Ancient Rome matters. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories - from Romulus and Remus to the Rape of Lucretia - still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today. SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world's foremost classicists. It explores...

Popular history writer Terry Deary takes us on a light-hearted and often humorous romp through the centuries with Mr & Mrs Peasant, recounting foul and dastardly deeds committed by the underclasses, as well as the punishments meted out by those on the ?right side? of the law. Discover tales of arsonists and axe-wielders, grave robbers and garroters, poisoners and prostitutes. Delve into the dark histories of beggars, swindlers, forgers, sheep rustlers...

Steeped in history and rich in culture, it?s little wonder that Yorkshire has a lot to offer in the realm of ghosts and supernatural phenomena. From ghostly hounds on the North Moors to a phantom highwayman in Sheffield, and from the Oxenhope spectre to the spirit of Jenny Gallows at the Flamborough chalk pits, Haunted Yorkshire is packed with uncensored eyewitness reports. Eerie locations, folklore and local history, this is the Yorkshire you don?t...

What would you wear to war? How would you dress for a winter mission in the open cockpit of a Russian bomber plane? At a fashion show in Occupied Paris? Singing in Harlem, or on fire watch in Tokyo..? Women's Lives and Clothes in WW2 is a unique, illustrated insight into the experiences of women worldwide during World War Two and its aftermath. The history of ten tumultuous years is reflected in clothes, fashion, accessories and uniforms. As housewives,...

The story of the River Tees is one that combines tales of Roman forts, mythical beings and manufacturing heartlands. Fascinating boom towns, brilliant bridges, areas of outstanding natural beauty and striking industrial heritage have characterised the Tees over the centuries. The river has also played an important part in shaping the identities of the areas that exist alongside it, playing a central role in everyday life. Authors Tosh Warwick and...

It is hard to imagine the Middlesbrough area before its industrial might was established. In 1801, the area was a small hamlet with a population of just twenty-five. Middlesbrough's growth began with the development of the coal export trade in the area, but expanded rapidly with the discovery of extensive iron ore deposits in the Cleveland Hills. The burgeoning manufacturing town subsequently gained the nickname 'Ironopolis' and was hailed as 'the...

A heavily pregnant African woman is abandoned on an Indonesian island by Sir Francis Drake. A Mauritanian diver is despatched to salvage lost treasures from the Mary Rose? Miranda Kaufmann reveals the absorbing stories of some of the Africans who lived free in Tudor England. From long-forgotten records, remarkable characters emerge. They were baptised, married and buried by the Church of England. They were paid wages like any other Tudors. Their stories,...

We were the Family, and Foxlowe was our home. There was me - my name is Green - and my little sister, Blue. There was October, who we called Toby, and Ellensia, Dylan, Liberty, Pet and Egg. There was Richard, of course, who was one of the Founders. And there was Freya. We were the Family, but we weren?t just an ordinary family. We were a new, better kind of family. We didn?t need to go to school, because we had a new, better kind of education. We...

From the bestselling author of Horrible Histories... Young Acheron is a liar. Everybody knows it. Troy is under siege and Acheron tells tales of Trojan bravery to entertain Prince Paris and the beautiful Helen at the palace. But when a stranger comes to the city to announce that the Greeks have departed, leaving a special gift of a wooden horse, Acheron is suspicious. He races to tell Prince Paris about the Greek plot, but will anyone at the palace...