Tales of the mystical creatures appear in early Arabian and later Islamic mythology. An individual member of the jinn is known as a jinni, djinni, or genie. Throughout the Quran and other Islamic texts they are mentioned frequently. The Quran says that the jinn were created from a smokeless and “scorching fire”, but are also […]
Category: Middle East
The Queen of Sheba
The Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon is one of the most famous diplomatic visits in the Bible, but we know very little about this powerful monarch. Her visit appears in religious texts sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, however, her name was never mentioned. We are not exactly sure where “Sheba” even is. She […]
The Vanishing Persian Army of Cambyses
Egypt, ER, Fertile Crescent, Middle East, Rest of the World
When your dad is Cyrus the Great, you have a lot to live up to. He began the Achaemenid Empire and reigned over the territory from Asia Minor to India. Unfortunately, Cyrus met his match in a warrior queen named Tomyris and went to his long home. (More on her in this post: http://www.historynaked.com/tomyris-the-woman-who-brought-down-cyrus-the-great/ ) […]
The Date of Christmas
Americas, ER, Middle East, Northern Europe, Rest of the World, Southern Europe
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Luke 2:8. This is a part of the infancy gospels that are very familiar to us. The shepherds out in the fields with their flocks and being visited by the Heavenly Host and told to go […]
The Twists and Turns of Outremer
ER, France, Middle East, Northern Europe, Rest of the World
After the defeat of the Byzantine Empire at the battle of Manzikert, Emperor Alexius Comnenus turned to his European counterparts for help. Although there was no lost between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, Pope Urban saw an opportunity. The holy places of Christianity had been in the hands of Islamic conquerors for […]