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Traces of Alexander in Pakistan?
Archaeological news from Pakistan only reaches us sparingly. As a result, the remote SwatValley remains as hidden to us as it was in the days of Sir Aurel Stein and even Alexander! [The Battlefield of...
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More antiquities in blasting color
Since the first-ever exhibition of ancient statues reworked to their ancient polychromy in 2003 (see: Ancient Greece in full Technicolor), the very concept of looking at colored versions has become...
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An example of the heavy traffic in the Mediterranean
Recent underwater explorations of the Bay of Fethiye, ancient Telmessus, led to discovering a heap of amphorae of the Rhodian type. [Picture from Daily Sabag]The shipwreck was found at a depth of 28...
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Link to Philip’s presence in Bulgaria
Little is known about Philip’s conquest of the land of the Getae in his early campaigns to stabilize Macedonia after the death of his elder brother, KingPerdiccas III, in 359 BC. Perdiccas was killed...
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Bringing the Doryphoros home
Thanks to the many copies the Romans made of Greek original sculptures, the initial artist of most works can be traced back. It is the case of the unique marble Doryphoros by Polycleitus, created in...
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Dining the Persian way
“What disturbs me most is not your lack of respect for my judgment, it’s your contempt for a world far older than ours!” Alexander pronounced these words in Oliver Stone’s movie, casually placed in the...
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True or False?
While writing my blog about Persian dining (see: Dining the Persian way), I found a statement that Alexander used saffron to care for his hair. Alexander clearly took great care of his body health, and...
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Fascinating Persepolis
For those who are in California or expect to travel there soon, it seems very worthwhile to visit the new exhibition at the GettyVillaMuseum in Malibu. Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World will...
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How important was Barsine?
The question is actually double: How important was Barsine for Alexander?And how important was Barsine in the geopolitical world of her time? Authors from antiquity have not spent much ink on her, and...
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Unanswered questions about the Alexander mosaic
The Alexander mosaic is one of the most commonly used illustrations for Alexander the Great in articles, magazines, or books. Standing in front of this large work of art in Naples, Italy, made me...
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How the principles of Pythagoras and Buddha met
As a result of his campaigns, Alexander created a true revolution in world culture. His influence often reached far beyond what we might imagine or hope for today. Take, for instance, vegetarianism,...
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Vague updates on the excavations at Euromos
There are times I wonder what message the papers wish to convey. This is the case for the present article, originally published by Anadolu Agency and reproduced by Archaeology News Network in 2018. It...
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Weather conditions during Alexander’s march East
As I so often stated, the weather conditions are not important for historians. We find only a few examples in Alexander's campaigns, like the Monsoon in India and the flash flood in the...
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Head of Alexander found in Italy
The news, apparently, did not make headlines.As I watched a documentary on National Geographic, I was introduced to the city of Terracina, where archaeologists are tracing the rise and coming to power...
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A full day colloquium about excavations in Afghanistan.
Under the title: 100 ans au service du patrimoine culturel afghanLa Délégation archéologique française en Afghanistan The Louvre organizes a full-day event on June 17, 2022. Different speakers will...
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Lysimachus in the wake of Alexander – Part I
Lysimachus was in Babylonat the time of Alexander’s death in 323 BC. Almost immediately, anarchy erupted as the king had no successor. Every single one of his generals felt entitled to succeed...
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How the Greeks were perceived in Asia
We are so used to looking through the eyes of the West that only a few of us are aware that among the Persians and Indians, the Greeks go under different names. Ever since the reign of Darius I, the...
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Alexander the Great: The making of a Myth
For those living in the U.K. or transiting through London this winter, it may be an excellent opportunity to stop at this exhibition about Alexander the Greatorganized by The British Library. [Picture:...
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Lysimachos in the wake of Alexander – Part II
[continued from Lysimachos in the wake of Alexander - Part I]Skipping the many details and intertwined relationships, let us pick up the story when Seleucos added his forces to those of Lysimachos and...
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Let's play chess and relive the Battle of Issus
If I were a rich man, ... surely I would buy this chess game. It is a pure pleasure for the eye and handling each and every piece of the game would bring me closer to Alexander at his Battle of...
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