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The Bulgarian Entrapment Of Imperial Conspirators Against Emperor Leo III of Constantinople

Emperor Leo III of Constantinople (r. 717-741) gained power due, in large part, to the actions and reign of a former ruler named Emperor...

The Tale Of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela—The Darkest Story In Greek Mythology

According to ancient Greek myth and legend, a man named Tereus was once the ruler of a powerful Thracian kingdom. He was a mighty...

Cleopatra Berenice III—The Egyptian Queen Who Married Her Uncle, Father, And Stepson

Ancient Egypt’s Ptolemaic Dynasty was known for its long tradition of incestuous royal marriages. Generation after generation, Ptolemies married Cleopatras, with many of the...

The Pungent Origin Story Of Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos

Emperor Constantine V was the son of Emperor Leo III of Constantinople (r. 717-741), a ruler who brought much-needed stability to the Byzantine Empire...

Ptolemy “The Flutist” Executed His Own Daughter

Ptolemy XII, nicknamed Auletes (“the flutist” or “the piper”), lived a life thoroughly suffused with ruthless dynastic intrigue. He grew up during the reign...

The Tale Of Musa—The Italian Slave Who Became A Queen Of Parthia

Musa, also known as Thermusa, was an Italian slave who was sent by a Roman emperor to live in the exotic court of a...

The Tale Of Saint-King Olaf’s Miraculous, Flameproof Hair

Olaf Haraldsson, also known as Saint Olaf, was a former Viking and mercenary who returned home to seize the throne of Norway around 1015....

Thomas Godfrey And His Controversial Prince of Parthia—The First Play Written And Performed In America

Thomas Godfrey’s Prince of Parthia has a complicated legacy. It is credited as being the first theatrical play written and performed by Americans. Yet,...

A Tale Of An Ancient Traveler Who Survived A Fatal Prophecy Of His Death

In the region of Paphlagonia (bordering the Black Sea in north-central Anatolia), a family of some means and influence was reported to have experienced...

The Opportunistic Italian Rebellion Against The Newly Crowned And Besieged Emperor Leo III Of Constantinople

In the early 8th century, a decorated warrior and administrative official named Sergios came to be appointed as the Byzantine governor of Constantinople’s imperial...