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How Ghosts makes history funny – without getting it wrong
23 oktober 2026 · 27 min
How do you make history hilarious without mangling the facts? As Ghosts: The Possession of Button House arrives on the big screen, co-creator, writer and actor Laurence Rickard (AKA Robin and Sir Humphrey Bone) reveals how the team brought the much-loved sitcom characters back to life for the feature film. Talking to Elinor Evans, he shares the team’s approach to historical accuracy, discusses why our understanding of the past is always changing, and explains how Ghosts has become an unexpected source of comfort for many. Lees meer
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Find out more about the real history behind the stories on the big screen, with our guides to the latest movie releases – from Sense and Sensibility and Pressure to The Uprising: https://bit.ly/4hDcR85
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America's anti-Chinese laws: a forgotten history
21 oktober 2026 · 29 min
From the middle of the 19th century, Chinese people in the United States found themselves increasingly policed, as legislation was introduced that contained and controlled their economic and cultural lives. Historian Beth Lew-Williams tells Elinor Evans about her work uncovering this wide-reaching set of laws for her book John Doe Chinaman, and reveals how Chinese people resisted and avoided discrimination. Lees meer
Beth’s book is a finalist for the 2026 Cundill History Prize – you can find more details at cundillprize.com.
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To find out more about the Chinese Exclusion Act, read this article: https://bit.ly/4ik36NB
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PRESSURE LIVE PODCAST
Join us tomorrow, Thursday, 22 October, for a live episode of the HistoryExtra podcast exploring the history behind recent WWII drama PRESSURE – the gripping untold story behind D-Day.
We’ve teamed up with STUDIOCANAL for a special event at the Royal Society of Arts in London, to celebrate the film’s upcoming Home Premiere. The event features David Haig, the film's co-writer, in conversation with Catherine Ross, library and archive manager at the Met Office. Doors open at 6pm with the event starting at 7pm, and tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Find out more and book your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historyextra-live-uncovering-pressure-tickets-2003304436497?aff=oddtdtcreator
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An African king in the Roman empire
20 oktober 2026 · 37 min
He was barely a toddler when he was paraded as a captive in a Roman triumph in 46 BC, but young North African prince Juba went on to marry a daughter of Antony and Cleopatra, and rule an African kingdom. Andrew Kenrick, author of Rex Juba: 15 Glimpses of an African King, unravels his amazing life, in conversation with David Musgrove. Lees meer
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For more on Rome's history with Africa, check out the podcast with Philip Freeman on Rome and Carthage: https://bit.ly/3ROcNts
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Everyday life in a slave trading town
19 oktober 2026 · 30 min
In 1665 the Portuguese Inquisition arrested Crispina Peres, a powerful slave trader in the west African port of Cacheu. The records of her case provide a remarkable window into everyday life in 17th-century west Africa, and form the basis of Toby Green's latest book, The Heretic of Cacheu. In this episode he is joined by Rob Attar to explore the story of Crispina and the lost world she inhabited. Lees meer
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From plague 'searchers' to strawberry birthmarks: a history of women's bodies
16 oktober 2026 · 35 min
What was 'nidgeting'? How did women know they were pregnant before modern tests? And what did people in the past believe a mother’s imagination could do to her unborn child? In this episode, Lauren Good speaks to historian Erin Maglaque about her book Presence, which explores the history of the female body – and society's longstanding beliefs about it. Lees meer
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To find out more about the history of women's bodies, why not listen to another of Lauren's interviews on the HistoryExtra podcast with Helen King, in which they explore how ideas surrounding female anatomy have long caused contention: https://bit.ly/4bpHjQX
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PRESSURE LIVE PODCAST
Join us next Thursday, 22 October, for a live episode of the HistoryExtra podcast exploring the history behind recent WWII drama PRESSURE – the gripping untold story behind D-Day.
