General Modern

One of the earliest and most famous examples of extremism comes from ancient Rome. Starting in 264 BC and continuing for more than a century, Rome engaged in a series of wars with neighbouring Carthage. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

A brief history of extremism – from ancient Rome to al Qaeda

Illustration by Davide Bonazzi

Have nuclear weapons helped to maintain global peace?

Prime ministers Robert Walpole and Boris Johnson

From Walpole to Boris: a brief history of Eton College and the 20 prime ministers it has produced

Actor and comedian Lee Mack in 'Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans'. (Image by Nick Wall)

Making history funny: is any historical topic off-limits?

For our forebears, the secret to a good night's sleep lay in the contents of your gut. (Photo by Leemage/UIG via Getty Images)

6 sleeping tips and tricks from history

The ‘Surgeon’s Photo’, taken in 1934, which claimed to depict the Loch Ness Monster. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

5 facts about the Loch Ness Monster

A 15th-century map of the world illustrating a Latin edition of Ptolemy's the 'Geography'. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

12 alternative giant leaps for mankind – from carnivorism to Magna Carta

Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark. The BBC television drama is putting Cornwall’s coastline at risk of

Poldark, Peaky Blinders and 6 other historical TV shows that have tourists flocking to Britain

WM Woodfull of Australia ducks to avoid a rising ball from Harold Larwood of England during the Fourth Test match at Brisbane on the infamous 'Bodyline' Tour of Australia. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

4 historical cricketing curiosities

Illustration by Kate Hazell for BBC History Magazine.

From Churchill and Roosevelt to May and Trump: 75 years of the ‘special relationship’ between the US and the UK

Premium

The ruins of Dunluce Castle, which sit on the coastal cliffs of North Antrim in Northern Ireland. They are thought to have been the inspiration for CS Lewis’s castle Cair Paravel in ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ (1950–56). (Photo by Andrea Ricordi/Contributor/Getty Images)

9 of Britain’s best castles . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Premium

Heart of the city: The sun shines on the lawns of the Plaza de Mayo, located in the historic centre of Buenos Aires. (Photo by Alamy)

Explore Buenos Aires, Argentina: infused with Latin beauty . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

The nearly 2,000-mile First Transcontinental Railroad, seen shortly before completion in 1869. (Photo by Fotosearch/Getty Images)

How wild was the Wild West?

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, last Shah of Iran, pictured in 1967 with his third wife, Farah Diba, and their son Reza. His attempted reforms during his final years in power alienated many of his nation's people. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

The Iranian Revolution: why 1979’s uprising still shapes the Middle East

'Peter Pan and Wendy' by James Matthew Barrie.

8 of the best dogs in history