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JFK: the man behind the myths
9 april 2025 · 42 min
John F Kennedy remains one of America’s most iconic presidents – his life and untimely death wrapped in both mythology and conspiracy. But how much of his legacy is based in reality, and how can his reputation be understood more than 60 years after his presidency ended? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Mark White unpacks JFK’s leadership, his glamorous carefully curated image, and the stark contrast between his private and political life. Lees meer
(Ad) Mark White is the author of Icon, Libertine, Leader: The Life and Presidency of John F. Kennedy (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Icon-Libertine-Leader-Presidency-Kennedy/dp/1350426121/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Fulvia: life of the week
8 april 2025 · 34 min
She super-charged Mark Antony's rise to power, whipped up gang violence, went to war with Octavian – and may, just may, have abused Cicero's decapitated head with a hairpin. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jane Draycott explores the life of Fulvia, the extraordinary figure who rewrote the rulebook of what a woman could achieve in the cut-throat world of ancient Roman politics. Lees meer
(Ad) Jane Draycott is the author of Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome (Atlantic Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffulvia%2Fjane-draycott%2F9781805464877.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Simon Schama on the Holocaust
7 april 2025 · 42 min
Sir Simon Schama is one of the world's leading historians, a bestselling author and a renowned documentary maker. In his latest documentary film, The Road to Auschwitz, he tells the story of the Holocaust, arguing that it was a crime of complicity across Europe. In this episode, Simon explains to David Musgrove what it was like to visit the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau for the first time, and how deep-rooted prejudice was weaponised to turn people against their Jewish neighbours before the Nazis put their genocidal plans in place. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The 'Scramble for Africa': everything you wanted to know
6 april 2025 · 41 min
Between the 1870s and the First World War, European colonialists set their sights on the Africa, making territorial land grabs that consumed nearly the entire continent. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Professor Richard Reid explains how the so-called 'Scramble for Africa' played out, and explores its immense impact on Africa and its peoples. Lees meer
(Ad) Richard Reid is the author of The African Revolution: A History of the Long Nineteenth Century (Princeton University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-Revolution-History-Nineteenth-Century/dp/0691187096/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A Nazi in Chile: did an SS commander work for Pinochet?
4 april 2025 · 47 min
What connects a notorious Chilean dictator with an SS commander who played a key role in the Holocaust? This is the question at the heart of a book by the author and lawyer Philippe Sands, which follows the twin stories of Augusto Pinochet's sensational arrest in London in 1998 and the postwar career of Walter Rauff, who spent many years in Pinochet's Chile. Philippe was joined by Rob Attar to explore a tangled tale of law and mass murder in Europe and South America. Lees meer
(Ad) Philippe Sands is the author of 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia (Orion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F38-londres-street%2Fphilippe-sands%2F9781399632812.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tariffs and trade wars: a history of economic warfare
2 april 2025 · 30 min
Trade wars and tariffs have once again been making headlines in recent weeks, as US president Donald Trump's government adopts combative economic policies. But are such approaches really that unusual? Speaking to Matt Elton, Frank Trentmann looks back at centuries of economic warfare – and reveals the historical factors that have sparked it. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Funding cuts and culture wars: history behind the headlines
1 april 2025 · 47 min
In the latest episode of our monthly series, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss recent headlines about funding cuts to history departments in the UK’s universities - and we hear from Lucy Noakes, president of the Royal Historical Society, with her take on the situation. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Why we shouldn't see museum artefacts as 'stolen'
31 maart 2025 · 46 min
Debates about whether museum artefacts should be returned to the cultures that made them have made headlines several times in recent years. But historian and author Justin M Jacobs explains to Matt Elton why he believes that calls for these objects to be repatriated often overlook the wishes of the people who made them in the first place. Lees meer
(Ad) Justin M Jacobs is the author of Plunder?: How Museums Got Their Treasures (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fplunder%2Fjustin-m-jacobs%2F9781789149487.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Belle Époque: everything you wanted to know
30 maart 2025 · 50 min
Paris's Belle Époque – or 'Beautiful Era' – conjures up images of cafés, can-can dancers and sunny walks along the River Seine. But was life in the French capital in the late 19th and early 20th-century really as exciting as the scenes painted by Toulouse-Lautrec? Jon Bauckham talks to Dr Mike Rapport about the real history behind the Belle Époque, revealing why there was also a darkness to the 'city of light'. Lees meer
