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Episode 2349
Christianity came to dominate Europe in the Middle Ages. However, some parts of Europe remained pagan until very recently. So how did non-Christian peoples survive, and prosper, in parts of Europe fo…
Published on 3 weeks, 6 days ago
VJ Day and the story of women's football: history behind the headlines
Episode 2348
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, historians Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss how VJ Day is remembered 80 years on – and explo…
Published on 4 weeks ago
The tangled legacies of two Americas
Episode 2347
For centuries, North and Latin America have been locked in a relationship of rivalry and reciprocity. From revolutionary dreams to imperial ambitions, their fates have never been separate. Speaking t…
Published on 4 weeks, 1 day ago
The 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 weeks, 2 days 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 1 month 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 1 month 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 1 month 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 1 month 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 1 month 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 1 month, 1 week ago