‘Bloody Mary’ born at Greenwich Palace
The future queen of England and Ireland was born on February 18th, 1516.
Volume 66 Issue 3 March 2016
Cicero and the Power of Rhetoric
Catherine Steel traces the incredible longevity of Cicero’s great corpus of works, the study of which has helped to illuminate the intellectual and social culture of the late Roman Republic.
Plague and Prejudice
Epidemics spread mistrust, as communities seek to blame their plight on outsiders or those at the margins of society. Yet the historical record reveals that outbreaks are more likely to bring people together than force them apart.
The first return of Halley’s Comet
Halley’s Comet will not be visible again until 2061. But how did scientists discover how to accurately predict its return?
A History of Consumer Culture
The notion that ‘Greed is Good’ was not born in the 1980s, nor even in the 20th century. Frank Trentmann traces the roots of today’s rampant consumer culture to the imperial ambitions of the great European powers.
King Henry of Haiti
Amid the instability of post-revolutionary Haiti, torn between Britain and France, Henry Christophe rose from lowly roots to become its ruler. Paul Clammer remembers his vital role in shaping a new kingdom.
The Strange Tale of the Kibbo Kift Kindred
The Boy Scout movement produced a little-known offshoot of ‘intellectual Barbarians’, whose charismatic leader had dreams of overcoming the existential crises of the 20th century.
The Brief but Brilliant Reign of Edmund Ironside
Though he was king for just 222 days, the life and legacy of Edmund II, who ascended to the English throne 1,000 years ago this year, remain impressive, claims David McDermott.
The Science of the Supernatural
Many assumptions and values separate us from the Victorians, but belief in the supernatural is not one of them, argues Simone Natale.