(Ad) Mike Rapport is the author of City of Light, City of Shadows: Paris in the Belle Époque (Bridge Street Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Light-Shadows-Paris-%C3%89poque/dp/0349128162/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Body in the basement: Dr Crippen and the 'crime of the century'
28 maart 2025 · 47 min
In 1910, music hall performer Belle Elmore went missing. Her husband Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen claimed Belle had gone to America to visit a dying relative. But before long, Crippen's stories began to unravel and the doctor went on the run, triggering an international manhunt. Hallie Rubenhold re-examines Crippen's crimes in her new book Story of a Murder, and she spoke to Ellie Cawthorne about what this infamous case can reveal about medicine, the music hall and women's lives at the time. Lees meer
(Ad) Hallie Rubenhold is the author of Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen (Transworld Publishers, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fstory-of-a-murder%2Fhallie-rubenhold%2F2928377304799.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Philadelphia gun-runners who supplied the IRA
26 maart 2025 · 29 min
In the 1970s, as the Troubles divided Northern Ireland, hundreds of armalite guns were sent to the IRA from across the Atlantic. Reporter Ali Watkins follows the smuggling operations of a ragtag group of Irish American gunrunners from Philadelphia in her new book The Next One is for You. She spoke to Ellie Cawthorne about their impact on the conflict over the ocean. Lees meer
(Ad) Ali Watkins is the author of The Next One Is for You: A True Story of Guns, Country, and the IRA's Secret American Army (Little Brown, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Next-One-You-Country-American/dp/0316538272/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Thomas Becket: life of the week
25 maart 2025 · 52 min
Thomas Becket is probably medieval England's most famous martyr and saint – yet the circumstances of his life are overshadowed by his infamous feud with King Henry II, and his shocking murder in Canterbury Cathedral one winter's evening in 1170. Emily Briffett speaks to historian and author Michael Staunton to chart how Becket rocketed to power from humble origins, before dramatically switching from close royal ally to the thorn in Henry II's side. Lees meer
(Ad) Michael Staunton is the author of Thomas Becket and His World (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Becket-World-Medieval-Lives/dp/183639070X?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MTvDup6huJD2pesd63URgHlHzJsj9v2mzEUQDBADoJrosLeuGDQ0lnK5a8uakRmrUFhj7Y3yF-qgeE073i2yDP6L9nsaWDygmfrXuvEIWH-WI1hpY2SA31iJw_VSNtMPcfW6FzUJhNHruLcqDe5zZycr4zBJ6PJa_8098f5WqkgFyXzcv8NrODBILSMwzj8N3FxN_DzxW2AXJPq7l7-W_L_WVGlzkdHEPGtUg8-Se9A.PF4sbYGf_bMvm0wEHNE6QZ2ylq3kDsx7lnU_cD__1NI&dib_tag=se&qid=1741605380&refinements=p_27%3AMichael+Staunton&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Why Africa's history is more than just the slave trade
24 maart 2025 · 39 min
Has our focus on the impact of the transatlantic slave trade blinded us to the diversity and complexity of Africa's past? That's one of the arguments at the heart of Luke Pepera's new book Motherland, which spans 500,000 years of the continent's history. Luke speaks to Matt Elton about some of the stories that shine the spotlight back on African people. Lees meer
(Ad) Luke Pepera is the author of Motherland: A Journey through 500,000 Years of African Culture and Identity (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmotherland%2Fluke-pepera%2F9781398707368.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Great Stink: everything you wanted to know
23 maart 2025 · 40 min
Why, in the 1850s, was the excrement of thousands of people being deposited straight into the Thames? How lethal were Victorian London's cholera outbreaks? And why is Joseph Bazalgette one of the most heroic figures in London's history? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Rosemary Ashton answers the most pressing questions on an infamous pollution event caused by soaring temperatures and huge amounts of human waste. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Handel's Messiah: the scandalous birth of a classical masterpiece
21 maart 2025 · 39 min
Even if you're not a fan of classical music, chances are you will have heard Handel's Messiah. Going behind the scenes of its creation, Charles King delves into the shifting politics of the Hanoverian court, the sex scandals of London’s West End, and the surprising role of the transatlantic slave trade in financing the arts. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he reveals why, despite the complex circumstances of its creation, this legendary composition still resonates today. Lees meer
(Ad) Charles King is the author of Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Valley-Story-Handels-Messiah/dp/1847928455/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women killers of the early modern era
19 maart 2025 · 35 min
From true crime pamphlets to reports from the scaffold, early modern Britain was gripped by tales of women who killed. But were these cases as common as they seemed, or was something else at play? Speaking to Lauren Good, historian Blessin Adams explores the obsession with female murderers in this period, and what this tells us about historical attitudes to gender, justice and power. Lees meer
