History is filled with stories of last stands, of small forces engaging an enemy many times their strength for one reason or another. Arguably the most famous last stand took place at Thermopylae where, in 480 BCE, a force of seven thousand Greeks faced off against Xerxes’ army for three days before being overwhelmed. Although it is most certainly a momentous event in history, a very similar military encounter would occur over a century later. This battle contains all of the elements that make last stands such compelling stories. A small force faced off against a much large opponent, desperate to buy the time needed to save their world from destruction, with displays of incredible bravery as well as ingenuity on both sides. And yet, even with all these elements, this battle is rarely remembered alongside the other great last stands of history. This article will go through this story and aims to give it the attention it deserves.

Although lamented for its initial cruelty, the Mongol Empire soon became a textbook example of religious tolerance. Focusing on the Ilkhanate—the western portion of the empire—Ethan Zelko-Yılmaz places this tolerance in context by discussing the Mongols’ Tengrist religious background and the practical nature of their policy.

In his essay, Joshua Nudell challenges the characterization of the Ionian city-states as outposts of Western civilization, arguing that such a view overlooks their profound indebtedness and connections to Anatolia and beyond.

Visible from miles away arose the crown jewel of Babylon’s cityscape, the Etemenanki, the symbol par excellence of the Mesopotamian city’s undeniable power. Dedicated to the supreme god Marduk, the ziggurat functioned for the Babylonians as the ultimate proof of their might and devotion toward the divine, while for others it symbolized the city’s arrogance. The massive structure firmly imprinted itself into the shared memory of Mesopotamia, the Middle East and even Europe for centuries to come. Unfortunately, age hasn’t been kind to the ziggurat, with nothing more than rubble remaining on the place where once the embodiment of Babylon’s universal aspirations stood. This article wishes to address the monument, its history, significance, and the problems encountered in researching the subject. 

In the second installment of his series on the Hellenistic Far East, Harald Blot examines the age of the Diodotids and Euthydemids, when the easternmost provinces of the Seleucid Empire gained independence and resisted subsequent attempts at reintegration.

As the modern age dawned in Iran at the end of the Qajar period, women’s education emerged as a central issue, despite heavy resistance from many quarters—ranging from institutions and religious authorities to families themselves. Nevertheless, a determined group of women (and men) pursued the advancement of Iranian society by publishing their criticisms in journals and establishing women’s schools during the twilight of the Qajar era. Join Elaheh Soleimannezhad as she examines this pivotal topic in understanding Iran’s transitional era from the Qajar dynasty to the early Pahlavi period.

When Michael Ventris deciphered Linear B, he sent shockwaves through the academic world by proving that it was the script of a Bronze Age Greek dialect. However, Ventris’ discovery was not a one-man effort. In fact, he built upon the work of another brilliant researcher who contributed significantly to the understanding of Linear B: Alice Kober.

As Middle Eastern Christianity became increasingly integrated into the Arabic-speaking Islamic world, Christian communities faced growing challenges in maintaining their religious practices, as traditional Christian languages declined and Arabic emerged as the primary vernacular. In response, figures such as Theodore Abū Qūrrah produced a substantial body of theological writings in Arabic, both for the spiritual edification of Middle Eastern Christians and to engage with critiques of Christian doctrine from Muslim and other interlocutors. Yohanna Musleh provides an analysis of the significance of this Arabic-speaking theologian, highlighting how he served as a vital bridge between contemporary Middle Eastern Christian communities and their ancient religious heritage.

Christianity, which originated in the Middle East, has remained deeply rooted among its diverse communities to this day, despite the rise and dominance of Islam. This enduring presence is reflected in the astonishingly beautiful traces preserved in surviving medieval bilingual Bible manuscripts, which Maxime Maleux explores in his latest contribution.