All About History preview: Roman Legions, the father of hypnosis, Britain’s first gangs

Plus the rise of Nur Jahan, Cold War submarines, making the American Empire and much more!

The mighty Roman Empire was built on the tips of its army’s swords, but how did the Legion become the all-conquering fighting force that history remembers today? This issue we wanted to dive into this question and explore the ways in which the Roman military built on the innovations and ideas of the past to create a terrifying machine of conquest that would dominate nations across multiple continents.

You can uncover the story of the Roman Legions in the latest issue of All About History, available now at a newsstand near you and available to order from MagazinesDirect. Here’s a closer look at our Roman Legions feature and the other fascinating stories you can explore in All About History 166.

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Roman Legions

From their armour to the famous Testudo formation of shields, we break down the makeup and training of the legendary Roman Legions. Discover the ways in which the army prepared for combat, the weapons of war at their disposal and how discipline was maintained in this vast force.

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the father of hypnosis

Was Franz Mesmer a charlatan or a medical pioneer? Looking at the life of this practitioner who could send his patients into trances and claimed to have cured their illnesses using magnetism, you would think the answer would be simple, but it really isn’t.

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Nur Jahan

In an empire where women were not supposed to rule, how did Nur Jahan rise to become India’s most powerful empress? We take a look at the life of this incredible monarch, her marriage to Emperor Jahangir and her role in the thriving age she lived through.

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Britain’s First Gangs

Criminal gangs are nothing new, but as industrialisation and urbanisation developed in Britain a new wave of organised criminality took hold. Before the famous Peaky Blinders there were a number of groups that struck fear in the public, as you’ll discover.

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Making the American Empire

Has the United States always been an expansionist nation? With recent talk of territorial acquisitions, from Greenland to Venezuela, you might think this is a new phenomenon, but as Edward Stourton explains to us, there’s a long history of this famously anti-imperial nation extending its borders.

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Plus much more

Also in this issue of All About History:

• As the Cold War simmered there was an even quieter test of wills being played out in the oceans, particularly in the North Atlantic. Discover the important role of Britain’s submarine fleet.
• What if the British government had chosen to intervene in the Great Famine of Ireland? Could the Whigs have made a difference and if so, why didn’t they?
• From the very first broadcast to the reality TV explosion, we explore the history of television and the many evolutions it’s been through this issue.

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