(Ad) Blessin Adams is the author of Thou Savage Woman: Female Killers in Early Modern Britain (Harper Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthou-savage-woman%2Fblessin-adams%2F9780008500177.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Rosa Luxemburg: life of the week
18 maart 2025 · 49 min
While the Suffragettes were fighting to win the vote, over in Germany, Rosa Luxemburg was focused on overthrowing the entire system. A committed Marxist revolutionary and a fervent advocate of internationalism, Luxemburg believed that true freedom lay beyond ‘bourgeois democracy’. Her sharp intellect and uncompromising stance made her a formidable force in the politics of early-20th century Europe. Mark Jones speaks to Danny Bird about Luxemburg’s extraordinary biography – from her rebellious youth and opposition to the First World War to her brutal execution in 1919. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women's hidden role in religious reformation
17 maart 2025 · 44 min
The histories of religious reformations across the globe have largely focused on men. But women were also integral to these major transformations. Speaking with Emily Briffett, historian Merry Wiesner-Hanks explains how early modern women strove to shape the world around them – as wives, mothers, missionaries, mystics and migrants. Lees meer
(Ad) Merry Wiesner-Hanks is the author of Women and the Reformations: A Global History (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Reformations-History-Merry-Wiesner-Hanks/dp/0300268238/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The history of British homes: everything you wanted to know
16 maart 2025 · 48 min
What was history's worst furnishing trend? Why, in 1953, were you more likely to own a television than a fridge? And how can you learn more about the history of your own house? Deborah Sugg Ryan joins Ellie Cawthorne to talk about the history of British homes, taking listeners on a whistle-stop tour through garden gnomes, deadly gas irons, dodgy DIY and carpeted bathrooms. Lees meer
(Ad) Deborah Sugg Ryan is the author of Ideal Homes: Uncovering the History and Design of the Interwar House (Manchester University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ideal-Homes-Uncovering-Manchester-University/dp/1526150670/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Wolfmen and amazons: why did the Greeks and Romans demonise their neighbours?
14 maart 2025 · 35 min
Fearsome Amazons. Men who turned into wolves. Tribes who never grew old. Ancient Greek and Roman sources are packed with extraordinary descriptions of the peoples living beyond their borders. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Dr Owen Rees explores these classical superpowers' sense of cultural superiority and reveals what we can learn about the ancient world by exploring life on the frontiers of empires. Lees meer
(Ad) Owen Rees is the author of The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Edges-Known-World-History/dp/1526653788/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Reform and rebellion in the reign of Henry III
12 maart 2025 · 43 min
With accusations of favouritism, poor spending and unrealistic international plans, resentment against Henry III simmered among his barons throughout the 1250s. This frustration came to a head in a coup at the Oxford Parliament of 1258 – where some rebel barons saw the opportunity not just to get what they wanted from their king, but to completely transform medieval society. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Luke Foddy explores what this reform movement meant for the average person living in England during those turbulent years. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Emily Hobhouse: life of the week
11 maart 2025 · 40 min
Pacifist. Humanitarian. Whistleblower. From humble roots growing up in Cornwall, Emily Hobhouse went on to challenge the societal issues of her day and expose the horrors of British concentration camps during the Second Anglo-Boer War. Speaking to Emily Briffett, biographer Elsabé Brits uncovers the story of a woman who was branded a 'traitor' for defying the British establishment, but saved thousands of Boer women and children. Lees meer
(Ad) Elsabé Brits is the author of Rebel Englishwoman: The Remarkable Life of Emily Hobhouse (Little Brown, 2019). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frebel-englishwoman%2Felsabe-brits%2F9781472140920.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Cheese-rolling, horse skulls & morris dancers: Britain's strange folk customs
10 maart 2025 · 33 min
From green men and jolly horse skulls, to chasing cheese down hills and morris dancing, Britain has a rich tradition of folk customs. Some are strange, some downright silly. But, as Liz Williams tells Ellie Cawthorne, some of these traditions can also have a darker aspect, based on shame, judgement and social conformity. Lees meer
(Ad) Liz Williams is the author of Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frough-music%2Fliz-williams%2F9781836390602.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Roman medicine: everything you wanted to know
9 maart 2025 · 49 min
What were your chances of surviving illness in ancient Rome? How did the Roman army deal with ailments and injuries on the go? And in what way were the medical practitioners of this ancient civilisation similar to the snake-oil peddlers of the American Wild West? Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Patty Baker to get the answers to your questions about the treatments, cures and surgical practices of ancient Rome. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What's the state of women's history in 2025?
