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From an equestrian family that rose to senatorial rank under the Julio-Claudian dyansty, Vespasianus - as he was then called - earned much renown through his military record. He first served during the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 CE, and was later sent by Emperor Nero to conquer Judea in 66 CE, during the Jewish rebellion.<br/><br/> During his siege of Jerusalem, news came to him of Nero's suicide and the tumultuous civil war that happened afterwards, later known as the Year of the Four Emperors. When Vitellius became the third emperor in April 69, the Roman legions of Egypt and Judea declared Vespasian the new emperor. Marching to Rome, he defeated and executed Vitellius, becoming emperor and ending the Year of the Four Emperors.<br/><br/> He ruled the Roman empire for 10 years, building the Flavian Amphitheatre, known nowadays as the Roman Colosseum, as well as enacting various reforms to the empire. He died in 79 CE, and his son Titus became the next Roman emperor, starting the Flavian dynasty and making Vespasian the first emperor to be directly succeeded by his own natural son.
Surya (the Supreme Light), also known as Aditya, Bhanu or Ravi, is the chief solar deity in Hinduism and generally refers to the Sun.<br/><br/> Surya is the chief of the Navagraha, the nine Indian Classical planets and important elements of Hindu astrology. He is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by seven horses which might represent the seven colors of the rainbow or the seven chakras in the body. He is also the presiding deity of Sunday.<br/><br/> Surya is regarded as the Supreme Deity by Saura sect and Smartas worship him as one of the five primary forms of God. The sun god, Zun, worshipped by the Afghan Zunbil dynasty, is thought to be synonymous with Surya.
In 1597 the Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived at Bali, and the Dutch East India Company was established in 1602.
The Ramayana is a story as old as time and - at least in the Indian subcontinent and across much of Southeast Asia - of unparalleled popularity. More than two thousand three hundred years ago the scholar-poet Valmiki sat down to write his definitive epic of love and war.<br/><br/> The poem Valmiki composed is styled the Ramayana, or 'Romance of Rama' in Sanskrit. In its present form, the Sanskrit version consists of some 24,000 couplets divided into seven books.<br/><br/> The Ramakien is the Thai version of this epic and has an important influence on Thai literature, art and drama. It is regarded as the National Epic of Thailand.<br/><br/> Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha); full official name Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is located within the precincts of the Grand Palace.<br/><br/> The Grand Palace served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the Palace began in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, when he moved the capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Krishna, or Krisna, is a major god in Hinduism who is traditionally credited with the authorship of the Hindu classic 'Bhagavad Gita', a tale of duty and morality set around Krishna's defeat of his cousin Arjuna in the Kurukshetra War. Krishna also appears in various events in the Hindu epic 'Mahabharata'. He is usually depicted as blue skinned, and is often portrayed as a mischievous young boy playing a flute. In this scene, Krishna decapitates King Shrigala in a chariot fight.
Eastern Han Dynasty (23-220 CE) mural of a group of horses and a horse pulling a covered chariot and rider. One of 57 murals from the Helingeer Tomb in Inner Mongolia, the tomb of a prominent official, landowner, and colonel of the Wuhuan Army.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Alexander Mosaic, dating from circa 100 BCE, is a Roman floor mosaic originally from the House of the Faun in Pompeii. It depicts a battle between the armies of Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia and measures 2.72 x 5.13m (8 ft 11in x 16 ft 9in).<br/><br/> The original is preserved in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. The mosaic is believed to be copy of an early 3rd Century BCE Hellenistic painting, possibly by Philoxenos of Eretria.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
The Vittala Temple, built in the early 16th century, is devoted to the Hindu god Vithoba (also known as Vitthala and Panduranga), an incarnation of Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.<br/><br/> Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state. It is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city.
Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I (630–680 CE; also called Mamalla, or 'great warrior') of the Pallava Kingdom.<br/><br/> Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE.<br/><br/> By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.
Phowintaung (also variously romanised as Hpowindaung, Powintaung, Po Win Taung) is a Buddhist cave complex located approximately 25 kilometers west of Monywa and 10 kilometers southeast of Yinmabin, in Yinmabin Township, Monywa District, Sagaing Region, Northern Burma (Myanmar). It is located on the western bank of the Chindwin River.<br/><br/> The name of the complex means 'Mountain of Isolated Solitary Meditation'. The complex contains 947 small and large richly decorated caves. It is carved into a sandstone outcrop and contains numerous carved Buddha statues and mural paintings of geometric patterns and Jataka stories. The statues and paintings have been dated to between the 14th and 18th centuries.
The Ramayana is a story as old as time and - at least in the Indian subcontinent and across much of Southeast Asia - of unparalleled popularity. More than two thousand three hundred years ago the scholar-poet Valmiki sat down to write his definitive epic of love and war.<br/><br/> The poem Valmiki composed is styled the Ramayana, or 'Romance of Rama' in Sanskrit. In its present form, the Sanskrit version consists of some 24,000 couplets divided into seven books.<br/><br/> The Ramakien is the Thai version of this epic and has an important influence on Thai literature, art and drama. It is regarded as the National Epic of Thailand.<br/><br/> Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha); full official name Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is located within the precincts of the Grand Palace.<br/><br/> The Grand Palace served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the Palace began in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, when he moved the capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok.