We’ve teamed up with STUDIOCANAL for a special event at the Royal Society of Arts in London, to celebrate the film’s upcoming Home Premiere. The event features David Haig, the film's co-writer, in conversation with Catherine Ross, library and archive manager at the Met Office. Doors open at 6pm with the event starting at 7pm, and tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Find out more and book your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historyextra-live-uncovering-pressure-tickets-2003304436497?aff=oddtdtcreator
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The country house at war
14 oktober 2026 · 28 min
It might be assumed that the owners of Britain's country houses weren't hugely affected by the Second World War, and that they continued to live in luxury in their vast estates. However, as Judith S Lewis explains to Lauren Good, that wasn't the case. From the conscription of upper-class women to stories of great loss, she charts the roles that country houses and their occupants really played in the war effort. Lees meer
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PRESSURE LIVE PODCAST
Join us next Thursday, 22 October, for a live episode of the HistoryExtra podcast exploring the history behind recent WWII drama PRESSURE – the gripping untold story behind D-Day.
We’ve teamed up with STUDIOCANAL for a special event at the Royal Society of Arts in London, to celebrate the film’s upcoming Home Premiere. The event features David Haig, the film's co-writer, in conversation with Catherine Ross, library and archive manager at the Met Office. Doors open at 6pm with the event starting at 7pm, and tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Find out more and book your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/historyextra-live-uncovering-pressure-tickets-2003304436497?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Go to https://surfshark.com/historyextra or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark!
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The pioneering surgeon who stood up to Rasputin
13 oktober 2026 · 48 min
She pioneered lifesaving battlefield surgery, challenged the medical establishment, stood up to Rasputin, and became the world's first female professor of surgery – yet today, few people have heard of Vera Gedroits. In today's episode, acclaimed biographer Miranda Seymour tells Elinor Evans about Vera's remarkable life and accomplishments – and why her story was erased. Lees meer
Go to https://surfshark.com/historyextra or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark!
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The stolen Native Americans who shaped US history
12 oktober 2026 · 48 min
Between 1492 and 1880, as many as 600,000 Native Americas were enslaved in the area that would become the United States. That’s the figure estimated by historian Linford D Fisher in his book Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in US History – one of the books shortlisted for the 2026 Cundill History Prize. In today’s episode, he speaks to Matt Elton about the extent of this slavery, the impact that it had on tribal communities, and its legacy today. Lees meer
Go to https://surfshark.com/historyextra or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark!
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Being disabled in the medieval era
9 oktober 2026 · 46 min
Prosthetic legs, wheelbarrow wheelchairs and guide… children? Those were just some of the assistive technologies and body augmentations available to our medieval and early modern ancestors. In this episode, Rae Gillibrand highlights how bodily difference was understood in this pre-modern era, and explores the medical marketplace and community support that was available. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Rae reveals a world of ingenuity, adaptation and care. Lees meer
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To find out more about Tudor attitudes to disability – and why they may have been more compassionate than you might think – don’t miss this HistoryExtra article written by Phillipa Vincent-Connolly: https://bit.ly/4rZgN7y
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Vanilla: a far from ordinary history
7 oktober 2026 · 37 min
It's now often used as an adjective for anything standard, plain, and borderline boring – but the history of vanilla is anything but. Eric T Jennings – whose book Vanilla: The History of an Extraordinary Bean is among the titles shortlisted for the 2026 Cundill History Prize – tells Matt Elton about the ways in which piracy, espionage and cut-throat capitalism have shaped its story. Lees meer
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Delve further into food history with our podcast series History's Greatest Dishes, in which Annie Gray and Emily Briffett discuss the stories behind pizza, blancmange and more. Like and subscribe now to catch up and get ready for season two: https://www.historyextra.com/podcast-series/historys-greatest-dishes/
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Ancient explosives and the philosopher's stone: a history of alchemy
6 oktober 2026 · 36 min
Think of alchemy, and you likely imagine bubbling vials of strange potions and molten metals. But how close is this popular perception to the truth? That’s the question behind historian and adventurer Kit Chapman’s latest book, The Age of Alchemy, which was recently announced as winner of the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize. Lees meer
In this episode, Kit guides Emily Briffett through a remarkable story of discovery that blurred the boundaries between science and mysticism – and explains how alchemists pursued dreams of fortune and immortality that laid the foundations for modern science.
