Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchHow WW2 transformed Asia
Episode 2607
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…
4 weeks, 2 days ago
Preview: Was Jack the Ripper Queen Victoria's grandson?
Episode 2606
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?…
1 month ago
How opium became a powerful global commodity
Episode 2605
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 ta…
1 month ago
A wild history of partying
Episode 2604
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 ha…
1 month ago
Yuri Gagarin: life of the week
Episode 2603
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, histori…
1 month ago
How Christianity conquered the Roman empire
Episode 2602
The Roman empire was home to a multitude of religious cults in the first century AD. However, only one – Christianity – rose to global domination. Bu…
1 month ago
The Odyssey’s forgotten epilogue
Episode 2601
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 a…
1 month, 1 week ago
Why did witches confess?
Episode 2600
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…
1 month, 1 week ago
Inside the Maya storyworld
Episode 2599
The Maya have a rich and varied storyworld shaped by diverse traditions and communities. In this episode, Mallory E Matsumoto tells Emily Briffett ab…
1 month, 1 week ago
Zheng Yi Sao: life of the week
Episode 2598
Few pirates in history wielded as much power as Zheng Yi Sao, the woman who rose from obscurity to command one of the largest pirate fleets the world…
1 month, 1 week ago