At just under 2 kg, a single Ostrich egg weighs about the same as a whole chicken and remarkably is the equivalent of 24 normal-sized chicken eggs. If you can obtain one, cook it and open it, then one Ostrich egg can feed up to 10 people. A typical egg is 200 mm tall, with a circumference of c. 450 mm, provides 2,000 calories and 144 g of protein. The latter is three times an adult’s recommended daily protein allowance but Ostrich eggs also contain calcium, iron and vitamin

Introduction What follows was inspired by a @HistoryFilmClub tweet shown right . Like many who responded, naming just one historical inaccuracy in a film or TV show proved far too difficult. Sadly, and contrary to the claims of directors, producers, costume designers et al., far too many historically themed media productions are beset with inaccuracies. Not wishing to be unreasonably critical, we thought there was an opportunity to highlight some of the more common errors a

Introduction What follows was inspired by a @HistoryFilmClub tweet shown right . Like many who responded, naming just one historical inaccuracy in a film or TV show proved far too difficult. Sadly, and contrary to the claims of directors, producers, costume designers et al., far too many historically themed media productions are beset with inaccuracies. Not wishing to be unreasonably critical, we thought there was an opportunity to highlight some of the more common errors a

One of the more enduring popular “ myths ” is the idea that the great pyramids at Giza in northern Egypt were constructed (c. 2575 - c. 2465 BC) by a vast army of maltreated slaves. How this falsehood has flourished for centuries and even transformed popular perceptions of a historical event can be laid firmly at the feet of Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484 - c. 420 BC). Although considered to be the “ father of history ” , Herodotus was responsible for passing on a number

On This Day, 15th March 44 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated.

This “ How To: ” series is aimed at the general reader or an individual wishing to portray a Roman legionary or auxiliary as accurately as our current knowledge allows. It is not intended to be an academic exploration of all the different permutations of Roman helmets, armour, swords and so on that have been identified and catalogued in the archaeological record. There are far more detailed books and online resources available elsewhere. In Part One we looked at the common

This “ How To: ” series is aimed at the general reader or an individual wishing to portray a Roman legionary or auxiliary as accurately as our current knowledge allows. It is not intended to be an academic exploration of all the different permutations of Roman helmets, armour, swords and so on that have been identified and catalogued in the archaeological record. There are far more detailed books and online resources available elsewhere. In Part One we looked at the clothin

February 16th , 1923 : One hundred years ago today Egyptologist Howard Carter unseals Tutankhamun’s tomb. Despite the builders’ best efforts most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings were robbed of their treasures. The only one to remain untouched was that of boy king Tutankhamun, the seemingly unremarkable 11th Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who was made famous by the discovery of his intact tomb (KV 62) by the British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. Who found the tomb

Dispelling a myth that Cheshire cheese has Roman origins.

February 4th , 1555 : John Rogers becomes the first Protestant martyr to be burnt at the stake in Queen Mary I’s persecutions. Formerly an orthodox Catholic priest, Rogers had converted to Protestantism after an encounter in Antwerp with William Tyndale. Rogers was born c. AD 1500 in Aston, Staffordshire. Having graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1526, six year later (1532) he was made rector of Holy Trinity, Queenhithe, London. In 1534 Rogers became a chaplain to

Where to start? If we accept that Rome was founded in 753 BC and that the eastern half of the Empire did not collapse until Constantinople was captured by the Ottomans in AD 1453, then we have just over 2,200 years from which to choose how to dress. Unsurprisingly, in that length of time military fashions changed quite noticeably from the early sleeveless tunics to the later long-sleeved versions worn in combination with trousers. One suspects, however, that most people will

On This Day, January 22nd, 1879, the attempt to extend British colonial influence into Zululand are met with fierce resistance as Zulu warriors rout British troops at Isandlwana, South Africa.

A "How To" guide to dress as an ancient Roman.

Dispelling some myths about what "Blitzkrieg" meant and whether it was ever an official German army tactic in World War Two.

Where does the name "Beefeater" for the British King's bodyguard come from?

A brief introduction to the meals served on board the RMS Titanic, which tragically sunk on the night of April 15th, 1912.

Grain and legumes Peas and beans, which made up a very large part of the diet of the Mediæval poor, were still treated as a staple food, but to a lessening extent during the Stuart period being replaced by cereals and the potato. The many varieties of grain remained the most important crop and were the daily staple for most segments of 17th century society. Differentiation was in the varieties, its quality and how it was prepared. The lower classes ate coarse bread of consi

A brief introduction to the sort of foods and drink available to sailors from reign of Queen Anne and the Georgian period, and specifically the Golden Age of Piracy (c. 1650 to c. 1726).

A brief introduction to the Home Front and rationing in both The Great War and World War Two.

A brief introduction to schooling in Victorian Britain.