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An unlikely mix of scientist, scholar, engineer and magician, the 'magus' was a figure that sat at the heart of the transformative Renaissance period. Don’t miss this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast charting the careers of these men, seen as genius scholars by some and charlatans by others: https://bit.ly/47A7pyN
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North Korea's religious dictators
5 oktober 2026 · 46 min
More than three decades after the end of the Cold War and the fall of the USSR, the North Korean regime remains steadfastly in place, defiantly ploughing its own path some eight decades after its founding. What might explain this remarkable longevity? Lees meer
In Jonathan Cheng’s new book, Korean Messiah, the Wall Street Journal correspondent argues that it owes much to the enduring cult of personality around its founder, Kim Il-Sung, who took inspiration from his own Christian roots to create a modern religion that endures to this day.
Jonathan’s book is a finalist for the 2026 Cundill History Prize, and in today’s episode he explores these ideas with Rob Attar.
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Inside Venice’s Jewish ghetto
2 oktober 2026 · 47 min
In the early 16th century, Venice confined its Jewish population to a restricted quarter on an island in the city. It was the first settlement to bear the name 'ghetto' – a word that would go on to shape the history of Jewish persecution and segregation. Lees meer
Alexander Lee explores this history in his book The First Ghetto, which is a finalist for the 2026 Cundill History Prize, and in this episode he talks to Emily Briffett about what life was like within its walls – from its vibrant culture to fragile relationship with the Venetian authorities.
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With the Inquisition active throughout much of Europe, the first half of the 16th century was a perilous time for Jewish people. Andreé Aelion Brooks explores how the fabulously wealthy Doña Gracia worked tirelessly to protect her community: https://bit.ly/4xMFmq5
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WW2's bloody battle for Arakan
30 september 2026 · 38 min
In 1944, the Allies unleashed an offensive in Burma – a brutal campaign spearheaded by 3 Commando Brigade alongside the Indian and West African troops of XV Corps. Against a ruthless enemy and in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments, these men launched daring amphibious assaults deep into Japanese-held territory, turning the tide of the Burma campaign and delivering a devastating blow to the Imperial Japanese Army. Military historian Lucy Betteridge-Dyson has written a book on the subject, Jungle Commandoes, and Emily Briffett spoke to her to find out more. Lees meer
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The Bayeux Tapestry: secrets of the stitchers
29 september 2026 · 32 min
Mia Hansson has spent 10 years making an exact replica of the Bayeux Tapestry. In conversation with Dave Musgrove, she explains what her modern remake experience can teach us about the women who made the original artefact in the 11th century, and the secrets she has spotted in her decade of close attention to the embroidery
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How Henry VII seized – and kept – the crown
28 september 2026 · 49 min
Henry VII is often remembered as a cold, calculating and penny-pinching monarch whose relentless pursuit of an ever-tightening grip on the throne overshadowed his achievements. But how fair is that reputation? And what can the real history behind this popular perception tell us about the challenges, anxieties and realities of Henry's kingship? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Sean Cunningham reassesses the first Tudor king's critical reputation, exploring the delicate balancing act that defined his reign as he sought to reward loyalty, root out treason and secure a fragile new dynasty. Lees meer
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Curious to find out more about the battle that gave rise to Henry VII? Check out this series of History's Greatest Battles, where Lauren Johnson explores the most momentous clashes of the Wars of the Roses, the 15th-century struggle for the English throne that ushered in the Tudor dynasty: https://bit.ly/4gUGQcR
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The Soviet spy who couldn't love
25 september 2026 · 43 min
In 1981, a Soviet spy walked into MI6 HQ in Tehran and offered to defect to Britain – if, in return, Britain could help him improve his performance in bed. Lees meer
In this episode, Ben Macintyre introduces Spencer Mizen to an extraordinary agent with a sexual secret – a secret that changed the course of Iranian history and may, just may, have averted nuclear war.
