110. codes and ciphers: the history of cryptography (ks5)

The need to keep secrets is as old as human history itself. From Julius Caesar's simple substitution ciphers to the complex polyalphabetic grids of the Renaissance, the art of cryptography has constantly evolved. In this module, we will trace the historical arms race between code-makers and code-breakers, analysing the mathematical breakthroughs that eventually led to the public key infrastructure securing the modern internet.