Best Ancient Medieval
Piazza dell'Anfiteatro is a public square located in the historic center of Lucca, Italy, constructed directly atop an ancient Roman amphitheater. The elliptical shape of the piazza closely follows the original footprint of the 1st or 2nd-century arena. During the medieval period, local citizens rep...
Srivijaya was a Buddhist maritime polity centered in Sumatra and active in maritime Southeast Asia from about the seventh to the thirteenth century. Its power depended on ports, shipping, and control of routes around the Strait of Malacca, linking trade between the Indian Ocean, the Malay Archipelag...
The Turkic Khaganate was a steppe empire founded in 552 CE by Bumin Qaghan after the Turkic Ashina ruling house defeated the Rouran Khaganate. Its influence extended across Mongolia and Central Asia and reached toward the Black Sea, linking nomadic military power with trade routes that connected Eas...
Narikala Citadel sits atop Sololaki Hill overlooking Tbilisi, Georgia. Constructed initially in the fourth century, it holds significant historical importance as a strategic military stronghold. The fortress experienced expansions and modifications during Arab and Mongol rule, reflecting centuries o...
Acrocorinth is an ancient citadel situated atop a rocky hill overlooking Corinth, Greece. Constructed over centuries beginning in the Mycenaean period, it served as a vital military stronghold and defensive position for various empires including the Romans, Byzantines, and Franks. Its strategic loca...
The Sui dynasty was an imperial dynasty that reunified China in 589 and ruled until 618. Emperors Wen and Yang strengthened central government, expanded large-scale construction, and linked northern and southern regions through the Grand Canal. The dynasty also undertook costly military campaigns, e...
The Yamato period is a historical label for the era in which the Yamato court developed political authority in the Japanese archipelago, conventionally dated to about 250-710 CE. It encompasses the Kofun period, known for large keyhole-shaped burial mounds, and the Asuka period, when Buddhism, writi...
Champa was a group of Cham-speaking polities along the coast of central and southern Vietnam, rather than a single continuously centralized state. Its history began in the early centuries CE and was shaped by maritime trade, Indian religious and political influences, and repeated conflict and negoti...
The Huns were a confederation of mobile peoples associated with the Eurasian steppe and known mainly through the records of neighboring empires. In Europe, their power expanded during the fourth and fifth centuries CE, and Attila led campaigns against the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. The Huns'...
Field of Glory is a historical miniatures ruleset focused on ancient and medieval warfare. Developed by Slitherine and published in print by Osprey Publishing, the system is designed to simulate large-scale mass-battles using miniature figures. It is based on extensive historical research to provide...
Afrasiab is the site of the ancient ruined citadel and settlement of Samarkand, located in modern-day Uzbekistan. Archaeological evidence indicates the area was first settled during the 7th century BC and later served as a major political and trade center along the Silk Road. The city was famously c...
The Castle of Larissa, also called Larisa Castle, stands on Larissa Hill above Argos in the Peloponnese of Greece. The fortified site occupies an ancient acropolis and contains remains from antiquity alongside Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman phases of construction and repair. Its elevated...
Impetus is a historical miniatures wargame ruleset designed for ancient, medieval, and Renaissance warfare. Published by the Italian company Dadi e Piombo, the game is notable for its distinctive basing system, which evaluates units by the physical size of the base rather than the exact number of mi...
Sultan Kala is the large fortified medieval settlement within the archaeological complex of Merv in present-day Turkmenistan. It became the principal urban center of Merv under the Seljuks, enclosed by extensive defensive walls and containing structures associated with the city's political and relig...
The Citadel of Kirkuk is a historic fortified settlement built on an artificial mound in the center of Kirkuk, Iraq. The elevated site contains remains associated with several periods and communities in the city's history, including houses, religious buildings, and shrines traditionally linked to th...
Sword & Spear is a historical tabletop miniatures wargame designed by Mark Dudley and released in 2013. It covers battles from the ancient and medieval periods and uses a dice-allocation mechanism to determine how commanders distribute available actions among units. The game is intended for players...
Shumen Fortress is a fortified archaeological site on a plateau above the city of Shumen in northeastern Bulgaria. Excavations have identified layers and defensive works associated with Thracian, Roman, Byzantine, and medieval Bulgarian occupation. The visible remains include stone walls, gates, and...
Ratnagiri Stupa is the principal stupa at Ratnagiri, a Buddhist archaeological complex in Jajpur district, Odisha, India. The site developed from the fifth century CE and includes a large mahastupa, monasteries, temples, sculptures, and many smaller votive and commemorative stupas. Ratnagiri became...
Chenla, also called Zhenla in Chinese sources, was a political entity in mainland Southeast Asia that emerged after the decline of Funan and preceded the formation of the Khmer Empire. It is generally placed from about the sixth through the eighth centuries, in regions corresponding mainly to parts...
Udayagiri Stupa is a Buddhist archaeological monument in Odisha, India. It is part of the Udayagiri Buddhist complex, described as the largest Buddhist complex in the state, and is associated with a substantial brick stupa dated to the seventh century CE. The site is linked with Mahayana Buddhism an...
Lawkananda Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa in the Bagan archaeological zone of Myanmar, on the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River. King Anawrahta is traditionally credited with commissioning it in 1059, during the early period of the Bagan kingdom. Its riverfront position made it a visible landmark for...
The Amphitheatre of Tomen-y-Rhodwydd is an earthwork arena associated with a Roman military site in Wales, surviving principally through its landscape form.
