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Second life for the Nympheum of Amman
It always makes me happy when new life is brought to an ancient site or building as they often have been mistreated over the centuries and have suffered from war, plunder and erosion. [Picture from...
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The edge of the world was not reached
After the Battle of the Hydaspes, Alexander proceeded deeper into the Punjab, literally meaning The Land of Five Rivers. He had already made it across the Indus and the Hydaspes but there were still...
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Alexander in the snow
When we think of Greece, we automatically have mental pictures of sun-drenched beaches and blue skies but winter can be harsh especially in the north.[Picture from All Things Greek, Author Thanasi...
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Anamur, ancient Anemurium in Cilicia
Anemurium, modern Anamur is situated on a promontory along the ancient coastal road of Rough Cilicia (Cilicia Tracheia) in southern Turkey. The city was founded by the Phoenicians and successively...
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The unique marble from Thasos
The site of Alyki is to be found at the southern end of the island of Thasos and obviously its marble quarries are better known as Thasos marble.Originally, Thasos was settled by the Phoenicians who...
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How Roman roads led to the prosperity of Europe
The Romans were master builders and that included the roads, many of which have survived as such or simply by their itinerary. The very first road the Romans built was the well-known Appian Way that...
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Memorable clash at Mount Haemus
Once his succession to the throne was secured and he had taken care of his father’s funeral, all Alexander wanted was to start his Asian campaign. But having learned that the Triballi and the Thracians...
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Did Alexander the Great die from an infection?
The sudden death of Alexander the Great has triggered many theories and speculations over the past centuries but from time to time a more realistic explanation surfaces (see my previous blog: About the...
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Exploring Troy and surroundings
What a lovely idea to actually walk the newly created Troy Culture Route between Çanakkale and Assos in northwestern Turkey. The route is 120 km long and the cherry on the cake will be a stop at Troy...
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Why cleaning pays off
The National Archaeological Museum of Florence housed a marble statue that was labeled as representing Queen Leda of Sparta as a Roman copy from the 1st century AD of the original Greek created around...
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Palmyra’s Lion of Al-lat restored
The statue of a lion holding a crouching gazelle from the 1st century AD was one of the two hundred sculptures located at the Museum of Palmyra that were destroyed by IS as only four of them survived...
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Into the Plains of the Danube River
After their fierce battle at MountHaemus (modern ShipkaPass in Bulgaria at 1150 meters), i.e. the major thoroughfare from Philippopolisto Gabrovo and Veliko Tarnovo, the road was open for the...
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The Gold of Macedon. Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
As an exception, I am including this booklet about the gold collection from Macedonia which is an important section of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki (The Gold of Macedon, ISBN...
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A private museum becomes a family feud
The private museum is in fact a collection of works of art held by the Torlonia family in Italy, the largest privately owned marbles and paintings in the world.The value of its 620 marbles, the villa...
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A solid gold bust of Septimus Severus
Gold, like bronze and silver, is a commodity that over the centuries was melted down time and again by whoever possessed the precious mineral and wanted to transform it for his own use. This is why...
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The Punjab, Land of Five Rivers
One close look at the map will make you realize that the Punjab is an enormous alluvial plain that counts far more than the five main rivers. Situated at the foot of the Himalayas, it covers a surface...
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Alexander at Thermopylae
Nothing much is left of this once so highly strategic pass. All we can see today is a flat rather fertile plain gently sloping down from tall mountain walls to the sea at the distant horizon. Hard to...
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Tomb of Darius I reveals new inscription
Excavations in Persepolis and at the nearby tombs of Nasq-i Rustam started nearly two hundred years ago, and the sites have been explored in the decades that followed.[Picture from The Archaeology News...
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A Celtic imitation of Alexander’s gold stater
Slovenia does not immediately spring to mind when it comes to archaeology but this message is truly an exception.[Picture from RTV Slovenia - Photo credit ZRC SAZU]Earlier this year, archaeologists...
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The site of Kasta Hill and the Tomb of Amphipolis
Kasta Hill is a huge tumulus made of limestone having a perimeter of almost 500m which can easily be spotted from nearby Amphipolis. It is a landmark that inevitably impresses any visitor.Since 2014,...
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