In this three-part series, Daniel looks at the Athenian symposium from three different perspectives to fully understand what really went on at ancient Greek house parties. This first part will explore the personal gains from attending a symposium.

J.R.R. Tolkien described The Lord of the Rings as a fundamentally Catholic work. But a close reading of the epic novel reveals many more influences, including a connection between Mithras and the wizard Gandalf, whose Elvish name is Mithrandir.

The ancient Greeks were, like all people, highly mobile, and they founded a large number of settlements beyond the Aegean basin. What are some of the characteristics of Greek migration, and did these settlers bring their dialects and customs with them?

In this video produced by Invicta History, the focus is on the origins of the Trojan War, including a brief introduction on the poems of the Epic Cycle and the structure of “heroic” society.

One of the main traits of the temperamental hero Achilles is that he is invulnerable to harm except for his proverbial heel. But the ancient sources make clear that his weak point was actually his ankle.

Euripides’ play Iphigenia at Aulis contains valuable lessons that can serve as a source of inspiration in the modern world. For teachers in particular, empathy, as highlighted in the play, is of vital importance.

With the recent release of the strategy game A Total War Saga: Troy, there has been a flood of videos about the Trojan War. Sadly, many of them are not very good. The recent video by Extra Credits on “Battles in the Bronze Age” is an example.

Last month, Josho Brouwers gave a lecture about the cultural signifcance of the Homeric epics to ancient Greek warfare, which was also recorded on video. Here you can read the text of this lecture.

A jug made in Corinth but unearthed in an Etruscan tomb features an image that has been widely interpreted as representing hoplites fighting in phalanx formation. But a closer examination of this artefact casts serious doubts on this view.

One of the longest extant ancient Greek inscriptions is found in Gortyn, an ancient city in Crete. The text was inscribed in the fifth century BC, but some scholars purport that parts of it are reflective of an earlier era.