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