Critics of Alexander the Great see him as power-hungry and ruthless

Critics argued Hamilton prioritized central power over popular sovereignty

This podcast examines Hamilton's belief in expansive federal power and why he was repeatedly labeled a monarchist—tracing how his calls for a strong executive, his life-tenure proposals at the Constitutional Convention, and his admiration for British stability fueled accusations that he favored centralized power over republican rule.

Bad Ancient: a site to fact-check claims about the ancient world

Peruse popular questions about ancient Rome, Egypt, Greece, and more, from whether Greek boxers were ripped or to what extent Alexander the Great conquered the world.

Watch a quick overview the rich heritage of the ancient Greeks.

Adams had a deep contempt for Alexander Hamilton

Adams regarded him as dangerously ambitious and untrustworthy. Her letters are among the most vivid contemporary assessments of Hamilton, providing a portrait of one of the founding era's most contentious figures.

Emperor Commodus fought as a gladiator while ruling Rome

Commodus, who reigned from 180–192 CE, scandalized Rome’s elite by appearing in the arena despite being the son of Marcus Aurelius. The ancient biography—though partly fictional—captures the shock his gladiatorial performances provoked.

Scientists suspect that Alexander the Great and Rudyard Kipling are among the public figures that may have died from food poisoning.

The Greek city of Alexandria in Egypt helped form the template for modern cities by considering function, commerce, culture, and politics.

Socrates, who never wrote down his ideas, is considered by many the father of Western philosophy.

Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion, is a critic of authoritarian regimes

World champion from 1985 to 2000, Kasparov was politically outspoken during the Soviet era, clashing with authorities over censorship and restrictions. After retirement, he became a leading Russian dissident and fierce critic of Vladimir Putin, eventually fleeing the country in 2013.

Hear a leading historian discuss the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton

Historian Joanne Freeman discusses Hamilton's reputation, personality, and political world. The discussion distinguishes between historical record and myth and reflects on how the musical reshaped public understanding of his life.

Why wasn't German emperor Kaiser Wilhelm punished for starting WWI?

The accusations were explosive: a head of state had not only begun an illegal war, but egged his troops on to a series of horrific atrocities that left

Alexander Hamilton argued in Federalist 69 that the president's military authority was far more limited than a king's

Hamilton wrote that the president's commander-in-chief role amounted to little more than the authority to command the military, while the powers to declare war, raise armies, and regulate fleets belonged to the legislature. He contrasted this with the British king to argue that the executive posed no threat of tyranny.

Ancient Greece originated roughly 4,000 years ago around the Aegean Sea, and over centuries expanded as far as Spain and India.

Shakespeare was criticized in his own time

Robert Greene was a respected writer during Shakespeare’s time as an actor-playwright who famously dismissed the young upstart, accusing him of plagiarism and criticizing his ability to write blank verse.

A small island nation built the largest empire in history

See how Britain grew from a small kingdom into a global empire ruling nearly a third of the world, then unraveled through war, nationalist movements, and declining power—leaving just 14 overseas territories as remnants of its once-vast domain.

Spartans could be both brave and cowardly, contrary to popular belief

Though the militant city-state of ancient Sparta had its fair share of heroic warriors, it wasn't all glorious battle. Contrary to depictions in films like "300," the city-state consisted of land-owning aristocrats not so willing to die for their peninsular polis.

Washington's military acumen and political judgment were crucial to the Continental Army's success

In this podcast, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson argues that Washington's endurance, strategic communication, political judgment, and ability to elevate capable subordinates proved decisive, in sharp contrast to the failures of British leadership during the war.

Ancient Rome explained

Ancient Rome left a high water mark on ancient civilization with its pragmatism and administrative prowess, dominating through its efficient military, engineering, and administration. At least 50 million people—a quarter of the world population—inhabited the empire, covering 5 million square miles at its height.

Scholars argue Egypt's Great Sphinx depicts the pharaoh Khufu

Egypt's ancient marvel, the 66-foot, 4,500-year-old Great Sphinx, is believed to stand as a guard to the great Giza pyramids—or tombs—of pharaohs Khafre and Khufu. Archaeologists have long debated which of the two leaders' faces is on the great monument, the father (Khufu) or the son (Khafre).

