Amy – Page 7 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on January 28, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

White God (Cortes, Columbus), Native Americans belief in

The Chilam Balam, a book by Jaguar priests in the Yucatan, speaks of the coming of a white bearded man who is believed to bear the sign of the Almighty God. This is marked on the Biblical Timeline with History during 300 AD. Based on the books, Quetzalcoatl is bound to return someday. The writings of the Native Americans refer to the Quetzalcoatl God-man and the historic Quetzalcoatl, with the latter performing a duty as a Toltec ruler who gave messages of peace to mankind. This man eventually suffered at the hands of the religious high priests, who made plots against him that cost him his life. In addition, there was God Quetzalcoatl, who was present during the creation of the world. In fact, he was also one of the four directional Gods, associated with the wind, rain, and four cardinal directions. Moreover, he was known as the “White God of the West”, just like his father. He is known as the God of civilization, and was the one who gave the world the arts, calendar, science, and corn.

Native_Americans_belief_in_White_God_ — Hernan Cortez

Reportedly the native Americans believed that Hernan Cortes, an invader, was indeed the Quetzalcoatl, who came back to the world. There are insufficient proofs that this belief has a factual basis, yet Cortes claimed it as true. The MesoAmericans were not bearded people, and Cortes appeared to have some resemblance to the white bearded man. Some scholars suggest that the missionaries made up this story, and that the prophecies of the pre-conquest Chilam Balam were generated during the time that the Spanish people colonized the Caribbean. Some scholars also believe that there was an alteration with the dates in which the Chilam Balam books were written. They suggest that these changes were made by the Spanish with the hopes of making the people believe that Cortes was indeed the white-bearded man who was anticipated to return one day.

‘Kukulkan at Chichen Itza during the Equinox.’

Michael John Wells Finley wrote a text pointing out that the references in the Katun 13 Ahau with the Cabal-chen coincide with the time the Spanish came to the Yucatan. On the other hand, there were records that the coming of the Kulkulcanis was associated with Katun 4 Ahau. There is a possibility that the authors replaced Kulkulcan with the Christian God, as well as other relevant facts about the Katun.

Also the Hopi’s also believed that a lost white brother will return in the future when the world ends. The tribe anticipates the return of Pahana or the lost white brother, just like the Aztecs expected the coming of Quetzalcoatl, which is similar to the belief of the Mayans that Kukulcan or the white bearded god will come once again.

Francisco Pizarro

Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who traveled to South America to take control of the Incas to gain their riches and gold. It is recorded that the Incas treated him like the God ‘Viracochas’ due to his white skin, armor, and their guns that emitted loud thunderings and sparks that looked like lightning. The damage that followed was also very intimidating.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_gods
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_religion
http://are.as.wvu.edu/ruvolo.htm
http://pixabay.com/en/quetzalcoatl-aztec-kulkulcan-279886/
http://www.witzmountain.com/2012_Hopi2.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Malinche_con_Cortes.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukulkan#mediaviewer/File:ChichenItzaEquinox.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Pizarro
http://history.stackexchange.com/questions/5637/how-come-incas-believed-that-the-spanish-were-the-incarnation-of-their-thunder

Posted on January 27, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — 15 Comments

Scythians and Cimmerians

According to scholars, the Scythians and Cimmerians were identified with a large population of the Lost Israelites tribes that were once in exile. They are located on the Bible Timeline Chart with History during 200 BC. There are accounts from the Assyrians that the Cimmerians were partly Israelite.

The Cimmerians, in particular, were a group of Indo-Europeans that lived in the northern part of Caucasus and the Azov Sea, about 1300 BC. By the 8th century BC, the Scythians drove them southward and into Anatolia. The Cimmerians were considered Iranians while others referred to them as Thracians.

