Serafina Kenny

I’m Serafina, a freelance journalist. Writing for HistoryExtra, I draw on expert insight to explore how histories of health, relationships, gender and culture have influenced the past. Across my journalism, I bring together historical context and cultural analysis to help readers trace how the ideas and behaviours that shape modern life have developed and changed over centuries. I hold a First-Class degree in English Literature and History and an MA in Gender, Sexuality and Culture from the University of Manchester, where my research centred on power, gender politics, sexuality, and cultural history. Before moving into freelance work, I was a reporting on health, nutrition and longevity at Business Insider. Alongside my work for HistoryExtra, I’ve written widely on health, lifestyle, and culture for publications including The Londoner, The i Paper, Stylist, and MadeForMums.

An illustration of a fashionable gentleman from the reign of George III standing on a country path. He wears a long red coat, tan breeches, polished black riding boots, a black hat and a white cravat, with one hand in his pocket and a walking cane in the other.

Georgian

Instead of marrying their lovers, these men adopted them. Can you guess why?

Two elderly women stand outdoors beside a small dog, both wearing long black riding habits and tall black top hats. One faces slightly toward her companion while the other looks ahead. The image is a nineteenth-century illustration of Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, known as the Ladies of Llangollen.

Georgian

Friends or lovers? Either way, the Ladies of Llangollen fascinated Georgian society

Medieval manuscript illumination showing a bride and groom joined together by a clergyman during a marriage ceremony, surrounded by richly dressed figures and decorative borders.

Tudor

Why were the Tudors obsessed with kissing each other, and what made them stop?

Ancient Roman mosaic depicting a tragic theatrical mask with exaggerated features and flowing curls, surrounded by decorative foliage, from the House of the Faun in Pompeii.

Roman

Did the ancient Romans of Pompeii know they were destined for doom?

Illustrated scene of the Great Fire of London with flames consuming the city skyline while distressed figures watch from a hillside overlooking the River Thames.

Stuart

350 years ago, drinkers were given the choice to save their homes or their pub. Their choice might shock you

Renaissance portrait of Sir Thomas More seated in dark robes trimmed with fur, wearing a gold chain of office and black cap against a green draped background.

Tudor

He was the Tudor who created Utopia – but his insults were shockingly filthy

Portrait photograph of Grigori Rasputin with long hair and beard, staring intensely toward the camera while casting a shadow on the wall behind him.

Victorian

A peasant with an axe haunted her dreams. Then Rasputin arrived

Medieval Andalusian manuscript illustration showing a seated oud player entertaining a noblewoman and attendants beneath stylised trees and architectural columns.

Medieval

Meet the forgotten medieval muslims who transformed European culture

Ancient Roman fresco showing the mythological death of Pentheus, surrounded and attacked by maenads in flowing garments amid a dramatic, chaotic scene.

Roman

Archaeologists and historians still haven't solved Pompeii's biggest mystery. Here's why

Gold funerary mask from the Asante kingdom, shown against a black background, with visible damage and intricate facial detailing.

Victorian

The Victorians looted these precious treasures. What happens next is still uncertain

Portrait of a bearded man with glasses, set against a background of mysterious handwritten script.

Medieval

Are the secrets of the Middle Ages' most mysterious manuscript hiding in plain sight?

Painting of King Henry VIII on horseback in ornate clothing surrounded by attendants and soldiers.

Tudor

Was this the moment Henry VIII became a tyrant?

Medieval illustration of a farmer harvesting carrots with a hoe in a garden.

Medieval

“Check your husband’s dunghill” – here’s why medieval society was obsessed with poo

Ancient Roman mosaic depicting three theatrical masks with open mouths and stylized hair.

Roman

The ancient Romans knew the power of entertainment as propaganda – here's the proof

Roman mosaic showing two children in tunics, one running and the other holding a small animal, set against a blue patterned background.

Roman

This ordinary ancient Roman object is still used today – and it has barely changed

Ancient Greek sculpture showing a seated healer examining a youth, with another figure holding a staff wrapped by a snake.

General ancient history

The ancient Greeks had six essential tips for health. How many do you do?

A composite image of Maria Modena and a baby.

Stuart

Over 70 observers watched this Stuart queen give birth. Why did they still doubt the baby was real?

A composite image of post-medieval women being persecuted.

Stuart

In post-medieval Scotland, two specific crimes reveal the challenges faced by ordinary women

Busts of Julius Caesar (right) and Octavia, who became the first Roman emperor.

Roman

He was ancient Rome’s mightiest figure – and rumours said he had a secret affair with Julius Caesar

A portrait of Queen Victoria in front of an image of Buckingham Palace.

Victorian

Buckingham Palace was the height of royal power – so why did Queen Victoria and Albert hate it?

Victorian

A Victorian-era journalist snuck into an infamous asylum, and what she exposed shocked New York

Roman

Step inside a Roman home, and you might be surprised by what you find

This 2nd-century AD mosaic from La Chebba, part of a larger scene showing the Triumph of Neptune, includes a boy gathering fruit — a small detail that reflects broader Roman ideas about health and diet. Fresh fruit played an important role in Roman nutrition, valued for its balance, seasonality, and association with natural well-being.

Roman

If ancient Romans didn't understand calories, how was their theory of nutrition so accurate?