Ancient Religion History

During the first half of the 1st millennium CE, an empire arose in Persia that extended its power and influence to Mesopotamia in the east, Arabia in the south, the Caucasus Mountains in the north, and as far east as India. This empire, known alternatively as the Sasanian Empire or Sassanid Empire, was the last of three great dynasties in Persia - the Achaemenid and the Parthian being the first two dynasties - before the rise of Islam.

Finding Jesus explores six major artifacts, including the Shroud of Turin, the True Cross, and John the Baptist, that give us the most direct evidence about the life and world of Jesus. The book and attendant CNN series provide a dramatic way to retell "the greatest story ever told" while introducing a broad audience to the history, the latest controversies, and newest forensic science involved in sorting out facts from the fiction of would-be forgers and deceivers. The book and the show draw on experts from all over the world. Beyond the faithful, the book will also appeal to the skeptical and to curious readers of history and archaeology, while it takes viewers of the primetime TV series deeper into the story.

Lynn Cohick provides an accurate and fulsome picture of the earliest Christian women by examining a wide variety of first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman documents that illuminate their lives. She organizes the book around three major spheres of life: family, religious community, and society in general.

Cleopatra. Nefertiti. Hatshepsut. All of them are ancient Egyptian female rulers who rose above their predominantly patriarchal societies to become controllers of a great empire. Missing from this list, however, is Sobekneferu, ancient Egypt’s first female ruler. Why was the reign of this powerful woman all but forgotten? Piecing together the lost history of the first female pharaoh, Andrew Collins presents the first comprehensive biography of Sobekneferu.

The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles is a retelling of Greek myths for children by Padraic Colum. It was first published in 1921 and was a Newbery Honor recipient in 1922. The core myth retold here is that of Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece in the land of Colchis in the Caucasus. On the journey, the poet Orpheus relates other stories to the crew, about earlier ages and the Olympian gods and goddesses, like the myths of Pandora, Perseus, Persephone and Prometheus.

Two thousand years ago, 967 Jewish men, women, and children reportedly took their own lives rather than surrender to the Roman army. This dramatic event, which took place on top of Masada, a barren and windswept mountain overlooking the Dead Sea, spawned a powerful story of Jewish resistance that came to symbolize the embattled modern State of Israel. Jodi Magness, an archaeologist who has excavated at Masada, explains what happened there, how we know it, and how recent developments might change understandings of the story.

Jim Clary presents a compelling and riveting digest of beliefs, customs, and mystery in Superstitions of the Sea. Clary focuses on the vast array of strange, mythical, and often comical beliefs of mariners from ancient times to the present. Collecting the various topics for years, Clary found that maritime superstition was weaved throughout every fabric of his study. The folklore was so interesting that it often lured him far away from his subject search and held him spellbound for hours at a time.

This comprehensive guide delves deep into the history and meanings of each of the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark, the oldest known runic alphabet. It explores the mythology and lore surrounding these ancient symbols and provides practical guidance for how you can use them in your own spiritual practices and personal development.

Between 50 and 90 CE, the various writings that comprise the New Testament were written, including the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of Paul, and other letters to more general communities of the early Church. But what is recognized as the 26 books of the New Testament today, in literally hundreds of English translations, actually took several more centuries to be determined as "canonical" by the Church.

This enthralling tale revolves around a woman's deep affection for a man, which inspires a humble peasant to evolve into a noble king for his queen. Envision awakening in a paradise under divine guidance, tasked with the mission to heal America, only to find love just as fate has arranged your return to the heavens. This story chronicles the journey of Queen Krista Bella and King Zeus Francesca Poplar from the imaginary realm of Monte Christina. Their intertwined experiences of love will resonate with all readers in my latest publication, Krista Bella’s Worthy Causes. I encourage you to ...

It evolved from various traditional African religions and practices, and in the American South, incorporated elements of indigenous botanical knowledge. These practices taught believers how to invoke the blessings of spirits and deities through persuasion powers, herbs, rituals, spells, talismans, roots and nature.

Zoroastrianism is considered to be the world's first major monotheistic religion, which became dominant in what is now Iran. S. A. Kapadia’s book explains the beliefs and doctrines of the faith. Zoroastrianism encourages good faith, good thoughts, and good behaviour towards one's fellow man.

Unlock the Secrets of an Ancient Faith and Its Sacred Texts! Are you ready to embark on a journey through time and spirituality? "Mandaeism and Ginza Rabba: An Introductory Guide" combines two enlightening works that will captivate your mind and spirit. This comprehensive volume is your gateway to understanding one of the oldest continuous religious traditions in the world. Discover the Rich Heritage of Mandaeism Unearth the fascinating history of the Mandaeans, from their origins in the marshlands of Mesopotamia to their present-day diaspora. Delve into their unique rituals, symbols, and ...

This small audiobook provides two insightful biographical glimpses into the life and ideas of one of the great thinkers in Roman Catholic history. Sound interesting? The authors thinks so too! Listen to Giordano Bruno and Infinity and learn about Christianity and history.

Belief and Cult argues that belief isn't uniquely Christian but was central to ancient Roman religion. Drawing on cognitive theory, Jacob Mackey shows that despite having nothing to do with salvation or faith, belief underlay every aspect of Roman religious practices—emotions, individual and collective cult action, ritual norms, social reality, and social power. In doing so, he also offers a thorough argument for the importance of belief to other non-Christian religions.

In his book, Behind the Ritual Mask, the author introduced the concept of cultural paradigms. As a result of these paradigms, mankind has been led down the road of altruism, collectivism and the good/evil split, all of which desecrate the value of the individual. In his research for this book, he learned about a lost religion that has come down to us. This religion, although buried in pre-history, is still being practiced today. It is called The Battle of the Sexes.

This audiobook is about the city which houses the mighty Ziggurat - the Biblical “Ur of the Chaldees” where Abraham was supposedly born. The site near which the earliest human cultures were found. The site which held the most glorious Sumerian Dynasty in ancient history. This is the story of the city that was destined to die and be reborn every millennium or so, a city full of intrigue, magnificence, tragedy, and glory.

The Olmec people are widely recognized as the first major civilization of Mexico and are thus generally regarded as the mother civilization of Mesoamerica, making them the people from which all subsequent Mesoamerican cultures derived. Learn about the Olmec, Mayans, Aztecs, and other Mesoamerican cultures in this audiobook

A detailed look into ancient advanced technology, science, and medicine - some of which has yet to be reproduced today.

TURTLE TORTOISE, IMAGE & SYMBOL is published here in two volumes Volume One: THE WEST and Volume Two: THE EAST, and each volume is divided into four books. The WEST series is presented as a chronological sequence and the EAST series as individual studies of specific cultures. Together they constitute an in-depth coverage of the image and symbol of the turtle/tortoise throughout the world from the earliest times. Reference is made to specific artifacts, documents and monuments, works of science, literature and art, which may be viewed or consulted today in museums and public places, ...