Blog

It was a much larger peninsula, filled with green fields and numerous trees. Visitors often expressed their awe at its beauty, saying, “This must be the land of the gods.”

Despite the mention of gods by visitors, this peninsula was not located in Greece. Instead, the stunning and expansive peninsula, surrounded by cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was situated in a highly desirable area of Southern California.

The large peninsula boasted another popular attraction—one that was intriguingly...

The Odyssey, like the Iliad, is divided into 24 books, corresponding to the 24 letters in the Greek alphabet.
Within the middle section of the poem (Books 9-12), Odysseus describes all the challenges that he has faced trying to get home.
These include monsters of various sorts, a visit to the afterlife, cannibals, drugs, alluring women, and the hostility of Poseidon himself. These challenges resemble those of earlier heroes like Heracles and Jason.
Odysseus’s return to his island, however, is...

“ITHAKΗ”

ΤΟ ΠΟΙΗΜΑ πρωτοδημοσιεύτηκε στο περιοδικό Γράμματα του Οκτωβρίου - Νοεμβρίου 1911, όταν ο ποιητής ήταν σαράντα οκτώ ετών.
Ανήκει στα διδακτικά ποιήματα του Καβάφη.

Σα βγεις στον πηγαιμό για την Ιθάκη,
να εύχεσαι να 'ναι μακρύς ο δρόμος,
γεμάτος περιπέτειες, γεμάτος γνώσεις.

Τους Λαιστρυγόνας και τους Κύκλωπας,
τον θυμωμένο Ποσειδώνα μη φοβάσαι,
τέτοια στον δρόμο σου ποτέ σου δεν θα βρεις,
αν μέν' η σκέψις σου υψηλή, αν εκλεκτή
συγκίνησις το πνεύμα και το σώμα σου αγγίζει.

Τους Λαιστρυγόνας και...

Maria is both capable and determined. She has thoughtfully mapped out her journey toward a carefree life.

While working seasonally as a consultant, as her second child gets ready to head off to university, she is preparing to spend her first summer in Europe.

Then, one morning, while she was getting her coffee before heading off to work, Hans the Warrior approaches her outside the coffee shop with the intention of derailing her plans indefinity.

Unbeknownst to her, Maria has been watched over...

DIANE IOANNOU’s background and training as a research professional and forensic auditor have made her an effective archeological analyst, mystery solver, and skilled codebreaker. The author makes connections and uncovers ancient mysteries—while taking her readers along on her journey of adventure and discovery.

REVIEWER COMMENT:

Adventurous ride across the Eastern Coast of the Peloponnese!

“ARTEMIS CHILD” is a fun hybrid of fiction and non-fiction reading. The fictional elements evolve around...

When is the 2025 Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseids run from 17 July to 24 August, with the peak of activity falling on the night of 12/13 August.

This is when you could expect to see the most meteors, but if clouds or your schedule mean you can’t meteor watch on the peak, then you should be able to see a good show any time between 9-15 August.

The Perseids (a Rain of Stars) will be at their best from midnight until the hour or so before dawn. If that’s too late (or early) for you, you should...

For some cozy holiday solving mysteries.

-Chapter 9-

The Treasury of Atreus was constructed at the same time and adjacent to the fortification walls of ancient Mycenae. The enormous tholos structure housed an abundance of great treasures.

It was commissioned by King Tantalus as a gift to his grandson, Atreus, who was to make use of the treasury once he inherited the throne of Mycenae.

In her research Maria discovered that Tantalus’s kingdom, which was the birthplace and home of prince Pelops,...

Hellen (Ἕλλην) was the forefather of the Hellenes. He was said to be the son of either Deucalion or Zeus and Pyrrha.

Hellen had three sons: “Dorus, Xuthus, and Aeolus,” and each of his sons were said to have established a primary tribe of Greece.
Dorus ... maybe the Dorians had been named after him,
wondered Maria.

After researching, she found that Dorus’s (Δῶρος) name was derived from “doron” or “gift.” Dorus was considered the founder of the Dorians who were one of the four major ethnic groups...

Did you ever wonder how “Pavlopetri” got its name?

But what about the patriarchal Paul who said women shouldn’t speak in church? There are two mentions of this, one in the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians, one in 1 Timothy. The former is widely considered a later addition, an “interpolation” by editors. In this case, the assertion that women should be silent wildly interrupts the flow of the passage, which is whole without it. And the infamous remark is not present in several early manuscripts of...

Excerpt from: Et In Arcadia Ego: Poussin’s Painting Mystery Solved? article:

Then I noticed something I had missed before: THAT THE TWO YOUNG MEN PORTRAYED IN BOTH PIECES HAD WREATHS OF OLIVE BRANCHES OVER THEIR HEADS.

This meant that both pieces most likely portrayed the classical Greek period, because that is when the Olympic Games took place.

The olive wreath, known as “kotinos,” was the prize for the winners of the games in ancient Olympia.

The wreath, though simple, came with great honor...

(In 2024, the Perseid meteor shower peaks on the mornings of August 11, 12 and 13. Midnight to dawn is best! Be sure to watch in a dark sky.)

Two prominent American musicians incorporated the Perseid phenomenon into their music:

-James Taylor penned a song titled “Fire and Rain” in 1968, which was ultimately released in August of 1970. It was named after the meteor shower.
-Similarly, John Denver included his personal experience of witnessing the Perseid meteor shower during a family camping...

Was building the Treasury of Atreus at ancient Mycenae a strategic move that would eventually bring an end to a brutal military movement? For Perseus must have known that the ancient Arcadians would never accept such rulers.

Did Perseus, a prince of Argos, bring Pelops the southern Greece peninsula (that would eventually be named Peloponnese in his honor) to fund infrastructure and temples?

Pausanias asserted that “the ancient Greeks believed Perseus to have been founder of the ancient Mycenae...

Welcome back! This time, I put Diane Ioannou in the Author Spotlight. Keep reading to learn more about her and her work.

Meet Diane Ioannou

Born in Greece and raised in Chicago, Diane now lives in Greece. She’s the author of the ‘Artemis Child’ series. Let’s meet her!

I’m an Amazon affiliate. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn money from qualifying purchases. By clicking through the links, when you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. It helps to support my...