armies invade the Zulu Kingdom in Southern Africa as part of a wider plan to unify various territories into...
Naram-Sin
Definition

Naram-Sin - The God-King of Akkad

Naram-Sin (reign 2254-2218 BCE) was the last great king of the Akkadian Empire and the grandson of Sargon the Great (reign 2334-2279 BCE), who founded...
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