There can be a certain familiarity to Roman towns. During the heyday of the Empire, such settlements were essential for administering conquered…
Sailing to a remote maritime sanctuary brings Richard Hodges to Europe’s earliest central place As the ferry slipped through the still-sleeping grey…
The enjoyment of food and drink, the essence of life, was deeply ingrained in Roman society. Beyond mere nutrition, food and wine…
Excavations in a once-forgotten city are bringing its inhabitants’ stories to light, as Oliver Gilkes reveals. The wide, high, rolling plains and…
On the plain of Pasargadae, Cyrus the Great founded a spectacular garden palace. Nothing like it had ever been seen in the…
Cyrus the Great had an eye for the finer things in life. At Pasargadae he established a fabulous palace, which boasted lavish…
Creating images in a changing world Today, it seems hard to imagine that the Sahara was once populated by people with large…
How did cities come to flourish in the Negev Desert? George Nash has gone in search of Shivta’s former glory. The Negev…
Claims and counter-claims about a sculptural fragment held by the British Museum brought a touch of trepidation to a celebrity visit during…
What is it? This mid 3rd century AD semi-cylindrical shield is known as a scutum and was used by legionary soldiers of…
Life and death in a 5th-century ringfort It is not unusual for archaeologists to find caches of artefacts stashed in the ground,…
The deeds of royal dynasties presiding over Maya city-states in northern Guatemala can still be followed on ornate inscriptions raised in their…
The Guatemalan rainforest has kept its secrets well. Maya monuments like the world-famous pyramids at Tikal may seem hard to miss, but…