The Battle of Didgori and the Rise of Georgia Under the white-capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus live the Kartvelians. Jason’s Argonauts found them on the balmy shores and hills, retreating from the Black Sea as an already ancient people. Modern scholars estimate their occupation dating well into the Neolithic when the Kartvelians first made wine in

How African Slaves Helped Break the Caliphate In the sweltering August heat of Southern Iraq, an army of slaves and Bedouins laid siege to the wealthy city of Basra. Over a month the besiegers tightened the noose around the city, burning outlying villages, and ambushing reinforcements and supply trains bound for the city. By September 7th, 871 AD the rebel army had gained a foothold in the city and…

How Viking Trade Revitalized Europe In 655 AD the first Muslim fleet met the Byzantine navy off the coast of Anatolia. The rough seas forced both sides to lash their ships to one another and the two great rafts collided in a fierce battle. Soldiers and sailors jumped from ship to ship in ruthless melee combat. As the day wore on the Muslim fleet gained the upper hand. When enemies closed …

How Geography Has Shaped Levantine Politics On a scorching July day in Palestine Ludolf of Tournai clambered over the battlements and scattered his Fatimid foes. Ludolf fought wildly, desperately, he had endured years of suffering on behalf of his God to reach the Holy City. He had survived the arrows of Turkish horsemen as he thirsted on the Anatolian Plateau. He had braved the treacherous footp…

A report from the Venetian ambassador sent to the court of Suleiman the Magnificent and returning in 1553. Background

Peace negotiations between Charles V and Francis I after the Italian War of 1536-1538 Background

Report Having been ambassador in the legation of France on behalf of Your Serenity for some forty months, I know my duty, according to the most laudable custom of this Most Serene Dominion, is not to give an account of all my actions during that legation, because day by day I have striven to keep Your Lordships advised of those matters that have seemed to me worthy of your notice: and therefore I shall not say a word about them, which will also be the cause of that brevity I desire. Report Having been ambassador in the legation of France on behalf of Your Serenity for some forty months, I know my duty, according to the most laudable custom of this Most Serene Dominion, is not to give an account of all my actions during that legation, because day by day I have striven to keep Your Lordships advised of those matters that have seemed t…

Revenues; Court; Territories; Religious and Political Turmoil; War Against the Turks; Personal Matters This is Part II of a 1532 report on the Habsburg dominions. Part I here.

With 10% off cover price for subscribers You can now place orders for the Millennia Books special edition of my book The Plantagenets. Orders are expected to start shipping from May.

New cover, signed, worldwide delivery, 10% discount... Pre-orders open this Saturday 28th February at 1pm GMT First off, some news. As reported this week in the books press, I have joined Millennia Books as co-owner/co-founder/general editorial face of the publishing house.

A treat - and details of a new book signing On Monday March 16th I’ll be in conversation with the award-winning classicist Dr Emily Hauser, author of Mythica, which was one of my favourite books of last year.

...literally. But what to do? One morning last month, I was summoned to the Houses of Parliament at breakfast-time for a cup of coffee and a look at the absolute state of the place.

How have video games reshaped our view of the Middle Ages? Discover ten ways gaming has transformed how we imagine medieval society, rulers, religion, and history.

Planning to visit the northeast corner of England and explore its many castles? This guide is your companion, now expanded to include over 500 entries.

David Bachrach on Charlemagne’s failed invasion of Spain in 777–778, a campaign that ended with the Frankish defeat at Roncevaux Pass and later inspired the Song of Roland.

This book attempts to recount the history of the small taifa state of Albarracín in Iberia. Unfortunately, it provides too few details to serve as a truly useful resource.

Bronze helmets, greaves, armour, and bronze-faced shields make for an impressive army, but who fought in all that kit, next to whom, and how? Theme: Greece in the Late Archaic period Murray Dahm, 'State of play - Warfare in late Archaic Greece'. Ben Truska, 'Two coins in the hand - Economics and war in Archaic Greece'. Adam Godfrey, 'A man of bronze - The Archaic hoplite up close'. Murray Dahm, 'Writing their names in blood - The Battle of the Champions'. Paul Bardunias, 'Gleaming like the sun - The Archaic Greek shieldwall'. Annelies Koolen, 'Bring in Colophon! - Cavalry in Archaic Greece'. Features: Mardonbek Rajapov, 'Their name alone terrifies - Who were the Hephthalites'. Mark McCaffery, 'Imperium - The authority to command'. Velite Aquila, 'An underwater source - Roman soldiers of the First Punic War'. Nicky Nielsen, 'The "Late Egyptian Miscellanies" - Daily life for the soldiers of Ramesses II'. Sean Lake, 'The problematic Spoila Opima - A rare and mysterious military honour'. Jo Ball, 'Name, unit, kit - The tombstone of Severius Acceptus'.

Medieval authors had a unique approach to history: often created for a patron and inspired by ancient examples, they might blend facts, personal experience, and fantasy. Theme: Recording the past James G. Clark, "Writing history in the Middle Ages: Time, models, and sources," 22-23. Robert Jones, "Writing war in the Middle Ages: Sources and models," 24-27. James G. Clark, "Matthew Paris: An enigmatic and innovative historian," 28-33. Cristian Bratu, "Seeing is believing: Making history personal," 34-37. Thomas Denholm, "From epic to chronicle: How chanson de geste shaped medieval war stories," 38-41. Features: Clay Vagrant, "Defending the Song Dynasty: Wars and geopolitics of medieval China," 8-13. Charlotte Wood, "Liturgical or knot?: The use of combs in medieval worship," 14-17. Alice Isabella Sullivan, "Being an artist in the Middle Ages: What we know," 18-21. Robert Jones, "Medieval chivalry in the modern world: An ongoing fascination," 42-43. Karl Gagesch, "The Transylvanian Saxons: Origins, commercials centers, fortifications," 44-49. Murray Dahm, "Dropping your Aitches: The Battle of Hedgeley Moor, 25 April, 1464," 50-53. Kathryn Walton, "A medieval phenomenon: The Alexander Romance," 54-55. Rowdy Geirsson, "Book review: The Viking Eastern Baltic," 56. Jonathan H. Jones, "Bok review: Alfred's Dynasty - How an Anglo-Saxon King and His Family Defeated the Vikings and Created England," 57.

This post shows charts showcasing the populations of the biggest cities in the Byzantine Empire in 1050 AD right before the Great Schism between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople.

The best site for beginning your coin collection if theancientcoinguy on eBay.

Discovering the true origins of an enigmatic mile-long pattern in Peru’s coastal desert