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Octavia Minor - The Sister of Augustus Who Helped Birth the Roman Empire
Octavia Minor (circa 69 BCE to 11 BCE) was a Roman noblewoman who rose to prominence during the early years of the Roman Empire. The sister of Emperor Augustus (reign 27 BCE to 14 CE...
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Sumerians - Inventors of Civilization
The Sumerians were the people of southern Mesopotamia (modern-day southern Iraq) whose civilization flourished between circa 4000 and 1750 BCE. Their name comes from the region, which is frequently – and incorrectly...
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Mesopotamian Government - Helping and Serving the Gods
Ancient Mesopotamian government was based on the understanding that human beings were created to help and serve the gods. The high priest, king, assembly of elders, governors, and any other officials...
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Ziggurat - Mountains of the Gods
A ziggurat is a form of monumental architecture originating in ancient Mesopotamia, which usually had a rectangular base and was built in a series of steps up to a flat platform upon which a temple was raised. The...
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Orosius - Great Defender of Christianity Against the Pagans
Paulus Orosius (usually given as Orosius, 5th century) was a Christian theologian and historian who was also a friend and protege of Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430). He is best known for his...
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Early Dynastic Period in Mesopotamia - Era of Many of the "Firsts" in Civilization
The Early Dynastic period in Mesopotamia is the modern-day archaeological term for the era in Mesopotamian history – circa 2900 to circa 2350/2334 BCE – during which some of...
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Agrippina the Elder - Daughter of the Caesars
Agrippina the Elder (14 BCE to 33 CE), as the granddaughter of Emperor Augustus and the wife of the popular general Germanicus, wielded significant influence in the early years of the Roman Empire and was...
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Ur - The Great Biblical City Abandoned by the Gods
Ur was a city in the region of Sumer, in southern Mesopotamia, and its ruins lie in what is modern-day Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq. According to biblical tradition, the city is named after the man who founded...
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Uruk - The First Great City
Uruk was one of the most important cities (at one time, the most important) in ancient Mesopotamia. According to the Sumerian King List, it was founded by King Enmerkar circa 5000/4500 BCE. Uruk is best known as the birthplace...
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Eridu - The Divine Birthplace of Kingship and Order
Eridu (present-day Abu Shahrein, Iraq) was considered the first city in the world by the ancient Sumerians and is among the most ancient of the ruins from Mesopotamia. Founded circa 5400 BCE, Eridu...
