The History Press Ltd

The Coritani were one of the largest tribes in Roman Britain. Their territory stretched over much of what we would now call the East Midlands, from the Nene to the Humber, and from the North Sea to the hills of south Derbyshire. Within this extensive and varied landscape the level of civic achievement varied from the squalor of the native villages in the valley of the Trent to the comparative splendour of the civitas capital at Leicester.Undertaken by the late acclaimed archaeologist and ancient historian Malcolm Todd, this classic study of the tribe is a vital and influential piece of research that continues resonate today.

Augustus and Tiberius; Caligula, Claudius and Nero – we can all name a Roman emperor or two.But what about the philosopher Marcus Aurelius musing in his favourite villa on the Danube in Austria?How about the wretched Valerian, used as a mounting block for the King of Persia before being flayed alive?Or Elagabalus, the sun-worshipping transgender emperor?He who took the poisoned chalice of the Imperial purple was feared and respected. But these were no ordinary rulers. Ambitious, cunning, ruthless and cruel, fear was their watchword and raw power, through the dangerous Praetorian Guard and the legendary legions, their enforcer. Few died peacefully in bed.Rome and her emperors were anything but ‘little’, but The Little Book of Roman Emperors packs them all in with a punch – discover both the key players and lesser-known figures behind one of the greatest empires ever known. Full of fascinating insights, this compendium is essential reading for everyone interested in the history of Rome.

‘The ancient jewels of the crown are heirloomes and shall descend to the next successor and are not devisable by testament.’ – Sir Edward CokeGeneva, April 1987. The staid Swiss town is awash with limousines, journalists and minor European aristocracy. All the best hotels and restaurants are bursting at the seams. Caviar, truffles and foie gras are in short supply, while champagne is flooding the market at ridiculously high prices.They are all focused on one place: Sotheby’s auction house, which is preparing to host the ‘auction of the century’ – that of the late Duchess of Windsor’s jewellery collection.But where did this treasure trove come from? And was it ever really the Duchess’ at all?Questions have circulated around the collection’s murky provenance since the moment Wallis Simpson stepped onto the scene; now The King’s Loot looks to find the answers. Drawing on eyewitness interviews, contemporary accounts and previously unpublished sources, Richard Wallace – who was there at that notorious Swiss auction – delves into the mystery surrounding this hoard.

'Exploring Avebury is really excellent, being quite clearly the best current introduction and guide to the whole monumental complex: up to date, consistently fair-minded and superbly illustrated.'– Prof. Ronald Hutton, historianAvebury in Wiltshire is best known as the world’s largest stone circle, but surrounding it is a wealth of ancient monuments. Captivated by its unique atmosphere, many visitors form a personal, often spiritual, connection to Avebury and its ‘sacred landscape’. What was it that first attracted people to the Avebury area more than 5,000 years ag? eautifully illustrated with over 400 photographs, maps and diagrams, this updated edition of Exploring Avebury includes the latest research and invites us on a journey of discovery. For the first time the importance of water, light and sound is revealed, and we begin to see Avebury through the eyes of those who built it.

The Little History of Coventry packs into its pages the colour and incident of a thousand years, telling the story of a city that has perhaps been overlooked by mainstream historians but which has often been at the heart of this country’s great events. From testing ground of the saintly Godiva to fourteenth century boom town, from Second World War Blitz victim to the UK City of Culture for 2021, Coventry has always been an inventive place with an unerring ability to bounce back from misfortune and make its mark. This is a truly eye-opening journey through the events and characters that have shaped its story and made Coventry one of England’s hidden jewels.

Did You Know? Before work commenced on the majestic Castletown House in County Kildare in 1722, the owner, William Conolly, instructed that only Irish materials were to be used in every part of the building. The iconic ‘Dark Hedges’ in County Antrim has been used as a filming location for the ‘King’s Road’, in HBO’s epic television series Game of Thrones. Blarney Castle in County Cork is arguably most famous for its ‘stone of eloquence’, better known as the Blarney Stone; kissing it is said to bestow the ‘gift of the gab’. The Little Book of Irish Landmarks is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about some of Ireland’s most iconic landmarks and popular tourist attractions. Here you will find out about the Giant’s Causeway, Bunratty Castle, Blarney Castle, Newgrange, the Cliffs of Moher, GPO Dublin, Tory Island, Skellig Michael, the Hill of Tara and much more. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of the Emerald Isle.

