It is hard to underestimate the impact that the ancient Near East has had on the history of the world, and the lasting hold it has had on our imaginations. From the birth of the written word, the wheel and the first city-states to the pyramids and the pharaohs, we...

It’s the start of a new year – what can we expect? As we don’t have a crystal ball we can’t tell you what will happen, but as historians we can tell you about some of the things we will be remembering or marking over 2024. We think there will...

On 13 November 2023 some of the HA team were fortunate enough to be in a glorious room at Claridge’s in Mayfair, London to hear the announcement of the winner of the prestigious Wolfson History Prize. To a full room it was announced that the winner was independent historian Halik...

27 January 2024 is Holocaust Memorial Day, an annual event to recognise and remember the murder of six million Jews, as well as other victims of Nazi persecution including minority groups and political and ideological opponents. The day is also an opportunity to remember the other genocides that have been...

The British have always been a bit snarky about Napoleon – I guess that’s the way victors can play it. For the French, they often seem either to love or loathe him; the same it seems goes for many historians. What does seem to be clear from the recent discussions...

If my generation all remember where they were when the aeroplanes, hijacked by terrorists, flew into the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001, then my parents' generation all knew where they were when they heard about the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. Before the conspiracy theorists and the...

The Kingdom of Poland started its existence in the medieval period as one of the most important countries of eastern Europe. Positioned on key trading routes, it became a powerful nation that had periods of remarkable stability, playing a major role in both the Renaissance and the Reformation. Despite this,...

When the seasons change and the autumn and winter coats come out with a bare lapel space, we are often reminded that Remembrance time is upon us. In this and recent years the reality of war has never been far away from our news feeds. That reality may be overseas...