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Siege of Damascus 634 - Arab - Byzantine Wars DOCUMENTARY
Previously in our animated documentary series on the early Muslim expansion, we have covered the battles of Yarmouk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ct4OSmdZ3M), al-Qadisiyyah (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01z7hTGDNco), Talas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH9UhfRKAOc...

Book Review
Smoke and Ashes: Opium's Hidden Histories
Written in engaging language, Smoke and Ashes is a scholarly follow-up to the author’s famous Ibis trilogy, a collection of fiction that uses the opium trade as its backdrop. In Smoke and Ashes, the author draws on his years-long research...

Article
The Extent of the Roman Empire
Time has seen the rise and fall of a number of great empires - the Babylonian, the Assyrian, the Egyptian, and lastly, the Persian. Regardless of the size or skill of their army or the capabilities of their leaders, all of these empires fell...

Definition
Edmond Halley
Edmond Halley (1656-1742) was an English astronomer, mathematician, and cartographer. Halley's Comet is named after him since he accurately predicted its return in 1758. One of the early globetrotting scientists, Halley led several maritime...

Definition
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was the leading French composer of Romantic music, best known for his innovative Symphonie fantastique and use of large-scale orchestras and choruses in works like The Trojans opera. Berlioz's innovative style brought...

Definition
Continental System
The Continental System was a major blockade of British trade imposed by French Emperor Napoleon I from 21 November 1806 to 11 April 1814. It was designed to cripple the British economy, thereby forcing Britain out of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815...

Definition
Richard III of England
Richard III of England ruled as king from 1483 to 1485 CE. Richard succeeded Edward V of England (r. Apr-Jun 1483 CE), the son of Edward IV of England (r. 1461-1470 CE & 1471-1483 CE) in mysterious circumstances. The young Edward V and his...

Definition
Carthaginian Naval Warfare
The Carthaginians were famed in antiquity for their seafaring skills and innovation in ship design. The empire their navy protected stretched from Sicily to the Atlantic coast of Africa. Able to match the tyrants of Sicily and the Hellenistic...

Definition
Hellenistic Warfare
When Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE, he left behind an empire devoid of leadership. Without a named successor or heir, the old commanders simply divided the kingdom among themselves. For the next three decades, they fought a lengthy...

Image
Reconstruction of the Old Summer Palace, Beijing
Digital reconstruction of the Yuanming Yuan palace complex, known in the Western World as the Old Summer Palace. This reconstruction depicts Haiyantang ("The Palace of Calm Seas"), a two-story western-style palace with a magnificent water...