After they had left the Pontic steppe, these people decided to head off to Anatolia and succeeded in conquering Phrygia in the years 696 to 695 BC. They reached the pinnacle of their success when they took over Sardis, Lydia‘s capital, in 652 BC. However, they quickly reached their decline, specifically when they were defeated by the Alyattes between the years 637 and 626 BC. After their defeat, there was a lack of information about this group of people, although there were assumptions that they remained in Cappadocia.

Scythians_and_Cimmerians_Cappadocia — ‘Fairy Chimneys rock formation nearby Göreme, in Cappadocia’

‘Fairy Chimneys rock formation nearby Göreme, in Cappadocia’

There were minimal details in terms of the origin of this tribe. Some possibilities are that the Cimmerians had some relations with the Thracians or Iranians. Historians claim that these people may have been under the rule of an elite Iranian background.

Herodotus, a Greek historian, noted that the Cimmerians once lived in the regions on the north coast of the Black Sea and Caucasus. These places are nearby modern-day Russia and Ukraine. However, Renate Rolle, an archaeologist, claimed that there was an absence of evidence that the Cimmerians settled in the southern portion of Russia.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, most scholars accepted the accounts of Herodotus in terms of the origin of the Cimmerians. However, Sir Henry Layard had different claims about this tribe. His studies opened up new sources that are centuries older than what were stated by Herodotus. In the Assyrian records, the Cimmerians were situated in a kingdom that was not distant from Urartu. This was the Iron Age Kingdom, which was located around Armenian’s highland called Lake Van, a place in the southern part of Caucasus.

The Israelites were brought to the center portion of Assyria. Eventually, warriors of Israelite and Syrian descent became a part of the Assyrian armies. They also gained influence and power, and they were taken to Mannae for training. Mannae was among the places were the Cimmerians were believed to have settled.

Historically, Mannae became the center of the Scythian tribe. These people were one with the Cimmerians, and the two tribes even lived and functioned in the similar geographical zones. In fact, the names of these two groups of people have become rather interchangeable in most Assyrian books and historical sources.

References:
http://britam.org/cimmerians-scythians.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimmerians
http://www.academia.edu/Documents/in/Cimmerians_Herodotus_Scythians_Pontic_area_Black_Sea_area_Caucaaus_Near_East_Anatolia_nomads
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelites#mediaviewer/File:Mosaic_Tribes.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocia#mediaviewer/File:Cappadocia_Chimneys_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg

Posted on January 26, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Jonathan of Maccabees

In Ancient Greece, Jonathan of Maccabees was regarded as the head of the Hasmonean Dynasty in the land of Judea. He ruled from the years 161 to 143 BC where he can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart with History. His name means “diplomat” this primarily alluded to his main trait as described in Maccabees. He was the youngest son of Mattathias, and his father served as the primary figure during the rebellion against the head of the Seleucid Empire Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Unfortunately, Mattathias died at the onset of the rebellion of the Maccabees, in 167 BC. Jonathan, along with his brothers Judas Maccabeus, Simon Thassi, Eleazar Avaran, and Johanan, remained true to their intention to continue the fight that their father was not able to finish. Eventually, Judas was appointed as the de facto leader, and he became the rebellion’s military chief. Meanwhile, Jonathan performed tasks under the leadership of his brother. He became quite active in the battles that were fought against the Seleucid army.

‘at the same time that famine spread throughout the land.’

The brave Jonathan was exposed to some challenges during the different battles he engaged in. On the other hand, Judas suffered a serious casualty at the Elasa Battle from 161 to 160 BC. Bacchides was the triumphant one after the battle, and he was a Seleucid general who followed the orders of Demetrius I Soter. He successfully crushed the Maccabeans at the same time that famine spread throughout the land. Soon, Jonathan became the new leader of the rebels. As he performed his duty, he discovered that Bacchides had a goal of entrapping him. He decided to head off to a desert region, along with Simeon and his other followers. They went to a place near the eastern part of the Jordan River, and set up their camp at Asphar. However, Bacchides went on to follow them, and his army overtook Jonathan and the Jewish rebels during Sabbath.