7 maart 2025 · 38 min
What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To mark International Women's Day, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to three expert historians – Sarah Richardson, Hannah Skoda and Hannah Cusworth – to get their thoughts on the biggest trends and challenges in the field of women's history at the moment. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval murder mystery: who killed King James III?
5 maart 2025 · 31 min
On 11 June 1488, King James III of Scotland was hunted down and slain as he fled the field of battle. And more than 500 years later, the identity of his killer remains shrouded in uncertainty. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian Gordon McKelvie explores this most enduring of royal murder mysteries. How, he asks, had James made so many enemies – and could the killer have been his own son? Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Virginia Woolf: life of the week
4 maart 2025 · 37 min
From To The Lighthouse to Mrs Dalloway, the writing of Virginia Woolf shook up literary norms and challenged societal ideas about what it meant to be a woman. In this 'life of the week' episode, Francesca Wade discusses the impact of Woolf's work, and the key moments of her life – from her late-night soirées with the Bloomsbury Group and love affair with Vita Sackville-West, to her long struggles with her mental health. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval murders most foul
3 maart 2025 · 44 min
How violent were towns and cities in the Middle Ages? And how did medieval citizens deal with cases of murder? Drawing on detailed coroner's reports, Professor Manuel Eisner has mapped out cases of murder across three English cities – London, Oxford and York. In this episode, he revisits some notable crimes with David Musgrove, offering up some fascinating insights into the mean streets of medieval cities. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Assyrians: everything you wanted to know
2 maart 2025 · 39 min
Why were Assyrian armies so powerful? Did the Assyrians produce the ancient world's greatest cultural treasure? And what should we make of claims that they forged the world's first empire? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Paul Collins, curator at the British Museum, answers listener questions on this ancient civilisation. Lees meer
(Ad) Paul Collins is the author of The Assyrians: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assyrians-Lost-Civilizations-Paul-Collins/dp/1789149231/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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King Leopold's elephant expedition: a story of colonialism in Congo
28 februari 2025 · 32 min
In 1879, King Leopold of Belgium commissioned an expedition to transport Asian elephants from India to the African interior, with a vision of using them as working animals to unlock the continent's resources. Ellie Cawthorne speaks to journalist Sophy Roberts, who has retraced the route of this mammoth and ill-conceived voyage for her book A Training School for Elephants. Lees meer
(Ad) Sophy Roberts is the author of A Training School for Elephants (Doubleday, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-School-Elephants-Sophy-Roberts/dp/0857528378/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Introducing History's Greatest Battles | New Podcast
27 februari 2025 · 1 min
Vicious civil wars. Gruelling sieges. Rebellious provinces, galling betrayals and tribes seeking revenge… Join us for the first series of History’s Greatest Battles, where we’re heading back to the Roman empire. Emily Briffett is joined by historian Dr Adrian Goldsworthy to look back at five of the most fascinating clashes of this ancient civilisation, taking in the action blow by blow and identifying the major moments and key commanders that shaped events. They’ll also be uncovering what the military engagements of this mighty superpower can reveal about the age of the emperors, and asking: how history might have turned out differently had things gone the other way? Lees meer
Series 1 is live now.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/historys-greatest-battles/id1794311126
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ph7KUocWnqPREhTZa44Mb
Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest BattlesYou can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d.
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What did the Romans wear?
