

HistoryExtra podcast
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The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
HistoryExtra 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/
The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
HistoryExtra 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/
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 23, 2022 • 34min
Our Winston Churchill obsession
Winston Churchill looms large in the modern imagination. Everyone from Fidel Castro to George W Bush have cited him as an exemplar in times of crisis. Historian Geoffrey Wheatcroft talks to Spencer Mizen about the world’s fixation with the wartime leader, arguing that this obsession is neither healthy, nor necessarily merited. (Ad) Geoffrey Wheatcroft is the author of Churchill’s Shadow: An Astonishing Life and a Dangerous Legacy (Vintage, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones:https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-viewingguide&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fchurchills-shadow%2Fgeoffrey-wheatcroft%2F9781847925732 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 22, 2022 • 46min
Naked statues, naughty gods & bad wine
Classicist and author Garrett Ryan talks to Kev Lochun about some of the biggest and most commonly asked questions surrounding ancient Greece and Rome. Why are all the statues naked? Who was the biggest drinker in the classical world? And why didn’t anyone go looking for the Greek gods on Olympus – or did they? (Ad) Garrett Ryan is the author of Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants (Prometheus, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Naked-Statues-Fat-Gladiators-Elephants/dp/1633887022/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 21, 2022 • 45min
The BBC at 100: the corporation at war
In the third episode of our monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy tells Matt Elton how the BBC became an important part of the national fabric during the Second World War – and how the conflict changed the organisation forever. (Ad) David Hendy is the author of The BBC: A People’s History (Profile Books, 2022). 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%2Fthe-bbc%2Fdavid-hendy%2F%2F9781781255254%3Fawaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQiAip-PBhDVARIsAPP2xc2PCYX_d_582jtZj6du6A-9dNO8d8xXvVkPhP_Jmh1FuEm7Mui3xSYaAvwiEALw_wcB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 snips
Mar 20, 2022 • 1h 7min
The Napoleonic Wars: everything you wanted to know
Dr Mike Rapport tackles popular search queries and listener questions about the 19th-century conflicts that tore Europe apart and triggered seismic political changes around the globe. He speaks to Jon Bauckham about the causes of the wars, the pivotal battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo, and the life of Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 18, 2022 • 38min
Prohibition: busting myths about the ban on booze
Mark Lawrence Schrad speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book Smashing the Liquor Machine, which busts commonly held myths about prohibition, revealing how campaigns to ban alcohol weren’t just led by puritanical evangelicals in the US, but were also backed by progressive campaigners across the globe. (Ad) Mark Lawrence Schrad is the author of Smashing the Liquor Machine: A Global History (Oxford University Press, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smashing-Liquor-Machine-History-Prohibition/dp/0190841575/ref=asc_df_0190841575/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=535049525184&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12530786669099962417&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006715&hvtargid=pla-995956505473&psc=1&th=1&psc=1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 17, 2022 • 38min
Stitching together the history of fabric
The history of fabric is interwoven with the story of humanity, from the sackcloth shirts that tore open the skin of pious medieval saints to cotton’s connections to colonisation and the Industrial Revolution. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Victoria Finlay to unravel these complex stories. (Ad) Victoria Finlay is the author of Fabric: The Hidden History of the Material World (Profile Books, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fabric-Hidden-History-Material-World/dp/178125706X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 16, 2022 • 32min
Carrot conspiracies & digging for victory: feeding Britain in WW2
Professor John Martin speaks to Emily Briffett about Britain’s battle against starvation during the Second World War. From the invention of familiar myths about bread crusts and carrots, to the Dig for Victory and Ploughing Up campaigns, he examines the food shortages the government faced and the agricultural mission to ensure Britons had enough to put on the table. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 15, 2022 • 37min
Children of the Norman Conquest
Dr Eleanor Parker, author of Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England, talks to David Musgrove about the young people whose lives were upended by the momentous change of circumstances brought about by the Norman Conquest of 1066. She reveals how exploring their stories can offer a fresh approach to studying the Normans. (Ad) Eleanor Parker is the author of Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England (Bloomsbury, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Conquered-Parker-Eleanor/dp/1788314506/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 14, 2022 • 51min
Britain’s WW2 island internment camp
During the Second World War, the British government imprisoned thousands of German and Austrian-born residents – many of them refugees from Nazi oppression – in makeshift internment camps on the Isle of Man. Acclaimed journalist Simon Parkin speaks to Jon Bauckham about the history of Hutchinson camp, which became home to a vibrant intellectual and artistic community. (Ad) Simon Parkin is the author of The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A True Story of an Artist, a Spy and a Wartime Scandal (Sceptre, 2022). 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%2Fthe-island-of-extraordinary-captives%2Fsimon-parkin%2F9781529347227 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 13, 2022 • 60min
Gladiators: everything you wanted to know
Who became a gladiator? Were they really the superstars of their day? And was giving a thumbs down for a death sentence a real thing? In this Everything you wanted to know episode, Emily Briffett speaks with Alison Futrell to answers your top questions about ancient Rome’s arena fighters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


