Dan Snow's History Hit
1,842 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 3.5K ratingsHistory! The most exciting and important things that have ever happened on the planet. Powerful kings, warrior queens, nomads, empires and expeditions. Historian Dan Snow and his expert guests bring all these stories to life and more in a daily dose of history. Join Dan as he digs into the past to make sense of the headlines and get up close to the biggest discoveries being made around the world today, as they happen.
If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at [email protected], we'd love to hear from you!
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Episodes
The Amelia Earhart Mystery Solved?
March 31, 2024 23:30 - 29 minutes - 40.3 MBWhat happened to the pioneering pilot, Amelia Earhart? In 1937, while attempting to circumnavigate the globe by aircraft, Earhart and her navigator went missing. Some 87 years later, new evidence has emerged - a grainy image of what looks like a plane, thousands of feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. To talk about Earhart and this discovery, Dan is joined by the aptly named Amelia Rose Earhart, a pilot and former reporter. Could this be Amelia Earhart's missing aircraft and the end...
2. The British Empire: The Raj and Indian Independence
March 28, 2024 00:30 - 58 minutes - 80.7 MBThis is the story of the British Empire in India. Over two episodes, we'll chart India's history from the birth of the Mughal Empire until the Partition of India. Joining us is Shrabani Basu, a journalist, historian and author of books including Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant. In this second episode, Dan and Shrabani discuss how East India Company officials abused their rule to amass vast personal fortunes. We hear about the transition to colonial rule und...
1. The British Empire: Mughals & the East India Company
March 27, 2024 00:30 - 40 minutes - 56.4 MBThis is the story of the British Empire in India. Over two episodes, we'll chart India's history from the birth of the Mughal Empire until the Partition of India. Joining us is Shrabani Basu, a journalist, historian and author of books including Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant. In this first episode, Dan and Shrabani look at the origins of the British Empire in India. We hear about the reigns of the mighty Mughal Emperors and the appearance of a nascent tra...
D.B. Cooper & the 70s Hijacking Craze
March 26, 2024 00:30 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MBOn 23 June 1972, a man boarded American Airlines Flight 119 in St Louis. He sat most of the way to Tulsa before donning a wig and a pair of gloves in the restroom, taking out a gun and handing a member of the cabin crew a note. 'Don't panic. This is a ransom hijacking.' To find out more about this man, what he hoped to gain from his crimes, and how he and others were inspired by D.B. Cooper, Don speaks to John Wigger. John is a Professor of History at the University of Missouri and the aut...
The English Navigator Who Became a Samurai
March 25, 2024 00:30 - 55 minutes - 76.8 MBIn the year 1600, a bedraggled English sailor and his sick and dying crewmates anchored off the coast of Kyushu, Japan. His name was William Adams, and over the next two decades, he would rise through the ranks of Japanese society to become the first Western samurai. As a close advisor to the revered shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, Adams was a first-hand witness to a defining period in Japanese history. To hear about Adams' remarkable life, Dan is joined by Frederik Cryns, author of In the Service ...
Atlantis
March 21, 2024 00:30 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MBThe fictional island of Atlantis has intrigued and eluded us for millennia. First mentioned in the works of Plato, it's a story that captures our collective imagination - and yet it's almost certainly false. Dan is joined by Stephen Kershaw, author of "A Brief History of Atlantis: Plato's Ideal State". We're going to see if there are any grains of truth to the tale of this elusive island, and the people who supposedly lived there. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann. Edited b...
Persia: Rise of the Sasanians
March 20, 2024 00:30 - 51 minutes - 71 MBThe Sasanians are renowned as one of Rome's most feared enemies. Founded in third-century Persia by an Iranian noble called Ardashir, their dynasty oversaw the growth of a mighty empire that brought down the Parthians and survived into the early Middle Ages. But how did one family oversee the rebirth of Persia as a Mesopotamian heavyweight? In this episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Eve MacDonald to explore how the Sassanids came to dominate a region that had been under...
The History of the RNLI
March 19, 2024 00:30 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBIn the tempestuous waters of the 18th century, a revolutionary idea emerged from the depths of despair and necessity: the lifeboat. Born from the genius of Lionel Lukin in 1785, the invention redefined maritime rescue. Amidst the roaring seas, innovations flourished and a new institution was set up. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) which has been saving lives for 200 years, is funded entirely by donations. Hayley Whiting, Heritage Archive and Research Manager for the RNLI join...
