David Abulafia

How does the metamorphosis of a lumbering, engineless vessel – from freight container to troop-carrier to prison, hostel and rusting hulk – reflect today’s economic climate?

The case for the return of the Benin bronzes seems to be unraveling

Claiming the Carthaginians as ‘Tunisians’ is a somewhat absurd exercise in popular nationalism

The wish to find female African heroines is understandable — but it is also vital to get the facts right

The Ottoman sultans regularly had their brothers strangled within hours of acceding to the throne