Podcast Episodes

Christopher Columbus: life of the week

Episode 1908

In the list of famous explorers, the name of Christopher Columbus stands out. Seen for many years as the man who supposedly 'discovered' the Americas, his heroic legacy is now being challenged and cr…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Slavic Myths: vampires werewolves – and cabbages

Episode 1907

The Slavic diaspora is one of the biggest in the world – so why aren't their myths better known? Speaking to Kev Lochun, Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak introduce the Slavic gods, explaining how th…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

The Roman army: everything you wanted to know

Episode 1906

What did the average Roman soldier eat and drink while on campaign? Were the legions seen as a oppressive force in the regions they conquered? And why was one Roman centurion nicknamed 'bring me anot…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Chanel: glamour and controversy on the Riviera

As AppleTV+ new drama The New Look hits our screens, we revisit this classic episode surrounding one of the series' central characters – fashion icon Coco Chanel. Speaking to Elinor Evans in 2020, wr…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Victorian death rituals

Episode 1905

Death was an everyday part of life in 19th-century Britain – and the Victorians were fascinated by it, developing a wealth of customs and rules about how people should bury their dead and how they sh…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Conspiracy | 5. Legends of the Knights Templar

Episode 1904

In the early 14th century, the Knights Templar were suppressed and the 200-year history of this military religious order came to an abrupt end. Or did it? What if some of the Templars escaped persecu…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Happily ever after? Love and marriage in Austen's era

Episode 1903

From unwanted proposals and lingering looks across ballrooms to a wet-shirted Mr Darcy emerging from a lake, the romantic stories of Jane Austen – and their countless adaptations – have captured the …

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

History Behind the Headlines: the Post Office, US elections and Alexander the Great

Episode 1902

The latest instalment of our monthly series sees Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the long history behind the Post Office Scandal, the historical precedents behind recent developments in US polit…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Drag: a British history

Episode 1901

Drag is an art form that's seen a great deal of success – and a little controversy – in recent years. Yet, as Jacob Bloomfield argues in his recent book, Drag: A British History, it's also entertaine…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

Medieval Ireland: everything you wanted to know

Episode 1900

How did medieval Ireland come to have 150 kings at the same time? Who were the gallowglass? What is Brehon law, and why is it so influential in our understanding of the country in the Middle Ages? Sp…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago