General ancient history

The call for the First Crusade was initially made by Pope Urban (pictured) in 1095. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Britain and Islam: a matter of faith

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Illustration by Jonty Clark.

Ye olde travel guide: Aksum AD 537 . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Ptolemy World map. Artist: Germanus, Donnus Nicolaus (ca. 1420-ca. 1490)

General ancient history

Ptolemy’s maps: the father of modern Geography

An illustration of Nikephoros II. (Photo by INTERFOTO/Alamy Stock Photo)

General ancient history

A big day in history: the all-conquering Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II loses his head

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Illustration by Jonty Clark

Ye olde travel guide: Kiev 978 AD . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Bluestones, like these in the Preseli hills, were used to build Stonehenge. (Photo by Paula Connelly via Getty Images)

General ancient history

Britain’s buried secrets

A stone relief depicting men bringing gifts to the king, c500 BC. (Getty Images)

General ancient history

The Persian empire: myth vs reality

A view of Jerusalem's best known landmark the Dome of the Rock, a spectacular shrine on the site where Muhammad is said to have risen to heaven. (Getty Images)

General ancient history

Jerusalem: blood and gold

Mary Wollstonecraft.(Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images)

100 women: Religion & Philosophy

The Alfred Jewel: gold, rock, crystal and enamel

Objects of affection

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Historical objects – toilets and medicines . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Lewis Chessmen found on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, probably made in Norway, about AD 1150-1200. (Photo by RDImages/Epics/Getty Images)

The Library Objects with meanings: How artefacts can give us a new take on global history

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Ancient civilisations and Victorian shopping . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Made of basalt, this inscribed stone dates to the sixth century BC. The figure is Nabonidus who was the last king of Babylon before the Persian invasion under Cyrus II. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty images)

General ancient history

Babylon: From riches to ruins

A view of Machu Picchu, Peru

General ancient history

The Library Imperial marvels