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In today’s History newsletter: Researchers are trying to figure out why this powerful ancient empire was abandoned, what we know about the lost Ark of the Covenant, and the Greek myths in the new season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.”

But first: Is there historical evidence for the Star of Bethlehem?

'The Adoration of the Magi' by Guiseppe Chiari (1654-1727). The Virgin Mary, seated on the left and turned to the right, shows the Christ Child to the Wise Men who have come from the east, bearing gifts and following a star.

Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari, National Trust Photographic Library / Bridgeman Images

The story of the Star of Bethlehem is one of the most recognizable scenes in the Christian imagination: a brilliant sign shining over the place where Jesus was born, guiding visitors to the cradle of a newborn king. But it’s also the source of debate for theologians, historians, and astronomers for centuries.

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A procession of gods marches across the wall of what may have been a royal mausoleum near Hattusa, capital of the lost Hittite Empire.

Emin Özmen

The ancient empire that civilization forgot

What happened to the Ark of the Covenant? Here’s what we know.

On the WWI battlefield, U.S. soldiers cobbled together a homemade Christmas

The cast of Percy Jackson and the Olympians talk Greek myths in the upcoming season

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter, edited and curated by William O’Connor and produced by Amanda Williams-Bryant. Sign up here to get our future adventures in your inbox.

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