Cathy Barnes

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Ancient Greece’s Most Famous Oracles: The History of the Oracles at Delphi and Dodona

Ancient Greece’s Most Famous Oracles: The History of the Oracles at Delphi and Dodona

In ancient Greece, “no other practice was so universal than the consultation of oracles.” These holy sites were found in 260 locations around the Greek-speaking world, and they were considered the “most satisfactory means of ascertaining the future.”...

Apollo and Artemis: The Origins and History of the Twin Deities in Ancient Greek Mythology

Apollo and Artemis: The Origins and History of the Twin Deities in Ancient Greek Mythology

“Apollo’s history is a confusing one,” said the renowned poet and mythologist Robert Graves. This notion is also illustrated in the above quote from the 6th century BCE Homeric Hymn to Apollo, which gives the reader a brief glimpse into the confusion...

Food and Drink in the Greco-Roman World: The History of Eating and Drinking in Ancient Greece and Rome

Food and Drink in the Greco-Roman World: The History of Eating and Drinking in Ancient Greece and Rome

The social importance placed on food and wine in the Greek world was even more pronounced and had profound consequences for the rest of the world. As one modern historian aptly put it, “How classical Athens was fed is not a matter of marginal...

The Great Schism and the Western Schism: The History and Legacy of the Most Important Splits in the Catholic Church

The Great Schism and the Western Schism: The History and Legacy of the Most Important Splits in the Catholic Church

For nearly a thousand years following its foundation, there was only one Christian Church. Centered in the city of Rome, the Church expanded and grew until it became the dominant religion in Europe and beyond. The early growth of the Church had been...

The Library of Alexandria and the Library of Pergamon: The History of the Most Important Libraries in Antiquity

The Library of Alexandria and the Library of Pergamon: The History of the Most Important Libraries in Antiquity

In the Middle Ages, the lack of libraries in the West helped contribute to the popular imagination of the ancient Library at Alexandria, and all the myths and legends that have come to be associated with it, but the Library of Alexandria deserves its...

The Louvre and the Hermitage: The History and Contents of Europe’s Biggest Art Museums

The Louvre and the Hermitage: The History and Contents of Europe’s Biggest Art Museums

The very name of the Louvre conjures up scenes of art and elegance, and of long halls filled with beauty and people strolling through them whispering quietly among themselves about the glories they are witnessing. Even those who have never been to the...

The Moors: The History of the Muslims Who Lived in North Africa and Europe during the Middle Ages

The Moors: The History of the Muslims Who Lived in North Africa and Europe during the Middle Ages

The term Moor is a historical rather than an ethnic name. It is an invention of European Christians for the Islamic inhabitants of Maghreb (North Africa), Andalusia (Spain), Sicily and Malta, and was sometimes use to designate all Muslims. It is...

Trade in the Ancient World: The History and Legacy of Trade in Europe, the Near East, and Africa during Antiquity

Trade in the Ancient World: The History and Legacy of Trade in Europe, the Near East, and Africa during Antiquity

The concept of international trade was born in the ancient Mediterranean, which provided the perfect set of circumstances needed to produce an intricate trading system whose influence can still be seen in present-day economic practices. The ancient...