Origins in a Time of Chaos: The Story of Shang Yang I was born in the State of Wei, during the heart of the Warring States Period, a time...

My Name is Laozi, Keeper of the Dao I was born, it is said, in the state of Chu during the latter part of the Spring and Autumn Period, a...

The Story of Laozi – Myth, Legend, History The origins of Laozi are shrouded in legend, with few certainties. It is said he was born in...

My Name is Kong Qiu, Though Many Now Call Me Confucius I was born in the State of Lu, in the small town of Qufu, during the troubled...

The Early Life of Kong Fuzi Kong Fuzi, known in the West as Confucius, was born in the small state of Lu in 551 BC during the waning...

I am King Ping of Zhou: A King in a Fractured World I was not born into peace. I, King Ping of Zhou, entered a world already cracking...

The Decline of the Zhou Dynasty’s Central Power The Zhou Dynasty began its rule around 1046 BC with a strong central authority that...

The Internal Collapse of Rome: The True Foundations of the Fall (c. 476 AD) Internal Political Instability By the time the Western Roman...

The Life of Emperor Valens A Brother’s Rise to Power Valens was born around AD 328 into a modest but noble family in the Balkans. His...

The Story of Diocletianus Humble Origins I was not born of noble blood. My name is Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, though I came...