Refine your search

The results of your search are listed below alongside the search terms you entered on the previous page. You can refine your search by amending any of the parameters in the form and resubmitting it.

Select all Deselect all Add selection to lightbox
Large Small
Thumbnails per page
Suintila, or Swinthila, Svinthila; (c. 588 – 633 / 635) was Visigothic King of Hispania, Septimania and Galicia from 621 to 631. There was a new peace in the Kingdom of the Visigoths. As a direct result, by 624 the king was able to retake those lands that had been under the control of the Eastern Roman Empire. He was a son of Reccared I and wife Bado, and a brother of the general Geila.<br/><br/> It was around Suintila’s time that a secondary form of the word Hispania was growing in usage: Spania, from which the modern name of Spain originated.
Liuvigild, Leuvigild, Leovigild, or Leovigildo (Spanish and Portuguese), (c. 519 – 21 April 586) was a Visigothic King of Hispania and Septimania from 568 to April 21, 586. From 585 he was also King of Galicia. Known for his Codex Revisus or Code of Leovigild, a unifying law allowing equal rights between the Visigothic and Hispano-Roman population, his kingdom covered modern Portugal and most of modern Spain down to Toledo.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
Heraclius (575-641) was son of Heraclius the Elder, exarch of Africa, who led a revolt against the usurper emperor Phocas, deposing him in 610. Heraclius became emperor and was immediately forced to deal with multiple threats on many frontiers.<br/><br/> One of the main frontiers was the Byzantine-Sassanid War of 602-628 against King Khosrau II and the Sassanid Empire. The Sassanids managed to fight all the way to the walls of Constantinople before failing to penetrate them, allowing Heraclius to counter-attack and drive them all the way back to the capital of Ctesiphon. Khosrau was executed by his son Kavadh II, and a peace treaty was agreed to. The Sassanid Empire soon fell to the Muslim conquests, another threat Heraclius had to deal with.<br/><br/> Heraclius was credited for making Greek the Byzantine Empire's official language, as well as for his enlarging of the empire and his reorganisation of government and military. Though his attempts at religious harmony failed, he was successful in returning the True Cross to Jerusalem.
Maurice (539-602) was born in Cappadocia and quickly rose to become a prominent general in his youth, with numerous successes under his belt from campaigning against the Sassanid Empire. He married Constantina, Emperor Tiberius II's daughter, and succeeded his father-in-law as emperor in 582, inheriting a tumultuous situation of numerous warring fronts and high tributes to Avar barbarians.<br/><br/> Maurice quickly brought the war against the Sassanids to a victorious conclusion and vastly expanded the Byzantine Empire's eastern border in the Caucasus. He pushed the Avars back across the Danube River in 599, and became the first Roman emperor to campaign across the Danube in over two centuries. In the West, Maurice established two large semi-autonomous provinces known as exarchates. One was established in Italy, in Ravenna, while the other was in Africa, solidifying Constantinople's power in the western Mediterranean.<br/><br/> Maurice's reign was troubled with almost constant warfare and financial difficulties however, resulting in a dissatisfied general rising up and executing Maurice and his six sons in 602. This proved cataclysmic to the Empire, leading to a twenty-six year war with the Sassanids that left both empires devastated prior to the rise of the Muslim conquests.
Tiberius II Constantine (520-582) was born in Thrace and close friend to future emperor Justin II. Tiberius became commander of the Excubitors imperial guard, and when Justin II acceded to emperor, Tiberius was made his chief military commander. When Justin had a mental breakdown, his wife Sophia turned to Tiberius to manage the empire, and he was later named co-emperor and adopted son by Justin in 574.<br/><br/> Tiberius became sole emperor after Justin died in 578, and almost had to deal with a plot to overthrow him perpetrated by Justin's widow, the dowager empress Sophia. The conspiracy failed, and Tiberius returned his attention to fighting the Sassanids in the east, as well as towards military activities in the remnants of the Western Roman Empire.<br/><br/> By the time of his death from food poisoning in 582, the Eastern Roman Empire had become too overextended, the war against the Sassanids dragging on while raids by Avars and Slav migrations drained imperial resources. He named his general Maurice as his successor, seeing him married to his daughter Constantina before passing away.
