Podcast
HistoryExtra podcast
Hosted by Immediate · EN
The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
HistoryExtra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past.
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day.
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens.
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history.
Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.
Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.
Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past.
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509episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Alliance and acrimony: a history of Jewish-Muslim relations
Today00:43:15Summary readyFrom Islam’s emergence in the early medieval period, Muslims have been deeply connected with the followers of another faith: Judaism. In conversation with James Osborne, historian Marc David Baer examines the long relationship between these two religions and their communities, tracing episodes of both conflict and coexistence. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Check out this podcast episode with Barry Strauss, in which he discussed the conflict between Jews and the Roman empire – and its lasting legacy: https://bit.ly/4xFxc3V Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
Who wrote the Odyssey?
Yesterday00:41:24Summary readyThe Odyssey is one of the most celebrated stories ever told, recounting the tale of Greek hero Odysseus’s 10-year journey home from the Trojan War. It is one of just two ancient Greek epic poems said to be the work of ‘Homer’. But who was Homer? And why, today, do we ask ourselves: ‘Did Homer even exist?’ In this first episode of HistoryExtra's four-part series on the Odyssey, Kev Lochun sits down with classicist Daisy Dunn to unpack the origins of the epic poem – and the enduring mystery around the identity of the man who ‘wrote’ it. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know more about ancient Greece? HistoryExtra's Kev Lochun has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra archives to help you explore life in ancient Greece and the myths that shaped Greek religion: https://bit.ly/4pkQiZe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary1966: The World Cup that changed a nation
3d ago00:33:46Summary readyThe England men’s football team has missed out on the opportunity to replicate the nation’s much-heralded victory back in the 1966 World Cup, still one of the most celebrated moments in its sporting history. But what did the football tournament reveal about the state of the country that staged it back in the 1960s? Jon Bauckham talks to Michael Calvin about the forgotten stories of that remarkable summer – from diplomatic tensions and class divisions, to Middlesbrough's unexpected love affair with North Korea. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To learn more about the history of football during the Cold War, don't miss this article by Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall: https://bit.ly/4hdX3tR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryHow Rome really conquered Britain
5d ago00:45:23Summary readyWhat if the Roman invasion and occupation of Britain was more complicated than we might think? Ferdinand Addis reveals how it really happened. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Ferdinand guides us through the complex process of conquest – from Caesar's arrival in 55 BC and the construction of Hadrian's Wall in 122 AD, to the decline of Roman occupation by 410 AD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryEdward Colston: life of the week
6d ago00:39:47Summary readyEdward Colston was a philanthropist and slave trader in the 17th and 18th centuries. He is infamous today for the fact that a statue of him was pulled down by a crowd of protestors in central Bristol in 2020 and dumped in the river. Richard Stone explores his life, in conversation with David Musgrove, and considers how we should understand his complex legacy today. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to know more about the impact of the Barbary pirates on British society, check out this fascinating article by Adam Nichols detailing a personal story of an Englishwoman who was captured by them: https://bit.ly/3PXXrlf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryWas Elizabeth Báthory really a serial killer?
1w ago00:40:13Summary readyElizabeth Báthory is history's most prolific female serial killer and took pleasure in bathing in the blood of virgins... or so the story goes. In this episode, Shelley Puhak challenges that idea. Speaking to Isabel King, Shelley describes the complex campaign of disinformation that Elizabeth faced, and reveals the truth behind the legend. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find out more about accusations of 'witchcraft' throughout history, don't miss our HistoryExtra Academy course: https://bit.ly/4sH8VaM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
What did the American Revolution really achieve?
1w ago00:35:14Summary readyHow revolutionary was the American Revolution, and how far do 18th-century arguments about liberty and property still shape US politics today? In the final episode of HistoryExtra’s four-part series, Elinor Evans is joined by Adam IP Smith to explore the end of the American Revolutionary War and the complicated legacy that followed. Beginning with Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown, they discuss Britain’s decision to cut its losses, the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the global consequences of the conflict, and the winners and losers of independence. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find all the further reading mentioned in this series, head to our curated list, which includes archive podcast episodes and video clips on battles, key figures and more, all available in the HistoryExtra app: https://bit.ly/42OYGpt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe captain's wife who took command
1w ago00:46:09Summary readyIn the middle of the 19th century, the world's fastest ships raced across oceans carrying cargo, and the fortunes of ambitious young sea captains. In this episode, author Tilar J Mazzeo explores one voyage that produced an unlikely maritime legend. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Mazzeo shares the remarkable life of Mary Ann Patten, who found herself commanding a clipper ship after her husband fell gravely ill during a perilous passage around Cape Horn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryWhat could you eat in Georgian London?
2w ago00:45:29Summary readyMuch of what was eaten by inhabitants of Georgian London is, perhaps surprisingly, familiar to us today. In this episode, Peter Ross takes Lauren Good on a culinary journey through the city – from people pocketing baked potatoes on their way home in the small hours to explaining why jelly was considered an aphrodisiac. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find out more about what was eaten in the Georgian period, listen to another of Lauren's interviews on the podcast, with Amy Boyington, where they explore the weird and wonderful dishes in the dining rooms of the wealthy: https://bit.ly/3QFSZI1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryPablo Picasso: life of the week
2w ago00:43:33Summary readyFrom his birth in 1881 to his death in 1973, Pablo Picasso lived a life as revolutionary as his art. A child prodigy who transformed modern art, his story is one of genius, reinvention, scandal and relentless creativity. In this episode, Danny Bird speaks to Sue Roe about the passions and upheavals that shaped the pioneer behind Cubism and masterpieces such as Guernica. They explore Picasso’s rise from the bohemian streets of Paris to global fame, his turbulent relationships with the women who inspired his work, and the restless imagination that defined him until the very end. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find out more about Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica, the Spanish Civil War and the history behind the atrocity that inspired him to paint it, head over to the HistoryExtra website where you can read a feature written by historian, Paul Preston: https://bit.ly/4xeYOwB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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