Danny Bird What made you decide to write about the collapse of the western Roman empire and the rise of Christianity? Alice Roberts I’ve long been fascinated by this historical period, especially in B

A poet who prospered despite Rome’s bloody civil wars

It’s there beside the guildhall. A large grey stone surrounded by Victorian railings. Over the years, countless visitors to Kingston-upon-Thames have strolled past it, many barely registering its exis

The posthumous reputation of James VI and I

Should ancient Athens serve modern progressive causes?

Around midday, off the coast at Actium in western Greece, two great fleets met in a confrontation that would decide the fate of the Roman world. Octavian, adopted heir of Julius Caesar, led a discipli