Table of contents for No. 85 in All About History

ZEDEKIAH REIGN BEGAN: 597 BCE REIGN ENDED: 586 BCE Zedekiah was installed as the king of Judea after his nephew, Jehoiachin, was deposed and exiled by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon during the siege of Jerusalem in 597 BCE. He rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar nine years later with the help of Egypt, but the Babylonian king responded by sacking Jerusalem again and destroying Solomon’s temple, ending Zedekiah’s reign. He was the last king of Judea before it fell to Babylon. SALOME ALEXANDRA REIGN BEGAN: C.76 BCE REIGN ENDED: C.67 BCE Salome Alexandra was chosen by her husband, Alexander Jannaeus, to succeed him on the Judean throne, making her the second and last woman to rule the kingdom in her own right. She reconciled with the Pharisees – apparently respecting her husband’s last…

FAMOUS ARTEFACT The Great Isaiah Scroll is one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls discovered between 1946 and 1947. It is the only biblical scroll that is almost complete, containing all 66 chapters of the Hebrew version of the Book Of Isaiah. HISTORICAL MARVEL At 734cm long, this scroll is the largest out of all the biblical scrolls. It is also one of the oldest, dating from c. 125 – 100 BCE, making it a thousand years older than the previously known oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible. NEW INFORMATION Interestingly, while the text of the scroll generally conforms to the Masoretic, or traditional, version codified in medieval codices, it also includes alternate spellings, scribal errors, corrections and many variant readings, proving that some verses in other versions had…

On 25 February 1570, Pope Pius V issued a papal bull declaring, “We do out of the fullness of our apostolic power declare the foresaid Elizabeth to be a heretic and favourer of heretics, and her adherents in the matters aforesaid to have incurred the sentence of excommunication and to be cut off from the unity of the body of Christ.” But what did excommunication mean for Elizabeth and the nation? 1. Exclusion from communion The primary effect of excommunication is the refusal to give an excommunicated individual communion. Since communion or Eucharist is a holy sacrament in memory of Jesus, being denied it is seen as being denied access to Christ. 2. It wasn’t a punishment Excommunication was viewed by the Catholic church…

Discovered in a peat bog at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, in August 1984, the remains of what became known as the “Lindow Man” is a remarkable, if gruesome, insight into Ancient British life. Dating to somewhere between 2 BCE and 119 CE, the man stood between 1.68-1.73 meters tall and probably died in his mid-twenties when he was horrifically murdered. His body still retains a trimmed beard, moustache and sideburns of brown hair, and he was so well-preserved that even his stomach and intestines could be analysed. Researchers found that one of the last things he ate was perhaps a cake-like food. Based on the remnants of ancient grains in his stomach, Levene explains what might have been discovered: “The ‘cake’ was probably a flat mass that might have been moistened…

“When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven”- Harriet Tubman Any single one of the milestones that Harriet Tubman achieved in her life would be enough to cement someone’s place in the history books. She freed herself from slavery and went on to free others working on the Underground Railroad leading refugees out of the Southern slave States. She joined the Union Army as a spy, scout and nurse and even led an expedition to free slaves during the war. She fought for women’s right to vote after the war. And…

When Harriet Tubman passed away in 1913, she did so with very little money (if any), but surrounded by friends. She was buried with something rather special, however; a medal marking Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. But how had she come to possess such an item? “My understanding and that of Tubman biographers is that it was given as a gift and she was invited to the Diamond Jubilee as a guest,” explains Dunbar. “She was unable to attend, but Queen Victoria wanted to make certain that she was at least recognised, so she sent her this pin.” Queen Victoria apparently also sent Tubman a silk shawl, which is now at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But as Dunbar explains to us, it symbolises more…

