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Empires History
From landscaped gardens to road systems, the Persians were among the first to create many things we still enjoy today.
This 1524 map of the Aztec capital was a window into an exotic otherworld — and largely a fiction.
1hr 18mins
“Everyone's image of [Ancient Rome] is based on modern movies. In some ways, I think those were rather impressive, but they got some things terribly wrong.”
The plan — conquer China and push west to attack the Ottomans — was peak imperial hubris, as the Spanish themselves eventually realized.
39mins
"One of the ways you can see the Roman Empire is it's the worldwide web of its day."
A comparison of wealth gaps in ancient empires reveals stark differences and lasting consequences.
From medieval myths to Shakespeare's plays and modern cinema, British culture kept the Roman Empire alive long after its fall.
While death-bed utterances are more famous, baby’s first words have influenced us too.
19 rooms. 1,636 square feet. 1,800 years of history.
From Æthelred the Unready to Halfdan the Bad Entertainer, these strange epithets colored the legacy of four rather unlucky historical figures.
Long before the birth of Julius Caesar, the Roman Republic appointed all-powerful dictators to protect their state in times of crisis. They were remarkably self-restrained and obedient to the Roman Constitution.
Thanks to protocols established centuries ago in Europe, world leaders no longer need to worry about having their heads bashed with an axe.
By the end, even his mom wanted him gone.
Historians have been able to piece together a clear picture of how the average Roman citizen spent their waking hours.
39mins
Throw away your history books — here’s what life in ancient Rome was really like, according to Cambridge scholar Mary Beard.
Nero’s reputation as one of the most malevolent emperors in Roman history might be partly slander.
Six hundred years in the history of trousers.
The global extent of the Revolutionary War surprises many Americans today — but it was crucial to independence.
Only Caesar lived to tell the tale.
Mounted on horses and armed with unique, powerful bows, the archers of Genghis Khan inspired terror wherever they rode.
Before Rome was an empire, it was a republic. And before it was a republic, it was a kingdom ruled by seven mythical kings — some better than others.
Before Constantine received his history-defining vision, a pagan Sun god paved the way for Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into the Eternal City.
Mongol forces never fully conquered the continent, but they played a key role in its historical development.
When Mongol traders came knocking, Sultan Muhammad II shaved off their beards. Three years later, his whole empire was annihilated.
Wealth concentration among elites was common in ancient nations, but the scale on which it took place in Egypt’s 18th Dynasty was unprecedented.
Commodus lived the anti-Stoic life, pursuing lust, narcissism, and self-indulgence.
Using data collected from ancient civilizations across the world, researchers identified the most significant factors in human development. War came out on top.
Unlike other world rulers, Genghis Khan was laid to rest not inside an elaborate mausoleum but an unmarked grave somewhere in Mongolia. Maybe.
OmnesViae is a modern route planner based on the roads of the Roman Empire.