26 februari 2025 · 43 min
What did a Roman wear under their tunic? What was the best occasion to wear socks with sandals? And what might land you in trouble with the ancient Roman fashion police? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Ursula Rothe heads back to the ancient world to uncover what the Romans wore, and why they were so obsessed with what everybody else did. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Frederick Barbarossa: life of the week
25 februari 2025 · 48 min
Frederick Barbarossa has gone down in history as one of medieval Europe's most formidable rulers. He waged ruthless wars in Italy, clashed with the papacy, and came to an ignominious end on crusade. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Graham Loud explores the life and many afterlives of the legendary red-bearded emperor. Lees meer
(Ad) Graham Loud is the author of Frederick Barbarossa (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffrederick-barbarossa%2Fg-a-loud%2F9781836390220.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sexuality on trial in colonial America
24 februari 2025 · 30 min
In 1774, as Britain’s colonies in America teetered on the brink of revolution, one regiment was torn apart by the trials of a British army chaplain – Robert Newburgh – who was accused of having sex with another man. In this episode, John Gilbert McCurdy examines evolving attitudes to sexuality and liberty in the colonies on the eve of revolutionary war, and explores how Newburgh's trials became a flashpoint for wider fears of moral and political disorder. Lees meer
(Ad) John Gilbert McCurdy is the author of Vicious and Immoral: Homosexuality, the American Revolution, and the Trials of Robert Newburgh (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicious-Immoral-Homosexuality-American-Revolution/dp/142144853X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Mining history: everything you wanted to know
23 februari 2025 · 35 min
Historically, how much would a British miner have earned for a hard day's work? Did women and children also work underground? And why were canaries taken down the pits? In conversation with Lauren Good, Professor Robert Colls explores the history of mining in Britain – and explains that, despite the work being 'brutal hard', there was also beauty to be found in mining communities. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Bruisers and bare knuckles: the brutal world of Victorian boxing
21 februari 2025 · 36 min
Men fighting pumas. Brutal prize-fights in sacred chapels. A pair of sisters who could pack a punch. In Victorian Britain, boxing offered up edge-of-your-seat entertainment to all levels of society. A new Disney Plus show A Thousand Blows transports viewers back to the ringside in Victorian London, and in this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to the show's historical consultant Sarah Elizabeth Cox to uncover some of the extraordinary real stories that inspired the drama. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Did Britain really rule the waves?
19 februari 2025 · 47 min
It's often proclaimed that British sea power was at its pinnacle in the years following the French and Napoleonic wars. But was this really a time when Britain 'ruled the waves'? And how did the rise of steam, development of international communication and establishment of naval air services reshape Britain's strength and strategy at sea? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Nicholas A M Rodger sketches out the history of the British navy, from the early 19th century up until 1945. Lees meer
(Ad) Nicholas A M Rodger is the author of The Price of Victory: A Naval History of Britain: 1815 – 1945 (Penguin Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-price-of-victory%2Fn-a-m-rodger%2F9780713994124.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Jane Austen: life of the week
18 februari 2025 · 39 min
Jane Austen remains one of the most influential novelists in English literature. Her sharp social commentary, wit, and exploration of love, class, and gender continue to captivate readers. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the author's birth, and a new BBC One drama, Miss Austen, is currently exploring her relationship with her sister Cassandra. Emily Briffett spoke to historian Lizzie Rogers to piece together Austen's life, from her cultured upbringing in a rural Hampshire village, to the turbulent Bath years and beyond. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The princess who fled Romanov Russia
17 februari 2025 · 32 min
Born in 1781, Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld grew up in a world convulsed by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. And her life proved to be as tempestuous as the age she inhabited. Wed to Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia when she was just 14, her deeply unhappy marriage pushed Julie to make an audacious bid for freedom, in defiance of the social expectations placed on women of her social status. Now, her little-known story has been brought to life in a new book by historian Helen Rappaport, who speaks to Danny Bird about the unconventional life of Queen Victoria’s trailblazing aunt. Lees meer
(Ad) Helen Rappaport is the author of The Rebel Romanov (Simon & Schuster, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-Romanov-Helen-Rappaport/dp/1398525960/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Opium Wars: everything you wanted to know
16 februari 2025 · 1 uur 1 min
Why did Britain go to war with China in the 19th century to protect the interests of drug dealers? Speaking with Elinor Evans, Stephen R Platt discusses the web of economics, addiction, and imperial ambition that led to two devastating 19th-century wars to protect Britain's lucrative opium trade in Qing China. From the desperate efforts of Chinese officials to eradicate opium, to Britain’s naval dominance, Stephen uncovers how these conflicts shaped China’s future and perceptions of western imperialism. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Rome's most scandalous emperors
14 februari 2025 · 30 min
How cruel was Caligula? How depraved was Tiberius? And how monstrous was Nero? The dark reputations of these emperors owe a great deal to the Roman writer Suetonius, whose 121 AD work Lives of the Caesars offered intimate portraits of 12 rulers of Rome – from Julius Caesar to Domitian. The popular historian and podcaster Tom Holland has just produced a new translation of the Lives and he speaks to Rob Attar about the profound influence of Suetonius' work – and whether it's an example of ancient fake news. Lees meer
(Ad) Tom Holland is the translator of The Lives of the Caesars (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=3090&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-lives-of-the-caesars%2Fsuetonius%2Ftom-holland%2F2928377309039&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The royal threesome that rocked Anglo-Saxon England
12 februari 2025 · 35 min
In the year 955, Eadwig became king of England – and, according to 10th-century sources, he celebrated in quite a salacious fashion. These stories claim that at his coronation feast, Eadwig left the hall to have a sex romp with his wife... and her mother. Speaking to David Musgrove, historian Katherine Weikert explains why this sensational story caught on, despite the fact that it probably never actually happened – and what it reveals about English kingship in the early Middle Ages. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Are we celebrating the wrong Magna Carta?