Airfix R.M.S. Titanic Gift Set Airfix Gift Sets include everything needed to create a stunning scale model. With paints, glue, brushes and moulded plastic parts included, this fantastic new kit is the perfect way to build your very own homage to one of the most famous ships in the world. At the time of her launching she was the largest passenger steamship in the world, but is sadly renowned for sinking on her maiden voyage on the 14 April 1912. A multitude of other Airfix kits are available and cover a wide variety of subject matters including aircraft, cars, tanks, figurines and ships. £18.99 airfix.com Tel: 01843 233500 Email: customerservices.uk@hornby.com The Peasants’ Revolting Crimes This entertaining book is packed full of revolting acts and acts of revolt, revealing how ordinary folk…

NUMBER OF TROOPS 18,000 NUMBER OF CAVALRY 7,000 ANDARZAGHAR The Iraqi-born governor of Khorasan was eager to prove himself to the Persian court by sending the Muslims back to Arabia. + Outnumbered the Arabs by up to three-to-one - He vastly underestimated his enemy’s capabilities and intelligence network HEAVY CAVALRY Masters of mounted archery, they also carried lances for shock charges and cudgels, axes and short swords for melees. + Remarkable skill and equipment, with even horses half-armoured - Heavy armour rendered them slow, sluggish and vulnerable to light cavalry COMPOSITE BOW The Sassanids considered themselves the inventors of the bow, and mastered it with deadly accuracy. + Reinforced with wood, bone and glue, powerful enough to pierce thick armour - Rain would cause glue to weaken, ruining the bow…

Author Gemma Hollman Publisher The History Press Price £16.99 Released Out now Medieval England was rife with suspicion and superstition. An accusation of witchcraft was an easy way to remove a powerful woman from her position because it was a charge that was incredibly hard to disprove – allowing their enemies to strip them of their money and land. Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg and Elizabeth Woodville were the most important women of their time. By holding power or influence, they defied the patriarchal society in which they lived, consequently making them a threat to the men around them. All four women were accused of using magic to either harm or kill their king, although the outcomes of these accusations differed. “By holding power or influence, they…

Author William A Heap Publisher Unicorn Publishing Price £20 Released Out now Thoughts of war during the reign of Elizabeth I tend to conjure images of the Armanda, of ships amassing, of the wind changing. William Heap’s study of English intervention in the French wars of religion introduces a different perspective, focussing on military history and providing a thorough analysis of the subject at hand. Somewhere in the region of 30,000 Englishmen were sent to fight in the wars in France between 1562 and 1597. Elizabeth’s French Wars explores their experiences: how they were supplied, how they were paid, and how discipline was maintained. Furthermore, it considers the impact of their presence. And, of course, it explores Elizabeth’s motives for intervening at all. Importantly, intervention did not only take place…

Author Nathaniel Flakin Publisher Pluto Press Price £14.99 Released Out now Nathaniel Flakin’s book starts with a declaration you don’t often see from an author: “I will never write a book again.” The reason for his outburst, apparently, was the exhausting process of researching the life of Martin Monath, and the emotional toll it exacted. It would be a shame if Flakin followed through on his threat, because he is clearly a highly skilled writer and has put in a huge amount of work to uncover some details about a necessarily secretive individual. Martin Monath (just one of the names under which the subject of this book operated) was a Jewish socialist who had the idea that turning Nazi soldiers into revolutionaries would hasten the end of the war. “Martin…

Certificate 15 Director David Michôd Cast Timothée Chalamet, Joel Edgerton, Robert Pattinson Released: Out now “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.” Henry V’s impassioned command, as written by William Shakespeare, is among the most rousing battle cries ever penned and a staple of previous movies about Henry V made by Laurence Olivier (1944) and Kenneth Branagh (1989), along with the St Crispin’s Day speech. But you’ll find neither here. Australian filmmaker David Michôd’s fresh take on the young king’s life and exploits in battle is spiked with an emphasis on English warmongering and duplicity. This Henry V is a critique of mythology; one done in the guise of a coming-of-age story about a beloved and idealised ultimate-Englishman figure. “Portrays England’s patriotic fervour as a front for scheming…