Justin II (520-578) was the nephew of Emperor Justinian I and had supposedly been named his heir on the emperor's deathbed. Justin's early rule relied completely on the support of the aristocratic party, and faced with an empty treasury, he stopped paying off potential enemies as his uncle had done, leading to Avar invasions across the Danube river.<br/><br/> Justin renewed conflict with the Sassanid Empire, refusing to pay tribute and making overtures with the Turks. However, he oversaw two disastrous campaigns that saw the Persians taking Syria and capturing the vitally important fortress of Dara. It was after these events that Justin reportedly lost his mind, falling into temporary bouts of insanity.<br/><br/> Jusitn was advised by his wife Sophia to name a successor during his brief periods of sanity, choosing the general Tiberius over his own relatives in 574, adopting him as a son before withdrawing into retirement. He died four years later in 578, his insanity growing worse the whole time.
Justinian I (482 - 565), also known as Justinian the Great or Saint Justinian the Great, was the nephew of Emperor Justin I, originally born from a peasant family in Tauresium. Justin, before he became emperor, adopted Justinian and raised him in Constantinople. Justinian served in the Imperial Guard, the Excubitors, just as his uncle had, and was made associate emperor in 527 before becoming sole emperor when Justin died in the same year.<br/><br/> Justinian was ambitious and clever, and sought to revive the empire's greatness, planning the reconquest of the western half of the Roman Empire in what was known as <i>renovatio imperii</i> (restoration of the Empire). Justinian was hard-working and known as 'the emperor who never sleeps'. He nearly lost his throne during the Nika riots, and nearly lost his life during the Justinian Plague of the early 540s.<br/><br/> Justinian was a devout Christian and theologian, and his partial recovery of lost Roman territories led him to be called by some as one of the 'last Romans'. His uniform rewriting of Roman law, the 'Corpus Juris Civilis' is perhaps his greatest legacy, which is still used as the basis of civil law in many modern nations. His restoration activities included the building of the Hagia Sophia. He died in 565 without an heir, succeeded by his nephew Justin II.
Justin I (450 - 527) was a peasant and swineherd by birth, and after fleeing to Constantinople from a barbaric invasion, joined the army. His ability and skill saw him rise through the ranks to eventually become a general under Emperor Anastasius I. Justin I became so close to the emperor that by the time of his death in 518, Justin had become commander of the Excubitors, the palace guard.<br/><br/> When Anastasius died in 518, Justin was able to secure election as emperor due to his position and carefully placed bribes to the troops in the city. He wisely surorunded himself with trusted advisors, due to his inexperience with statecraft. One of his closest advisors was his nephew, the future Justinian I.<br/><br/> His latter ruling years were marked by constant attacks from the Ostrogoths and Persians, as well as the destruction of Antioch by an earthquake. Justin's health began to decline and he formally named Justinian his co-emperor in 527, dying later in the same year and making Justinian sole ruler. He founded the Justinian Dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire for almost 100 years.
Anastasius I (431-518), also known as Anastasius Dicorus, was born into an Illyrian family. After Emperor Zeno's death in 491 CE, many citizens of the empire wanted both a Roman and an Orthodox Christian emperor. In response, Zeno's widow and Emperor Leo I's daughter Ariadne turned to Anastasius, who was in his sixties when he married Ariadne and ascended to the throne.<br/><br/> Anastasius soon had to deal with the usurper Longinus, brother of the late Zeno, engaging in the Isaurian War and defeating Longinus in 497. He later fought against the Sassanid Empire in the Anastasian War, the war raging from 502 until 506 when peace was made and the status quo returned to. He also had to contend with invasions by Bulgars and Slavs into the Balkan provinces.<br/><br/> Overall, Anastasius' reign was marked for its recognisable accomplishments in terms of bureaucracy and economy. His reforms to taxing, government corruption and new forms of currency resulted in the imperial government being left with a sizable budget surplus by the time he died in 518, aged 87.
Maurice (539-602) was born in Cappadocia and quickly rose to become a prominent general in his youth, with numerous successes under his belt from campaigning against the Sassanid Empire. He married Constantina, Emperor Tiberius II's daughter, and succeeded his father-in-law as emperor in 582, inheriting a tumultuous situation of numerous warring fronts and high tributes to Avar barbarians.<br/><br/> Maurice quickly brought the war against the Sassanids to a victorious conclusion and vastly expanded the Byzantine Empire's eastern border in the Caucasus. He pushed the Avars back across the Danube River in 599, and became the first Roman emperor to campaign across the Danube in over two centuries. In the West, Maurice established two large semi-autonomous provinces known as exarchates. One was established in Italy, in Ravenna, while the other was in Africa, solidifying Constantinople's power in the western Mediterranean.<br/><br/> Maurice's reign was troubled with almost constant warfare and financial difficulties however, resulting in a dissatisfied general rising up and executing Maurice and his six sons in 602. This proved cataclysmic to the Empire, leading to a twenty-six year war with the Sassanids that left both empires devastated prior to the rise of the Muslim conquests.
