Myths and legends

Medieval romances were sometimes considered subversive material. This scene from the Roman de la Rose, written in the 13th century, depict two lovers. In later centuries, it was said romances “inflamed beastly and filthy desire”

The Mills & Boon of the Middle Ages? Unpicking the mysteries of medieval romances

Kissing the Blarney Stone: a women hangs over the precipice with the aid of a friend as she attempts the feat at Blarney Castle in 1935

What is the Blarney Stone, where did it come from and why do people kiss it?

Actor Errol Flynn as Robin Hood in the film 'The Adventures of Robin Hood', 1938. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

What’s the most accurate Robin Hood film?

From gallant knights to dragon-slaying damsels, Lydia Zeldenrust reveals why medieval readers couldn’t get enough of romance tales. (Image by Getty Images)

Knights, dragons and beasts: the strange world of medieval romances

On the evening of 13 March thousands of people in Phoenix, Arizona, and surrounding areas see a triangular formation of lights drifting above the city. Fife Symington, the governor of Arizona at the time, was one of the witnesses and he described the UFO as “otherworldly”. This image shows something similar to what was reported at the time. (Photo by Alamy)

A brief history of UFOs: top 10 sightings & timeline

The ‘Eye of Providence’, a symbol linked to the Illuminati, stares out from the reverse side of all US one-dollar bills

The Illuminati: 13 questions about the clandestine secret society answered

Cynocephali – Dog-headed men (Photo by Getty)

Basilisks, manticores and more: medieval fantastic beasts (and where to find them)

The Resurrection of Jesus

Eggs, bunnies and Jesus Christ: the history and origins of Easter

Henry the Young King is crowned in 1170. (Wikimedia Commons)

The real King Arthur and his Lancelot? Henry the Young King’s remarkable friendship with William Marshal

A depiction of Robin Hood, the heroic archer in English folklore who supposedly robbed the rich and gave to the poor. (Photo by Culture Club/Getty Images)

Robin Hood: 7 myths about about the legendary outlaw of Sherwood Forest

From Thor to Odin, Carolyne Larrington discusses the legendary figures of Viking mythology. (Image by Getty Images)

A guide to the Norse gods

origins of the werewolf legend in stories from ancient Greece and Rome. (Image by Getty Images)

General ancient history

Werewolves of the ancient world

A helmet from a chieftain's grave in 10th-century Norway

Inside the Viking mind: the view of the Vikings’ world from 5 perspectives

Edith Hall on the HistoryExtra podcast.

General ancient history

The ‘lost’ city of Atlantis

Zainab Bahrani on the HistoryExtra podcast. (Image by Getty Images)

General ancient history

Ancient Babylon: everything you wanted to know