Middle East

Roger Howard recalls a moment when Israel was rocked by exaggerated claims of a threat posed by Egypt.

Christian Byzantium and the Muslim Abbasid caliphate were bitter rivals. Yet the necessities of trade and a mutual admiration of ancient Greece meant that there was far more to their relationship than war, as Jonathan Harris explains.

David Footman on the conspiracies that surround the Order of Assassins.

Christopher Sykes delivers a historical backdrop to mid-20th century tension on the Persian Gulf.

Sir Julian Huxley examines the debates and mysteries that surround humanity's earliest moves towards mass society.

G. Goossens recalls the Assyrian monarchs, noted for their ferocity, great libraries, and achievements in agriculture and engineering.

The 'lost' city re-emerged on 22 August 1812.

During the seventh century the Arabs invaded North Africa three times, bringing not just Islam but a language and customs that were alien to the Berber tribes of the Sahara.

The great trading companies that originated in early modern Europe are often seen as pioneers of western imperialism. The Levant Company was different, argues James Mather.

In the light of current events in North Africa and the Middle East, David Motadel examines the increasing frequency of popular rebellions around the world.