Alice Bennett

After the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century, multiple small states formed in the ruins. How successful were the so-called barbarian kingdoms, and how Roman were they?

In the 12th Century BCE Bronze Age civilization in the Mediterranean was suddenly extinguished. What caused this violent dark age and are we any closer to solving the mystery?

Hypatia of Alexandria was a brilliant thinker who met a violent end. One of the ancient world’s most prominent female intellectuals, how did she cause such alarm?

Of all the groups who invaded the Roman Empire, none was more feared than the Huns. Their superior fighting technique would cause thousands to flee west in the 5th century.

These three ancient African powers were all contemporaneous with Greco-Roman Civilization, and all had a powerful impact on our world. Who were they and why have they been forgotten?

Roman-controlled Judea was subject to many internal political disputes between competing sects. It was in this climate that Jesus Christ emerged amongst other radical preachers as a potentially dangerous rebel.

Constantine the Great made Rome Christian, but the sincerity of his belief is often questioned. A look at the broader changes in Roman society may better explain his contradictory faith.

Emperor Julian the Apostate was Rome’s last pagan leader. He came to power after many years of Christian rule and did his utmost to topple the Christian faith.

The Egyptian god Thoth and the Greek god Hermes merged in the Roman Empire to become a cult figure. The magical writings of Hermes have a long and strange history.

The city of ancient Alexandria was an intellectual juggernaut. Greek, Egyptian, and Roman learning were drawn together here in a unique project to catalog and refine all the world’s knowledge.

Diocletian brought the Roman Empire back from the brink. Part tyrant, part organizational genius, he remains a powerful and controversial figure in history.