11 februari 2025 · 40 min
The history books tell us that Magna Carta was sealed on 15 June 1215. But, according to Professor David Carpenter, that's not actually the date we should commemorate. He explains to David Musgrove why we ought to remember a different issue of the charter – 800 years ago on 11 February 1225. It was in 1225 that John's son Henry III willingly agreed to a reissue of the charter and, argues David, this was the one with the lasting legacy. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The forgotten JFK assassination plot
10 februari 2025 · 41 min
In December 1960, as president-elect John F Kennedy made his way to church in Florida, a would-be assassin waited nearby, preparing to detonate a bomb that would end the Democrat's presidency before it began. Elinor Evans speaks to Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, authors of The JFK Conspiracy, to discuss this little-known assassination attempt, and what it tells us about tensions in the United States at the time of his election. Lees meer
(Ad) Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch are the authors of The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy - And Why It Failed (Flatiron Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JFK-Conspiracy-Secret-Kennedy-Failed/dp/1250790573/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Indian Rebellion of 1857: everything you wanted to know
9 februari 2025 · 43 min
What ignited resentment at British rule in India into outright violence? How brutal was British troops' suppression of the uprising? And how did the events of 1857 poison relations between the British administration and the people of the Indian subcontinent? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Saul David answers your questions on the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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From dinosaurs to Godzilla: a 15,000-year history of monsters
7 februari 2025 · 38 min
What makes a monster, and why do they fascinate us? Dr Natalie Lawrence unravels 15,000 years of human storytelling through the tales of creatures like dragons, Medusa, and even Godzilla. Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Natalie explores how monsters have embodied our fears, projected our desires, and bridged the natural and supernatural worlds. Lees meer
(Ad) Natalie Lawrence is the author of Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Creatures-Monsters-Their-Meanings/dp/1474619010/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How monasteries powered medieval Europe
5 februari 2025 · 40 min
Monasteries and convents were a common sight throughout medieval Europe and beyond. But who were they for? What did they do? And how did religious life there change over the centuries? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Professor Andrew Jotischky traces the history of monastic life from its early origins in the fourth century right up to the 16th century. He explores the pivotal role these religious houses played as society's 'prayer factories', and examines the experiences of the monks and nuns who lived in them. Lees meer
(Ad) Andrew Jotischky is the author of The Monastic World: A 1,200-Year History (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-monastic-world%2Fandrew-jotischky%2F9780300208566.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Greenland, forest fires and presidential power: history behind the headlines
4 februari 2025 · 40 min
Historians Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look at the shifting dynamics of presidential power and discuss the history behind President Trump's stated desire to acquire Greenland, in 2025's first instalment of our monthly podcast series looking at the historical currents running beneath current affairs. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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George Villiers: from royal favourite to enemy number one
3 februari 2025 · 44 min
George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham, had charm and political ambition by the bucketload – and his rise as a favourite of King James I and VI in the late 16th century was meteoric. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Lucy Hughes-Hallett discusses the brief but action-packed life of Villiers, whose dazzling beauty and political influence brought him from obscurity to the highest ranks of power in the courts of two kings – before seeing him fall foul of public anger. Lees meer
(Ad) Lucy Hughes-Hallett is the author of The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham (HarperCollins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-scapegoat%2Flucy-hughes-hallett%2F9780008126551.
Benjamin Woolley introduces listeners George Villiers and his mother Mary, the mother-and-son duo who changed the face of the royal court in the early 17th century: https://link.chtbl.com/C-FlqINi.
Joe Ellis explores the life and dual reign of King James VI of Scotland and I of England: https://link.chtbl.com/bVjgtoXy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Extinct animals: everything you wanted to know
2 februari 2025 · 35 min
From the depths of the Ice Age to the 20th century, why – and how – have species gone extinct? And are humans always to blame? In conversation with James Osborne, Dr Ross Barnett unpacks how the causes of extinction have shifted through time, and how looking back at the history of these lost species might help us tackle extinction in the future. Lees meer
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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