History of Cake History Of War’s very own Tom Garner trades in guns for gateau to chat with historian Alysa Levene, the author of Cake: A Slice Of History Harriet Tubman It was my pleasure to speak with Erica Armstrong Dunbar this issue about the death-defying heroism and determination of abolitionist Harriet Tubman Happy History Holidays There’s a little festive cheer for you this issue as Jessica Leggett explores the colourful pre-Christian winter traditions that we think need a comeback…

Although Alfred the Great was a pivotal figure in early English history, he’s still best remembered for his poor baking skills. “King Alfred and the Cakes” is one of the most famous stories in English history and has been read to children for centuries. In late 878, the Vikings attacked Alfred’s base and he was forced to flee with a small company into the Somerset Levels. This was the lowest point of his reign and reputedly the origin of the cakes story. According to the legend, the king took shelter in the hut of a poor herdsman. Believing him to be a poor soldier, the herdsman’s wife asked him to turn some “cakes” she had set to bake upon a hearth while she collected firewood. Distracted by his own troubles,…

For almost 50 years, there was an ever-present fear that the world would descend into a nuclear war as the Cold War dominated global politics and tensions simmered beneath the surface. In his new book, Nuclear War In The UK, researcher and writer Taras Young “seeks to tell the story of the British state trying to make sense of a universal threat” by delving into the fascinating materials created by the government to prepare the nation for a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. Booklets, how-to guides and posters were created and “quietly woven into the fabric of society”, unnoticed by most of the British public but ready to roll out the moment a nuclear threat was detected. The preparations attempted to provide practical – and at times amateurish –…

As we approach the 100th anniversary of its enactment by the US government, now is a great time to learn about the history and effects of prohibition in the United States with our special on the subject. Covering the rollout of alcohol being banned from sale as 1920 kicked off, through the turbulent years of bootlegging and speakeasies, the criminals who rose up and were brought down, and finally why the experiment in curtailing alcohol was given up, this book covers all of the major details. And, of course, the key figures are in here too like Al Capone and Elliot Ness and his Untouchables. It’s a look at a fascinating period of history you won’t be able to put down. Buy the All About History Book Of The Prohibition…

THE EPHOD The breastplate would sit upon an equally elaborate apron-like garment called an ephod. There is an ongoing debate about what exactly it was but The Bible describes it as being made of the same material as the breastplate. It had two shoulder pieces containing golden rings that would affix to the breastplate, with the ephod held together by a girdle fastened at the front. ROBE OF THE EPHOD The high priest would wear a robe underneath the ephod – it was sky-blue in colour in reference to heaven. As well a woven collar, the bottom of the garment had tiny bells made of pure gold and pomegranate-shaped tassels in blue, purple and scarlet. The bells would be heard when the high priest was ministering. BARE FEET The entire…

1 QUMRAN NATIONAL PARK KALYA Lying in the north of the Dead Sea Valley, Qumran is best known as the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered between 1946 and 1947. With a fascinating history that dates back to the Iron Age, Qumran has a visitor centre and museum that explores what life was like for the Essenes sect that settled there during the Hellenistic Period. The archaeological site is a must-see, and visitors will be able to discover the various buildings uncovered at Qumran such as the kitchen, stables, scriptorium and ritual purification pools, alongside an array of artefacts such as pottery, aqueducts and inkwells. There are also multiple natural and man-made caves open to the public with different exhibits, and the site even boasts two lookout points…

The Ridolfi Plot 1571 Complexity 7/10 Practicality 5/10 Veracity 8/10 Florentine banker Roberto Ridolfi had been plotting against Elizabeth for some time, even helping with the northern rebellion in support of Mary Stuart. After this effort’s failure he began looking for foreign aid to overthrow Elizabeth, ultimately planning for a Dutch invasion. Word of the plot reached Elizabeth and messengers were captured, leading to confessions and the plotters being exposed. Ridolfi was abroad when this happened and never returned to England. The Throckmorton Plot 1583 Complexity 6/10 Practicality 3/10 Veracity 7/10 The plan lead by Francis Throckmorton was for a Spanish-backed invasion and simultaneous civil uprising to replace Elizabeth with Mary, Queen of Scots, and have the latter marry the Duke of Guise, head of the…