Jonathan_of_Maccabees_Fight_Nabateans — ‘Facade of Al Khazneh in Petra, Jordan, built by the Nabateans.’

‘Facade of Al Khazneh in Petra, Jordan, built by the Nabateans.’

Jonathan chose to hand all the baggage to John, his brother, who decided to head off to the Nabateans with his small army. Their intention was to place the baggage in a secure manner, but a hostile tribe in the land ambushed them. The baggage was taken, and John with his army was killed.

As for Jonathan with his companions, they decided to proceed to a battle against Bacchides and his army. At one point, Jonathan had an opportunity to kill Bacchides. However, Bacchides managed to escape, and the Jews were defeated. Then, they decided to flee and proceed to the Jordan. In this battle, a thousand of Bacchides’ men were killed. Jonathan improved his skill in warfare, and he was able to hold his guard to flee from any direct confrontations with various enemy forces.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Apphus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maccabees
http://www.jewishhistory.org/the-hasmoneans/
http://pixabay.com/en/oia-santorini-greece-sunset-island-416136/
http://pixabay.com/en/skull-halloween-people-mask-dummy-220049/
“Al Khazneh” by Bernard Gagnon – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Al_Khazneh.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Al_Khazneh.jpg

Posted on January 23, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Mark Antony

Born as Marcus Antonius, Mark Antony was a politician and Roman general who performed the significant task in reforming the Republic of Rome. He is located on the Bible Timeline with History starting around 83 BC. From being an oligarchy, the Roman Empire became autocratic, with the help of Mark Antony. Antony was one of Julius Caesar‘s main supporters, he even served as a military commander for Caesar. Eventually, Antony was appointed by Caesar to become Italy’s administrator. He successfully eliminated some his opponents in politics in various locations including Spain, North Africa and Greece. In 44 BC, Antony decided to join Marcus Lepidus after Caesar was assassinated. Octavian, Marcus Lepidus and Mark Antony formed the Second Triumvirate. This group performed numerous tasks, specifically the fight against the Liberatores, a group of people who murdered Caesar. It was in 42 BC when the Liberatores were defeated, in the Battle of Philippi. Afterwards, the Roman Republic was divided among the three members of the Second Triumvirate. Antony ruled the eastern provinces of Rome, as well as Ptolemaic Egypt that was under the reign of Queen Cleopatra. Eventually, there were problems that existed among the members of the Triumvirate due to the hunger for political power. Octavian and Antony were in a civil war, although this is as averted when Antony decided to marry Octavia, who was Octavian’s sister. However, Antony remained in a relationship with Cleopatra, even though he was already married to Octavia.

In 33 BC, the Triumvirate broke up; this was caused largely by a civil war that existed between Antony and Octavian. The Roman Senate declared Queen Cleopatra and Antony traitors to the Republic. In the Battle of Actium Octavian successfully defeated Antony. After the war, Antony went back to Egypt with Cleopatra, and he decided to commit suicide. This left Octavian as the ruler of Rome; he later obtained the title “Augustus”.

Further Details about Antony

Antony was skilled in the military, and this was evident when he joined Aulus Gabinius’ military staff, in 57 BC. He was appointed as the chief of the cavalry. This marked the start of his career in the military. Antony gained his very first distinctions in the military when he secured his victory at Machaerus and Alexandrium.

Mark_Antony_and_Cleopatra — Mark Antony and Cleopatra

While Octavian ruled the western portion of Rome, Lepidus was the head of Africa. As for Mark Antony, he was assigned in the southern part of Turkey. At this time, he expressed his love for Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. This resulted in a romance between the two, and it led to an alliance that worked to his advantage in defending the eastern provinces.

Fulvia and Lucius decided to rebel against Octavian, in 40 BC. Antony had no choice but to go back to Italy. While on his way to Italy, Antony learned that Fulvia died. Soon after, there was a reconciliation between Octavian and Antony, and the latter decided to marry Octavia.

