Category: Academic
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Galileo and the Modernisation of the Italian Language
Francesca Newson explores Galileo’s decision to write about science in Italian rather than in the traditional vernacular of Latin.
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“We foreigners don’t smoke opium”: Exposing Western Opium Consumption, 1840-1930
The narcotic opium is the subject of an explicitly racialised history. Kat Jivkova traces Western opium consumption in an attempt to remedy perceptions of the drug as inherently Chinese.
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Conceptualising Longevity within the Theoretical Wheel of Fortune: Trajan, Henry VIII, and Mao’s Cult of Personality
Harry Fry considers the concept of the wheel of fortune in relation to rulers spanning across history, from Roman Emperor Trajan to Mao Zedong.
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Lucrezia Borgia: A Woman whose Reputation has been Maligned by History
Lucrezia Borgia is a figure defined by her proximity to political intrigue and sexual scandal. Francesca Newson outlines the historiographic treatment of Borgia, and the attempts to redefine her image.
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Grimond’s Gunfire: The Radical Revival of the U.K. Liberal Party
When the U.K. Liberal Party was on it’s last legs, Jo Grimond’s leadership changed the fate and trajectory of the third-party. Sam Marks outlines Grimond’s life and legacy.
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Why did Women Embrace Sexual Renunciation in Late Antiquity?
Harry Fry delves into the complex dynamics of women’s choice regarding sexual renunciation in Late Antiquity.
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The Skull Chalice: Khan Krum and the Demise of Emperor Nikephoros
According to Theophanes the Confessor, a Byzantine chronicler, Khan Krum severed the head of the Emperor Nikephoros during their final battle and used his skull as a chalice. Kat Jivkova examines the authenticity of this medieval tale.
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Disability and the Social Hierarchy of Ancient Greece
Ancient Greek society was of a distinctly hierarchical nature. Kate Jensen examines how disability interacted within this hierarchy.
Retrospect Journal 