“If the name is indelible, the image is blurry,” wrote Stacy Schiff, one of Cleopatra’s many biographers. Poets, playwrights and politicians have been putting words […]
Books
Paris Through the Pages
I’ll admit I’ve been dreaming of Paris lately— of the warm glow of lamps lining the rue over the Seine, the crackle of fresh-baked croissants […]
Fun Stuff
Will the Real Tutankhamun Please Stand Up
A queen shuffles silently behind her husband’s funeral procession. She keeps her eyes downcast to avoid the glare of the midday sun reflecting off the […]
Fun Stuff
How a Root Canal Could’ve Saved a King’s Life
A king lies dying. Her courtiers have gathered in the dim-lit chamber where she lies on a hard pallet, her sheath clinging to her clammy […]
Fun Stuff
Did an Egyptian Mummy Go Down with the Titanic?
No, it didn’t. But while I have your attention, let me tell you about how the rumour got started. Surprisingly, there was quite the hullabaloo […]
Fun Stuff
The Mysterious Woman in the Octagon
Anyone who knows me is likely aware that I’m fascinated by Cleopatra’s younger sister, Arsinoe (Ahr-sin-oh-WAY). So could there be a better way to start […]
Fun Stuff
Church, Mosque, or Museum? The storied life of Hagia Sophia.
Its name in Greek means “Holy Wisdom”. It’s the most visited cultural landmark in Turkey, receiving over three million visitors each year. The Hagia Sophia […]