Topic

History

A collection of 463 issues

Too Many Caesars: The Chilling Pragmatism Behind Augustus's First and Most Important Murder

In 30 BC, Julius Caesar's adopted son Octavian secured his future as Emperor Augustus by ordering the death of Caesarion, Caesar's biological son with Cleopatra. Heeding the advice that "Too many Caesars is not good," Octavian ruthlessly eliminated the only rival to his inherited legacy.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Biography & Personal Stories

The Lab That Almost Built the Internet: BT Research, Prestel, and a Legacy of 10,000 Patents

BT Research, a pioneer in industrial R&D, held over 10,000 patents by 2000. Its innovations include single-mode optical fiber and Prestel, a revolutionary 1979 viewdata service that was a direct forerunner to the modern internet, offering online services via TV and phone lines.

Technology & Innovation History Business & Economics

Kipper und Wipper: The 1620s Crisis That Turned Coins into Children's Playthings

During the 1621-23 Kipper und Wipper crisis, states in the Holy Roman Empire debased currency so severely to fund the Thirty Years' War that hyperinflation ensued. Coins lost so much value, containing more copper than silver, that they were reportedly used by children as worthless toys.

History Business & Economics Wars, Conflict & Heroes

The Maid, The Fairy King, and the Seven Lost Children: The Bewitching Case of Karin Svensdotter

In 1656 Sweden, maid Karin Svensdotter claimed the King of the Fairies fathered her seven children before taking them to his realm. Declared bewitched by Satan, her case ended not with execution, but with a silver cross that banished her supernatural lover forever.

History Religion & Philosophy Biography & Personal Stories

From Foe to Hero: The Astonishing Story of Emir Abdelkader, France's Enemy and Humanity's Friend

Emir Abdelkader led a fierce Algerian resistance against French colonization. Years later, while in exile, he risked his life to save thousands of Christians from a massacre in Damascus, earning international acclaim and even France's highest honor. A warrior, scholar, and humanitarian.

Biography & Personal Stories Wars, Conflict & Heroes History

The Lost Tapes: How Axl Rose Killed the 1995 Guns N' Roses Reunion

In 1995, a GNR comeback was near. Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum recorded ten demos to recapture their early sound. Axl Rose rejected nine, liking only a punk cover. The project collapsed, the tapes were shelved, and the classic lineup's last hope was extinguished.

Music History

The Secret Mexican History of Area Codes 706 and 905

Did you know the area codes for North Georgia (706) and suburban Toronto (905) weren't always for those places? Until 1991, they were special codes used by Americans and Canadians to dial directly to cities in Mexico. This is the story of how an international dialing change gave them new homes.

Technology & Innovation History Geography & Places

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