Vikings: Warriors of No Nation
Norse travellers reached every corner of the known world, but they were not tourists. The ‘racially pure’ Vikings of stereotype were, in fact, cultural chameleons adopting local habits, languages and religions.
Volume 68 Issue 4 April 2018
On the Spot: Llewelyn Morgan
The historian of Roman literature on Augustus’ funeral and the world’s best museum.
Mystery Man of the White House
David K. Niles worked in the shadows of US presidents. He also helped save their administrations.
If This Be Error
Marrying the sister of a deceased wife was illegal in Victorian England.
Throwing Light on the Menorah
The function, history and symbolism of the menorah from deep antiquity to its use as the emblem of the state of Israel.
Why the Prague Spring was Doomed to Failure
‘Socialism with a human face’ came head to head with the realities of Soviet communism during the Prague Spring of 1968.
The Death of Dick Turpin
The notorious highwayman was hanged on 7 April 1739.
The Lost Classics
Though originally set to music, we almost always encounter the Ancient Greek epics as mute texts. But now their songs can be heard again.
The Jewish Journey
A visually arresting look at the minutiae of centuries of everyday Jewish life.
No Clockwatching
Time in the early modern world lacked precision, but it did have humanity.