What do you mean ancient Rome had 'Five Good Emperors?'

Between the first and second centuries CE, Rome was ruled by five emperors who reversed the civilization's sprint toward civil war. By the end of the fifth emperor's reign, the Roman Empire had achieved a level of stability and power it would never hold again. This article details the reign of the Five Good Emperors—Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius—who were chosen based on their abilities instead of their bloodlines.

Aristophanes was put on trial for his satire

The ancient Greek’s 426 BCE play “The Babylonians” criticized Athens’ role in the Peloponnesian War. The politician Cleon accused the dramatist of being unpatriotic, but that didn’t thwart Aristophanes. Two years later, Aristophanes premiered “The Knights,” which mocked Cleon, leaving him working as a sausage seller outside the city.

Early Christians viewed the Resurrection as a political claim about authority

Titles like "Son of God," "Lord," and "Savior" were in active circulation as official imperial titles at the time, stamped on Roman coins and carved into public inscriptions about Caesar. Early Christians applied those same words to Jesus, a crucified Jew, as a counter-claim about who actually held authority over the world. (Romans who refused to say "Caesar is Lord" were executed for it.)

When Marcus Aurelius created endowed philosophy chairs in Athens

The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is known as one of the most famous Stoic writers or thinkers, penning his classic opus ‘Meditations.’ In 176 CE, he endowed four philosophy chairs in Athens: one for Stoicism, and one for three of Stoicism’s rival schools: Aristotelianism, Platonism, and Epicureanism.

Cleopatra was a rare female pharaoh who sided with Rome to preserve power

The figure is famous for her love affair with Roman leader Mark Antony and her suicide in 30 BCE to escape capture. Parse through the many versions of Cleopatra with more recent archaeological evidence, including a 2007 coin depicting the queen as less glamorous than historically believed.

Roman terror was key to its centuries-long dominance

Historians like Polybius recorded Rome's violent tactics in detail, including the enslavement of entire populations and the mass killing of whole cities. Even as terror and violence proved effective in war, many Romans came to view the tactics with skepticism.

Homer's warrior tales, including 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey,' were loosely based on Mycenaean civilization.

Proponents argue that abandoning the rules-based order risks a return to the chaos that led to 2 world wars

Brookings scholar Robert Kagan warns that if China and Russia gain regional dominance, the world could return to the unstable conditions of the late 19th century—the same chaos that led to two devastating world wars.

Being a Byzantine emperor

The Byzantium and Friends podcast, hosted by Anthony Kaldellis, surveys current research in the history of the Byzantine Empire and its neighbors. In each episode, Professor Kaldellis interviews a scholar about their recent work. The cumulative effect is to reveal a world much more complex, and much more interesting, than the Byzantium found in traditional surveys. The linked episode considers the perks and pitfalls of being a Byzantine emperor.

The art of classical rhetoric

Ancient orators snapped human communication in two: the open palm of persuasive rhetoric versus the closed fist of evidence-heavy dialectic. The former seeks to convince the many via one's speech, while the latter seeks the truth in an argument. In ancient Rome, rhetoric had five "canons": invention, arrangement, style, memorization, and delivery. Loading the rhetorical canons in order was meant to help orators craft an effective and impactful speech.

The Greeks weightlifted using massive stones and admired strength—but they viewed muscles differently

Hamilton was one of Washington's aides during the Revolutionary War

During the Revolutionary War, Alexander Hamilton served as a key aide to George Washington, handling correspondence, strategy, and coordination, and serving as a trusted intermediary between Washington, Congress, and senior military leaders.

The western Roman Empire fell in the 5th century CE amid invasions, weakness

A mix of over-expansion, political instability, a weak military and economy, and the broad invasion of the Eurasian Huns prompted the downfall. Its eastern half, the Byzantine Empire, would last for another millennium.

The final war between the Persian and Byzantine empires

The Arab conquests of the seventh century, which swept over Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia, were made possible by a catastrophic generation-long war between the Byzantine and Persian Empires. That war, in turn, was the last act in a struggle that had gone on for centuries, and shaped the whole subsequent history of the Middle East.

The rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson centered on federalism—the question of how much power the federal government should hold relative to the states.

