Saxon Origins of London

How did a cloistered, twelfth century nun become a visionary, composer, healer, preacher, and adviser to popes and emperors?Despite having visions from childhood - even in the womb, she claimed - Hildegard of Bingen waited until the age of 42 when she heard a divine command to “w ...  Show more

A plague of terrifying speed, mysterious symptoms and global reach, the Black Death transformed more than Europe alone.Matt Lewis is joined by Thomas Asbridge to chart the medieval spread, from Caffa’s siege lines to Cairo’s crowded streets, from brutal medical experiments to sel ...  Show more

London is today one of the greatest cities in the world, and the story of its origins is fittingly spectacular. Founded by the Romans as Londinium in around 47-50 AD, the metropolis served as a major commercial hub and indeed military target until its abandonment in the 5th ce ...

In 43 AD, the Romans set up temporary forts along the banks of a river to wait for their Emperor, Claudius, to march onto the enemy capital of Camulodunum (Colchester), and eventually conquer Britain. The river was the River Thames. At the time, it was an area of marshy low-ly ...

Archaeologist Dominic Perring discusses what we know about London’s Roman past with Emily Briffett, examining the city’s key turning points and exploring how life there was affected by fire, plague and warfare. Using archaeological and historical records, he ties London’s story i ...  Show more

Why do we call the Great Fire of London in 1666 “great”? Was it because of the significant challenge it posed to authorities and residents as they sought to bring it under control? Was it because of the extent of its devastation? Or was it because it occurred during an eventfu ...