A compelling book capturing the glory of Sicily’s most significant periods, revealing the island’s unique identity, history, achievements and culture.

How old is the oldest chat-up line between men? Who was the first lesbian? Were ancient Greek men who had sex together necessarily gay? And what did Shakespeare think about cross-dressing? This title deals with these questions.

Produced from plants by a process akin to alchemy, indigo has a unique chemistry that renders it compatible with all natural fibres. This title is the story of a commodity that has been central to international trade and textile production for centuries, across time and cultures.

Takes a fresh look at the life of Nero (r. AD 54–68), providing insight into the inner conflicts of a Roman society in transition and challenging preconceptions of a figure dismissed by a hostile source-tradition as tyrannical, deluded and ineffectual.

Cats can be seen in ancient Egyptian homes, temples and adorning the heads of their gods. Cats in Egypt were probably domesticated by around 4,000 BC from wild ancestors. Over the following centuries, they became popular household pets. In this book, Dr Malek draws on a vast range of artistic and written sources to show how cats became one of the most widely esteemed and revered animals in Egypt.