The Battle of Didgori and the Rise of Georgia Under the white-capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus live the Kartvelians. Jason’s Argonauts found them on the balmy shores and hills, retreating from the Black Sea as an already ancient people. Modern scholars estimate their occupation dating well into the Neolithic when the Kartvelians first made wine in

How African Slaves Helped Break the Caliphate In the sweltering August heat of Southern Iraq, an army of slaves and Bedouins laid siege to the wealthy city of Basra. Over a month the besiegers tightened the noose around the city, burning outlying villages, and ambushing reinforcements and supply trains bound for the city. By September 7th, 871 AD the rebel army had gained a foothold in the city and…

How Viking Trade Revitalized Europe In 655 AD the first Muslim fleet met the Byzantine navy off the coast of Anatolia. The rough seas forced both sides to lash their ships to one another and the two great rafts collided in a fierce battle. Soldiers and sailors jumped from ship to ship in ruthless melee combat. As the day wore on the Muslim fleet gained the upper hand. When enemies closed …

How Geography Has Shaped Levantine Politics On a scorching July day in Palestine Ludolf of Tournai clambered over the battlements and scattered his Fatimid foes. Ludolf fought wildly, desperately, he had endured years of suffering on behalf of his God to reach the Holy City. He had survived the arrows of Turkish horsemen as he thirsted on the Anatolian Plateau. He had braved the treacherous footp…

A thing that happened About a year ago I went to see a doctor who stuck a camera tube up my nose and down my throat, then made a funny face.

Here is the best history and historical fiction I've read this season so far... Before we get onto autumn books, two exciting things.

Or is that a super dumb question? Before I unwind my essay about the BBC’s new 1066 drama, I want to let you know that my new novel, Lion Hearts, is out now in the UK - and is very nearly out in the USA.

I’m thrilled and honoured to have been appointed by the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as a Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces. I’m thrilled and honoured to have been appointed by the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as a Trustee of Historic Royal Palaces.

Discover the extraordinary life of Qutulun, the Mongol princess who never lost a wrestling match. Explore how this undefeated warrior and daughter of Qaidu Khan shaped politics, warfare, and legend in the Mongol Empire.

Explore ten medieval math riddles written by Alcuin of York, the great scholar of Charlemagne’s court. These clever puzzles from the early Middle Ages reveal how medieval students learned logic, numbers, and reasoning — and they’re still fun to solve today.

This book explores the rise of the Kingdom of Mercia, focusing on the reigns of Æthelbald (716–757) and Offa (757–796). It shows how Mercia became a dominant power in early medieval Britain, laying crucial foundations for the emergence of England.

For twenty years, medieval Trebizond was torn apart by assassinations, coups, and betrayals that set emperor against emperor. This little-known 14th-century civil war shows how chaos and ambition shaped one of the last outposts of Rome.

How do you get the right man to command your armies? Does he learn on the job, or from books, and what happens when something goes wrong? Theme: Officers and generals Jasper Oorthuys, 'Who put you in charge - Historical introduction'. Ross Ballard, 'The burden of command - Republican military leadership'. Murray Dahm, 'The value of experience - The commanders of Alexander the Great'. Gareth Williams, 'The Battle of Artemisium - Context and continuity'. Murray Dahm, 'The Battle of Boju - Sun Tzu seals his reputation?'. Murray Dahm, 'Read your way to victory - Texts to help train your commanders'. Jo Ball, 'Centurions behaving badly - The darkers side of the Roman centurion'. Fred K. Drogula, 'Flexible officers - Lucius Marcius and the disaster in Spain'. Features: Andrew Yamato, 'The Telamon grip - A theory of Greek shield functionality'. Clay Vagrant, 'Generals of the martial emperor - Asserting Han military dominance'. Murray Dahm, 'The "little" Ludovisi sarcophagus - Great things come in small packages'. Velite Aquila, 'Nakes fury - Warriors of Ixtlan and La Playa'. Mark McCaffery, 'Carinifex Adulescens - Decrying a betrayer of the state'. Jo Ball, 'Lost to the sea - The stele of Demokleides'.

During the Middle Ages, the Apocalypse was a big deal, with much attention paid to when it would happen, what it would be like, and how things would be afterwards. Religion played a big role in all of this, with Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all seeing things slightly differently. Theme: The Apocalypse Alice Isabella Sullivan, "Eschatology and the Apocalypse: Anticipating the end of the world," 18-21. Christian Askeland, "Marginalization and oppression: John's Apocalypse in Coptic Egypt," 22-27. James G. Clark, "Doom play: Public dramas and the Last Judgment," 28-31. Richard K. Emmerson, "Medieval Apocalypse manuscripts: Imagery, allegory, and salvation," 32-39. Francis X. Gumerlock, "The day and hour of the Second Coming: Medieval conjectures on when the world would end," 40-43. Ryan Szpiech, "The coming of the Messiah: Between redemption and apocalypse," 44-49. Features: Wendy Yunjia Zhang, "Water-Moon Guanyin in medieval China: Compassion across time," 8-11. Robert Jones, "Chivalric women: Agency, importance, and power," 12-13. Michael Kister, "Italian power politics: The emergence of city communes," 14-17. Jason Hulott, "Knife fighting in medieval Europe: Masters, law, and self-defence," 50-53. Kathryn Walton, "The Canterbury Tales: A story for every reader," 54-55. Rowdy Geirsson, "Review: Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age," 56. Gabrielle Storey, "Review: 'Europe' in the Middle Ages," 57.

Vikings Behaving Reasonably: Nordic Hóf in Civic and Legal Rhetoric was written to try and make sense of the rhetoric shown in the Icelandic family sagas, but I expanded its scope to look more at how the medieval Scandinavians dealt with conflicts in both the civic and legal arenas. I found through my research that the medieval Scandinavians had a native rhetorical tradition outside of Classical influence.

Empire Earth remains one of my most favorite games for a reason. The game is a sandbox not just a game you play and put away then come back to it.

Athens transformed from a small town to Greece's largest city post-King Otto, driven by philihelenes supporting its growth and independence. The population surged after the 1920s transfers, peaking in the 1970s before facing suburbanization and decline since the 1980s. The city's future relies on effectively managing this urban transition.

Evidence emerges of the day in 1562 when an infamous Spanish cleric tried to destroy Maya religion