Images

A silver coin of Shapur I who ruled the Sasanian empire from 240 to 270 CE. (Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran, Iran)

This is a fragment of a frieze depicting a battle scene. It might perhaps depict a battle scene between ancient Greek warriors and the legendary Amazons. It comes from present-day Yubileynoye, which is located on Russia's Taman peninsula...

These Roman mummy masks come from ancient Egypt. They date from the 1st-2nd century CE, and they painted and made from plaster. (Pushkin Museum, Moscow)

This necklace was unearthed in what is now present-day Armenia and dates from the 15th-13th century BCE. It contains gold and other sardonyx beads. (Metsamor Historical-Archaeological Museum-Reserve, Taronik, Armenia)

This Eneolithic stone statuette of a woman is from what is present-day Armenia. It dates from the 5th-4th century BCE. (Metsamor Historical-Archaeological Museum-Reserve, Taronik, Armenia)

This clay pitcher with images of lions is made from clay. It comes from what is present-day Armenia, and it dates from the 13th century BCE. (Metsamor Historical-Archaeological Museum-Reserve, Taronik, Armenia)

Byzantine regent Theodora and her young son, the emperor Michael III (r. 842-867 CE). The icon, known as "The Triumph of Orthodoxy", dates to the early 15th century CE but is itself a copy of an older one which commemorates the restoration...

A detail of a 13th century CE illustration showing Byzantine emperor Michael III (Madrid Skylitzes, National Library, Madrid)

A 13th century CE illustration showing Byzantine emperor Michael III (r. 842-867 CE) crowning his great friend and political ally Basil the Macedonian co-emperor. The latter would take the crown himself in 867 CE as Basil I. (Madrid Sklitzes...

A gold coin depicting Byzantine empress Irene (r. 797-802 CE). (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome)