Ancient History 43

Release: April 2023

Theme: Feast or famine: Agriculture in the ancient world

Issue 43’s theme will tackle something that is universally necessary in any society – agriculture. It is often taken for granted that people farmed in the ancient world, that people had food and drink, for without farms and food there would not have been an ancient world! However, we want to explore what life was like for ancient farmers. What techniques did they use? What gods did they think were responsible for a bountiful harvest, and what did they do to ensure their goodwill? What happened when a harvest failed?

Ancient History 44

Release: June 2023

Theme: Homer, Hittites, and horses: Ancient Anatolia

Ancient Anatolia is possibly best known as the setting of the Iliad, when an army of Greeks descended upon the city of Troy and fought a ten-year-long war to destroy it. Indeed, this narrative has near-dominated discussions of the region. However, there is much more to Anatolia than just the Trojan War. Issue 44 will cover a variety of topics, using archaeology and linguistics to explore this fascinating area of history. From Troy in the north to Miletus in the south, this issue will explore the lives and the identities of the people who lived in Anatolia in the Late Bronze Age.

Ancient History 45

Release: August 2023

Theme: Conspicuous consumption

Wealth, luxury, and inequality have been issues facing societies since antiquity. The culmination of these issues is conspicuous consumption. As wealthy members of society dressed in expensive clothing, ate exotic foods, and constructed vast monuments, they broadcast their wealth and power to their peers, engaging in elite competition, and to the poor, reinforcing their status as community leaders (regardless of their ability to lead). How this phenomenon manifested and how societies dealt with it has varied throughout history. Issue 45 will explore aspects of luxury across different societies, as well as how these societies tackled the difficulties wealth inequality created.

Ancient History 46

Release: October 2023

Theme: Oracles and divination

The gods were omnipresent in the ancient world. The ancients believed they controlled every aspect of people's lives, from the weather to whether a fisherman had a good or bad catch that day. The ancients also believed they could learn what they needed to do — where to fish, what day to travel — to achieve the best result by asking the gods. How the ancients contacted the gods and what they might ask them is the subject of Ancient History issue 46 — divination!