Antony’s marriage did not stop him from keeping his romance and alliance with the queen of Egypt. He also tried to gain sufficient funds that would support his planned campaigns in Judea. However, Cleopatra took this as a way for her to become even more powerful. The two remained in their love affair until Antony killed himself after losing the battle with Octavian.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony
http://www.biography.com/people/mark-antony-20667285
http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/mark-antony
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Battle_of_Actium#mediaviewer/File:Castro_Battle_of_Actium.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony#mediaviewer/File:Lawrence_Alma-Tadema_Antony_and_Cleopatra.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Antonius#mediaviewer/File:Illus266_-_Marcus_Antonius.png

Posted on January 22, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Octavianus First Caesar

Octavianus was the main heir of the Roman Julius Caesar he can be located on the Biblical Timeline Poster with History starting 31 BC. His career started when he supported Caesar during the Spanish expedition that was held in 46 BC. When Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, he returned to Rome. At age 19, the young Octavius was appointed as consul, and he was soon known as Octavian.

As a child, Octavian lived a comfortable life. His father was Gaius Octavius, who was a senator. His mother was the daughter of Julius Caesar’s sister. Thus, his family had an honorable and distinguished lineage because of his parents, specifically his mother.

Octavian was handsome and possessed grace, although he was of short stature with poor health. Many people considered him as somewhat cruel during his younger years, yet he was regarded as quite mild as he grew older. Primarily, this change in character was brought about by his more stable political position, thus the less need for him to express brutality. Octavian was also more tolerant of negative comments or criticism given to him, and he had a good sense of humor. He fond of playing dice, and most people knew him as someone who gave money to guests so that they could place their bets.

Octavianus_First_Caesar's_Death — ‘The Death of Caesar, by Jean-Léon Gérôme’

‘The Death of Caesar, by Jean-Léon Gérôme’

As a husband, Octavian was not quite faithful. He was married to Livia Drusilla. Nevertheless, he was devoted to Livia despite his unfaithfulness. Octavian also had strict moral attitudes, which caused him to put into exile his granddaughter and daughter who went against these principles. In 46 BC, Octavian supported Julius Caesar during the Spanish expedition, and he did this even when he suffered from an unstable health condition. He was also supposed to handle an important role as a senior military commander of the Parthian expedition, in 44 BC. At this time, Octavian was only 18 years of age.

Octavianus_First_Caesar_statue — Octavianus, Augustus Gaius.

Octavian learned that Caesar was assassinated, and this prompted him to head back to Rome. His main goal was to avenge Caesar and defeat those who have murdered him. However, upon reaching Rome, he met with Marcus Lepidus and Mark Antony, who wanted amnesty and compromise.

Along with Marcus Lepidus and Mark Antony, Octavian formed Rome’s second triumvirate. The senate of Rome was forced to give these three individuals consular power that would last for five years. Prior to executing revenge on the people who killed Caesar, the triumvirate successfully killed or sent into exile about 2000 equestrians and 300 senators.

As a Leader

At a certain point in history, Rome was under so much chaos and insecurity that there was constant violence throughout the land. Hence, Octavian decided to change this situation by improving the military conditions in Rome. He obtained the support of soldiers that protected Rome by giving land to about 100,000 veterans situated in Italy. Octavian also succeeded in forming a navy and army.

The triumvirate was soon abolished, and Octavian became the consul. By 27 BC, Octavian took the name Augustus, which made his even more powerful than the governors in Rome.

References:
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/augustusbio/a/aa092397Augustu.htm
http://www.roman-empire.net/emperors/augustus.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/augustus.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar#mediaviewer/File:Bust_of_Gaius_Iulius_Caesar_in_Naples.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Octavianus,Augustus_Gaius.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus#mediaviewer/File:Jean-L%C3%A9on_G%C3%A9r%C3%B4me_-_The_Death_of_Caesar_-_Walters_37884.jpg

Posted on January 21, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Arabs pay tribute to Darius

Darius I was the ruler of ancient Persia, and he remained king of the nation from 522 to 486 BC the tribute to Darius is recorded on the Biblical Timeline Chart with History starting around 500 BC. His rule began after he defeated and killed King Gaumata. Afterwards, he decided to fight a civil war before he was able to re-establish the Achaemenid Empire. The king participated in numerous wars overseas, and was exposed him to various parts of the world such as Thrace and India.

