The Origin of Falafel
The staple dish of the Middle East is as contested as the region, with different peoples claiming falafel’s origins as their own.
Volume 69 Issue 1 January 2019
Under Good Birds
The role birds played in the lives – intellectual, practical, emotional and otherwise – of men and women in the ancient world.
Man with a Movie Camera
The world’s first filmmaker disappeared without trace. Are we watching his outtakes?
The Life of a Left-Wing Pin-Up
The remarkable rise of John Lilburne.
Unicorns
A mythological creature of extraordinary resilience.
Our Past, Present and Future
Can the collective endeavour of history still be our guide in the age of solipsism?
The Protectors
Many historical analogies have been drawn to explain the Trump phenomenon. Few have pointed out that the 45th president has something in common with his great predecessor, Abraham Lincoln. Both sought to shape an economy that benefited white working men.
America: the Last Empire
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 16 empires of varying size and reach. At the end of the century, there was just one: the United States. How did this happen and what role did Britain play in smoothing America’s path to global hegemony?
Saving Mexico from the Devil
The Conquest of Mexico was justified by the Spanish as an evil necessary to save a people who practised human sacrifice and worshipped false gods.
Why do the British know so little about Irish history?
In the first of a new series, we ask historians one of the burning questions of the day.