‘I’m in love with May Chalmers and I don’t know what to do about it.’It was a bold, unexpected confession, scribbled in a diary by one of the few female reporters in Fleet Street during the Second World War – and it sent Felicity Goodall on a journey that led to places she could never have imagined. Mea Allan was a star reporter on Britain’s biggest-selling daily paper, the first woman on a Fleet Street news desk and to be permanently accredited to the British Army as a war correspondent, and the only woman to report from newly liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and cover the subsequent trials. She was once so famous that her name was used to advertise Horlicks – and yet she has all but disappeared from history. Seeking Mea Allan interweaves past and present as we travel from London to Glasgow, from Paris to Hamburg and beyond, to answer the questions that still linger: was Mea written out of history because of her sexuality? Or was something more subtle at work?

Were the trenches always mudd? as every minute spent under fir? ow did soldiers get aroun? hat food was eate? nd how did they build them anywa? Short History of First World War Trenches is a subject that perpetually fascinates and brings to the fore questions of what the everyday soldier experienced in times of conflict and rest. Jam-packed with facts, stats and first-hand accounts of the action, all woven together in an accessible way by an expert in the field, this Short History will answer any question you have in a concise, informative way – an invaluable addition to anyone’s bookshelf.

‘A serious and scholarly study of the role of the queen consort in medieval English political life.’ – Sunday Telegraph‘A useful collection of sources.’ – Annual Bulletin of Historical Literature‘A good read … shows [the medieval queens] as real people, not as the idealised heroines of romance, nor as faceless nonentities.’ – The RicardianWhile the role and character of England’s medieval and Tudor kings are well documented, surprisingly little attention has been paid to their often powerful and influential consorts. Letters of the Queens of England allows the queens to speak for themselves through their own correspondence, with each letter set in context alongside a general introduction on the role of the queen in medieval and Tudor England. Encompassing virtually every English queen from Matilda of Scotland to Katherine Parr, many of whom have been neglected by historians as faceless consorts, these letters reveal the queens’ character and power. They portray these women as considerable political figures in their own right, and as strong and intelligent members of society. Illustrated throughout and complemented by genealogical and marriage tables, this is an excellent reference source and a fascinating introduction to the foremost women of medieval and Tudor England.

‘I’ll be raiding this Wonder Pantry of a book for years to come … Diverting, delightful and deliciously weird enough to satisfy the most demanding appetite.’ - Christopher Hadley, author of The RoadWhen did we start throwing salt over our shoulder? hy do British people chase cheese down a hil? here can loving couples win a side of baco? hat cake keeps witches from your doo? olklorist Ben Gazur guides you as he rummages through the dark cupboards of British history to uncover how our strange food habits and traditions have been passed down through the generations. Get a taste of what life was like in a time when food was both magical ingredient and sustenance: when an apple kept the doctor away, predicted who you would marry, and entertained children in a game involving burning candles. Hilarious and fascinating, A Feast of Folklore will introduce you to the gloriously eccentric folk who aren’t often noticed by historians. Herein lies a smorgasbord of their dark remedies and deadly delicacies, just waiting to be discovered.

Today, Charles Lightoller is known primarily as the most senior officer to survive the sinking of Titanic, but that was just one chapter in his remarkable story. To avoid the cotton mills of his native Lancashire town, a 13-year-old Lightoller joined the crew of a four-masted sailing ship, and he would remain at sea on various ships until 1920. During his thirty-year maritime career and beyond, he would survive four shipwrecks, a Zeppelin bombing, a duel with a U-boat and a perilous motor-yacht mission to Dunkirk, ultimately emerging as a hero of both world wars.Compiled using extensive research, including previously unseen family information, Houdini of the Sea is the extraordinary tale of a man who escaped death many times over.

