Social history

Ancient Roman fresco depicting a nude couple in an intimate pose on a bed, with faded hues on a textured background.
SEX AND SEXUALITY

What rude jibes about Caesar tell us about sex in ancient Rome

‘Every woman’s man and every man’s woman’ was a slur Julius Caesar’s political opponents levied. What did it mean?

by Aven McMaster

Black and white photo of a woman and child sitting outside a rustic cabin in a desert landscape under a cloudy sky.
SOCIAL HISTORY

Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American

Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state

by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray

An old illustrated map of Northern Europe featuring mythical sea creatures compass roses and detailed land formations.
HISTORY OF IDEAS

How 12th-century Genoese merchants invented the idea of risk

From the docks of 12th-century Genoa to the gambling tables of today, risk is a story that we tell ourselves about the future

by Karla Mallette

Black and white photo of people scrubbing a street while a large crowd of onlookers stands watching.
SOCIAL HISTORY

The rise of the bystander as a complicit historical actor

‘The appalling silence of the good people’: how the bystander rose to prominence as a morally complicit actor in history

by Dennis Klein

Medieval manuscript illustration of a mandrake plant with human features, surrounded by handwritten text.
SEX AND SEXUALITY

A long history of aphrodisiacs, from health tonic to sexual aid

Long before Viagra, people around the world and throughout history used aphrodisiacs to boost health and improve fertility

by Alison M Downham Moore

Photo of people walking past a wall with a retro computer advertisement in Chinese featuring a computer and peripherals.
CREATIVITY

How a solitary prisoner decoded Chinese for the QWERTY keyboard

China’s personal computing revolution was born not in a suburban garage but a prison cell, and fine-tuned on a teacup

by Thomas S Mullaney

Early 20th-century colour photo of a family sitting and standing outside a rustic building on a cobblestone street.
PARENTING AND FAMILIES

The history of family offers a liberating view of custom and love

Chronicling the families of the past shows just how much family values, feelings and decision-making can morph over time

by Katie Barclay

Black and white photo of a crowd outside The New York Herald building reading posted newspapers and looking at a clock display.
SOCIAL HISTORY

What history tells us about the dangers of media ownership

The media bias problem as a clash of power and psychology – the historic argument between Upton Sinclair and Walter Lippmann

by Maia Silber

Painting of a seated man looking at a small dog, which has its paw on his knee in a room with a decorated door.
SOCIAL HISTORY

How the law soothed broken hearts in 19th-century America

What does a deep dive into the transcripts of historical seduction trials reveal about how we account for hurt feelings?

by Jinal Dadiya

Digital artwork of a grey hand squeezing a yellow stress ball with a smiley face on a black background.
VALUES AND BELIEFS

Cults needn’t fit stereotypes to be dangerous. Here’s how to identify a controlling social group

Video by BBC Ideas

A collapsed apartment building leaning between other damaged buildings in twilight
THE SELF

Do you weave historical events into your own life story?

Some people watch history pass by. Others high in ‘historical consciousness’ truly live it – and seem to benefit as a result

by Şebnem Ture