Author: Jade Koekoe

Traveling in Israel on a Budget

On the shores of the Mediterranean sea, Israel is a country with a rich archaeological and religious history. As a land of great significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims, it has many sacred sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa Mosque. People are also drawn to the many ancient relics and landmarks Israel has to offer. In this interview with Ancient History Encyclopedia, Jade Koekoe speaks to Carole Raddato of Following Hadrian. Carole discusses her recent experiences in Israel and gives her advice about traveling to this magnificent country on a budget.

Volunteering for History: Australia

Unlike Europe, Australia does not have many great structures that need protecting or preserving. It’s ancient history lies in the natural and social worlds. The Australian Indigenous people’s culture stretches back over 20,000 years. Making them one of the oldest living culture on earth. There are museums and heritage institutions across Australia that help to preserve that culture.

5 Great History Apps

Out of all the history apps available these select few are ones used by Ancient History etcetera’s blog editor, hopefully you find them useful too! Byzantium at the Getty  If you are interested in exploring the visually rich and  spiritual art of the Byzantine Empire, this app is for you.  It contains audio, video and photography displaying  items of spiritual significance. The Getty is available on both Android and Apple   phones. It was created in conjunction with two 2014  exhibitions, Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections and Heaven and Earth: Byzantine Illumination at the Cultural Crossroads.

8 More Amazing Ancient Roman Mosaics

This post is the start of a series of image posts Ancient History et cetera will be putting together each month and today’s post is all about amazing ancient Roman mosaics! The Romans, well the wealthier ones, were well known for enjoying mosaic decorations in their homes and public buildings. As Roman culture spread far and wide the use of mosaics as decoration can also been seen across North Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.

5 Amazing Libraries in Ancient History

From ancient times to the present many cultures around the world have considered libraries as storehouses of ideas, creativity and knowledge. Today we will look at five of the most notable libraries in history and explore why they may be considered significant. The Great Library of Alexandria The Great Library of Alexandria is the most famous library in classical antiquity. Over the years it has gained a mythical status as a ‘universal’ library where all scholars of the ancient world could come and share ideas. The library was located within the grounds of the Royal Palace in Alexandria a port city in northern Egypt and was built around 295 BCE by Ptolemy I. The library was a complex with shrines dedicated to each of the nine muses, lectures areas, observatories, a zoo and living quarters. It was thought to house the works of great scholars and writers including Homer, Plato and Socrates. The library’s destruction is most commonly thought to have happened in 48 BCE when Julius Caesar occupied Alexandria. When Caesar tried to leave …