Darius as a Ruler

During the rule of Darius, he made his people to understand that it was Ahuramazda who helped him conquer his opponents. He also propagated his belief that Ahuramazda was the highest god in the whole world. He also decided to invent a special kind of Aryan alphabet which matched perfectly the Persian language. The text included details about the power of Ahuramazda, whom he believed was the one true god.

Darius decided to introduce new coins to his kingdom, which was a part of his goal of imposing taxes. The Persians were used to having similar coins as the ones found in Lydia. However, Darius began to introduce the darayaka or gold daric, as well as the silver siglos. These became the empire’s monetary standard after the year 515 BC.

Arabs_pay_tribute_to_Darius_Portrait — ‘Darius I, imagined by a Greek painter, 4th century BCE’

‘Darius I, imagined by a Greek painter, 4th century BCE’

Aside from producing new coins, there was construction of the so-called “Royal Roads”. According to historians, these were centuries-old roads, and they served as a connection to ancient Near East’s major urban areas. People who were travelling such as “king’s eyes” or inspectors, and individuals who served the Persian government, received passports. With a passport, these people can freely get benefits from food rations that were situated along the road.

The calendar was also reformed during the reign of Darius, and this was to meet his goal of reorganizing the government. At this time, the Chaldeans, who were Babylonian astronomers, invented a new and improved system that enabled them to intercaluate months of the year. The very first evidence of the existence of this calendar was in 503 BC, although it was believed that there were calendars even before this period in history.

Courtiers were given different labels. For instance, Pharnaces was noted as the minister of economy, and Gobryas was the lance carrier and commander of the army that fought against Elam‘s King Atamaita. Aspathines was another courtier, and he was Darius’ vacabara who served an important role in the empire.

Imposition of Taxes

In an account by Herodotus, the Persians were free from paying their taxes. While they were not required by law to settle monetary taxes, they were supposed to pay tributes in some kind. For instance, there were state taxes in the form of a small livestock. There were groups of people that must pay about 7,740 talents of silver or at least 232,200 kilograms of silver per year. The total amount paid as an annual tribute reached 14,560 Euboib talents. Herodotus noted that a large amount of the sum was settled by individuals who belonged to economically-progressive nations such as Babylonia, Egypt, Phoenicia, Syria and Asia Minor.

There was also a system of gifts, and it was regulated strictly during the time of Darius. These gifts were supposed to be settled in kind. People residing on the empire’s borders such as the Arabs, Ethiopians, and Colchians paid these tributes to Darius.

References:
http://www.livius.org/person/darius-the-great/6-organizing-the-empire/
http://history-world.org/persians.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_I
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86#mediaviewer/File:Choghazanbil2.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_I#mediaviewer/File:Darius-Vase.jpg

Posted on January 20, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Hippias of Athens

Pisistratus had several sons, and one of them was Hippias of Athens. He was a tyrant ruler that can be found on the Biblical Timeline with History starting around 500 BC. In 527 BC, Hippias took the place of Peisistratus, his father. While Hipparchus, his brother, was intended to rule alongside him, there was an unfortunate event that prevented this joint rule of the two brothers. Aristogeiton and Harmodius succeeded in killing Hipparchus, in 514 BC. Because of this brutal event, Hippias turned out to be a cruel, harsh and bitter ruler of his kingdom. He also decided to have the Tyrannicides executed to avenge his brother’s death.

