HistoryExtra podcast
Immediate
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/
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
Sep 12, 2020 • 1h 3min
Scythians: Warrior Nomads of the Steppe
In a talk from our 2019 History Weekend in Winchester, Barry Cunliffe shares his knowledge of the skilled horsemen who rampaged across the steppe in the first millennium BC Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 11, 2020 • 34min
A Cold War killing?
Journalist and author Ravi Somaiya discusses his new book, Operation Morthor, which investigates the mysterious 1961 death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in a plane crash during the Congo Crisis. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 9, 2020 • 50min
Simon Schama on the Romantics
Ahead of his new BBC Two series The Romantics and Us, the renowned art historian and broadcaster Simon Schama explores the legacy of the 18th and 19th-century artistic movement on the modern world. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 7, 2020 • 43min
Isabel Wilkerson on caste in America
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Isabel Wilkerson discusses her new book, Caste: The Lies That Divide Us, which argues that the divisions in American society are best understood if it is viewed as a caste system, and draws on comparisons with India and Nazi Germany. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 6, 2020 • 59min
Everything you ever wanted to know about the legends of King Arthur, but were afraid to ask
In the latest of our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, experts Ron Hutton and Ad Putter respond to listener queries and popular search enquiries about King Arthur and the legendary tales surrounding him and his court. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 5, 2020 • 58min
The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge and the Raj
In a talk she delivered at our 2019 BBC History Magazine History Weekend in Winchester, author and BBC broadcaster Anita Anand tells the dramatic story of one man’s decades-long quest for revenge following the 1919 Amritsar massacre. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 4, 2020 • 48min
Britain goes to war, part 2
Historian Alan Allport discusses his new book, Britain at Bay, which explores the years 1938–41 as the country transitioned from an uneasy peace to the most perilous moments of World War Two. The second part of this interview examines the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the broadening of the conflict to include the Soviet Union and the British empire. The first part was released yesterday. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 3, 2020 • 49min
Britain goes to war, part 1
Historian Alan Allport discusses his new book, Britain at Bay, which explores the years 1938–41 as the country transitioned from an uneasy peace to the most perilous moments of World War Two. The second part of this interview examines the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the broadening of the conflict to include the Soviet Union and the British empire. The first part was released yesterday. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 2, 2020 • 45min
Ernest Bevin: working-class warrior
Author and former cabinet minister Andrew Adonis discusses his new biography of Ernest Bevin, exploring how the Labour politician played a crucial role in both World War Two and the early years of the Cold War. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 31, 2020 • 44min
The uncommon lives of common sailors
Author and journalist Stephen Taylor describes the experiences of ordinary British seamen who took to the waves during the age of sail in the 18th and 19th centuries. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
