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Growing Old in Ancient Greece & Rome
Although life expectancy was lower in ancient Greece and Rome, many people survived into old age. Those who reached old age tended to accumulate wealth and political power. However, the societies of the ancient Mediterranean were also often...
Article
The Danish Conquest of England
The Danish conquest of England was not a singular event, but a series of large Viking invasions of England between 1013 and 1016, which eventually overthrew the native English dynasty. As a result, four kings from the House of Denmark ruled...
Article
Roman Warfare in the Age of Pyrrhus
The Roman army fought many conflicts throughout its long history, though perhaps none so indelible as the Pyrrhic War from 280 to 275 BCE. This war between Rome and a league of Greek colonies in southern Italy led by the city of Tarentum...
Article
The Norse in America: Fact and Fiction
The idea that it was the Norse who discovered America first emerged in the late 18th century, long before there was any public awareness of the sagas on which such claims were based. In the course of the 19th century, evidence for a Norse...
Definition
Medieval Icelandic Government
Early medieval Icelandic government, or Viking Iceland, has been termed an incipient form of democracy or democratic parliamentarism, however, the system was actually nothing like its European counterparts, be they medieval or contemporary...
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Great Viking Army in England, 865-878 CE
Map showing the routes allegedly taken by the Great Viking Army that invaded the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms in 865 CE, under leadership of such chieftains as 'Hingwar', 'Hubba', and 'Halfdene' (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for 870-871 CE). These figures...
Definition
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology who is often simply described as the 'trickster' god for his love of playing pranks on both his fellow gods and his or their opponents. Sworn brother of Odin and often the one to dig the other gods out of...
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Reconstructed Viking Village in Hofn, Iceland
Situated near Höfn on the east coast of Iceland is what looks like a genuine and immaculately preserved Viking village; in fact, it is a reconstructed Viking village built in 2010 CE for a film that was never filmed. Though obviously not...
Image Gallery
10 Maps of Bronze Age Empires
During the Bronze Age, which spanned roughly from 3300 BCE to 1200 BCE, several powerful empires emerged, shaping the course of early civilization. In this collection of ten maps, we take a look at the empires that flourished in regions such...
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Viking Boats at Birka
Reconstructed Viking boats near the site of Birka on the island of Björkö in Sweden. Birka was an important trading center and strongly fortified town in the Viking Age which flourished from the 8th through the 10th centuries CE. Along with...