Nature of History
What is my favourite archaeological dating methodology?
Dendrochronology
This famous ruler of Macedon founded Alexandria in 331 BCE along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt.
Alexander the Great
Masada is an ancient fortress situated on a isolated rock plateau in this modern-day country.
Israel
This grand temple dedicated to the goddess Athena sat atop the Acropolis in Athens as a symbol of Athenian empire and wealth.
Parthenon
This short, double-edged thrusting sword was the primary sidearm of the Roman legionary.
Gladius
This modern non-invasive imaging technique allows archaeologists to peer inside mummies and bog bodies without physically unwrapping or damaging them.
CT Scan
Considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, this massive lighthouse stood on an island in Alexandria's harbor.
Pharos
King Herod the Great built Masada as a fortified complex complete with defensive walls, storehouses, and this luxurious residential feature.
What is a palace (or northern palace / swimming pool / Roman baths)?
This influential Athenian statesman oversaw the golden age of Athens and spearheaded the rebuilding of the Acropolis.
Pericles
From what tribe was Boudica?
These unique preserved bodies, often found in northern European peat bogs, frequently show evidence of violent death or ritual sacrifice.
Bog Bodies
This ancient research institute and shrine to the Muses in Alexandria housed the legendary Great Library and attracted scholars from across the Mediterranean.
Mouseion
This extremist Jewish faction, a radical subgroup of the Zealots, seized control of Masada during the First Jewish-Roman War.
Sicarii
Name one key symbol for Medusa, Apollo and Pandora
Medusa - Snakes, staring eyes/aegis
Pandora - Jar/box; bridal imagery
Apollo (Delphi) - Laurel, tripod, treasuries
This large rectangular shield helped Roman soldiers form powerful defensive formations such as the testudo.
Scutum
This relative dating method operates on the principle that in undisturbed archaeological layers, the oldest material is found at the bottom and the newest at the top.
Law of Superposition (or stratigraphy)
The Greek dynasty that ruled Egypt from Alexandria for nearly 300 years, ending with the death of Cleopatra VII.
Ptolemaic Dynasty
To breach Masada's walls in 73–74 CE, the Roman governor Silva commanded his soldiers to construct this massive earthwork structure.
What is the siege ramp
What are the four methods of government evident in Ancient Greece?
Monarchy
Tyranny
Oligarchy
Democracy
This famous defensive infantry formation involved Roman soldiers overlapping their curved rectangular shields over their heads and sides to resist missile attacks.
Testudo (or Tortoise formation)
This major ethical dilemma involves indigenous groups requesting the return of human remains and cultural artifacts from Western museums to their ancestral homelands.
What is repatriation?
This street, which formed the primary east-west axis of Alexandria's grid plan designed by Dinocrates, was lined with grand colonnades.
The Canopic Way
Almost everything known about the siege of Masada comes from the writings of this 1st-century Jewish-Roman historian.
Flavius Josephus
This hero volunteered to enter the Labyrinth, killed the Minotaur with the help of Ariadne's thread, and later became a symbol of Athenian unity, civic order, and leadership.
Theseus
Much of what historians know about Boudica's revolt comes from the writings of these two Roman historians.
Tacitus and Cassius Dio