Category Archives: Ancient History

Archaeologists Discover a Sumerian Tavern

Posted on February 22, 2023 by briansandberg

Archaeologists working in Iraq have discovered the remains of a Sumerian tavern in the ruins of the city of Lagash. “Archaeologists found a seven-room structure featuring an open courtyard with benches and a large open cooking area with a 10-foot-wide … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Cultural History, Food and Cuisine History, History of the Western World, Material Culture, Urban History, World History | Leave a comment

Ancient Battlefield Archaeology and DNA Findings

Posted on October 5, 2022 by briansandberg

Archaeologists and scientists are discovering new information about the soldiers and conflicts of the past through battlefield archaeology. Recent digs have uncovered the grave of Richard III from the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487) and mass graves from battles of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Battlefield Archaeology, European History, History of the Western World, History of Violence, Mediterranean World, Mercenaries, War, Culture, and Society, World History | 1 Comment

Virtual Rome

Posted on September 7, 2021 by briansandberg

My students in HIST 420 The Renaissance at Northern Illinois University recently discussed the intellectual movement of Humanism in the Renaissance, focusing especially on the Humanists’ fascination with antiquities and their nostalgia for ancient Rome. Students read passages from Poggio … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Art History, Cultural History, Digital Humanities, Early Modern Europe, Empires and Imperialism, European History, History in the Media, History of the Book, Humanities Education, Intellectual History, Italian History, Mediterranean World, Museums and Historical Memory, Renaissance Art and History, The Past Alive: Teaching History | Leave a comment

Roman History and Modern Society

Posted on May 31, 2021 by briansandberg

Ancient Roman history is alive and well, and newsworthy. An interview with Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, in The New York Times highlights diverse ways in which Roman history is actively used in today’s society … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Cultural History, European History, History in the Media, Italian History, Mediterranean World, Museums and Historical Memory, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment

Gruen Prize for Graduate Essays in Ancient History

Posted on May 13, 2021 by briansandberg

The Society for Classical Studies is offering a prize for the best graduate research paper on multiculturalism in the ancient Mediterranean. A number of graduate students at Northern Illinois University work on ancient, late antique, and early medieval history. Some … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, European History, Graduate Work in History, Grants and Fellowships, History of the Western World, Mediterranean World, World History | Leave a comment

Pre-Modern World History Position

Posted on April 19, 2021 by briansandberg

University Laboratory High School in Champaign-Urbana is hiring a high school teacher in pre-modern World History. History graduates of the History and Social Science Secondary Educator Licensure Programs at Northern Illinois University may be interested in applying for this position. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Careers in History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, European History, History of the Western World, Illinois History and Society, Jobs and Positions, Medieval History, Northern Illinois University, Renaissance Art and History, The Past Alive: Teaching History, Undergraduate Work in History, World History | Leave a comment

“Lost Golden City” Discovered in Egypt

Posted on April 12, 2021 by briansandberg

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of an important ancient Egyptian city near the modern city of Luxor. The archaeological excavations began in September 2020 and seem to be revealing the “lost golden city” of Akhenaten. National Geographic reports: “Three thousand … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Empires and Imperialism, History in the Media, History of the Western World, Material Culture, Museums and Historical Memory, Urban History, World History | Leave a comment

Confronting Whiteness in Ancient History

Posted on February 2, 2021 by briansandberg

Students in my History of the Western World I course confront racial constructs in the idea of the West from the first day of classes. We consider the concepts of Europe, the West, and Western Civilization, critically throughout the semester, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Conferences, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, European History, Globalization, History in the Media, History of Race and Racism, History of the Western World, Humanities Education, Idea of Europe, Intellectual History, Medieval History, Renaissance Art and History, The Past Alive: Teaching History, World History | Leave a comment

Newberry Graduate Student Conference in Premodern Studies

Posted on February 1, 2021 by briansandberg

The Center for Renaissance Studies at the Newberry Library will be holding its annual Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Conference in Premodern Studies as a virtual conference on 8-13 February 2021. Graduate students in History, English, and World Languages and Cultures at Northern … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Art History, Atlantic World, Conferences, Court Studies, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, European History, Graduate Work in History, History of Science, History of the Book, Medieval History, Reformation History, Renaissance Art and History, Women and Gender History, World History | 1 Comment