Category Archives: World History

DNA Studies of Pompeii Victims

New DNA studies have been done the remains of residents of Pompeii who were killed in the disastrous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 Common Era (CE). The findings challenge previous interpretations about the identities of many of the victims. … Continue reading

Posted in Ancient History, Environmental History, European History, History of the Western World, Italian History, Social History, World History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coins from the Norman Conquest of England

Metal detector enthusiasts recently discovered a hoard of coins from the era of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066-1068. The New York Times reports that “the group huddled together in the farmer’s field, staring at the dozen or so … Continue reading

Posted in European History, European Studies, French History, Material Culture, Medieval History, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Map Digitization at the Newberry Library

The Newberry Library has digitized a major collection of early modern European and world maps printed in Italy. “The Newberry has recently completed the digitization of over 750 maps printed in Italy during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Franco … Continue reading

Posted in Cartographic History, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Empires and Imperialism, European History, European Studies, History of the Book, Italian History, Manuscript Studies, Maritime History, Mediterranean World, Museums and Historical Memory, Warfare in the Early Modern World, World History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Silk Road and Eurasian Cities

A “casual tip” led archaeologist Michael Frachetti to the discovery of “Tugunbulak, an enormous fortified city dating back to a medieval empire. He and his team would spend nearly a decade trying to map out the site, as well as … Continue reading

Posted in Cultural History, Early Modern World, Globalization, History of the Western World, Material Culture, Medieval History, Urban History, World History | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Netherlands Returns Looted Artifacts to Indonesia

The Netherlands has returned numerous looted artifacts and art objects to Indonesia in a major repatriation. This move aims to make partial restitution for historical legacies of Dutch colonialism, imperialism, and slavery in Southeast Asia. The New York Times reports … Continue reading

Posted in Ancient History, Art History, Cultural History, Empires and Imperialism, European History, History in the Media, History of Slavery, History of Violence, Material Culture, Medieval History, Museums and Historical Memory, World History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Michael Walzer Assesses Pager Attacks in Lebanon

Michael Walzer, a noted scholar of just war theory and the conduct of war, has condemned the pager attacks in Lebanon as probable war crimes. His essay appears as an op-ed in the New York Times. “The exploding pagers and … Continue reading

Posted in Arms Control, Atrocities, Civilians and Refugees in War, History of Violence, Human Rights, Laws of War, Political Theory, Security Studies, War and Society, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AHA and History Teaching in the News

The American History Association and high school history teaching are in the news once again as the so-called “Culture Wars” continue to rage across the nation. History and Social Sciences teachers and their curricula often find themselves in the crosshairs … Continue reading

Posted in Digital Humanities, Education Policy, High School History Teaching, History in the Media, History of the Western World, Humanities Education, Public History, The Past Alive: Teaching History, United States History and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pager Attacks in Lebanon and the Laws of War

Massive and coordinated communication device attacks on Hezbollah members and civilians in Lebanon this week have killed at least 36 people and injured over 3,000. The attacks were carried out by detonating explosives hidden in pagers and hand-held radios in … Continue reading

Posted in Arms Control, Atrocities, Civilians and Refugees in War, Gender and Warfare, History of Violence, Human Rights, Laws of War, Political Theory, Religious Violence, Security Studies, Strategy and International Politics, Terrorism, War and Society, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Roman Colosseum and Gladiator II

The Colosseum will soon be on the big screen once again. The feature film Gladiator II is set for release to movie theaters this fall. According to the New York Times, “When ‘Gladiator’ was released in 2000, fans and critics … Continue reading

Posted in Ancient History, Empires and Imperialism, Historical Film, History in the Media, History of Slavery, History of the Western World, History of Violence, Museums and Historical Memory, Security Studies, World History | 1 Comment

On Judicial Authority and Insurrection

An investigative report in the New York Times finds that Chief Justice Roberts acted personally to steer the Supreme Court of the United States to find for former President Trump in three major cases related to the Storming of the … Continue reading

Posted in Political Culture, United States History and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment