Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe Fifth Crusade: triumph, disaster and the battle for Egypt
Episode 2597
In 1217, crusaders launched an ambitious campaign to conquer Egypt, believing it held the key to reclaiming Jerusalem and securing the Holy Land. His…
1 month, 1 week ago
Is the Odyssey myth or memory?
Episode 2596
The Odyssey is a tale of impossible monsters, angsty gods and the unquiet dead – but does that mean it holds no truth? In this third episode of Histo…
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Renaissance Italy's firearm revolution
Episode 2595
Long before the modern debates over gun control, Renaissance Italy was grappling with many of the same questions. As firearms became smaller and easi…
1 month, 2 weeks ago
How blood banks saved Britain in WW2
Episode 2594
How did the sign of the Red Vampire help British surgeons during the Second World War? Roderick Bailey, author of 'The Life Savers', explains to Davi…
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Pericles: life of the week
Episode 2593
Ancient Athenian statesman Pericles was a remarkable figure, renowned for promoting democracy, championing the arts, and shaping the fate of the Athe…
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Did Churchill save the monarchy?
Episode 2592
Winston Churchill was a passionate defender of Britain’s monarchy – but that didn’t mean he always saw eye to eye with the royals themselves. Jon Bau…
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Gods and monsters: the hidden stories of the Odyssey
Episode 2591
Twenty years away from home: 10 of them spent fighting a war, and 10 more spent battling monsters, gods and his own worst instincts. In the second ep…
1 month, 3 weeks ago
Preview: Was Elizabeth I one of history’s greatest leaders?
From her defeat of the Spanish Armada to her iconic portraiture and status as the ‘Virgin Queen’, Elizabeth I is one of the past’s most famous figure…
1 month, 3 weeks ago
The Bayeux Tapestry's secret code of tyranny and injustice
Episode 2590
The Bayeux Tapestry is coming home to England for an exhibition at the British Museum. In discussion with Dave Musgrove, Gale Owen-Crocker explains h…
1 month, 3 weeks ago
How to survive a day in the 14th century
Episode 2589
What threats might you have faced on a daily basis in England in the 1300s? In this episode, Ian Mortimer guides Charlotte Vosper through a day in th…
1 month, 3 weeks ago