Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe Paris Commune: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2346
In the spring of 1871, the citizens of Europe’s second largest city rose up and proclaimed the Paris Commune. For eight extraordinary weeks, the French capital defied the national government that had…
Published on 4 months, 1 week ago
VJ Day: why don't we talk about WW2 in Asia?
Episode 2345
On the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, broadcaster Kavita Puri – presenter of a new BBC Radio 4 series on the Second World War in Asia – tells Matt Elton why stories of the Allied conflict with Japan rem…
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Zoot suits, mashers & New Romantics: the evolution of the dandy
Episode 2344
From zoot suiters and mods, to mashers and Congolese sapeurs, since the early 19th century, fashionable male subcultures have popped up across the globe. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Peter Andersson …
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Mary of Modena: life of the week
Episode 2343
Cultural historian and author Breeze Barrington brings to life the fascinating – and often misunderstood – story of Maria, or Mary, of Modena. Born into Italian nobility and raised with quiet ambitio…
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Arson, murder and goddesses: secrets of a Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World
Episode 2342
What would it have been like to have witness one of the most spectacular sights of the ancient world first-hand? Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Bettany Hughes explores the extraordinary Temple of Artemi…
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Frontier life: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2341
What was life like on the frontier in 19th-century America? Forget Hollywood’s high-noon shootouts and lawless swaggering cowboys – historian Karen Jones paints a far more complex picture of the Amer…
Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago
Forgotten stories from South Asian history
Episode 2340
South Asian history is currently in the spotlight, with 2025's South Asian Heritage Month focusing particularly on themes of movement and migration. But what's the value of such dedicated history mon…
Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Was the atomic bomb necessary to end war with Japan?
Episode 2339
The decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 remains one of the most controversial moments in modern history. Did the atomic bombs for…
Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago
JMW Turner: life of the week
Episode 2338
In 2015, the Bank of England asked the British public to nominate a deceased cultural figure they felt deserved the honour of appearing on a banknote. The figure they chose was JMW Turner. So what ma…
Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Hiroshima: in the shadow of the bomb
Episode 2337
At 8.15am on 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. It was an event that changed the course of history, but it was also one driven by individuals. Here, in conversation with Spencer M…
Published on 4 months, 3 weeks ago