Plots to Overthrow Hippias

Hippias_of_Athens_Delphi_priestess — Priestess of Delphi

In 546 BC, Peisistratus was able to banish the Alcmaeonidae family. This renowned and wealthy family succeeded in having a new temple constructed at Delphi. Moreover, they decided to bribe the priestess in Delphi to overthrow Hippias, which was to be executed by the Spartans. As a result, Anchimolius led the Spartan army to undertake this command by the Alcmaeonidae family.

To protect himself from this battle, Hippias and his family joined forces with Cineas of Thessaly. Alcmaeonidae and the Spartans lost; however, another battle was held and this time Cleomenes I led the Spartans. Under his leadership, the Spartans were able to penetrate into Athens. Hippias was trapped as planned on the Acropolis.

In addition to having Hippias as a hostage, Pisistratus’ children suffered the same fate. In 510 BC, Hippias left Athens by force to ensure his family’s safety and security. This also signalled the end of his reign. He then he opted to wed Archedike (his daughter) to Aiantides, the royal son of Lampsakos’ tyrant named Hippoklos. This was a wise move by Hippias as it would allow him to enter the court of Darius located at Susa.

The Spartans assumed that by attaining the democracy of Athens, this would later be a threat to the power they now possessed. This thought was also a result of the past when Hippias turned out to be a cruel leader of Athens.

In the meantime, Hippias headed toward Persia, where there were threats given to the Persians in case they failed to allow Hippias to enter their nation. Despite this threat, the people of Athens were resolute to maintaining their democracy while setting aside the possible attacks by the Persians.

Hippias as a Ruler

Hippias was known to be more proficient in handling politics; on the other hand, his brother, Hipparchus, was regarded for his ability in managing religious matters. Known as one of Athens’ tyrant rulers, Hippias was believed to be a patron of craftsmen and poets. It was under his reign that Athens claimed its progress. However, it was during the assassination of Hipparchus that Hippias changed and became more repressive.

During a revolt by the Spartans, Hippias was forced to leave the land. He settled in Persia and found support from the governor of Persia located at Sardis. Eventually, on his way back home, the tyrant failed to reach his destination while he was still at Lemnos where he died.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippias_(tyrant)
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/266589/Hippias
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/greekpolitics/a/091011-Ancient-Sources-On-The-Tyranny-And-Murder-Of-Hipparchus.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Athens#mediaviewer/File:Athens_acropolis_south_slope_4-2004_2.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Collier-priestess_of_Delphi.jpg

Posted on January 19, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Persia and the Median Kingdom 750 BC

The Median Kingdom was made up largely of the Medes and can be located on the Bible Timeline Poster with History during 750 BC. These people were natives of ancient Iran, and they settled in a place called Media, which is now situated in southeastern Turkey and northwestern part of Iran. They first came to the region when the tribes of Iranic Aryans migrated into Ancient Iran. This happened during about 1000 BC and up to 900 BC. Persians and Medes During 10 to 7 BC, the Persians and the Medes were dominated by the Empire of neo-Assyrians. The empire was established in the northern portion of Mesopotamia, yet its reign expanded to Ancient Iran, Arabia, Caucasus, Egypt and Cyprus. There were several kings of Assyrian nationalities who set up the Vassal Treaties, particularly Esarhaddon, Ashur-etil-ilani, Sargon II, Tiglath-Pileser IV, Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal. These treaties also helped protect these rulers from any raids initiated by Cimmerians and Sythians.

Persia_and_Median_Kingdom_Desert — Maranjab Desert

It was during the rule of Sinsharishkun in 622 to 612 BC when the Assyrian Empire began to progress. Ever since 626 BC, there was a civil war going on in the empire large groups of people participated in paying their tribute. These people included Persians, Egyptians, Cimmerians, Arameans, Lydians, Babylonians, Medes and Chaldeans. In 612 BC, there was an alliance that existed among the Persians and Cimmerians, Chaldeans, Scythians, and Babylonians. This alliance helped the Persians and Medes in conquering Nineveh. Eventually, this led to the end of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, a period in history that occurred in 605 BC. Also, the Medes decided to build their own empire known as the Median Kingdom, where the center was located in Ecbatana. Soon after, the territory began to stretch farther to Anatolia’s Halys River. By the time the Assyrian Empire collapsed, another state was established. This time, it was created along with other nations including Egypt, Lydia and Babylonia. In fact, Assyria, and these three nations became the four powerful kingdoms in Near East during that time. By 550 BC, Cyrus the Great conquered the Median Kingdom, and the Persian Achaemenid Empire took its place.

