Who were the Assassins? A talk by Hugh Kennedy

During Tara’s opening production of Paradise of the Assassins we are curating a series of talks and discussions exploring the wider cultural world of ancient Persia and its myths and legends.

Today assassins are still cloaked in mystery and are the subject of many novels, Hollywood blockbusters and even mass selling computer games. But who were the original assassins, where did they come from and why are they called assassins? Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies, will be delivering a fascinating 40 minute talk on “Who were the Assassins?” followed by an opportunity to ask questions at the end.  We encourage you to join our debate and if you book for the talk you can receive a discount to see the show Paradise of the Assassins on the same night.

Hugh Nigel Kennedy, FRSE, FRAS, FBA is a much published British medieval historian and academic. He specialises in the history of the early Islamic Middle East, Muslim Spain and the Crusades. From 1997 to 2007, he was Professor of Middle Eastern History at the University of St Andrews. Since 2007, he has been Professor of Arabic at SOAS, University of London. His latest work The Caliphate: a Pelican Introduction (Penguin, London) will be available for sale on the evening.