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If you’d like to hear more from Ben Macintyre on the HistoryExtra podcast, why not listen to the episode in which he tells the incredible story of Oleg Gordievsky, the double agent who was sensationally exfiltrated from the Soviet Union in 1985: https://bit.ly/4i3FsW7
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The slave ship that changed history
23 september 2026 · 48 min
In 1781, more than 130 enslaved Africans were deliberately thrown from a ship called the Zorg into the Atlantic. The horrifying story of this slave ship – long mistakenly known as the Zong – was to have consequences far beyond its murderous voyage. In this episode, historian and author Siddharth Kara speaks to Elinor Evans about the brutal economics of the Atlantic slave trade, the extraordinary court case that followed the massacre, and how the Zorg helped galvanise the abolitionist cause. Lees meer
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Find out more about the massacre and its place in the fight for abolition, from Professor Hannah Greig and Professor James Walvin: https://bit.ly/4x8ks5b
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Have we overlooked England’s local histories?
22 september 2026 · 41 min
What happens to English history when you view it through a local lens, rather than a national one? Did people even notice when the Romans left Britain? Was 1066 really that important outside of London? And did the Black Death affect the English population equally? In this episode, Ian Mortimer guides Charlotte Vosper through the past 1,500 years of English history, viewed from the perspective of his own medieval home in Devon... Lees meer
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If you'd like to hear more from Ian about what ordinary life was like in the past, then check out his HistoryExtra Academy series. Across six videos, Ian guides us through a fascinating A to Z of medieval life. You can find those videos here: https://bit.ly/4x76tMh
Go to https://surfshark.com/historyextra or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark!
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The making of the modern Middle East
21 september 2026 · 47 min
The Middle East has, for decades, been riven by violent conflict. But what are the roots and ongoing causes of this violence? In this episode, Simon Sebag Montefiore discusses The Cauldron, his new book exploring the forces and figures that forged the region. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Simon takes us from the creation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the decline of the imperial powers and the rise of Pan-Arabism, to 9/11 and the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Lees meer
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For more on how the past shapes today’s world, don’t miss our fortnightly podcast series History Behind the Headlines: https://bit.ly/3SSjdbq
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Joan of Arc: inspirational leader or flawed failure?
18 september 2026 · 43 min
Joan of Arc's story is one of the most remarkable chapters in medieval history: that of a rebellious teenage peasant girl rising to become a military leader, before suffering an equally precipitous fall from favour. Lees meer
But what leadership qualities contributed to her success? In today's episode, which originally featured in our History's Greatest Leaders series, entrepreneur and author of Next-Gen CEO Mike Soutar talks to historian Janina Ramirez about Joan's story, and the lessons it could offer for today's leaders.
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Don't miss more of Mike Soutar's conversations about some of the past's most powerful people – just search for History's Greatest Leaders or follow the feed here: https://play.megaphone.fm/xim3wnhes9qxso8n8kjlaa
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The forgotten slave traders who shaped Britain
16 september 2026 · 36 min
Who were the people who financed Britain’s transatlantic slave trade – and how did their money transform the nation? Elinor Evans speaks to historian William A Pettigrew, who has led a landmark project identifying some 13,000 investors connected to the trafficking of 3.2 million enslaved African people. Lees meer
William reveals how profits and networks associated with the trade influenced Britain’s politics, industry, culture and institutions, from the Royal Navy and canal building to theatres and charities. He also reveals the work behind a new register of the traders and how our ancestors' involvements can be tracked in more detail than ever before.
Don't miss a new BBC television series, Finding Britain’s Slave Traders with David Olusoga, which explores these stories. The first episode airs at 9pm on Monday 21 September on BBC Two, with all episodes also available on BBC iPlayer.
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To hear more about how the ruthless exploitation of people and resources supercharged the Industrial Revolution in Britain, listen to our interview with Edmond Smith, who was also one of the historians who worked on the project to surface the wider roles of Britain's slave traders: https://bit.ly/4gAfNlh
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What is ‘Europe’, anyway?