Persia_and_Median_Kingdom_Zagros_Mountains — The Zagros Mountains from space

Closer Look on the Medians

The Medians first arrived at the northern Zagros Mountains, which started during 1000 BC. Initially, this region was populated by Gutians. After the arrival of the Medians, Persians and Mannaeans, a state was built, although there were different rulers in each tribe.

Soon, the Medians formed an alliance with the Babylonians with their desire to destroy and conquer Assyria. Afterwards, Assyria was divided between the Babylonians and Medians, and the Medes were more concentrated in gaining power over Eastern Assyria.

At this time, Ecbatana became the capital. It was a period in Median Kingdom where the people were not too keen on constructing large-scale projects. The people were also vaguely interested in the idea of living in cities. There was also a lack of statues that served as the representation of the Median life or the royal family. This was the time when the Persians started joining forces with Median troops.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medes
http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsMiddEast/EasternMedia.htm
http://www.iranchamber.com/history/median/median.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran#mediaviewer/File:Sand_dunes_of_Maranjab_Desert_in_Kavir_National_Park.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medes#mediaviewer/File:Persepolis_24.11.2009_11-12-14.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zagros_Mountains#mediaviewer/File:Zagros_1992.jpg

Posted on January 17, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Mikado of Japan, History of the Emperor or

While in Japan, the Emperor or Mikado has long been considered as a symbol of power. During the early parts of 7th-century Emperors were noted as the “son of heaven” or Tenshi-sama. This can be linked to the Bible Timeline Chart with History around 704 BC.

History of Japan’s Emperor

Emperor Jimmu is known as Japan’s earliest emperor, and this was recorded in the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki. He was referred to as Ninigi’s descendant, and was believed to have come from heaven. In the records from Nihon Shoki, Emperors have long maintained a male lineage that has continued over 2600 years back in history. The imperial line’s origin is traced largely by studying the kofun, or the ancient tombs of emperors in Japan. Unfortunately, there was a policy by the Imperial Household Agency during the Meiji Period, which prevented archeologists from opening the kofun. The reason for such is the belief that the spirits of these ancient emperors might be disturbed. However, by 2006, the Agency began allowing researchers to conduct their study by entering some kofuns freely for the purpose of learning more about the history of these emperors.

Japan_Emperor_Kofun — ‘Daisen Kofun, the largest of all kofun, one of many tumuli in the Mozu kofungun,’

‘Daisen Kofun, the largest of all kofun, one of many tumuli in the Mozu kofungun,’

According to researchers, there were 6 families of the non-imperial class who gained control over the emperors of Japan. These families included the Soga, Fujiwara, Minamoto, Taira, Tokugawa and the Ashikaga. However, shoguns coming from Tokugawa, Ashikaga, and Minamoto families were required to be recognized officially by emperors, which means these royalties were still regarded as the nation’s source of sovereignty. Nevertheless, emperors had limited powers at this point. During the 10th century, there was an increase in the expansion of samurai class, which eventually weakened the control of the imperial family. Emperors soon got into problems with the existing shogun at certain points in history. There was a power struggle between Japan’s military governments and the Imperial House. In ancient times, the territory of Japan failed to recognize remote regions as its part. However, a centralized form of government was established during the reign of Prince Shotoku. By this time, the emperor was a well-respected embodiment of heaven and harmony instead of serving as the leader of a governing administration in the country.