Anastasius I (431-518), also known as Anastasius Dicorus, was born into an Illyrian family. After Emperor Zeno's death in 491 CE, many citizens of the empire wanted both a Roman and an Orthodox Christian emperor. In response, Zeno's widow and Emperor Leo I's daughter Ariadne turned to Anastasius, who was in his sixties when he married Ariadne and ascended to the throne.<br/><br/> Anastasius soon had to deal with the usurper Longinus, brother of the late Zeno, engaging in the Isaurian War and defeating Longinus in 497. He later fought against the Sassanid Empire in the Anastasian War, the war raging from 502 until 506 when peace was made and the status quo returned to. He also had to contend with invasions by Bulgars and Slavs into the Balkan provinces.<br/><br/> Overall, Anastasius' reign was marked for its recognisable accomplishments in terms of bureaucracy and economy. His reforms to taxing, government corruption and new forms of currency resulted in the imperial government being left with a sizable budget surplus by the time he died in 518, aged 87.
Turkey / Byzantium: Justin II (520-578), Byzantine emperor, from the book <i>Icones imperatorvm romanorvm</i> (Icons of Roman Emperors), Antwerp, c. 1645. Justin was the nephew of Emperor Justinian I and had supposedly been named his heir on the emperor's deathbed. Justin's early rule relied completely on the support of the aristocratic party, and faced with an empty treasury, he stopped paying off potential enemies as his uncle had done, leading to Avar invasions across the Danube river.
Turkey / Byzantium: Justin I (450-527), Byzantine emperor, from the book <i>Icones imperatorvm romanorvm</i> (Icons of Roman Emperors), Antwerp, c. 1645. Justin I was a peasant and swineherd by birth, and after fleeing to Constantinople from an invasion, joined the army. His ability and skill saw him rise through the ranks to eventually become a general under Emperor Anastasius I. Justin I became so close to the emperor that by the time of his death in 518, Justin had become commander of the Excubitors, the palace guard. He was able to secure election as emperor due to his position and carefully placed bribes to the troops in the city.
Justinian I (482-565), also known as Justinian the Great or Saint Justinian the Great, was the nephew of Emperor Justin I, originally born from a peasant family in Tauresium. Justin, before he became emperor, adopted Justinian and raised him in Constantinople. Justinian served in the Imperial Guard, the Excubitors, just as his uncle had, and was made associate emperor in 527 before becoming sole emperor when Justin died in the same year.<br/><br/> Justinian was ambitious and clever, and sought to revive the empire's greatness, planning the reconquest of the western half of the Roman Empire in what was known as 'renovatio imperii' (restoration of the Empire). Justinian was hard-working and known as 'the emperor who never sleeps'. He nearly lost his throne during the Nika riots, and nearly lost his life during the Justinian Plague of the early 540s.<br/><br/> Justinian was a devout Christian and theologian, and his partial recovery of lost Roman territories led him to be called by some as one of the 'last Romans'. His uniform rewriting of Roman law, the 'Corpus Juris Civilis' is perhaps his greatest legacy, which is still used as the basis of civil law in many modern nations. His restoration activities included the building of the Hagia Sophia. He died in 565 without an heir, succeeded by his nephew Justin II.
Tiberius II Constantine (520-582) was born in Thrace and a close friend of the future emperor Justin II. Tiberius became commander of the Excubitors imperial guard, and when Justin II acceded to emperor, Tiberius was made his chief military commander. When Justin had a mental breakdown, his wife Sophia turned to Tiberius to manage the empire, and he was later named co-emperor and adopted son by Justin in 574.<br/><br/> Tiberius became sole emperor after Justin died in 578, and almost immediately had to deal with a plot to overthrow him perpetrated by Justin's widow, the dowager empress Sophia. The conspiracy failed, and Tiberius turned his attention to fighting the Sassanids in the east, as well as towards military activities in the remnants of the Western Roman Empire.<br/><br/> By the time of his death from food poisoning in 582, the Eastern Roman Empire had become overextended, the war against the Sassanids dragging on while raids by Avars and Slav migrations drained imperial resources. He named his general Maurice as his successor, seeing him married to his daughter Constantina before passing away.
