To ancient Rome, of which my knowledge runs pretty much from Romulus and Remus to Russell Crowe in Gladiator, taking in a bit of Claudius and his murderous family en route. But this week we’ve read of the third-century emperor Elagabalus, who ruled for just four years before being murdered (fun fact: Roman emperors who came to a violent end spent an average of five years on the throne, those who died in their beds lasted an average of 12 years).

Elagabagus, we’re told, was responsible for a wide range of what the Romans considered as transgressions, mostly sexual in nature. Now, his alleged declaration that he was in fact an empress – “Call me not Lord, for I am a Lady” – has led North Hertfordshire Museum to reclassify them as such, swapping the requisite pronouns as you’d expect. Gender and sexuality could be as fluid in third-century Rome as they are today, writes Andrew Kenrick, who specialises in writing biographies of queer Romans. But we must be careful of applying modern identities to inhabitants of the past.

Fast forward, if you will, to mid-20th century Hollywood, and a man who could be guaranteed to set my mum’s heart aflutter, Cary Grant, is the subject of a new biopic. Or to be more precise, a four-part series chronicling his rise from the stews of working class Bristol where he was born in 1904 as Archibald Alec Leach to the pinnacle of Tinseltown fame. That’s my Saturday evening viewing organised.

Back in the 1980s, when I lived for a time in Willesden, north London, there was a pub up the road called The Mean Fiddler which became known as a top music venue. Among the bands that thrilled the crowds there was The Pogues, who played a frantic set of their own songs mixed with Irish folk standards. Their singer and main songwriter, Shane MacGowan, passed away this week, too young at 65. But his legacy as performer and lyricist will endure. Read our tribute here.

This week we also farewelled a figure who inspired perhaps less affection than shock and awe, Henry Kissinger. We pondered the problems being experienced by the Royal Mail since privatisation. And we launched our latest series: Should I have children? Here’s what two philosophers have to say.

From our friends and colleagues around the world we have new research about Sharpeville, which suggests the number of dead from the 1960 South African massacre was greatly undercounted. From Denmark, why the biggest spy scandal in the country’s history fizzled out before it could reach court. And, from the US, the enduring grief suffered by Native American mothers whose children have been separated from them.

As ever, do find time to listen to our podcast, The Conversation Weekly. This week, in light of the conflict in Gaza, an expert explores what the term “genocide” actually means in international law. You can also get fortnightly updates on our coverage of the conflict here.

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