Political

During a reign that lasted only five years, writes Stewart Perowne, Aurelian ‘accomplished wonders’, fortifying Rome, strengthening the monarchical principle and generally stabilizing the Roman Empire.

P.W. Kingsford describes how, for many years, Sir William Baker became Walpole’s chief ally in the eighteenth-century City.

J.J.N. McGurk reflects on the eighth centenary of Becket's martyrdom.

David Jones profiles the man of whom Gibbon wrote: ‘the genius of Rome expired with Theodosius’.

Stephen Usher describes how Athens might have kept her empire, had she been able to harness the talents of her splendid citizen Alcibiades.

Despite his shortcomings, writes Colin Davies, the great orator served his city with unselfish zeal; sensitiveness, determination and humanity characterized both Cicero's public and private life.

J. LaVerne Anderson describes how the post of British Ambassador to the rulers of France has been a difficult assignment, and not only in the eighteenth century.

William Seymour introduces Sir John Seymour; an uncle of the King, and a favourite of the late Henry VIII, Somerset had an amiable character not strong enough for perilous mid-Tudor times.

If the world were ruled by a single Christian monarch, peace and justice would prevail: such was Dante’s vision in the early fourteenth century, writes Robert F. Murphy.

This cultured but energetic ruler left behind him ‘a governmental machine that was the wonder and envy of Europe’.