During the Middle Ages, the court of a great lord was a place filled with lavish feasts, grand tournaments, and other ostentatious displays of wealth and power. Theme: Courtly life Alice Isabella Sullivan, "Courtly culture in the Middle Ages: Origins and sources," 16-17. Kathryn Walton, "The romances of courtly life: Of love, magic, and chivalry," 18-21. Leslie Ivings, "The court of the purple born: Byzantine power and ceremony," 22-25. Jacob H. Deacon, "Pas d'armes: Knights, giants, and unicorns," 26-33. Helen Carr, "The court of Edward III: Chivalry, powers, and spectacle," 34-37. Lucie Laumonier, "Dining at court: Fine cuisine and table manners," 38-43. Jacob H. Deaon, "Freydal: Combat and dance," 44-47. Features: Richard Thomson, "Medieval Edinburgh: The principal burgh of our kingdom," 8-13. Robert Jones, "Knights behaving badly: When chivalric culture failed." 14-15. Conor Robison, "The hard ground at Gladenmore: Reigniting Scotland's war for independence," 48-51. Lucie Laumonier, "Practical magic: Debunking myths about medieval witches," 52-53. James G. Clark, "The Golden Legend: A popular treasury of tales," 54-55. Jonathan H. Jones, "Book review: Johannes Gutenberg: A Biography in Books," 56. Michael Kister, "Book review: Frederick Barbarossa," 57.
During the Middle Ages, the Apocalypse was a big deal, with much attention paid to when it would happen, what it would be like, and how things would be afterwards. Religion played a big role in all of this, with Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all seeing things slightly differently. Theme: The Apocalypse Alice Isabella Sullivan, "Eschatology and the Apocalypse: Anticipating the end of the world," 18-21. Christian Askeland, "Marginalization and oppression: John's Apocalypse in Coptic Egypt," 22-27. James G. Clark, "Doom play: Public dramas and the Last Judgment," 28-31. Richard K. Emmerson, "Medieval Apocalypse manuscripts: Imagery, allegory, and salvation," 32-39. Francis X. Gumerlock, "The day and hour of the Second Coming: Medieval conjectures on when the world would end," 40-43. Ryan Szpiech, "The coming of the Messiah: Between redemption and apocalypse," 44-49. Features: Wendy Yunjia Zhang, "Water-Moon Guanyin in medieval China: Compassion across time," 8-11. Robert Jones, "Chivalric women: Agency, importance, and power," 12-13. Michael Kister, "Italian power politics: The emergence of city communes," 14-17. Jason Hulott, "Knife fighting in medieval Europe: Masters, law, and self-defence," 50-53. Kathryn Walton, "The Canterbury Tales: A story for every reader," 54-55. Rowdy Geirsson, "Review: Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age," 56. Gabrielle Storey, "Review: 'Europe' in the Middle Ages," 57.
Though not as focussed on conquest as a hundred years earlier, the Roman legions of the second century AD had to contend with revolts, invasions, and civil war. Theme: The Roman army in the 2nd century AD Murray Dahm, 'A century of war - Begin as you mean to continue'. Lindsay Powell, 'Fighting under a flag - Roman army vexillations in the second century AD'. Jo Ball, 'A Roman career soldier - The story of Valerius Maximianus'. Mattia Caprioli, 'A very Severan civil war - The Battle of Issus'. Matej Kmošek, 'Signalling on a small scale - Legionary identity at Musov'. Graham Sumner, 'Hiding in plain sight - Portraits of Antonine soldiers from Fayum'. Murray Dahm, 'A brother goes to war - The Parthian monument of Lucius Verus'. Features: Dr Péter Bernát, 'Late Roman heavy cavalry - Forerunners of medieval knights'. Billy Duff, 'The Paean - Greek battle hymns'. Mark McCafery, 'Evocatio - Do you want to come to Rome?'. Boris Dreyer, 'Cross-country Celtic chariots - Longitudinal suspension and bent rims'.
How do you get the right man to command your armies? Does he learn on the job, or from books, and what happens when something goes wrong? Theme: Officers and generals Jasper Oorthuys, 'Who put you in charge - Historical introduction'. Ross Ballard, 'The burden of command - Republican military leadership'. Murray Dahm, 'The value of experience - The commanders of Alexander the Great'. Gareth Williams, 'The Battle of Artemisium - Context and continuity'. Murray Dahm, 'The Battle of Boju - Sun Tzu seals his reputation?'. Murray Dahm, 'Read your way to victory - Texts to help train your commanders'. Jo Ball, 'Centurions behaving badly - The darkers side of the Roman centurion'. Fred K. Drogula, 'Flexible officers - Lucius Marcius and the disaster in Spain'. Features: Andrew Yamato, 'The Telamon grip - A theory of Greek shield functionality'. Clay Vagrant, 'Generals of the martial emperor - Asserting Han military dominance'. Murray Dahm, 'The "little" Ludovisi sarcophagus - Great things come in small packages'. Velite Aquila, 'Nakes fury - Warriors of Ixtlan and La Playa'. Mark McCaffery, 'Carinifex Adulescens - Decrying a betrayer of the state'. Jo Ball, 'Lost to the sea - The stele of Demokleides'.