15 september 2026 · 37 min
What defines Europe – is it geography, politics, a shared culture, or perhaps a mix of all three? In this episode, historian Roderick Beaton tells Emily Briffett about the ways in which it has been defined, and redefined, as an idea by its people over the centuries. Lees meer
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National icons aren’t born – they’re engineered. But how were historical figures such as Joan of Arc and Isabella of Castile transformed into political symbols, their real lives lost beneath centuries of myth-making? Find out in this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast with Janina Ramirez: https://bit.ly/4tZbwgL
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Christianity, conflict and catastrophe: the life of CS Lewis
14 september 2026 · 41 min
He's well-known for creating children's classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but what else can history teach us about CS Lewis? Michael Ward explores the life of the author with Isabel King – from a tragic childhood to his turbulent relationship with faith. Lees meer
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If CS Lewis's experience of combat has piqued your interest and you'd like to learn more about the First World War, don't miss our six-episode HistoryExtra Academy course WW1: Myths and Misconceptions, in which Alex Churchill challenges the most significant misunderstandings about the global conflict: https://bit.ly/4ezpcbT
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Was Napoleon III the world's first populist leader?
11 september 2026 · 56 min
Napoleon III's family was, in the words of historian Edward Shawcross, “the most cutthroat mafioso soap opera in the world”. Exiled to Switzerland as a boy and disowned by his own father, he spent years as a laughing stock of French politics, twice arrested trying to seize power. Here, in conversation with Danny Bird, Edward traces Louis-Napoleon's strange path from mocked pretender in exile to Emperor of the French, and explores whether Napoleon III can really be regarded as an early populist dictator. Lees meer
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To find out more about Napoleon III's long-suffering consort, Eugénie de Montijo, don't miss our podcast episode on her relationship with Empress Sisi of Austria, in conversation with author Nancy Goldstone: https://bit.ly/3SfJfVR
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The Bayeux Tapestry blockbuster at the British Museum
9 september 2026 · 46 min
The Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum is set to be the biggest historical event in decades. In conversation with David Musgrove, its curator Michael Lewis gives the lowdown on what the exhibition is all about, and how you should make the most of your trip if you do get a ticket to the show. Lees meer
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Check out David Musgrove's 6-part Academy series on the Bayeux Tapestry for HistoryExtra: https://bit.ly/3SWpfYC
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The secrets of our DNA
8 september 2026 · 38 min
What can DNA tell us about who we are and where we came from? Lees meer
Professor Turi King – who previously appeared on the podcast to discuss her research into Adolf Hitler’s DNA – returns to explore modern genetics and its role in solving some of history’s biggest mysteries.
Speaking to Jon Bauckham, Turi discusses the surprising origins of DNA fingerprinting, common misconceptions surrounding testing, and her role in the groundbreaking discovery of King Richard III.
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Listen to Turi King discussing her research into Hitler's DNA in an episode of the HistoryExtra podcast from November 2025: https://bit.ly/4gaHcKt
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What's it like to live in a royal palace?
7 september 2026 · 36 min
Did Lucy Worsley have 'the best job in history'? And what did she do when she worked in it? In this episode, Lucy reflects on her career so far, her time as Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces and how the job has changed her perspective on some of our favourite monarchs from royal history... Lees meer
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To find out more about Lucy Worsley's role in changing our understanding of royal history, then check out this feature which she wrote for HistoryExtra: https://bit.ly/4hNBgtr
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Roman kings: myth, memory and the making of power
4 september 2026 · 41 min
Before Rome's republic and the age of emperors, there were kings… or so the story goes. Beginning with Romulus, and ending with Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, these rulers loomed large in the Roman imagination – but is their narrative fact or fiction? In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by ancient historian Christopher Smith, as they sift myth from memory, and uncover how seven legendary figures shaped Rome’s ideas of power and identity.