Cake is one of the most beloved treats in the world. It’s hugely adaptable and made from recipes of a variety of ingredients and methods. Often served as a celebratory dish on ceremonial occasions, cake’s influence is far-reaching and this is deeply rooted in history. Unlike other sweet foodstuffs like chocolate, cake has a past that stretches back for millennia. One person who has extensively studied the development of this popular delicacy is Dr Alysa Levene. The author of Cake: A Slice of History, she reveals the development of cake from antiquity through its rapid evolution in the 18th Century to the Second World War. It’s a story of myths, rituals, technology and, of course, mass consumption. How important has cake been throughout human history? I think that’s a really…

NUMBER OF TROOPS 10,000 NUMBER OF CAVALRY 5,000 KHALID IBN AL WALEED A tactical genius as unstoppable in one-on-one combat as he was in large-scale engagements. + Fearless, innovative and charismatic leader with a perfect record - Having never known defeat, he was inclined to take great risks LIGHT CAVALRY With horses in scant supply, the Arabs also used mounted camels, devastating enemy lines with lance charges. + Speed allowed riders to execute unpredictable tactical manoeuvres - Lightly armoured, with inferior weapons salvaged from battles LANCE After frustrating the enemy, lances ranging from seven to 17 feet were used to punch holes in their lines. + Devastating impact able to rout even heavily armoured enemy flanks - Only effective at speed and ineffective during a melee…

What were the Persian Wars? The Persian Empire was the dominant political and military force in the period, and the Greeks were effectively small bit players in the whole drama. And [the Persian Wars] came about in a slightly messy way because the Greeks had participated in a revolt [in Asia Minor, the west coast of Turkey] in 499 BCE for five years. The reason why the Persian Wars were launched was effectively to kind of squash that. Athens had taken part in that revolt: they’d been asked for help and they’d sent a pathetic, measly 20 ships, and one other city had sent five ships, and they joined in the revolt. And that triggered the Persian king to seek his revenge. Herodotus [a famed Greek history writer from the…

Author Simon Jenkins Publisher Viking Price £25 Released Out Now In A Short History Of London, Simon Jenkins sets out to map the history of a city he knows intimately. As a lifelong resident of the capital, there can be few people better qualified to tell this story and fewer still who would make a better guide than Jenkins. With a focus on the centre of London – though the suburbs are not neglected – Jenkins sets out to tell the story of London from the prehistoric era to the 21st century. Despite its title the book isn’t particularly short, but even at approximately 400 pages it’s obvious from the sheer wealth of information that this could easily have been a far longer work. Jenkins has focussed each chapter on…

Author Sir Ranulph Fiennes Price £20 Publisher Simon & Schuster Fiennes goes into fascinating and thoroughly-researched detail about the exploits of celebrated contemporary forces like his own SAS, as well as the US Green Berets and Navy Seals. He also delves into the history of heroic units, many of which operated in the shadows, such as the medieval assassins of the mountains of Persia and Syria, and the feared Knights Templar who ranked among the most skilled fighting units in the Crusades. He probes the reasons behind their successes and failures, with many conflicts often decided by these select units facing each other.…

Author Emma Marriott Publisher Harper Collins Price £12.99 Released Out now In recent years, there has been a marked rise in the number of books published with the aim of restoring women to their rightful place in history. Many of them feature an array of pioneers, rebels, adventurers, scientists and rulers (just to name a few categories) but these books also tend to overlap a lot with the women they choose to include. This is by no means a terrible thing, far from it, but it can also feel a little bit repetitive if you have read a lot of them. This is what makes Long Live The Queens stand out because while there are a handful of queens that you may recognise, such as Boudica or Catherine of Aragon,…