Do you wonder how our past affects today's wars? Sudanese civil wars were not ended by formation of a new state. Violence has continued in South Sudan and the North is by no means peaceful. Current politics matter. Yet the origins of today's violence stretch back into past centuries. And much of Sudanese history has been about intervention and domination by foreigners. By telling the stories of some of these outsiders, Divided by History digs out the historical roots of Sudanese conflicts. Along the way, we meet: The 2,300 BC pioneer who braved the dangers of Egypt's `Wild South' The ambitious Albanian `Turk' who connived his way to becoming ruler of Egypt and Sudan The devout Christian who was sent to relieve a besieged city - and gave his life The meticulous general whose superior weaponry proved an unstoppable force The adventurers, soldiers and even Olympic oarsmen who ruled a vast land while still young And we recognise the difficulty of escaping from our past and the importance of understanding it.