Smyrna The Second City of the Seven Churches
Location and Importance
Smyrna is the second city of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. It was located about 35 miles (56...
John’s Vision and the Book of Revelation
John's Unique Approach to Revelation
The Book of Revelation is different from other apocalyptic books in many ways. Apocalyptic literature usually follows certain patterns, such...
The Rise of the Parthians
Revolt and Formation of the Parthian State
In 255 B.C., Diodotus, the satrap of Bactria, rebelled against Seleucid rule, establishing an Indo-Greek kingdom in Afghanistan....
Jewish Sects and Antiochus’s Oppression
Emergence of Jewish Sects
At this juncture, the Jewish community divides into two major sects of the New Testament era: the Pharisees, representing the fundamentalist...
Roman Intervention and Antiochus IV’s Reign
Antiochus’s Ambitions Unravel
Antiochus, having aligned with Philip solely for Egypt, sought to revive old Seleucid claims in Ionia and Thrace. To appease Rhodes, he...
Theoderic barely slapped Inportunus and Theodorus
At any rate, Theoderic barely slapped Inportunus and Theodorus on the wrists, and in 525 the two of them went on a mission from...
Senate and consequently Julius Caesar
A centerpiece for the pomp of empire, it housed meetings of the senate and consequently Julius Caesar was murdered there. Renewed and glorified under...
Roman late antiquity
Many aspects of that story pull us into the world of Roman late antiquity: clashing religious practices, legal interference in religion, the brutality of...
War with the Normans part 22
And I could mention several of them, had not time obliterated their names from my memory. All this took place before my father was...
War with the Normans part 21
IX This man then was the acknowledged master of all philosophy and the youth flocked to him. (For he expounded to them the doctrines...
