Today’s featured articles
The period epics of Hollywood’s golden age were born of the popularity of swords and sandals on the Victorian stage.
A literate slave was a must-have in wealthy ancient Roman households. Keen to capitalise on this taste for learning, masters and slaves alike turned education into profit.
Having survived the rigours of the First World War, soldiers faced the return to civilian life. For some, it presented an even greater challenge.
Most recent
The Longest-Running Newspaper
The ancestor of the London Gazette was launched on 16 November 1665, surviving its bitter rival to become the oldest newspaper in the English-speaking world still in print.
Ploughing Up Postwar Britain
Postwar state support for agriculture in the UK has been hailed a great success, but it had unexpected consequences.
The Birth of Spiritualism
On 14 November 1848 the Fox sisters conjured up a movement when they made contact with the dead – or so they claimed.
How Medieval Scribes Balanced the Books
As the medieval book trade declined, Oxford scribes had to turn their hands to other crafts to get by.
‘The Heretic of Cacheu’ and ‘Worlds of Unfreedom’ review
The Heretic of Cacheu by Toby Green and Worlds of Unfreedom by Roquinaldo Ferreira, painstakingly recreate the worlds at the beginning and end of Portugal’s slave trade.
The Practical Mysticism of Evelyn Underhill
The past is full of unfamiliar ideas and beliefs, but – as Evelyn Underhill has proven – some things are timeless.
‘Chernobyl Children’ by Melanie Arndt review
Chernobyl Children: A Transnational History of Nuclear Disaster by Melanie Arndt discovers how Soviet civil society flourished – and then faltered – in the fallout.
How Has Space Exploration Changed History?
In November 2025 we reach 25 years of continuous human presence in space. Did reaching orbit alter the trajectory of the planet below?
Current issue
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In the November issue:
The Mongol khans of medieval Europe, the battle for Britain’s clean air, how states get recognised, the Tudor touring theatre, educated slaves in ancient Rome, and more.
Plus: reviews, opinion, crossword and much more!
You can buy this issue from our website, from newsstands across the UK, or read it as a digital edition via the History Today App.
