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Articles on Ancient history

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Hanns Glaser, Celestial phenomenon over Nuremberg, April 1561. Zentralbibliothek Zürich

Chariots of the gods, ships in the sky: how unidentified aerial phenomena left their mark in ancient cultures

Modern reactions to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs – what you might think of as UFOs) are similar to those of thousands of years ago.
A relief depicting a row of captives, carved into the Sun Temple at Abu Simbel in Egypt. Richard Maschmeyer/ Design Pics via Getty Images

Dismantling the myth that ancient slavery ‘wasn’t that bad’

There was no one type of slavery in ‘biblical’ or ‘ancient’ societies, given how varied they were. But much of what historians know about slavery during those eras is horrific.
Population growth fuels knowledge, leading to new technology and energy use, fueling more population growth. Robert Essel/The Image Bank via Getty Images

8 billion humans: How population growth and climate change are connected as the ‘Anthropocene engine’ transforms the planet

The UN estimates the global population will pass 8 billion people on Nov. 15, 2022. From the Stone Age to today, here’s how things spiraled out of control.
Francesco Solimena, Death of Messalina (about 1704/1712) The Getty

Ancient Rome didn’t have specific domestic violence legislation – but the laws they had give us a window into a world of abuse

A patchwork of Roman laws (including Rome’s complex murder laws) sought to address coercive and violent behaviour
The Tailban destroyed this Buddha statue dating to the 6th century AD in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, in March 2001. The photo on the left was taken in 1977. AP Photo/Etsuro Kondo, (left photo) and Osamu Semba, both Asahi

The Taliban’s rule threatens what’s left of Afghanistan’s dazzlingly diverse cultural history

From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban outlawed almost all forms of art while looting and destroying museums. With their resurgence, Australia must strengthen measures to stop trafficking of antiquities.

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