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 →

After Lysimachos’ defeat at Corupedium in 281 BCE, Seleukos became the master of nearly all of Asia Minor and Thrace. The road to the Macedonian heartland lay open before him. However, his chances to consolidate his rule in these regions and to be proclaimed king in his homeland were cut short when he was assassinated... Continue Reading →

Georgios Pachymeres' father was part of the large group of Byzantines who fled the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople, after the Latin conquest of 1204 during the Fourth Crusade. He sought refuge with the Laskarid dynasty in Nicaea, one of the Byzantine successor states, where Georgios is believed to have been born around... Continue Reading →

Around 2000 BCE, the Indo-Europeans migrated to what is today Greece. After settling there, they lived for several centuries in the shadow of the splendorous Minoan civilization on Crete. However, the Indo-Europeans did not remain idle. They developed into a series of well-organized small states, ruled by kings (wanax) in their heavily fortified palaces. This... Continue Reading →

During the Hellenistic period, mystery cults became increasingly popular. Many people found little comfort in the traditional Greek pantheon and, as a result, turned to other belief systems and forms of worship to fulfill their spiritual needs. Philosophical schools like Stoicism and Epicureanism flourished, while new religious cults emerged, often offering consolation for earthly hardships by promising rewards in the afterlife. Many of these cults were centered around foreign deities, partly due to their exotic and mysterious allure. One famous example is the Egyptian goddess Isis, whose cult quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. These new religious practices were especially popular in various Hellenistic colonies but also gained a following on the Greek mainland. In fact, as early as the 5th century BCE, foreign cults began to make their way into classical Athens. Among these exotic deities was Kybele.