Podcast
Compact History
Hosted by Wayne Armstrong · EN
Dive into the defining events, eras, and turning points that shaped our world. Compact History brings you short-form podcast episodes and articles (at compacthistory.com) that unpack complex moments in time with clarity and focus. Whether it's ancient empires or modern revolutions, we make history easy to grasp, and hard to forget.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The History of Alcohol
1w ago00:24:46Tap to summarizeFrom prehistoric fermentation to ancient beer, sacred wine, powerful spirits, imperial trade, prohibition, and modern public health debates, this episode explores how alcohol has followed humanity through almost every stage of civilisation. It has been food, medicine, ritual object, social glue, economic engine, moral panic, and public health problem, sometimes all before lunchtime. The History of Alcohol is a story of farming, cities, religion, empire, law, industry, pleasure, and harm. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #history, #alcoholhistory, #compacthistory, #socialhistory, #ancienthistory, #beerhistory, #winehistory, #prohibition, #temperancemovement, #culturalhistory
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The History of Superheroes
Apr 1400:29:10Tap to summarizeFrom ancient myths and masked vigilantes to Superman, Spider-Man, and the modern movie era, this episode explores the long history of superheroes and why these larger-than-life figures still matter. The History of Superheroes traces the evolution of heroic storytelling across centuries, showing how superheroes reflect the fears, hopes, and values of the societies that create them. Perfect for listeners interested in comics, pop culture, mythology, and the changing idea of what it means to be a hero. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #Superheroes, #ComicBookHistory, #HistoryOfSuperheroes, #PopCultureHistory, #Superman, #Batman, #SpiderMan, #Marvel, #DCComics, #CompactHistory
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The History of Prisons
Apr 700:26:52Tap to summarizeWhat did people do with criminals before prisons became normal? And when societies did begin locking people away for months or years, what did they hope to achieve? In this episode of Compact History, we trace the long story of prisons from ancient holding cells and medieval dungeons to Victorian discipline and modern arguments about rehabilitation and human rights. It is a story full of grim walls, harsh routines, reforming zeal, and more than a little misery. In other words, not exactly Centre Parcs. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #CompactHistory #HistoryOfPrisons #PrisonHistory #CriminalJustice #PenalHistory #LegalHistory #SocialHistory #CrimeAndPunishment #VictorianHistory #HistoryPodcast
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The History of Tattoos
Mar 3100:20:11Tap to summarizeTattoos have existed for thousands of years, long before they became linked with sailors, rebels, celebrities, or modern fashion. In this episode, we trace the history of tattoos from the ancient world to the present day, exploring how different cultures used them for healing, identity, religion, punishment, status, and self-expression. From Ötzi the Iceman and ancient Egypt to Polynesian tatau, Roman stigma, Victorian tattoo fever, and the rise of the modern tattoo studio, this is the long and surprisingly complex story of ink on skin. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #HistoryPodcast #TattooHistory #AncientHistory #CulturalHistory #BodyArt #SocialHistory #CompactHistory
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The History of the Circus
Mar 2400:25:15Tap to summarizeStep right up for a journey through the remarkable history of the circus, from ancient public spectacles and medieval travelling entertainers to Philip Astley's revolutionary riding ring, the golden age of the big top, and the modern reinvention of circus performance. This episode explores how circus grew from scattered traditions into one of the world's most famous forms of live entertainment, while also examining the controversies and cultural changes that reshaped it over time. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #HistoryPodcast, #CircusHistory, #TheHistoryOfTheCircus, #CompactHistory, #SocialHistory, #EntertainmentHistory, #CulturalHistory, #PhilipAstley, #VictorianHistory, #HistoryLovers
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The History of Aviation Accidents
Mar 1700:25:41Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Compact History, Richard explores the history of aviation accidents, from the fragile flying machines of the early twentieth century to the complex crash investigations of the modern era. Along the way we uncover the tragedies that shaped aviation safety, the disasters that changed aircraft design forever, and the remarkable innovations such as black boxes and advanced pilot training that have helped make flying one of the safest ways to travel today. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #aeroplanes, #aviationhistory, #aviationaccidents, #aircrashinvestigation, #flightrecorder, #aviationsafety, #airtravelhistory, #historypodcast
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The History of Robots
Mar 1000:21:58Tap to summarizeFrom ancient myths of mechanical giants to factory arms, Mars rovers and modern AI, this episode explores the long and fascinating history of robots. Discover how imagination, war, industry and science fiction all shaped the machines that now share our world. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #HistoryPodcast, #Robotics, #TechnologyHistory, #IndustrialRevolution, #ArtificialIntelligence, #ScienceHistory, #STEMEducation, #FutureTech
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The History of Social Media
Mar 300:23:53Tap to summarizeSocial media did not appear overnight with smartphones and influencers. It evolved over decades, from early bulletin board systems and Usenet groups to global platforms that shape politics, culture, and daily communication. In this episode of Compact History, we trace the development of social media through named platforms, key founders, and major technological shifts, showing how online interaction moved from niche networks to worldwide infrastructure. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #socialmediahistory #internethistory #digitalculture #historyoftechnology #compacthistory #communication #mediahistory
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The History of the Olympic Games
Feb 2400:24:01Tap to summarizeThe Olympic Games are one of the longest running ideas in human history, reborn, reshaped, and repeatedly tested by politics, money, and global change. In this episode of Compact History, we trace the Olympics from sacred contests in ancient Greece to the modern international spectacle, exploring how ideals of honour, nationalism, protest, and commercial power became inseparable from sport. It is a story of ambition, symbolism, controversy, and why the Olympics still matter. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #olympicgames #sporthistory #modernhistory #globalculture #compacthistory #internationalhistory #olympics
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The History of Printing
Feb 1700:24:07Tap to summarizePrinting changed the world long before electricity, the internet, or social media ever existed. In this episode of Compact History, we explore how printing evolved from hand copied manuscripts and woodblocks into movable type, industrial presses, and digital print on demand. It is the story of how ideas escaped elites, knowledge spread at scale, and words became one of the most powerful forces in human history. Visit our website: Compact History Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #printinghistory #historyofbooks #mediahistory #historyofideas #compacthistory #knowledge #communication
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