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The Isaurians and the End of Germanic Influence in Byzantium
Article by Michael Goodyear

The Isaurians and the End of Germanic Influence in Byzantium

Germanic influence reigned in the Roman Empire from the end of the 4th century CE through the 5th. Germanic individuals took important posts in the government and the military, and Germanic tribes penetrated ever further into lands that had...
Interview: Preclassic Maya
Interview by James Blake Wiener

Interview: Preclassic Maya

The genesis of Maya civilization in Mesoamerica was marked by an effervescence in the arts, the beginnings of their written language with glyphs, and a great attention to detail in the sphere of urban planning. Yet, despite these tremendous...
The Camel Caravans of the Ancient Sahara
Article by Mark Cartwright

The Camel Caravans of the Ancient Sahara

The camel caravans which crossed the great dunes of the Sahara desert began in antiquity but reached their golden period from the 9th century CE onwards. In their heyday caravans consisted of thousands of camels travelling from North Africa...
The Salt Trade of Ancient West Africa
Article by Mark Cartwright

The Salt Trade of Ancient West Africa

Salt from the Sahara desert was one of the major trade goods of ancient West Africa where very little naturally occurring deposits of the mineral could be found. Transported via camel caravans and by boat along such rivers as the Niger and...
Follow the Money.  The Coinage of Later Imperial Rome:  A Reflection of Economic Stress and Decline
Article by Daniela Castanotto

Follow the Money. The Coinage of Later Imperial Rome: A Reflection of Economic Stress and Decline

Unlike the practice of professional numismatists, I prefer to see the “big picture”. So, my entire Roman coin collection, all 250 pieces, from Julius Caesar to Valentinian III is laid out on a single pane of glass in a cabinet, in chronological...
The Civil Service Examinations of Imperial China
Article by Mark Cartwright

The Civil Service Examinations of Imperial China

The civil service examinations of Imperial China allowed the state to find the best candidates to staff the vast bureaucracy that governed China from the Han Dynasty onwards (206 BCE - 220 CE). The exams were a means for a young male of any...
The Seven Voyages of Zheng He
Article by Mark Cartwright

The Seven Voyages of Zheng He

Admiral Zheng He (aka Cheng Ho, c. 1371-1433 CE) was a Chinese Muslim eunuch explorer who was sent by the Ming dynasty emperor Yongle (r. 1403-1424 CE) on seven diplomatic missions to increase trade and secure tribute from foreign powers...
North Africa’s Place in the Mediterranean Economy of Late Antiquity
Article by Michael Goodyear

North Africa’s Place in the Mediterranean Economy of Late Antiquity

The Mediterranean Sea was the economic focal point of the Roman Empire. Rome's armies first established an empire across these waters beginning back in the times of the Roman Republic. In 200 CE, the Mediterranean was still the channel that...
In Search of the Promised Land:  Saint Brendan’s Voyage
Article by Andrea Maraschi

In Search of the Promised Land: Saint Brendan’s Voyage

Between the 9th and the 10th century CE, in an unknown European abbey, an anonymous author told the story of an Irish monk and his 14 companions who embarked on a dangerous journey in the 5th century CE. The monk's name was Brendan, and his...
Mavia's Revolt & the Christian Question
Article by Joshua J. Mark

Mavia's Revolt & the Christian Question

In 378 CE the Tanukhid queen Mavia (r. c. 375 - c. 425 CE) of the Saracens led a successful revolt against the Roman Empire, pitting her forces against the armies under the emperor Valens (364-378 CE). Launching her insurrection from the...
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