The Ramayana is a story as old as time and - at least in the Indian subcontinent and across much of Southeast Asia - of unparalleled popularity. More than two thousand three hundred years ago the scholar-poet Valmiki sat down to write his definitive epic of love and war.<br/><br/> The poem Valmiki composed is styled the Ramayana, or 'Romance of Rama' in Sanskrit. In its present form, the Sanskrit version consists of some 24,000 couplets divided into seven books.<br/><br/> The Ramakien is the Thai version of this epic and has an important influence on Thai literature, art and drama. It is regarded as the National Epic of Thailand.<br/><br/> Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha); full official name Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is located within the precincts of the Grand Palace.<br/><br/> The Grand Palace served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. Construction of the Palace began in 1782, during the reign of King Rama I, when he moved the capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok.
Angkor Wat was built for King Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-50) in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the Angkor site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers.
This famous scene from Hindu mythology features the god Krishna with his cousin, Prince Arjuna, on a chariot heading into war against each other. Taken from the scripture, 'Bhagavad Gita', or 'The Gita', it is a classic tale of duty and morality set around Krishna's defeat of Arjuna in the Kurukshetra War. Krishna also appears in various other events in the Hindu epic 'Mahabharata'. He is usually depicted as blue skinned, and is often portrayed as a mischievous young boy playing a flute.
Nineveh (Akkadian: Ninua) is an ancient Mesopotamian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.<br/><br/> It was the largest city in the world for some fifty years until, after a bitter period of civil war in Assyria itself, it was sacked by an unusual coalition of former subject peoples, the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Chaldeans, Scythians and Cimmerians in 612 BCE. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq.<br/><br/> In early 2015 the jihadist group ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) announced their intention to destroy the walls of Nineveh if the Iraqis try to liberate the city, they also threatened to destroy artifacts. On February 26 they destroyed several items and statues in the Mosul Museum, and are believed to have plundered others to sell overseas. The items were mostly from the Assyrian exhibit, which ISIL declared blasphemous and idolatrous.
The Alexander Mosaic, dating from circa 100 BCE, is a Roman floor mosaic originally from the House of the Faun in Pompeii. It depicts a battle between the armies of Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia and measures 2.72 x 5.13m (8 ft 11in x 16 ft 9in).<br/><br/> The original is preserved in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. The mosaic is believed to be copy of an early 3rd Century BCE Hellenistic painting, possibly by Philoxenos of Eretria.
An amphora (English plural: amphorae or amphoras) is a type of container of a characteristic shape and size, descending from at least as early as the Neolithic Period. Amphorae were used in vast numbers for the transport and storage of various products, both liquid and dry, but mostly for wine. It is most often ceramic, but examples in metals and other materials have been found.<br/><br/> Stoppers of perishable materials, which have rarely survived, were used to seal the contents. Two principal types of amphorae existed: the neck amphora, in which the neck and body meet at a sharp angle; and the one-piece amphora, in which the neck and body form a continuous curve. Neck amphorae were commonly used in the early history of ancient Greece, but were gradually replaced by the one-piece type from around the 7th century BCE.
Shadow play (Chinese: 皮影戏, pí yĭng xì) or shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment using opaque, often articulated figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images. It is popular in various cultures. At present, more than 20 countries are known to have shadow show troupes.<br/><br/>Shadow puppetry originated during the Han Dynasty when one of the concubines of Emperor Wu of Han died from an illness. The emperor was devastated, and he summoned his court officers to bring his beloved back to life. The officers made a shape of the concubine using donkey leather. Her joints were animated using 11 separate pieces of the leather, and adorned with painted clothes. Using an oil lamp they made her shadow move, bringing her back to life. Shadow theatre became quite popular as early as the Song Dynasty when holidays were marked by the presentation of many shadow plays. During the Ming Dynasty there were 40 to 50 shadow show troupes in the city of Beijing alone. In the 13th century, the shadow show became a regular recreation in the barracks of the Mongolian troops. It was spread by the conquering Mongols to distant countries like Persia, Arabia, and Turkey. Later, it was introduced to other Southeastern Asian countries.<br/><br/>The earliest shadow theatre screens were made of mulberry paper. The storytellers generally used the art to tell events between various war kingdoms or stories of Buddhist sources. Today, puppets made of leather and moved on sticks are used to tell dramatic versions of traditional fairy tales and myths. In Gansu province, it is accompanied by Daoqing music, while in Jilin, accompanying Huanglong music forms some of the basis of modern opera.
Shadow play (Chinese: 皮影戏, pí yĭng xì) or shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment using opaque, often articulated figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images. It is popular in various cultures. At present, more than 20 countries are known to have shadow show troupes.<br/><br/>Shadow puppetry originated during the Han Dynasty when one of the concubines of Emperor Wu of Han died from an illness. The emperor was devastated, and he summoned his court officers to bring his beloved back to life. The officers made a shape of the concubine using donkey leather. Her joints were animated using 11 separate pieces of the leather, and adorned with painted clothes. Using an oil lamp they made her shadow move, bringing her back to life. Shadow theatre became quite popular as early as the Song Dynasty when holidays were marked by the presentation of many shadow plays. During the Ming Dynasty there were 40 to 50 shadow show troupes in the city of Beijing alone. In the 13th century, the shadow show became a regular recreation in the barracks of the Mongolian troops. It was spread by the conquering Mongols to distant countries like Persia, Arabia, and Turkey. Later, it was introduced to other Southeastern Asian countries.<br/><br/>The earliest shadow theatre screens were made of mulberry paper. The storytellers generally used the art to tell events between various war kingdoms or stories of Buddhist sources. Today, puppets made of leather and moved on sticks are used to tell dramatic versions of traditional fairy tales and myths. In Gansu province, it is accompanied by Daoqing music, while in Jilin, accompanying Huanglong music forms some of the basis of modern opera.