Inside the Medieval Brothel
What was life like for medieval prostitutes? A case in the German town of Nördlingen reveals a hellish world of exploitation and violence.
History Today
‘The Professor and the Parson’ by Adam Sisman review
The life of Robert Parkin Peters: clergyman, would-be academic and one of the most brazen fraudsters of the 20th century.
When the World Went Cold
Just two years after victory in the most murderous war in history, the divisions between the Soviet Union and the Western powers became unbridgeable.
The Cat, the Rat and the Dog
The story of Richard III’s lieutenants, William Catesby, Sir Richard Ratcliffe and Francis, Viscount Lovell, is one of intrigue, death and a mysterious disappearance.
Afghanistan 1919: Facing the Wasps’ Nest
Against the odds, the Third Anglo-Afghan War led to Afghanistan’s independence from the British Empire.
When the Romans met the Christians
What was it like for a Roman to encounter a Christian for the first time? As the Empire reached its greatest extent, Pliny the Younger found himself face-to-face with members of the new religious group.
World Wide Weber
‘Politics as a Vocation’, a speech made in 1919 by the German sociologist Max Weber, can lay claim to being one of the most influential political statements of the 20th century. Amid global crisis and uncertainty, it remains as relevant as ever.
‘The Voices of Nîmes’ by Suzannah Lipscomb review
The voices of forgotten women in Reformation France.
For Argument’s Sake
After 800 years, a playful medieval poem still offers lessons in how not to debate.
The Wild Hunt of Odin
A chaotic, menacing assembly of gods and trolls and restless souls.