Justinian I (482-565), also known as Justinian the Great or Saint Justinian the Great, was the nephew of Emperor Justin I, originally born from a peasant family in Tauresium. Justin, before he became emperor, adopted Justinian and raised him in Constantinople. Justinian served in the Imperial Guard, the Excubitors, just as his uncle had, and was made associate emperor in 527 before becoming sole emperor when Justin died in the same year.<br/><br/> Justinian was ambitious and clever, and sought to revive the empire's greatness, planning the reconquest of the western half of the Roman Empire in what was known as 'renovatio imperii' (restoration of the Empire). Justinian was hard-working and known as 'the emperor who never sleeps'. He nearly lost his throne during the Nika riots, and nearly lost his life during the Justinian Plague of the early 540s.<br/><br/> Justinian was a devout Christian and theologian, and his partial recovery of lost Roman territories led him to be called by some as one of the 'last Romans'. His uniform rewriting of Roman law, the 'Corpus Juris Civilis' is perhaps his greatest legacy, which is still used as the basis of civil law in many modern nations. His restoration activities included the building of the Hagia Sophia. He died in 565 without an heir, succeeded by his nephew Justin II.
The National Museum, housed in a red pavilion built in 1918, holds a collection of Khmer art including some of the finest pieces in existence. Exhibits include a 6th century statue of Vishnu, a 9th century statue of Shiva, and the famous sculpted head of Jayavarman VII in meditative pose. Particularly impressive is a damaged bust of a reclining Vishnu which was once part of a massive bronze statue found at the Western Mebon Temple in Angkor.
Buddhism in the Maldives was the predominant religion at least until the 12th century CE. It is not clear how Buddhism was introduced into the islands although there are a number of competing theories. The predominant view is that it was introduced with the expansion of the Sinhalese people from neighboring Sri Lanka who are primarily Buddhist.<br/><br/> In February 2012, a group of Islamic extremists forced their way into the National Museum in Male and attacked the museum's collection of pre-Islamic sculptures, destroying or severely damaging nearly the entire collection about thirty Hindu and Buddhist sculptures dating from the 6th to 12th centuries.<br/><br/> Museum staff indicated that as the sculptures were made from very brittle coral or limestone it would be impossible to repair most of them, and only two or three pieces were in a repairable condition.
The Sogdians established a trading network across the 2,400 kilometres (1,500 miles) from Sogdiana to China. In fact, the Sogdians turned their energies to trade so thoroughly that the Saka (Scythians) of the Kingdom of Khotan called all merchants <i>suli</i>, 'Sogdian', whatever their culture or ethnicity.<br/><br/> Sogdian contacts with China were initiated by the embassy of the Chinese explorer Zhang Qian during the reign of Wudi in the former Han Dynasty, 141–87 BCE.
The Madaba Map (also known as the Madaba Mosaic Map) is part of a floor mosaic in the early Byzantine church of Saint George at Madaba, Jordan.<br/><br/> The Madaba Map is a map of the Middle East. Part of it contains the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem. It dates to the 6th century CE.
The Northern Wei was a dynasty founded by the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei, who ruled northern China from 386 to 534 CE, during the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Described as 'part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change', the Northern Wei Dynasty is particularly noted for unifying northern China in 439.<br/><br/> This was also a period of introduced foreign ideas such as Buddhism, which became firmly established. Many antiques and art works, both Daoist and Buddhist, have survived from this period.
Phocas (547 - 610) was a native of Thrace, with little known about his early life apart from the name of his mother, Domentia, and the existence of at least two brothers, Comentiolus and Domentziolus. He became a subaltern officer in the Byzantine army in 600, viewed as a strong leader by his fellow soldiers.<br/><br/> After Emperor Maurice refused to pay for the ransom of many soldiers who had been taken prisoner by Avars in 598, resulting in their execution, it caused consternation and unrest in the legions. Further bad orders by Maurice in 602 finally led to the army revolting and marching against the capital of Constantinople, with Phocas at its head. Maurice abdicated and fled, and Phocas was declared emperor. One of Phocas' first acts was to order the execution of Maurice and six of his sons.<br/><br/> The traditional borders of the Byzantine Empire began to collapse under Phocas' rule, with attacks from all sides. In 608, the Exarch of Africa and his son, both named Heraclius, led a revolt against Phocas which would eventually see Phocas personally beheaded by the younger Heraclius, who then became emperor.
