Istanbul is a vibrant and historically rich city located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The largest city in Turkey it’s the country’s economic, cultural, and historical heart. With a population of over 15 million people, Istanbul is one of the most populous cities in the world.
Tag: history
Crossing Millenia in a Day – From Hittite Kultepe to Seljuk Sivas
These sites are crucial for understanding the early interactions and commerce between various ancient civilizations in the Near East. The cuneiform tablets found at Kaniš/Kültepe have been instrumental in reconstructing the history of the Hittite Empire and its relationships with neighboring powers.
The Seljuks of Rum, also known as the Anatolian Seljuks, were a medieval Turkish Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) from the 11th to the 13th century.
From Turkey to Rhodes by Ferry
Rhodes [Greek: Ρόδος,] is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a rich and fascinating history that spans thousands of years. Here’s a brief overview of the history of Rhodes:
Visiting the World War I Gallipoli Battlefield
In 1915, Winston Churchill, then 1st Lord of the Admiralty, promoted an invasion of ‘Byzantium’ by way of the Dardanelles, with a joint amphibious and naval force speeding up to the Bosphorus to capture Istanbul . His aim was to cut German supply lines to the Middle East, while knocking Turkey out of the war. Nothing went as planned — bad luck, inept and even cowardly commanders had already doomed the ANZAC forces when a young officer named Mustafa Kemal (later known as Ataturk) led the counterattack that trapped the Allies on their tiny beachhead spread along the narrow peninsula.
Books – Eric Foner – Historian of the Civil War & Reconstruction
Eric Foner The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party before the Civil War A significant reevaluation of the causes of the Civil War, Foner’s study looks beyond the North’s opposition to slavery and its emphasis upon preserving the Union… Continue reading Books – Eric Foner – Historian of the Civil War & Reconstruction
Book – Soul of Battle – Victor Hanson
Never in history human conflict have such vast democratic infantry forces wrought such havoc and then dispersed among the consensual culture that fielded them.
Cascoly Book Reviews – Travel, History & Science
Over many decades, my reading has followed many interests – here are highlights.