In her first contribution to Along the Silk Road, Cemre Melis Yordamlı explores, through the example of Princess Maria Komnena Palaiologina, how the Late Byzantine court used political marriages to secure favorable alliances and promote Orthodox Christianity.

The introduction of tobacco into the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 16th century profoundly transformed social and cultural practices across Ottoman territories. In a short time, smoking became a daily habit shared by all social classes, from humble artisans to the sultan himself. The rapid growth in consumption led to the emergence of a specific craft: the production of clay pipes, with Tophane in Istanbul becoming its most iconic center.

In Classical Antiquity and Medieval Europe, the Chaldaeans became synonymous with astrologers. Indeed, they contributed significantly to the study of the stars and their perceived influence on the world and daily life. However, the Chaldaeans’ narrow characterization as astrologers has obscured their true identity.  This article aims to set the record straight: who were the Chaldaeans? Where did they come from? And what is their place in Mesopotamian history? 

In this essay, Prof. Dr. Hakan Özoğlu details the policies and perspectives of the major imperial powers toward the Kurds in the Caucasus region around the time of World War I.

This article seeks to elucidate the true etymology of Istanbul.

When Alexander founded in the Nile Delta one of his many Alexandrias in 331 BCE, he would have been overjoyed to know that this settlement would later become one of the cultural capitals of the ancient world—a city that still bears his name today. This location was not entirely unknown to the Greeks. In fact,... Continue Reading →