ALPHABET CITY
The clay piece contains the earliest known example of an ancient letter.
Candida Moss is the Edward Cadbury Professor of Theology at the University of Birmingham, UK and an award-winning author of five books, including Bible-Nation: The United States of Hobby Lobby. She is also a frequent news commentator for CBS and CNN. Follow her on Twitter @candidamoss. Follow her on Twitter @candidamoss.
PLAYING GOD
History is full of examples of knockoffs that exploited religious or political agendas.
ANCIENT
The famed historian perished in the eruption that wiped out Pompeii. One man claimed to have found his bones but was laughed at. Now scientists say he may have been right.
DOOMED
From a pope who got his powers from a succubus to a French priest-angel-demon, we've long blamed the devil.
HOLY PROTECTION
Saint Lawrence was the ultimate jokester, so he might have gotten a kick out of the inappropriateness of his name on a condom.
COPYCAT
While some have been more like fan fiction, other famous examples have had damaging effects throughout history.
STRANGE TWIST
Deep in the collection of a German museum an ancient Assyrian tablet has yielded new clues.
PARADISE LOST
In threatening Iran’s archaeological riches, President Trump is bent on destroying sites that are central to human history.
LADIES LEAVE YOUR MAN AT HOME
A recent discovery in Russia has brought the ancient legend to the forefront.
ORIGINS
New research into the origins of Hanukkah shows that this joyful holiday developed and evolved alongside other gentile light-based festivals like Saturnalia.
