A mule that helped build the Parthenon earned lifelong care at Athens’ expense after returning voluntarily to the construction site, according to an anecdote preserved by ancient Greek historian Plutarch. In Life of Cato the Elder, 5.3, he writes that the Athenians released their hardest-working mul
Archaeologists believe the ancient city of Perperikon in Bulgaria may once have been called Pergamon (Greek: Πέργαμον), the same name as the famous capital of ancient Greek-ruled kingdom in Anatolia. Although the two cities stood hundreds of miles apart, researchers are investigating whether they sh
In Ancient Greece, the word “traitor” carried a weight that echoed through history. Among the golden pages of Greek civilization lie darker chapters marked by betrayal—stories of men who turned against their homeland, their people, and the noble ideals of Hellenism. To be labeled a traitor was no tr
The “eternal return” is a mysterious and highly intriguing concept that has puzzled many philosophers. According to this, everything will repeat itself exactly as it has already played out. Moreover, there is also the notion that even this repetition will continue infinitely. Origins of the “eternal
Homer’s Ancient Greek Poem Iliad has inspired the citizens of a small village in Turkey to install busts of the Trojan war heroes on their main square. Tevfikiye, is located 1 km away from the archaeological site of ancient Troy and they have named the location as “Troy Observation Terrace” (Truva S
Beneath the beautiful Athenian sky and the eternal glory of the Parthenon, Euripides revealed the secrets of ancient Athens—realities far less flattering for a city that made its name synonymous with progress and democracy. At the peak of its glory, Athens was also a city tormented by constant polit
Friendship might not be the first thing we associate with Ancient Greeks, but their philosophical reflections on it are worth remembering. The Ancient Greeks believed friendship was far more serious than a few hours of chatting and banter with your best friends. They treated friendship as a comprehe
Theagenes of Thasos was a towering boxer from the ancient Olympic Games who supposedly won 1,400 bouts during a 22-year career. His most significant achievements came at the Olympics in 480 and 476 BC, when he became the first athlete to win the wreath in boxing and pankration, a form of mixed marti
While Pyrrhus of Epirus is often remembered for his military prowess and the term “Pyrrhic victory,” his contributions as a statesman, diplomat and cultural patron are equally significant. As a ruler, he sought to elevate Epirus to a prominent position in the Greek world, not only through warfare bu
Archaeologists in southern Turkey have unearthed five remarkably preserved loaves of bread dating to the Byzantine era, including one bearing a Greek inscription and an image of Jesus Christ. The discovery was made in 2025 at the ancient Greek city of Eirenopolis (Greek: Εἰρηνούπολις)—modern-day Top
Greek philosopher Athenagoras of Athens was educated in the classical intellectual tradition, then converted to Christianity and became one of its most articulate defenders during the 2nd century AD. Born in Athens in 115 AD, Athenagoras flourished during the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aureli
Ancient Greek texts and Byzantine ruins are helping researchers piece together the history of roadside inns in Anatolia, where travelers may have found shelter inside rock-cut settlements as warfare made exposed routes less secure. A new study suggests that some complexes long viewed mainly as relig
An approximately 1,800-year-old stone inscription discovered in modern-day southwestern Turkey is revealing how people used ancient Greek fortune-telling rituals to seek answers about illness, travel and major decisions. Carved in ancient Greek across four sides of a limestone block, the text connec
Military defense and practical needs shaped much of the architecture in the ancient Kingdom of Pontus (Greek: Πόντος), according to a new archaeological study. The research shows how rulers built fortified settlements across the Black Sea region of modern-day Turkey, favoring strategic locations and
Pythagoras is best known for the famous theorem that bears his name, one of the fundamental principles of geometry. However, far fewer know that the man behind it belonged to a tradition in which mathematics and magic were not always clearly separated. The Neoplatonic philosopher Porphyry, writing h
Ancient Greek temples may have contained attic spaces used for religious activities, according to a new study examining roof construction and internal staircases. The research suggests that some areas beneath temple roofs may have served purposes beyond maintenance, although their exact functions re
High in the Karakoram mountains of northern Pakistan lies Hunza, a principality where tradition says that its ruling dynasty and people are of Alexander the Great descent. The region is famous for its dramatic landscape, the ancient settlements and its distinctive Burushaski language. Hunza has a re
Ancient Greek scribes appear to have followed different spelling rules, even when recording the same sounds, according to a study of papyrus documents from Egypt. Although conflicting vowel spellings appeared during the same historical periods, they seldom appeared together in individual texts, sugg
Ancient Greek matchmakers faced a challenge that remains familiar today: even the most promising matches could fall apart when expectations clashed with reality. Xenophon’s Memorabilia warns that false praise could leave the people brought together resenting both one another and the intermediary. Th
DNA evidence suggests that living Greeks are indeed descendants of the ancient Mycenaeans, who ruled Greece from 1,600 BC to 1,200 BC.