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Philip Augustus: the Plantagenets’ greatest rival
2 september 2026 · 51 min
King Philip Augustus of France was the Plantagenets’ ultimate enemy. A ruler with an iron fist and sharp political instincts, he consistently exploited the squabbles of the English dynasty, all while transforming France into a dominant power in Western Europe. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian and author Catherine Hanley reveals the cunning and ruthless tactics he employed against the English kings to become medieval England’s most formidable foe. Lees meer
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1217 is not one of the most famous years in English history. But with a major French invasion looming and a brutal war that wracked both towns and the countryside, this was a year that could have altered the nation's history beyond recognition. Hear from Catherine Hanley as she discusses Prince of Louis of France's invasion of England: https://bit.ly/4bQ8Yuk
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Laura Ingalls Wilder: life of the week
1 september 2026 · 47 min
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 'Little House' books have captivated generations with tales of family, hardship and survival on the American frontier. But how closely did Wilder’s fiction reflect her real childhood – and what should we make of its more controversial portrayals? Lees meer
In this episode, Elinor Evans speaks to author and biographer Pamela Smith Hill about the tragedies that Wilder omitted from her stories, her complex collaboration with daughter Rose Wilder Lane, and the groundbreaking realism that helped to make her work a sensation.
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To find out more about the real history in Little House on the Prairie, don't miss our explainer to the series, available at https://bit.ly/3TYZ6bN
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How bullies shaped 19th-century America
31 augustus 2026 · 43 min
America's Gilded Age is often remembered for rapid expansion and opportunity, but beneath the surface lay a brutal society in which it paid to be a bully. Lees meer
In this episode, Elinor Evans speaks to historian Andrew Wender Cohen about his new book Gangster of New York: A Violent Life in Nineteenth-Century America. Following the remarkable career of Louis Bieral – a boxer, gambler, political enforcer and American Civil War veteran – Cohen uncovers how one man's life illuminates the brutal realities of the 19th-century US, from slavery and organised crime to political corruption and the struggle to establish the rule of law.
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To find out more about the craze for pedestrianism mentioned in this episode, listen to our podcast series The Tiger Tamer Who Went To Sea', which chronicles the remarkable life of Bob Carlisle, a Victorian-era showman, sailor, and early endurance athlete: https://bit.ly/4wNcMEw
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Is there a royal sex scandal hidden in plain sight in the Bayeux tapestry?
30 augustus 2026 · 44 min
The Bayeux Tapestry is making headlines as it is loaned to the British Museum to be shown in England for the first time in almost a thousand years. It holds many mysteries, including the famous Aelfgyva scene, where an enigmatic woman is portrayed alongside a curious priest. David Musgrove is joined by Michael Lewis and Emily Winkler to investigate.
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Did Britain really 'keep calm and carry on' in WW2?
28 augustus 2026 · 46 min
'Keep calm and carry on' has long been held up as the defining spirit of wartime Britain. But was the nation really as united, stoic and unquestioning as popular memory suggests? In this episode, Steven Casey takes Isabel King through the often surprising reality of Britain's wartime morale. Lees meer
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To find out more about the experience of evacuees during the Second World War, check out our 2025 'everything you wanted to know' episode with Joshua Levine: https://bit.ly/4bF3gvB
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Did the Catholic Church support Hitler?
26 augustus 2026 · 53 min
How did the politically neutral Catholic church come to have dealings with the fascist regimes of Mussolini and Hitler? In this episode, Ambrogio Caiani tells Charlotte Vosper why the Curia was enticed by authoritarianism, and what these deals with dictators meant for ordinary Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
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Frida Kahlo: life of the week
25 augustus 2026 · 53 min
The arresting gaze, the stark monobrow, the intricate ribbons woven through the dark hair – Frida Kahlo's unmistakable image is recognised around the world today. Yet the woman behind the vivid self-portraits was far more complex than the icon she became. In conversation with Danny Bird, historian Patience Schell explores how trauma, politics and extraordinary artistic vision transformed Kahlo into one of the most influential cultural figures of the modern age.
