Julius Caesar is said to have once remarked ‘it is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience’. During its early years, the Roman Republic was forced to endure a recurring cycle of conflict, bloodshed and pain. The Romans were more than … More Rome: Origins of the Empire, Part Two
Lying some 20 miles outside of Edinburgh, the unassuming village of Athelstaneford is home to one of Scotland’s most legendary historical events; one that would see Scotland gain a new patron saint and a national emblem. As with many origin stories, how Scotland came to adopt its national symbol, the Saltire, is shrouded in myth … More Athelstaneford: Origins of the Saltire
Nestled along the banks of the Tiber river, in its early years Rome can be considered as nothing more than inconspicuous; tidily hidden away from the prying eyes of the world. Sharing the Italian peninsula with a host of other small tribes and peoples, with the Etruscans to their north, it would be a long … More Rome: Origins of the Empire
National Museums Scotland is set to lead a new research project into one of Britain’s most important archaeological sites, the Galloway Hoard. Funded through a grant by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the three-year project will carried out in collaboration with the University of Glasgow. ‘Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard’ The Galloway Hoard is … More New Research to Unlock the Secrets of the Galloway Hoard
The arrival of Europeans in North America heralded a dark period for indigenous populations the length and breadth of the continent. Within the space of a few centuries, the patchwork of varied, independent tribal societies that littered the modern-day mainland United States was gradually destroyed; with peoples scattered and often subjected to brutal acts of … More Dreams of the Past: The Indian Barrier State
The Battle of Gettysburg epitomises the futility of war and offered people of the time a terrifying glimpse at the devastating future of conflict. It is a landmark moment not only in the American Civil War but in world history; a victory and tragedy in the same breath. Fought from the 1st of July through … More The Battle of Gettysburg: The Turning Point
On the 17th October 1346, Scottish and English forces clashed outside Durham in one of the key battles of 14th-century British history. The Battle of Neville’s Cross was a disastrous military failure for the Kingdom of Scotland which led to the capture and humiliation of King David II. Embroiled deep in the Hundred Years War, … More Defeat and Humiliation: The Battle of Neville’s Cross
Every year on the 5th November, the skies above Britain are awash with colour as thousands of fireworks let out their brief, explosive bursts of light. Bonfires burn throughout the land and Brits young and old recall the rhyme, “Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot“. The Gunpowder Plot reads like your … More Kings, Queens & Treacherous Schemes: The Gunpowder Plot
British history has featured some exceptional, innovative and fearless women. From Boudica to Elizabeth I, Ada Lovelace to the Suffragettes, the list goes on.
One of the most fascinating and relatively unknown characters from Scottish history is Agnes Randolph, Countess of Dunbar. … More Black Agnes: One of Scotland’s Most Fearless Female Figures
