This artwork, painted by the Italian artist Gaspare Diziani (c. 1689-1767), was inspired by a curious poem called Gerusalemme liberata, written by the Italian...
This painting, by the French artist Pierre Subleyras (c. 1699-1749), recalls stories of Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople (r. 610-641) and the role that he...
Rhazates was the name given by scholars of Constantinople to a general of the Persian army who clashed against Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople (r....
5th-century Britain is one of those frustrating time periods in history where we know there were numerous great people taking actions that had tremendous...
The renowned conqueror, Alexander the Great, and his brilliant father, King Philip II, are the two best-known members of the Macedonian Argead Dynasty. Yet,...
This painting, by an unidentified 18th-century artist, strives to re-create the mythical birth scene of the ancient god, Bacchus—the Roman equivalent of the Greek...
Sophocles (c. 496-406/405 BCE)
"Of course you cannot know a man completely,
his character, his principles, sense of judgment,
not till he's shown his colors, ruling the...
Many famous philosophers presented theories envisioning how primordial authority structure and ancient governments might have formed at the dawn of civilization. From absolute divine...
This artwork by the Austrian artist, Gustav Wertheimer (c. 1847-1902), was inspired by the elaborate tales of Nero’s plots to assassinate his own mother,...
This artwork, by the French artist Eugène Delacroix (c. 1798-1863), was created as he visualized and practiced for a painting that he would produce...
William Shakespeare (c. 1564 – 1616)
"Cupid is a knavish lad,
Thus to make poor females mad."
From William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Act...
This painting, by the French artist Pierre Subleyras (c. 1699-1749), recalls stories of Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople (r. 610-641) and the role that he...
Rhazates was the name given by scholars of Constantinople to a general of the Persian army who clashed against Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople (r....
This lightly-colored illustration, by the Italian artist Felice Giani (c. 1758–1823), depicts the red-cloaked god, Apollo, harassing a Naiad nymph named Daphne. Sitting behind...
Phrixus (or Phrixos) and Helle, according to their traditional story from Greek mythology, were a brother and sister pair forced to flee their Greek...
This painting, by the French artist Antoine Gros (c. 1771-1835), depicts the Frankish power couple of King Clovis (r. 481-511/513) and his formidable wife,...
Euripides (c. 485-406 BCE)
"A bad man's gifts can bring no good."
From Euripides’ Medea (approximately line 615), translated by James Morwood in Medea and...
This painting, by the Hungarian artist Adolf Hirémy-Hirschl (c. 1860–1933), was inspired by one of the most famous scenes in Homer’s epic poem, The...
Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE)
"My gift
Is poetry, the praise
Of beautiful girls. I can make them immortal. Fine dresses,
Jewelry, gold, all perish. But the fame
Bestowed by...
