History To The Point

14/07/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez9Q60EIxXc&pp=0gcJCc0JAYcqIYzv

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring - Head to https://keeps.com/kings to get 50% off your first order of hair loss treatment.Kings and Generals animated historica...

24/08/2024

According to the myth, the Athenians chose Athena as their patron deity instead of Poseidon, however Poseidon was the worshipping deity in the southernmost part of Attica. The temple of Sounion was constructed during the years of Pericles upon archaic remains and it would look very much like the temple of Hephaistos in the ancient Agora.

The historical importance of Sounion is not only cultural, because it was a crucial strategic point for the Athenians, who fortified it during the Peloponnesian war. The fort became a place of frequent quarrels between the Athenians and Macedonian rulers in the next centuries, and in 104 BC it was occupied by revolted slaves.

26/05/2024

🇦🇲 Geghard Monastery
- Ararat Province, Armenia

Image: ©Marc Crandall

19/05/2024

2,5 hours away from Athens, the Byzantine church of saint Theodora is one of the most interesting sightseeings in Arcadia, filled with medieval legends.

It was built in around 1100 and its roof holds at least 17 trees, while streams flow from both sides of the church, merging in a single creek.

The structure is stonemade, and the in-between gaps were filled with lots of dirt. Most of the trees that have grown on the roof are oaks and plane trees. Since they grew between the stones, their roots are not visible.
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GR: Μία ώρα μακριά από την Καλαμάτα βρίσκεται το βυζαντινό εκκλησάκι της Αγίας Θεοδώρας, ένα από τα πιο ιδιαίτερα αξιοθέατα της Αρκαδίας.

Κτίστηκε γύρω στο 1100 κι έχει τουλάχιστον 17 δέντρα πάνω στη στέγη του, ενώ δεξιά και αριστερά του αναβλύζουν ρυάκια που ενώνονται σε μία ενιαία ρεματιά.

Το εκκλησάκι είναι πετρόκτιστο και στα διάκενα χρησιμοποιήθηκε αρκετό χώμα. Τα περισσότερα από τα δέντρα της στέγης είναι πουρνάρια και πλατάνια, και οι ρίζες τους δεν φαίνονται - έχουν αναπτυχθεί ανάμεσα στις πέτρες.

Ο μύθος γύρω από την αγία Θεοδώρα έχει αρκετές παραλλαγές. Σύμφωνα με τη δημοφιλέστερη εκδοχή, η Θεοδώρα γεννήθηκε στην περιοχή γύρω στο 1000 και λόγω φτώχειας επέλεξε να υποδυθεί τον άντρα, ώστε να καταταχθεί στο τοπικό στράτευμα.

Ενώ ζούσε ως νεαρός στρατιώτης με το όνομα Θεόδωρος, κατηγορήθηκε ότι άφησε έγκυο μια κοπέλα. Αρνιόταν να την παντρευτεί, όμως δεν αποκάλυπτε το φύλο της, ούτε ακόμα κι όταν την έσυραν για να την εκτελέσουν. Στην παράδοση θεωρείται ότι τα τελευταία λόγια της ήταν η προσευχή τα μαλλιά της να μεταμορφωθούν σε δέντρα και το αίμα της σε ποτάμι.

Τέτοιες μυθοπλαστικές αφηγήσεις ερμηνεύονταν κυριολεκτικά, ως θαύματα, σε έναν κόσμο που εν απουσία επιστημονικών μέσων, η φύση εκλαμβανόταν ως θεϊκό δημιούργημα, στο οποίο ο δημιουργός του μπορούσε να παρεμβαίνει όποτε το επιθυμεί.

29/04/2024

27/04/2024

A mosaic from a villa in Pompei that was buried after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, depicting animals, among them a cat having caught a bird.

Cats were first imported to Europe by Egyptian or Phoenician traders and were being seen as domesticated animals throughout the Greek and Roman world.

The comedy playwriter Aristophanes refers cats frequently in his works to assign blame ("the cat did it") or to describe mischiefs, such as stealing.

For example: Aristophanes, The Wasps, 355-364

355 ἥβων γὰρ κἀδυνάμην κλέπτειν, ἴσχυόν τ᾽ αὐτὸς ἐμαυτοῦ,
[...]
νῦν δὲ ξὺν ὅπλοις
360 ἄνδρες ὁπλῖται διαταξάμενοι
[...]
ὥσπερ με γαλῆν κρέα κλέψασαν
τηροῦσιν ἔχοντ᾽ ὀβελίσκους.

Translation: "I was once very strong and good at stealing in my youth. Now, look, there are armed people on every corner, keeping watch while holding their skewers, as if I am a cat who stole their meat."

Photo copyrights: Mary Harrsch / Flickr (Photographed at the Museo Archaeologico Nazionale di Napoli)

23/04/2024

What an incredible idea for reenacting the battle of Chaeronea, at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens!

Τhe armies formation and the equipment are depicted with high accuracy, using Playmobil figures and 3D printing.

The battle at Chaeronea in 338 BCE, between the Macedonians and the coalition of cities led by the Athenians and the Thebeans, is one of the most crucial conflicts of antiquity.

The exhibit is portraying the moment when Phillip had retreated on purpose to disorganize the enemy troops and create gaps.

Alexander took the chance and attacked with his elite troops at the right side of the enemy, cutting of the Thebeans from the rest of their allies. His attack had a huge impact at the result of the battle. At the edge of the Athenian army you can see Demosthenes throwing his shield and fleeing from battle.

With the prevalence of Phillip, the Macedonians became the dominant rulers of the Greek mainland, marking a whole new era.

The exhibit of the battle at Chaeronea in the Museum of Cycladic Art ended today after four months.

The reenactment of the battle with playmobil figures caused great interest to the visitors, both children and adults.

A great idea!

21/04/2024

The view from the cliff above the prisons of Socrates. It is speculated that Socrates was imprisoned in this site because a small statue of him was found during an excavation.

However, the Athenian prison has been found inside the Agora, so it's not yet certain where exactly Socrates was imprisoned, between these two.

19/04/2024

Since the page will be specializing in antiquity from now on, here’s a reconstruction of Eratosthenes’ map, as the world was known to the Greeks and the Greek-speaking populations in late 3rd century BC.

It is important to always have in mind the perspectives by which the people of antiquity were making their choices in life, and the aspect of geographical knowledge and spatial awareness is a grand one.

Eratosthenes was one of the most crucial polymaths of the ancient world, and his scientific achievements became stepping stones for modern science.

His magnum opus (best achievement) probably was the measurement of Earth’s circumference, whose result had but a small decline from the correct number. This proves, of course, that Earth’s sphericity was a given fact at his time, for the scholars at least.

Photo credits: Reddit/gaiusantonius