Topic Archive
Explore myths connected by the recurring theme of Ancient History across cultures, characters, and sacred places.
4 myths currently featured for Ancient History.
During a pilgrimage to the temple of the goddess Nüwa, King Zhou of Shang is captivated by the goddess's beauty and writes a disrespectful poem on the temple walls. Offended by this act of hubris, Nüwa decrees the end of the Shang Dynasty and sends a fox spirit to possess the maiden Daji to lead the king into ruin. This event serves as the catalyst for the epic fall of the dynasty and the...
During a devastating plague in 293 BC, the Roman Senate sent an embassy to Epidaurus to bring the Greek god of healing, Asclepius, to Rome. The god manifested as a giant serpent, boarded the Roman ship, and upon arrival, swam to Tiber Island, where a temple was built in his honor. This event transformed the island into a permanent site for medicine and healing, a legacy that continues today...
King Laomedon of Troy commissioned the gods Apollo and Poseidon to build the city's legendary walls, but he committed a grave act of hubris by refusing to pay them. His deceit led to divine punishments, including a plague and a sea monster, and eventually triggered the first sack of Troy by Heracles after the king cheated the hero as well.
After ten long years of siege, the Greek army appeared to abandon their war against Troy, leaving behind a massive wooden horse as a parting gift to the gods. Despite the warnings of a few clairvoyant citizens, the Trojans pulled the monument into their city walls to celebrate their victory. That night, elite Greek warriors hidden inside the hollow structure emerged, opened the gates for...