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How the Americas transformed Tudor England
24 augustus 2026 · 36 min
What did Tudor England really gain from its early encounters with the Americas? In this episode, Elinor Evans speaks to historian Dr Lauren Working about her new book A Golden World, exploring the overlooked exchange of ideas, materials and knowledge between Indigenous peoples and Renaissance England. From brilliant red dyes made from insects, to tobacco, pearls and exotic animals, Working reveals how English society was profoundly shaped by American influences, challenging long-held assumptions about colonial history.
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Preview: Master the medieval art of knowing yourself
23 augustus 2026 · 14 min
How can the past help us live better, happier, healthier and more productive lives today? That's the question at the heart of our series Life Lessons from History, which is back for a new run – and today on the HistoryExtra podcast, we're bringing you a taste of what's on offer. In this episode, historian Peter Jones tells David Musgrove about why the seven deadly sins were more a guide to practical self-knowledge than a list of religious prohibitions – and how medieval thinkers anticipated many modern ideas about wellbeing.
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Have we got ancient women's sexuality all wrong?
21 augustus 2026 · 35 min
You might assume that women were prevented from pursuing sexual pleasure in the classical world. However, as Dr Jean Menzies discusses with Lauren Good, this is not the case. They explore how women were active in pursuing and expressing sexual fulfilment, from erotic magic to some particularly graphic graffiti in Pompeii. Lees meer
Please note that this episode features discussion of some adult topics.
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Lauren has also spoken to Daisy Dunn on the HistoryExtra podcast in an episode that challenges common assumptions about women in antiquity. You can listen to that episode ad-free here: https://bit.ly/4fram9I
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Adultery, assassination and Agatha Christie: the dark side of the hotel
19 augustus 2026 · 36 min
Hotels, have perhaps surprisingly, played a large role in our history. They have found themselves in divorce papers, inspired a new genre of fiction – and even facilitated murder. Speaking to Lauren Good, Professor Eloise Moss explores some of the complex stories that have played out in the world’s lodges and guesthouses.
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Hedy Lamarr: life of the week
18 augustus 2026 · 50 min
Hedy Lamarr starred in dozens of movies, but her life may have been more dramatic than any of them. She was the teenage actor who portrayed the first character to have an on-screen orgasm. The Austrian Jew whose husband sold arms to the fascists. The refugee from Nazism who became a Hollywood megastar. And the pioneering inventor whose work anticipated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. In today's episode Professor Ruth Barton, Fellow Emeritus in Film Studies at Trinity College shares Hedy's remarkable story with Rob Attar.
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How WW2 transformed Asia
17 augustus 2026 · 38 min
For decades, the history of the Second World War has been told through predominately western eyes. That, writes historian Hans van de Ven, simply has to change. Hans's new book, Blood Dawn, sets out to reset the focus, exploring the conflict's story from an Asian perspective. In this episode, Hans tells Spencer Mizen how WW2 supercharged the fight for independence from European domination across India, China and Indonesia – and, in doing so, transformed a continent Lees meer
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If you'd like to delve further into why the Second World War in Asia is often overlooked, then check out a podcast we ran with the broadcaster Kavita Puri in 2025: https://bit.ly/4nRYOOS
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Preview: Was Jack the Ripper Queen Victoria's grandson?