Ancient history is full of people dubbed tyrants, yet the precise nature of ancient tyranny varied across periods and cultures. They could be bloodthirsty warlords, power-hungry populists, or even the first among equals. Theme: Ancient tyrants Owain Williams, Archaic Greek tyrants - Dictators or first among equals'. Carol Atack, 'Harmodius and Aristogeiton - The Athenian tyrannicides'. Matthew K. Reising, 'King of kings - Achaemenid tyranny and kingship'. Owain Williams, 'Mausolus of Caria, 'Dynast satrap, tyrant'. Martijn Icks, 'Dreadful Domitian - How an emperor became a tyrant'. Jason S. Whitmarsh, 'The Diadochi - Kings and tyrants'. Features: Colin Elliot, 'The Antonine Plague - The end of the Pax Romana'. Peter Gainsford, 'Historical Homer? - The invention of the Trojan War'. Nicholas Baker-Brian, 'A sword through the family - The succession of Constantine's sons'. Neil Middleton, 'The Aitolian League - Primitives and pirates or pioneers'. Philip Matyszak, 'Roman hairstyles - Dyes, wigs, and hairpieces'.
In ancient Rome, as throughout the ancient world, people's lives were structured around religious rituals and festivals, they prayed to the gods for guidance, and it was believed the gods even interceded on their behalf. Theme: Religion in ancient Rome Gwynaeth McIntyre, 'Worshipping the imperial family - When religion meets politics'. Stuart McKie, 'Curse tablets in the Roman world - Hidden secrets of ancient magic'. Amber Gartrell, 'Roman worship of Castor & Pollux - The best of brothers'. Laurie Porstner, 'Watching over the family - Roman household gods'. Jen Baird, 'Religious life in Dura-Europos - One town, many faiths'. Features: Jeremy McInerney, 'Centaurs - Wildness and the Greek imagination'. Stephen Hodkinson, 'Classical Sparta - A militaristic society?'. Sem van Atteveld, 'The snail craze - Producing Tyrian purple'. Stephen Roberts, 'Hengistbury Head - A vibrant Iron Age settlement'. Philip Matyszak, 'Widowhood in ancient Rome - Wealth, love, and politics'. Ulla Rajala, 'Peopling the past - Experiencing the Jewry Wall Museum'.
In antiquity, Southern Italy was a prominent destination for Greek colonists. However, numerous people already lived in the region. The Greeks sometimes peacefully coexisted with these tribes — and sometimes came into conflict with them. Theme: Magna Graecia Richard Evans, 'Syracusan democracy - A fragile start and a feeble end'. Edward Herring, 'From imports to indigenous ware - Magna Graecia's red-figure pottery'. Sosseh Assaturian, 'Eleatic philosophy - The birth of ancient Greek metaphysics'. Mark Thatcher, 'Conflict and compromise - Greeks and non-Greeks in Italy'. Richard Evans, 'Caught between fact and fiction - The Achaean colony of Sybaris'. Emmanouil Peponas, 'The theatre in Magna Graecia - A creative frontier'. Kathryn Lomas, 'The conquest of Magna Graecia - The coming of Rome'. Features: Michael Carter, 'Morituri te salutant! Aut non - Death (and life) in the gladiatorial arena'. Sem van Atteveld, 'Local industry - The impact of Tyrian purple production'. Adriano Orsingher, 'Worn, hung, offered - Phoenician and Punic masks'. Alexander Thein, 'Sulla's dictatorship - Lawgiving, patronage, social mobility'.
Most people in the ancient world, from slaves to skilled artisans — instead of owning vast estates or plundering enemy treasuries — worked for a living. From odd jobs to construction contracts, all manner of employment was available. Theme: Labour in antiquity Miriam J. Groen-Vallinga, 'Talking tools? - Rome's enslaved labour'. Charlotte van Regenmortel, 'Fighting for a living - Professional soldiery in the Hellenistic age'. Owain Williams, 'Finding work - The labour market in ancient Rome'. Katherine Backler, 'Woven wealth and women's work - The ancient Greek textile economy'. Arienne King, '"As long as my people keep on working" - Labour in ancient Egypt'. Features: Rhyne King, 'Managing an empire - The satraps of Achaemenid Persia'. Peter Edwell, 'The city of Hatra - An ancient geopolitical hostspot'. Jeroen W.P. Wijnendaele, 'The lion and the gladiator - The arena on the edge of empire'. Louise M. Pryke, 'The tale of Gilgamesh - The world's first tragic epic'. Philip Matyszak, 'Food on the table - Grocery shopping in ancient Rome'.
Medieval Murder Maps throws you into the deadly world of medieval Oxford on an average Sunday afternoon Friends, my new novel, LION HEARTS, is published in just a few weeks. It is the third book in the Essex Dogs trilogy and I am mighty excited for you to read it.
…and post your questions for a special Essex Dogs trilogy Q&A ahead of the final novel release this summer It’s all go with my Essex Dogs fiction series.
...and all your Q&A questions about Lion Hearts answered Thanks to everyone who asked questions about my new book, Lion Hearts, which is out on July 31st (and Sept 25th in the US). You’re all great. Here are the answers.
I sat down for 90 minutes to reflect on history, historical fiction and the forthcoming release of Lion Hearts Here it is… the most in-depth interview I’ve done about my Essex Dogs trilogy. The brilliant Genevieve Gaunt hosted this conversation.
