Tag: ancient history
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The Roman Empire’s Maritime Trade in its Golden Period (30 BC–166 AD)
The popular image of the Roman Empire, often shaped by its historians, centres on its emperors: Augustus, its founder; the notorious Caligula and Nero; the stabilising Hadrian, known for his walls, including the one along Scotland’s border; and the philosophical Marcus Aurelius. Military campaigns, Jewish rebellions, and the drama of Antony and Cleopatra dominate historical…
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Jainism’s Maritime Influence on the Ancient Mediterranean
Historians have long been intrigued by the striking similarities between Indian philosophical traditions — Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism — and Greek philosophy. Examining history through the lens of maritime trade reveals not only economic patterns but also the transmission of ideas along trade routes. The Hiram-Solomon Treaty: Promoting Maritime Trade A notable biblical account describes…
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Ancient History vs Political Correctness
Has historical fashion diminished India’s role in shaping early history? Last week’s post posited that an invasion of Egypt by a military force from Mesopotamia’s Uruk city-state (in Sumer) was pivotal in forming Pharaonic Egypt, driven by trade demands between the Indus-Sarasvati region and Sumer. The notion of a Uruk invasion has sparked debate over the…
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The Ancient World’s First Maritime Trade Network
Today’s commercial shipping networks are many and complex and have evolved over centuries. In the last 50 years they have exploded in volume and extent, shifting eastwards at considerable pace. But what was the world’s first sustained shipping network? Economic Powerhouse of the Ancient World It was undoubtedly the one emanating from northwest India’s Indus-Sarasvati…
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Cataclysms of Antiquity: Unraveling the Black Swan Events of Ancient History
The notion of a “black swan” popularised by philosopher Nassim Nicholas Taleb, describes rare, unpredictable events with profound and often catastrophic consequences. In the annals of ancient history, such events—cataclysmic floods, cosmic impacts, and vanishing rivers—may have reshaped human civilisation in ways we are only beginning to comprehend. Younger Dryas: A Cosmic Catastrophe? The Younger…
Nick Collins 