Justinian I (c. 482 – 14 November 565), traditionally known as Justinian the Great and also Saint Justinian the Great in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was Byzantine (Eastern Roman) emperor from 527 to 565.<br/><br/> During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the historical Roman Empire. His rule constitutes a distinct epoch in the history of the Later Roman empire, and his reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized restoration of the empire.
Buddhism was transmitted to Korea via China in the late 4th century CE. Little evidence of religious art exists in Korea before the introduction of Buddhism. Subsequent to its introduction, the religion inspired the production of devotional art as well as the beginnings of sophisticated temple architecture.<br/><br/> Images of the Buddha were probably first imported by monks sent from China and the Buddhist sculpture of Korea is indebted to prototypes developed in India, Central Asia, and China. From these influences, a distinctive Korean style formed. Korean Buddhas typically exhibit Korean facial characteristics, were made with native casting and carving techniques, and employed only some of the motifs that were developed earlier in Buddhist art.
Justinian I (482-565), also known as Justinian the Great or Saint Justinian the Great, was the nephew of Emperor Justin I, originally born from a peasant family in Tauresium. Justin, before he became emperor, adopted Justinian and raised him in Constantinople. Justinian served in the Imperial Guard, the Excubitors, just as his uncle had, and was made associate emperor in 527 before becoming sole emperor when Justin died in the same year.<br/><br/> Justinian was ambitious and clever, and sought to revive the empire's greatness, planning the reconquest of the western half of the Roman Empire in what was known as 'renovatio imperii' (restoration of the Empire). Justinian was hard-working and known as 'the emperor who never sleeps'. He nearly lost his throne during the Nika riots, and nearly lost his life during the Justinian Plague of the early 540s.<br/><br/> Justinian was a devout Christian and theologian, and his partial recovery of lost Roman territories led him to be called by some as one of the 'last Romans'. His uniform rewriting of Roman law, the 'Corpus Juris Civilis' is perhaps his greatest legacy, which is still used as the basis of civil law in many modern nations. His restoration activities included the building of the Hagia Sophia. He died in 565 without an heir, succeeded by his nephew Justin II.
The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhya Range in Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh. They are believed to have been established by a Buddhist monk named Dataka sometime in the 4th to 6th century CE.<br/><br/> The caves are famed for the equisite paintings found in some of the caves. The paintings on the walls and ceilings of the viharas of Bagh were executed in tempera.
Nataraja or Nataraj ('The Lord - or King - of Dance'; Tamil: Kooththan) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation.<br/><br/> Ravana Phadi cave temple is one of the oldest rock cut temples in Aihole and dates back to the 6th century CE. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The cave contains a Shivalinga in the inner room or sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum has a vestibule with a triple entrance and has carved pillars. The walls and sides of the temple are covered with large figures including a figure of Nataraja (Shiva) dancing, surrounded by the Saptamatrikas (Seven Mothers).
Ravana Phadi cave temple is one of the oldest rock cut temples in Aihole and dates back to the 6th century CE. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The cave contains a Shivalinga in the inner room or sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum has a vestibule with a triple entrance and has carved pillars. The walls and sides of the temple are covered with large figures including a figure of Nataraja (Shiva) dancing, surrounded by the Saptamatrikas (Seven Mothers).
Nataraja or Nataraj ('The Lord - or King - of Dance'; Tamil: Kooththan) is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation.<br/><br/> Ravana Phadi cave temple is one of the oldest rock cut temples in Aihole and dates back to the 6th century CE. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The cave contains a Shivalinga in the inner room or sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum has a vestibule with a triple entrance and has carved pillars. The walls and sides of the temple are covered with large figures including a figure of Nataraja (Shiva) dancing, surrounded by the Saptamatrikas (Seven Mothers).
Ravana Phadi cave temple is one of the oldest rock cut temples in Aihole and dates back to the 6th century CE. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The cave contains a Shivalinga in the inner room or sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum has a vestibule with a triple entrance and has carved pillars. The walls and sides of the temple are covered with large figures including a figure of Nataraja (Shiva) dancing, surrounded by the Saptamatrikas (Seven Mothers).