Japan_Emperor_Samurai_History — Samurai Attire

More Details about the Emperor of Japan

Japan has no empire. In fact, the boundaries of this country only existed in its four islands such as the Hokkaido, Okinawa, Honshu, and Kyushu. In 1875, Japan gained an empire, and it was during the conquer of the Ryu Kyu Islands. However, although Japan is noted to have an emperor, it was not aptly an empire.

The term “emperor” was also not an excellent description of the Japanese monarch’s constitutional and historical role. In fact, the Emperors of Japan rarely commanded any armies or had full political power. Instead, what emperors did was to perform the different sacerdotal functions, and they also became a valid source of legitimacy for the actual rulers of the country.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_Japan
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/japan.htm
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2135.html
http://www.japanexperterna.se
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai#mediaviewer/File:Samurai_actors.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofun#mediaviewer/File:NintokuTomb.jpg

Posted on January 16, 2015October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

China, Math and Science in Ancient

As early as 1500 BC, the Chinese had started using written numbers in conducting their daily businesses. Although these events really came into focus around 454BC where it is recorded on the Bible timeline with History; it was during the Shang Dynasty , which was at least 2000 years earlier than when people from West Asia began writing numbers. Moreover, the Chinese mathematics system was considered as efficient, and the people counted numbers in base ten. It was before the year 190 AD in China when people started using the abacus in making simple calculations. The Nine Chapters, an early mathematical textbook, was used in Ancient China. Based on research, several parts of it have been written somewhere in 200 BC, or the start of the Han Dynasty in the country.

According to historical records, the emergence of math in China began by 11 BC. There was a binary system, place value decimal system, trigonometry and geometry developed by the Chinese. Prior to 254 BC, the Chinese mathematics was still fragmentary. In earlier societies, the main focus in terms of science was astronomy. The main goal was not to create formal systems but to perform practical tasks and create the agricultural calendar. Furthermore, mathematics in ancient China did not utilize the axiomatic approach. Instead, there were advances made in some areas of math such as algebra and algorithm. It is also worth noting that the greatest advancement in the field of algebra in China was during the 13th century. It was at this period that the method of “four unknowns” was developed by Zhu Shijie.

Chinese_Math_and_Science_Acupuncture — Acupuncture; ‘A woman receiving fire cupping in China.’

Acupuncture; ‘A woman receiving fire cupping in China.’

There were great advances made in mathematics, science and technology, and astronomy with the help of ancient Chinese doctors, mathematicians and scientists. Herbal medicine, acupuncture and traditional form of Chinese medicine were also invented and improved during this period. The developments made on these fields were through scientific experiments and conducting empirical observations. Several inventions were made in ancient China including the shadow clock and the Kongming lanterns. In addition, there were quite a number of other inventions such as papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass. These were considered as technological advances in the country. It was in 618 AD, which was the Tang Dynasty, when numerous items were invented, and these helped improved the lives of the people in ancient China.

Chinese_Math_and_Science_Sky_Lantern — Kongming lanterns or Sky Lantern

In the 16th and 17th centuries, missions initiated by Jesuits in China helped bring about Western science, as well as astronomy. In addition, various technologies in China were introduced to Europe. By the 19th and 20th century, Western technology had a huge impact in China’s progress and advancement of technologies. As for the records that explored the history of science in ancient China, this study was conducted by Joseph Needham.

Indeed, China has contributed much when it comes to the fields of math and science. It has introduced certain tools and systems that are still being used today. This has expanded to various continents throughout the world. With these innovations made by the people in ancient China it has helped make the lives of many individuals worldwide much easier and more efficient.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mathematics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_China
http://www.storyofmathematics.com/chinese.html
http://pixabay.com/en/abacus-count-mathematics-485704/
http://pixabay.com/en/centaurus-a-ngc-5128-galaxy-11190/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture#mediaviewer/File:Fire_cupping_in_Haikou_-_02.JPG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yi_peng_sky_lantern_festival_San_Sai_Thailand.jpg