LONGLISTED FOR THE INAUGURAL RICHARD JEFFERIES AWARD FOR NATURE WRITING‘A master of the landscape and a celebration of a life lived with the wild’ – Dan Kieran, author of The Idle Traveller‘[Parr] writes beautifully ... gentle, often elegiac ... There is much pleasure to be taken from this book’ - Tom Fort, Gamefisher‘Yet, sitting here at the beginning of that journey, I realise there is a different path I must follow. This entails not a simple exploration of a single river, or the fish I might catch from it, but an understanding of what it is that makes someone an angler – what it is that makes me an angler. … Although I don’t always need a rod in my hand to feel as if I belong by the riverside, it was angling that helped open my eyes. And as I sit here, I can hear the river calling me, bubbling up from deep underground, sharing its secrets.’From childhood memories of an Exmoor stream and of the Itchen during difficult teenage years, to finding solace on the banks of the Kennet and the catharsis of a storm on the Jurassic Coast, Rivers Run is a love letter from Kevin Parr to the rivers and waterways that shaped him. It is a book about fishing. But it’s also a book about living, surviving the difficult times and remembering to breathe. ‘A moving treatise on the way we deal with the dark things that life throws at us’ - BBC Countryfile magazine‘I very much enjoyed this book ... thoughtful and interesting’ - Mark Avery, author of Inglorious

Mick Hill’s colourful book is packed with his signature artwork, and skilfully showcases the cars, drivers and designers that contributed to the history of Formula 1. Beginning with the flags for hosting countries, it goes on to show every winning car, with details of its designers, drivers and races won, features new cutaways of the Lotus 25,72, Tyrrell P34 and the iconic McLaren MP4/4, and ends with a consideration of the drivers’ helmets, from historic leather caps to modern carbon fibre. A complete reference of the first 75 years of the F1 championship, Grands Prix Winning Colours will appeal to motor-racing fans young and old.

Ten Transport Pioneers Who Changed the World explores ten defining moments in the history of transport, spanning five centuries – from the age of sailing ships to the dawn of the modern jetliner. Its cast of innovators range from Cornish mining pioneer Richard Trevithick to the French nobleman Marquis Jouffroy d’Abbans, who each played a part in reshaping how we travel. Across land, sea and sky, their breakthroughs charted leaps in development that created lasting change: aqueducts and flights of locks that revolutionised inland waterways; paddle steamers and iron-hulled ships that redefined maritime power; the hot-air balloon and the jet engine that conquered the air; and the internal combustion engine and first electric locomotive that propelled transport forward. These are stories of bold ideas and those who conceived them – pioneers who challenged convention and pushed the boundaries of what seemed possible.

What has the small nation of Wales given to the wide worl? ell, to name but a few examples: the NHS, magical drama, mail order, sleeping bags, the basis of the internet, the ‘Town of Books’, the first powered flight, presidents, prime ministers and Nobel prize-winners. People of Welsh heritage have helped shape the culture and constitution of the United States; they have enriched British culture in innumerable ways through writing, acting, painting, poetry, singing and architecture; they have amassed a fantastic range of sporting achievements; and they made their own unique mark on history. Welsh history deserves to be rewritten in a manner that highlights and celebrates its achievements both past and present. The 100 reasons in this book do just that. They are pathfinders to a confident tomorrow – as the Royal Badge of Wales reads in translation: ‘The Red Dragon points the way’.

You only need to look at the story of Samson and Delilah to see just how important a man’s hairstyle can be. Thankfully, The Little Book of Mullets is a guide to selecting, growing and maintaining a stylish, comfortable and well-groomed hair helmet. Including manely grooming tips; a breakdown of barnets to try out, such as the Curtain Cut or the Quiff; a perambulation through hirsute history; a rundown of famous hair aficionados, from Albert Einstein to Paul McCartney via Adolf Hitler; hair and hairstyling records (can you beat the Longest Time Hanging by Your Hair record?); and the most ridiculous names for hair salons, this indispensable guide will ensure you never have a hair out of place. The perfect gift for every man, whether he wants to learn how to carefully calm his cowlick or skilfully shine his skinhead.