16 augustus 2026 · 14 min
As recent years attest, royal scandals have a habit of coming to light. But what if the mother of all royal scandals is still waiting to be revealed? Could it be that an heir to the British throne, Prince Albert Victor, lived a double life as a serial killer? Today on the HistoryExtra podcast, we’re bringing you a taste of the first episode of our new series, History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, in which crime historian Dr Drew Gray tells Rob Attar about the explosive suggestion that a British prince got away with multiple murders in the 19th century. Lees meer
To listen on, search for History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories or find the full episodes and follow the feed here: https://play.megaphone.fm/4xo_fufltzut49cj60jcla
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How opium became a powerful global commodity
14 augustus 2026 · 44 min
Opium has been a painkiller, a vice and the fuel for at least two wars. But what makes it such a powerful global commodity? Benjamin Robert Siegel takes Isabel King through this complex history, exploring how opium shaped capitalism, medicine and global power from ancient poppy fields to the modern opioid crisis. Lees meer
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Want to know why Britain went to war with China in the 19th century to protect the interests of drug dealers? To find out more, check out our 'Everything you wanted to know' episode on the Opium Wars: https://bit.ly/4wPh4eM
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A wild history of partying
12 augustus 2026 · 40 min
For hundreds of years, people have gathered after dark to drink, dance and escape the pressures of everyday life. But how did 'going out' become a habit across the world? Jon Bauckham chats to Imogen Willetts about the hedonistic history of partying, journeying from 17th-century Japan to Weimar Germany, Cold War Las Vegas and beyond. Lees meer
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To learn more Berlin, including its role in shaping nightlife, don't miss this episode of our History's Greatest Cities series: https://bit.ly/4hb5Gp1
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Yuri Gagarin: life of the week
11 augustus 2026 · 47 min
Yuri Gagarin’s journey from a Nazi-occupied Soviet village into outer space make him one of the most famous people on Earth. In this episode, historian Asif Siddiqi tells Danny Bird about the life behind the legend, revealing how Gagarin came to embody the USSR’s postwar ambitions and why his winning smile still evokes the optimism of humanity’s first steps into the cosmos. Lees meer
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Two television shows – For All Mankind and Star City – imagine an alternative universe in which Soviet cosmonauts completed the first moon landing in 1969 ahead of US astronauts. But how might global history have unfolded if the space race had taken a different course? This article by Matthew Trask explores that question: https://bit.ly/4vBKywv
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How Christianity conquered the Roman empire
10 augustus 2026 · 33 min
The Roman empire was home to a multitude of religious cults in the first century AD. However, only one – Christianity – rose to global domination. But why? That's a question that Tim Whitmarsh sets out to answer in his latest book, Rome's Age of Revolution. In this episode, Tim talks Spencer Mizen through a story that encompasses Christian entrepreneurs, Greek intellectuals and the surprising parallels between Jesus and the Emperor Augustus. Lees meer
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If you’d like to hear more about the Roman empire in the first century AD, why not check out Spencer Mizen's Life of the Week interview with Edward Watts about one of the most remarkable characters in all of ancient history: the first emperor, Augustus. You'll find that here: https://bit.ly/4uOcNqR
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The Odyssey’s forgotten epilogue
9 augustus 2026 · 44 min
Why did Alexander the Great sleep with a copy of the Odyssey under his pillow? In this final episode of HistoryExtra's four-part series, Kev Lochun and classicist Daisy Dunn explore the astonishing cultural legacy of a poem that has been shaping how we think about home, heroism and hospitality for nearly 3,000 years. Plus, they consider what its portrayal of women reveals about power in the ancient world. Lees meer
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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
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Why did witches confess?
7 augustus 2026 · 48 min
Who were the people that were accused of witchcraft in the 1640s British witch trials? And why did they confess to being in league with the devil? In this episode, Marion Gibson breaks down the trial and interrogation records left behind by the witch hunters, to reveal the real stories of the individuals who were accused. Lees meer
Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Marion explains why so many of these seemingly ordinary individuals actually agreed to the witchcraft accusations...
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If you'd like to find out more about the Salem witch trials, we've got a brilliant podcast series about this called 'Salem: Investigating the Witch Trials'. You can listen here: https://bit.ly/4puBuYf
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Inside the Maya storyworld
5 augustus 2026 · 44 min
The Maya have a rich and varied storyworld shaped by diverse traditions and communities. In this episode, Mallory E Matsumoto tells Emily Briffett about her recent book, The Maya Myths, which explores tales of destruction and rebirth, people made of maize dough, and journeys into the underworld – revealing a living tradition that blurs the line between history and storytelling. Lees meer
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Curious to hear more about the mythology of Mesoamerica? Don’t miss our conversation with Camilla Townsend, in which she delves into Aztec legends and folklore to reveal a society bursting with life and colour: https://bit.ly/4s247vj
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