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson clashed over how power should be divided in the new republic—Hamilton favoring a strong national government with broad implied powers, and Jefferson warning that such authority would erode state power and threaten republican liberty.

Historians debate whether 'Hamilton' is good for historical education

In this article, historians debate whether "Hamilton" deepens public engagement with US history or distorts it—examining accuracy and racial casting, and whether the musical's cultural impact outweighs its historical compromises.

Spartacus led a 70,000-strong slave army that defeated Roman forces

After escaping a gladiator school in Capua, Spartacus led the largest slave revolt in Roman history, routing Roman armies before being crushed by forces under the command of Crassus and Pompey. Later generations recast him as a symbol of resistance.

Ancient Greek told to kick rocks after claiming moon wasn't a deity

About 2,500 years ago, ancient Greek philosopher Anaxagoras theorized that the moon probably wasn't a goddess. This article explains how this belief led to his exile. Anaxagoras also argued the sun was just a burning rock, writing that it was the sun that illuminated the moon. According to this resource, this theory enabled Anaxagoras to accurately explain eclipses and lunar cycles.

The warrior women of Ancient Scythia who inspired the Greek Amazons

Greek literature regales readers with tales of Amazon queens and warriors going toe-to-toe with heroes, including Achilles and Hercules. This article explores why these female warriors were relegated to myth. For a long while, it was believed that these stories about all-female warriors were just stories. But scientists have since found evidence that these ancient warriors were part of the nomadic tribes of Scythia, and more discoveries are expected.

Hamilton opposed slavery in principle but participated in the institution

Alexander Hamilton spoke against slavery, helped found the New York Manumission Society, and supported gradual emancipation while also participating in transactions involving enslaved people through his in-laws—and possibly within his own household, though historians debate this.

The story behind Prince's rivalry with Michael Jackson

The Purple One was often compared to the King of Pop, but Prince considered himself the superior artist. This retrospective details the many contentious encounters between the two giants, but it also highlights the sincere admiration they had for each other's work.

As president, Thomas Jefferson expanded federal power despite opposing centralized authority

Although Jefferson argued for limited national power, his presidency expanded federal authority through actions such as the Louisiana Purchase, territorial governance, and federal enforcement—reflecting a pragmatic departure from his earlier strict interpretation of the Constitution.

World War I causes

World War I was, as the name says, truly war on the global scale. Fought between the French, Russian, British, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman, and Russian Empires, it was in part, a battle for territory. And after the war ended, several of these empires collapsed. Explore the different causes of World War II in this article.

Explore different ways the ancient Greeks laid the foundation of Western culture, from philosophy to sports (w/quiz).

Watch a day in the life of a fictional Athenian family during the Peloponnesian War, ancient Greece's worst internal conflict.

Lord Byron was Romanticism's chief heartthrob

A prolific and often controversial figure in life and death, Lord Byron helped shape romanticism and left an enduring literary legacy, including creating the archetype of the Byronic hero. But Byron was more than just an artist—he was also a romantic era celebrity and predecessor to the modern rock star.

Hamilton proposed one of the strongest visions of national government

At the Constitutional Convention, Alexander Hamilton advanced a plan modeled partly on Britain's system, calling for a powerful national executive and for senators to serve for life (with good behavior)—proposals that failed to gain widespread support.

In a 2012 poll, Brits named Washington as the kingdom's greatest military enemy

The poll by the UK's National Army Museum ranked Washington above Irish independence hero Michael Collins, France's Napoleon Bonaparte, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Why only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still exists

Greek writers recorded lists of great structures that were later codified by Renaissance writers. The definitive list includes the Colossus of Rhodes, the Giza Pyramid (the only existing one today), the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

For centuries, European aristocrats made travel a rite of passage with 'Grand Tours' of the continent.

Spartacus: Enslaved ancient Roman gladiator turned revolt leader

Sold into slavery and forced to be a gladiator, Spartacus ultimately took the fight outside the arena and revolted against the Romans. This article dives into the history of the rebel leader. Spartacus was originally from Thrace, a part of ancient Europe that included parts of modern-day Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece. Exactly what led to his enslavement is unclear, but it likely involved ancient Rome's attempt to subjugate Thrace.