The Hephthalites (or Ephthalites), also known as the White Huns, were a nomadic confederation in Central Asia during the late antiquity period. The Hephthalite Empire, at the height of its power (in the first half of the 6th century), was located in the territories of present-day Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India and China.<br/><br/> The Bactrian language is an extinct Eastern Iranian language which was spoken in the Central Asian region of Bactria. Linguistically, it is classified as belonging to the middle period of the Northeastern Iranian branch.<br/><br/> Because Bactrian was written predominantly with the Greek alphabet, Bactrian is sometimes referred to as 'Greco-Bactrian', 'Kushan' or 'Kushano-Bactrian'.<br/><br/> More than a hundred Bactrian documents, written in cursive script on leather, cloth or wood were discovered in the last decade of the 20th c. Before that the corpus of Bactrian was effectively limited to a single inscription from Surkh Kotal and the short legends on coins and seals. Almost all other texts were either illegible, incomprehensible, or both.
The Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje is the 287th National Treasure of Korea and was designated as such on May 30, 1996. It is currently housed at the Buyeo National Museum. During an excavation of an ancient temple site in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo County in Chungcheongnam-do in 1993, the incense burner was the largest find among 450 artifacts excavated.<br/><br/> The incense burner measures 64 centimeters in height, the body is 19 centimeters in diameter, and it weighs 11.8 kilograms. It was probably made in the 6th century.
The zun is an ancient type of Chinese bronze or ceramic wine vessel with a round or square vase-like form, and sometimes in the shape of an animal.<br/><br/> The Zhou had long been vassals of the Shang, but eventually grew strong enough to defeat them in warfare in the 11th century BCE. They continued to hold sway until the 5th century BCE. Chinese boundaries were expanded, land reform was instituted and towns were built. Also, the declining years of the Zhou era produced two of China’s most influential thinkers, Kongfuzi (Confucius) and Laozi (Lao Tzu).
Justinian I (Latin: Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus Augustus, Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ἰουστινιανός, c. 482 – 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.<br/><br/> Tyrian purple (Greek, πορφύρα, porphyra, Latin: purpura), also known as royal purple, imperial purple or imperial dye, is a purple-red natural dye, which is a secretion produced by certain species of predatory sea snails in the family Muricidae, a type of rock snail by the name Murex. This dye was probably first used by the ancient Phoenicians. The dye was greatly prized in antiquity because the color did not easily fade, but instead became brighter with weathering and sunlight.<br/><br/> Tyrian purple was expensive: the 4th-century-BC historian Theopompus reported, 'Purple for dyes fetched its weight in silver at Colophon' in Asia Minor. The expense meant that purple-dyed textiles became status symbols, and early sumptuary laws restricted their uses. The production of Tyrian purple was tightly controlled in Byzantium and was subsidized by the imperial court, which restricted its use for the colouring of imperial silks, so that a child born to a reigning emperor was styled 'porphyrogenitos' or 'born in the purple'.
Tyrian purple (Greek, πορφύρα, porphyra, Latin: purpura), also known as royal purple, imperial purple or imperial dye, is a purple-red natural dye, which is a secretion produced by certain species of predatory sea snails in the family Muricidae, a type of rock snail by the name Murex. This dye was probably first used by the ancient Phoenicians. The dye was greatly prized in antiquity because the color did not easily fade, but instead became brighter with weathering and sunlight.<br/><br/> Tyrian purple was expensive: the 4th-century-BC historian Theopompus reported, 'Purple for dyes fetched its weight in silver at Colophon' in Asia Minor. The expense meant that purple-dyed textiles became status symbols, and early sumptuary laws restricted their uses. The production of Tyrian purple was tightly controlled in Byzantium and was subsidized by the imperial court, which restricted its use for the colouring of imperial silks, so that a child born to a reigning emperor was styled 'porphyrogenitos' or 'born in the purple'.
The Madaba Map (also known as the Madaba Mosaic Map) is part of a floor mosaic in the early Byzantine church of Saint George at Madaba, Jordan.<br/><br/> The Madaba Map is a map of the Middle East. Part of it contains the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem. It dates to the 6th century CE.
Sanskrit is the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, a philosophical language in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and a scholarly literary language that was in use as a lingua franca in the Indian cultural zone.<br/><br/> It is a standardized dialect of Old Indo-Aryan, originating as Vedic Sanskrit and tracing its linguistic ancestry back to Proto-Indo-Iranian and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European.<br/><br/> The corpus of Sanskrit literature encompasses a rich tradition of poetry and drama as well as scientific, technical, philosophical and dharma texts. Sanskrit continues to be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals and Buddhist practice in the forms of hymns and mantras.
