History Extra podcast
History Podcasts
The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts. Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history. Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War. Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK. Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past. Unlock full access to HistoryExtra.com for 6 months for just 99p https://www.historyextra.com/join/
Location:
United States
Description:
The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts. Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history. Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War. Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK. Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past. Unlock full access to HistoryExtra.com for 6 months for just 99p https://www.historyextra.com/join/
Language:
English
Episodes
Death by nostalgia: the curious history of a dangerous emotion
5/2/2024
At the end of the 17th century, a Swiss physician diagnosed a deadly new disease - nostalgia. Agnes Arnold-Forster explores the surprising cultural history of the emotion, from the longing "Ostalgie" felt for a lost East Germany to the Victorian love of all things medieval. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she also outlines how nostalgia has been weaponised by both sides of the political spectrum, and considers whether it could be a force for good. (AD) Agnes Arnold-Forster is the author of Nostalgia: A History of a Dangerous Emotion (Picador). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nostalgia-History-Dangerous-Agnes-Arnold-Forster/dp/1529091365#:~:text=In%20Nostalgia%3A%20A%20History%20of,an%20illness%20that%20could%2C%20quite. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:30:26
WW2's greatest battles | 3. Battle of the Atlantic
5/1/2024
As the Second World War raged on, Atlantic sea-routes became a crucial lifeline for Britain as merchant ships kept them supplied with critical equipment and food. But this made them an irresistible target for German attack. Speaking to Rachel Dinning for our WW2's Greatest Battles series, military historian James Holland explains why he believes the battle of the Atlantic was the most important engagement of the whole conflict, and reveals what life was really like inside a German U-boat. James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets when you become a subscriber to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:34:34
Smash hits: 17th-century style
4/30/2024
The music of the past can tell us a great deal about the time in which it was created - from societal trends to political affiliations. As part of the '100 Ballads' project, Professor Christopher Marsh and Dr Angela McShane have identified 100 of the biggest musical hits from 17th-century England. They speak to Charlotte Hodgman about the popularity of these broadside ballads and introduce some of the top singing stars of the day. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:38:07
Benjamin Franklin: life of the week
4/29/2024
One of the founding fathers of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin is a towering figure in 18th-century history. Although he is widely remembered for his role in the American War of Independence, his influence stretches far beyond that. Elinor Evans spoke to historian and author George Goodwin about the life and legacy of the polymath, from his groundbreaking scientific experiments to his vital contributions to America's independence struggle. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:44:53
OJ Simpson: the trial that gripped the world
4/28/2024
When former American football player and actor OJ Simpson was arrested in 1994 for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, he was one of the most famous men in America. The ensuing court case gripped audiences around the world, but raised troubling questions about domestic violence and racism in the United States. Following Simpson's death, Matt Elton spoke to historian Dr Joe Street about the case, and how we should look back on it today. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:26:43
Greg Jenner and Campbell Price delve into the curious and fascinating world of ancient Egyptian mummification
4/27/2024
What was the 'black goo' that coated ancient Egyptian mummies? Could ancient Egyptians take a sick day to bury their loved ones? And were ancient cat mummies really used to fertilise the fields of Victorian Britain? In this special episode, public historian and broadcaster Greg Jenner speaks to curator and Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price about the strange and fascinating world of mummification. (Ad) Greg Jenner and Campbell Price are the co-authors of Totally Chaotic History: Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly! (Walker Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Totally-Chaotic-History-Ancient-Unruly/dp/140639565X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YY57OM41RU5Z&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vie1ts0_UP5-C7VDqN8U5VO3VRqNIhbn-mO1YBpIPKyeipzx1VgHCJUkYZAyUKErak8i1B110hJd091NXNf2F3CLlgTO4s5oUgiIJftoHg5f6z5CnJASzPzt-pYbBkVz.owNDa7h6sDgm11Xgxs6uCfghHkyjHHl57h3_8am8CE4&dib_tag=se&keywords=totally+chaotic+history+ancient+egypt+gets+unruly&qid=1712829623&s=books&sprefix=totally+%2Cstripbooks%2C74&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:56:13
The Magus: enlightened magician or Renaissance charlatan?
4/25/2024
An unlikely mix of scientist, scholar, engineer and magician, the 'Magus' sat at the heart of the transformative Renaissance period. These mysterious figures ushered in the dawn of modern chemistry and physics, while also performing feats of magic, utilising secret codes, potions and a good deal of astrology. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Anthony Grafton discusses the careers of these men who were seen as genius scholars by some, and charlatans by others. (Ad) Anthony Grafton is the author of Magus: The Art of Magic from Faustus to Agrippa (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magus-Art-Magic-Faustus-Agrippa/dp/0674659732/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:39:54
WW2's greatest battles | 2. Stalingrad
4/24/2024
In 1942, the forces of Nazi Germany and its allies came head-to-head with those of the Soviet Union at a city on the Volga. The battle of Stalingrad was to become one of the war's grimmest, as infantry troops slogged it out in bombed-out cellars and freezing conditions. In the second episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland tells Ellie Cawthorne more about this pivotal clash on the Eastern Front. James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets when you become a subscriber to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:35:48
Aztec myths
4/23/2024
Were the Aztecs really obsessed with death and sacrifice? Did they have a pantheon of deities similar to the ancient Greeks or Romans? And how did a magical gem change the fortune of the Aztec people? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Camilla Townsend delves into their myths, legends and folklore to reveal a society bursting with life and colour. (AD) Camilla Townsend is the author of The Aztec Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Stories and Legends (Thames and Hudson). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aztec-Myths-Ancient-Stories-Legends/dp/0500025533/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:47:53
David Lloyd George: life of the week
4/22/2024
David Lloyd George regularly features in lists of Britain’s greatest prime ministers. Born in Manchester and raised in rural Wales, the Liberal luminary helped lay the foundations of the modern welfare state and went on to lead the nation during the final two years of the First World War. But there is far more to Lloyd George’s life and career, as Professor Richard Toye tells Jon Bauckham in this episode of our 'Life of the Week' series. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:41:50
Graffiti's golden age: radicalism & romance in the 18th century
4/21/2024
From etchings scratched into the earliest monuments, to the spray can designs that appear on structures today, the urge to leave our mark is universal. But in 18th-century Britain, the nature of graffiti changed; both exploding in popularity and becoming much more radical in nature. Speaking to Elinor Evans about her new book, Writing on the Wall, Madeleine Pelling explores this shift. She investigates the stories behind scraps of graffiti, from chalk markings made by soldiers and sex workers, to glyphs scratched onto windows by famed poets, and reveals what they can tell us about life in 18th-century Britain. (AD) Madeleine Pelling is the author of Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of 18th-century Britain (Profile). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwriting-on-the-wall%2Fmadeleine-pelling%2F%2F9781800811997. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:44:27
Highwaymen: everything you wanted to know
4/20/2024
Were highwaymen really as dashing and gentlemanly as the stories would have us believe? How did these bandits pick the best locations to rob from the rich? And how much of the legend surrounding Dick Turpin is actually true? Speaking to Lauren Good, Bob Shoemaker answers listener questions on highwaymen – and reveals the truth behind their glamorous reputations. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:27:43
An African perspective on the history of Africa
4/18/2024
Africa's story has long been presented in western narratives as one that only 'began' with the arrival of non-Africans – yet modern science has revealed that the African continent was, in fact, the cradle of humanity itself. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Danny Bird about her new book that puts Africans firmly in charge of the telling of their continent's rich history – one that spans millennia of great civilisations, long-overlooked deeds of great men and women, and the African instinct to thrive in adversity. (Ad) Zeinab Badawi is the author of An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence (WH Allen, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-History-Africa-Humanity-Independence/dp/0753560127/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.URp_LAKHkzuEJR64At4TXjVGAbKt5Qodjj-n3C0sjpiwi7X6VuFyx4DXO3-3AygZ.eiBWV_si59ZvHOJy8XNzCx0ordvmcgBBG5e3_rMxkck&dib_tag=se&qid=1711628678&refinements=p_27%3AZeinab+Badawi&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:37:42
WW2's greatest battles | 1. Battle of Britain
4/17/2024
In the summer of 1940, the skies over Britain filled with the sounds as of engines and gunfire, as the battle of Britain saw the RAF and Luftwaffe go head-to-head in a fight for air dominance. For the British pilots, the objective could not have been more critical – protect their nation from the threat of Nazi invasion. But were the British pilots really the plucky underdogs in this fight? And could Germany have launched an invasion if they had won the air battle over Britain? In the first episode of this five-part series on the greatest battles of WW2, Rachel Dinning explores those questions and more with military historian James Holland. James Holland is a military historian and the author of several books on the Second World War including The Battle of Britain: Five Months that Changed History. He's the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June this year. Find out more about the festival's extensive programme of history talks and events at chalkefestival.com. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:45:09
WW2's greatest battles | Trailer
4/17/2024
Did Allied victory in the Second World War really hinge on the battle of the Atlantic? What made Stalingrad such a pivotal victory for the Soviet Union? And how did forces adapt to desert warfare at El Alamein? In our new five-part series, WW2's Greatest Battles, we're charting five of the pivotal moments that shaped the course of the conflict, with author and military historian, James Holland. New episodes will drop every Thursday, on the HistoryExtra podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:00:40
How Kissinger transformed the Cold War
4/16/2024
Henry Kissinger, who died in November 2023 at the age of 100, was one of the most significant, and controversial, figures of the 20th century. Matt Elton spoke to historian Rana Mitter about the American diplomat’s life and legacy. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:39:13
Lord Byron: life of the week
4/15/2024
Famously branded "mad, bad and dangerous to know", Lord Byron captured the imagination – and attention – of early 19th-century Britain with his soul-bearing poetry, decadent lifestyle and torrid love affairs. In this Life of the Week episode, Corin Throsby speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the Romantic poet became the era's most scandalous celebrity. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:37:32
Horrible Histories: 15 years of death, poo and talking rats
4/14/2024
Since it first hit TV screens back in 2009, Horrible Histories has brought Terry Deary and Martin Brown’s hugely successful series of books to an entire generation of children. As it marks its 15th anniversary, Matt Elton speaks to three members of the team behind the show that mixes comedy songs, gruesome deaths and a talking rat. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:32:01
Medieval medicine: everything you wanted to know
4/13/2024
What would a medieval first aid kit have contained? What were the era's strangest cures? And is it true that it was better to steer clear of the doctor altogether in the Middle Ages? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Elma Brenner answers listener questions about medieval medical theory and practice – from how gruesome surgery really was, to whether leeches were actually that useful. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:52:30
Death & hubris in west Africa: how two British expeditions met with disaster
4/11/2024
In the early 19th century, two different British expeditions headed into the interior of West Africa – and both ended in disaster. But what was driving the expeditions, and why were they so ill-prepared? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Dane Kennedy, author of Mungo Park's Ghost shares the tale of the ill-fated missions, and explores the wider story of British exploration of the continent. (Ad) Dane Kennedy is the author of Mungo Park's Ghost: The Haunted Hubris of British Explorers in Nineteenth-Century Africa (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mungo-Parks-Ghost-Explorers-Nineteenth-Century/dp/1009392980/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duración:00:42:41