General History Topics
By Ancient History Encyclopedia www.ancient.eu | A selection of articles and definitions which sweep across the whole ancient world to give a unique insight and comparison of ancient cultures.
Homo Floresiensis
<i>Homo floresiensis</i>, nicknamed ‘hobbit’ because it only stood about 1 meter tall, is an extinct species of fossil human that lived on the island of …
AnthropologyIce Age
An ice age is a period in which the earth’s climate is colder than normal, with ice sheets capping the poles and glaciers dominating higher …
Climate ChangeEarly Human Migration
Disregarding the extremely inhospitable spots even the most stubborn of us have enough common sense to avoid, humans have managed to cover an …
AnthropologyStudying History Evaluating Sources
History (from the Greek ἱστορία, meaning ‘a learning or knowing by inquiry’) can be broadly taken to indicate the past in general but is usually …
The Origin and History of the BCE/CE Dating System
In recent years, a persistent criticism has been leveled against the use of the BCE/CE system (Before the Common or Current Era/Common or Current …
Homo Heidelbergensis
<i>Homo heidelbergensis</i> is an extinct species of human that is identified in both Africa and western Eurasia from roughly 700,000 years ago onwards …
Homo Sapiens
<i>Homo sapiens</i> (‘wise man’), or modern humans, are the only species of human still around today. Despite having invented countless ways of labelling …
Chauvet Cave
The Chauvet Cave (also known as the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave) is a Palaeolithic cave situated near Vallon-Pont-d’Arc in the Ardèche region of southern …
ArchaeologyHomo Erectus
Who were they?<p>In the 1890s CE, fossils found by Eugène Dubois at the site of Trinil on Java, Indonesia, became the first to be classified as</i> …
Stone Age Tools
As the Stone Age covers around 99% of our human technological history, it would seem there is a lot to talk about when looking at the development of …
Prehistoric Hunter-gatherer Societies
Hunter-gatherer societies are – true to their astoundingly descriptive name – cultures in which human beings obtain their food by hunting, fishing, …
Neanderthal
When & where did they live?<p>Owing to the difficulties that the process of evolution adds to the classification of species, there is no clear-cut date …
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic, deontological, grass–roots, Jewish sectarian movement that focuses upon the life, teachings, and mission of Jesus of …
Lascaux Cave
Lascaux Cave is a Palaeolithic cave situated in southwestern France, near the village of Montignac in the Dordogne region, which houses some of the …
The Monastic Movement: Origins Purposes
In 313 CE, Constantine the Great (272 – 337 CE) ended the sporadic-yet-terrifying Christian persecutions under the Roman Empire with his “Edict of …
The Eastern Perspective on the Trinity
All too often, the Eastern perspective on the Trinity is mistakenly overlooked by Western society in the study of Church History. This is …
Ptolemy's Letter to Flora
Although many Christians, theologians, and denominations have advocated for the idea that all biblical texts within the canon are one in spirit, …
Ignatius of Antioch His Letter to the Ephesians
For many people, the origins of the Christian church are shrouded in obscurity outside of the biblical narratives concerning Jesus Christ and his …
Saint Augustine of Hippo His Confession of Faith
Few theologians have attained as much renown and influence in history as Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE), a 'Doctor' of the Catholic Church and …
Gregory the Great His Pastoral Care
One of the most influential and important Christian leaders during the Early Medieval Period was Pope Gregory the Great (540–604 CE). Renown for his …
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary city which is described in the work of the Greek philosopher Plato (c. 429 – 347 BCE). The story of Atlantis with its …
The Maccabean Revolt
After the death of Alexander the Great, his Kingdom was divided into four; Egypt, the Seleucid Empire, the Kingdom of Pergamon and Macedon (including …
10 History Blogs to Follow
There are hundreds of great history blogs out there and we could write about them all day! These are the 10 history blogs Ancient History et cetera’s …
Didache
The <i>Didache</i> (Koine Greek: διδαχή), also known as “The Teaching,” or, “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” is an enigmatic primitive Church document …
5 Great History Apps
Out of all the history apps available these select few are ones used by Ancient History etcetera’s blog editor, hopefully you find them useful</b> …
5 Amazing Libraries in Ancient History
From ancient times to the present many cultures around the world have considered libraries as storehouses of ideas, creativity and knowledge. Today …
The Importance of the Lydian Stater as the World's First Coin
The Lydian Stater was the official coin of the Lydian Empire, introduced before the kingdom fell to the Persian Empire. The earliest staters are …
The Divine Gift of Writing
The gods were responsible for teaching humans how to write. Without their divine involvement, it would have been impossible for us, imperfect …
The Meaning of European Upper Paleolithic Rock Art
Rock art (also known as parietal art) is an umbrella term which refers to several types of creations including finger markings left on soft surfaces, …