The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India are 31 rock-cut cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE. The caves include paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art (which depict the Jataka tales) as well as frescos which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka.<br/><br/> The caves were built in two phases starting around 200 BCE, with the second group of caves built around 600 CE. Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra, just outside the village of Ajinṭhā in Aurangabad district.
The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhya Range in Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh. They are believed to have been established by a Buddhist monk named Dataka sometime in the 4th to 6th century CE.<br/><br/> The caves are famed for the equisite paintings found in some of the caves. The paintings on the walls and ceilings of the viharas of Bagh were executed in tempera.
Laozi (Lao Tzu, c. 6th century BCE) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China. His association with the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (also spelled 'Daoism'). He is also revered as a deity in most religious forms of the Taoist religion, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or 'One of the Three Pure Ones'. Laozi translated literally from Chinese means 'old master' or 'old one', and is generally considered honorific.
Laozi (Lao Tzu, c. 6th century BCE) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China. His association with the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (also spelled 'Daoism'). He is also revered as a deity in most religious forms of the Taoist religion, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or 'One of the Three Pure Ones'. Laozi translated literally from Chinese means 'old master' or 'old one', and is generally considered honorific.
Laozi (Lao Tzu, c. 6th century BCE) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China. His association with the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (also spelled 'Daoism'). He is also revered as a deity in most religious forms of the Taoist religion, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or 'One of the Three Pure Ones'. Laozi translated literally from Chinese means 'old master' or 'old one', and is generally considered honorific.
Saint Helena (Latin: Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta) also known as Saint Helen, Helena Augusta or Helena of Constantinople (ca. 246/50 – 18 August 330) was the consort of Emperor Constantius, and the mother of Emperor Constantine I. She is traditionally credited with finding the relics of the True Cross, with which she is invariably represented in Christian iconography.<br/><br/> Constantine the Great (Latin: Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus; c. 27 February 272[2] – 22 May 337), also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, along with co-Emperor Licinius, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all religions throughout the empire.
The Madaba Map (also known as the Madaba Mosaic Map) is part of a floor mosaic in the early Byzantine church of Saint George at Madaba, Jordan.<br/><br/> The Madaba Map is a map of the Middle East. Part of it contains the oldest surviving original cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem. It dates to the 6th century CE.
Laozi (Lao Tzu, c. 6th century BCE, left), meeting with Confucius (Kong Zi, K'ung-tzu, K'ung-fu-tzu, 551– 479 BCE) in a Han Dynasty (206 BCE– 220 CE) fresco from Dongping County, Shandong Province. The fresco, painted with blue, green, black and red colours is found on the walls of a tomb at an old residential yard in Dongping county, southwestern Shandong, and is estimated to be about 2,000 years old.
Laozi (Lao Tzu, c. 6th century BCE) was a mystic philosopher of ancient China. His association with the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of Taoism (also spelled 'Daoism').<br/><br/> He is also revered as a deity in most religious forms of the Taoist religion, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or 'One of the Three Pure Ones'. Laozi translated literally from Chinese means 'old master' or 'old one', and is generally considered honorific.
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea.<br/><br/> Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 BCE – 935 CE) which ruled about two-thirds of the Korean Peninsula between the 7th and 9th centuries. A great number of archaeological sites and cultural properties from this period remain in the city.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.<br/><br/> Mallabhum (Bengali: মল্লভূম) was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.<br/><br/> Mallabhum (Bengali: মল্লভূম) was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.<br/><br/> Mallabhum (Bengali: মল্লভূম) was the kingdom ruled by the Malla kings of Bishnupur primarily in the present Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.
The Kizil Caves (also romanized Qizil Caves, spelling variant Qyzyl; Uyghur: Qizil Ming Öy; Chinese: 克孜尔千佛洞; pinyin: Kèzīěr Qiānfú Dòng; literally 'Kizil Cave of a Thousand Buddhas') are a set of 236 Buddhist rock-cut caves located near Kizil Township (克孜尔乡) in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China. The site is located on the northern bank of the Muzat River 75 kilometres (by road) northwest of Kucha (Kuqa). This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road.<br/><br/> The caves are said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China, with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries. Although the site has been both damaged and looted, at least 1000 square metres of wall paintings - mostly Jataka stories - remain.