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Maria got the chills as she remembered something

puzzling that she had seen—or, rather, had been shown—

at the same hill site, many years earlier, as a teenager, when

visiting Greece with her family.



It was something that back then had both fascinated

and perplexed her at the same time—but now that she

had researched the area and read about the rising seas at

some point pushing the port back, it all made sense. It

was also evidence that this area, like the nearby Thyrea

area, had been greatly affected...

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...

Excerpt from second book of the Peloponnese series: “Artemis Child-a Rain of Stars”:

As she perused the news headlines, one article
caught her eye: “The Perseid Meteor Shower.”
The article revealed that the shower would reach its
peak in the early morning hours of August 11th, 12th,
and 13th. It also noted that this year’s shower would
feature meteors visible under moonlight and that, despite
the presence of moonlight, the Perseids would be bright
enough for many to see with the naked eye.

Knowing...

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!

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