Ancient History

Hospitality at the Gate: Welcoming Strangers in Ancient Times

In the annals of antiquity, when the sun beat down upon dusty roads and the shadows of great cities stretched long, a virtue most hallowed was practiced at the very threshold of dwelling and dominion: hospitality. This was not merely a custom, but a sacred trust, woven into the very fabric of life, a echoes of a divine mandate. Consider, if you wil...

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The Dawn and Growth of the Electronics Industry

The electronics industry, as we know it today, is the result of centuries of discovery, invention, and innovation. Though it may seem a modern marvel, its roots stretch deep into human curiosity about electricity, communication, and the desire to harness unseen forces. Early Discoveries and Foundations The story begins in ancient times, when natura...

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The Journey of Man: The History of Transport in Ancient Cities

From the dawn of civilization, the movement of people, goods, and ideas has been a cornerstone of human progress. Ancient cities, the cradles of culture and commerce, depended on ever-evolving means of transport to connect their inhabitants and the wider world. The First Steps: Footpaths and Animal Tracks In the earliest days, men traveled on foot,...

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Divorce Agreement from Egypt

This Greek document shows a Marriage Contract From Egypt written in 13 BC. It mentions Caesar Augustus and a Roman Drachma....

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Widow's Petition Ostracon

This pottery was discovered with 8 lines of Hebrew text. Legal Petition written around the 9th""7th centuries BCE....

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The Pilate Inscription

The Pilate Inscription [text & interpretation] Language: Latin; Medium: limestone; Size: 82 centimeters high 65 centimeters wide; Length: 4 lines of writing; Genre: Building Dedication Dedicator: Pontius Pilate (praefect of Judea) Approximate Date: 26-37 CE; Place of Discovery: Caesarea, Israel; Date of Discovery: 1961; Current Location: Israel...

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Josephus' References to Crucifixion

"Josephus (b. 37 C.E.) is our best literary source for the practice of crucifixion in Israel during the Greco-Roman period. As a general in command of the Jewish forces of Galilee in the Great Revolt against Rome (66-73 C.E.), he reports his attempts to save the lives of three crucified captives by appealing directly to the Roman general Titus. One...

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Census Edict for Roman Egypt

This document shows a census ordered by Gaius Vibius Maximus, the Rmoan Prefectus of Egypt. GREEK TEXT (from Hunt & Edgar 1934:108), TRANSLATION by K. C. Hanson (Adapted from Hunt & Edgar). Language: Greek; Medium: papyrus; Length: 21 lines of writing; Genre: Official Edict; Date: 104 CE; Place of Discovery: Egypt Date of Discovery: ? Curre...

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Marriage Contract From Egypt

This Greek document shows a Marriage Contract From Egypt written in 13 BC. It mentions Caesar Augustus and a Roman Drachma....

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The Gilgamesh Epic

The Epic of Gilgamesh is, perhaps, the oldest written story on Earth. It comes to us from Ancient Sumeria, and was originally written on 12 clay tablets in cunieform script. It is about the adventures of the historical King of Uruk (somewhere between 2750 and 2500 BC)....

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