When Alexander the Great founded a settlement at the junction of three continents in 331 BC, he created a metropolitan powerhouse that would shape global history. In this Long Read, Islam Issa hails the genius of ancient Alexandria – a colourful, multicultural and thoroughly modern city.
HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History ... Show More
Oct 26
Did King Harold cause the 1066 Norman invasion?
In 1066 the last Anglo-Saxon king was ousted. But how, asks this Long Read written by historian Tom Licence, had Harold, an earl without royal blood, managed to take the English crown in the first place? Today's feature originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of HistoryExtr ... Show More
19m 31s
Oct 18
Bloody queens and hairdresser kings: Lucy Worsley rethinks Britain's monarchs
If Lucy Worsley has learned one thing in her 30 years as a historian, it’s that what we think we know about Britain’s kings and queens is often wrong. In today's Long Read, the historian, writer and broadcaster looks again at five royals whose reputations have been transformed – ... Show More
20m 38s
Feb 2024
Alexandria: the first modern city
According to legend, when Alexander the Great rocked up on the island of Pharos in northern Egypt, he had a vision of a spectacular city – a vision that later became reality in the form of Alexandria. On the mainland nearby, connected by a new causeway to Pharos, the metropolis g ... Show More
30m 27s
Apr 2023
Alexandria: The Sunken City
<p>The Egyptian city of Alexandria was one of the greatest cities of the ancient Mediterranean world. Founded by Alexander the Great himself in 323BC, the metropolis was nurtured by his successors in Egypt, the Ptolemies, and flourished throughout the Late Hellenistic and Roman I ... Show More
36m 47s