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The Viking age was notorious for the prevalence of pillaging and raiding. Practically no coastal settlement was safe from the hoards of Norsemen crossing the high seas in their long-boats, wrecking havoc on the people they pillaged, and draining them of their resources, and in particular, gold and silver. Jewellery, and other fineries, were as intwined with the culture as the pieces themselves, being used as status symbols, decoration, and even c...

Gladiators: Spartacus The Rise and Fall of Spartacus Spartacus marble 1830 Mus'ee du Louvre Although there is some speculation as to where Spartacus originated from, the general consensus amongst experts is that he was a Thracian from the northeastern part of Greece. Some historians claim he was an auxiliary in the Roman army who deserted before being captured and sold into slavery. Other historians claim he was just captured by the Rom...

Greece – Culture, Politics and War The evolution of the political system in ancient Greece was closely mimicked by the evolution of war itself. When most people think of ancient Greece they think of their philosophy, theater, democracy, the hoplite soldier and so on. What most don’t realize, however, is this view of ancient Greece only applies to a certain period: the Classical Age of Greece. The Classical Age is when Gre...