Warfare in Ancient Greece
March 18, 2024 00:30 - 49 minutes - 67.8 MBHow did warfare work in Ancient Greece? The weapons and armour of the Greek hoplite are legendary, as are the warrior cultures of city-states like Sparta. But how would a Greek battle have played out on the ground? Dan is joined by Roel Konijnendijk, Darby Fellow in Ancient History at the University of Oxford and an expert in warfare in the Greek world. Roel explains how a Greek army operated, and takes us through some of the most decisive pitched battles of the period. Produced by James H...
Boudica: Queen of the Iceni
March 13, 2024 00:30 - 42 minutes - 57.9 MBShe's the warrior queen who took on the mighty Roman Empire, but who really was Boudica? Separating facts from the myths we've read can be tricky, but thankfully Kate is joined by the wonderful Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women, to find out the truth and explore our most reliable sources. What happened when Boudica launched a surprise attack on the Roman headquarters in England? What is her legacy? And why has her story come in and out of favour through the ...
Infiltrating the IRA: Murder & Espionage in Northern Ireland
March 12, 2024 00:30 - 47 minutes - 65.9 MBWith Operation Kenova back in the headlines, we look to the story of Frank Hegarty, an IRA member turned British informant whose assassination led to the largest murder investigation in British history. Dan is joined by Henry Hemming, the bestselling author of Four Shots in the Night. Henry unravels this tale of espionage, murder, and justice, and explains how it fits into the longest-running conflict in recent British history - The Troubles. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal...
Oppenheimer vs Einstein
March 11, 2024 00:30 - 44 minutes - 61.1 MBToday we're talking about two 20th century titans, the physicists J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein. Their scientific achievements changed the world, and yet they were sceptical of one another. In the 1930s, Oppenheimer had described Einstein as 'completely cuckoo' - later in his life, Einstein would say that he admired Oppenheimer as a man, but not as a physicist. So why did Einstein feel so uneasy about Oppenheimer's discoveries? And who left the most profound legacy? Dan is joine...
The Financial Crashes that Changed the World
March 11, 2024 00:30 - 39 minutes - 55 MBOver the last turbulent century, the global economy has suffered the shockwaves of recessions and depressions, bubbles and unchecked investor euphoria. And with the UK's spring budget announced this week, we ask the question - have we learnt from the economic mistakes of the past? In this episode, Dan is joined by Linda Yueh, Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University and author of "The Great Crashes". We look back at some of the most significant stock market meltdowns since t...
4. Machu Picchu: The Fall of the Inca Empire
March 07, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 40.5 MBPart 4/4. The Spanish conquistadors arrived in Peru in 1526 in a bloody pursuit of gold and riches; it was the beginning of the end for the Inca. The Inca were unable to comprehend the Spanish weapons of war, foresee their underhanded tactics or resist the deadly diseases they brought with them. In the final episode, Dan and his expert guests trace the fall of the Inca and tell the story of the clash between these two mighty empires- so different from one another. Produced by Mariana Des F...
3. Machu Picchu: Inca Gods and Human Sacrifices
March 06, 2024 00:30 - 44 minutes - 60.7 MBPart 3/4. Juanita the Ice Maiden is one of the most famous mummies in the world. She was found in 1991 by anthropologist Johan Reinhard lying out in the sun on top of a dormant volcano in the Peruvian Andes. Found almost perfectly preserved, she was bludgeoned to death as a human sacrifice. Dan is joined by Johan who tells the story of her discovery as well as a host of expert guests who give insight into Inca spiritual practices and death rituals….from speaking to oracles and keeping mummi...
2. Machu Picchu: The Rise of the Inca Empire
March 05, 2024 00:30 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBPart 2/4. At their most powerful, the Inca had the largest empire in the world. Lasting just one century from the mid-15th century, it stretched across the South American continent from the Amazon to the Pacific. The Inca developed ingenious ways to grow food in some of the world's most extreme climates, they managed to convert disparate tribes to their way of life without violence (mostly) and yet they didn't have money, wheels, or even a written language. How did they do it? Join Dan as h...
1. Machu Picchu: The 'Lost City'
March 04, 2024 00:30 - 42 minutes - 59 MBPart 1/4. Dan takes the podcast to the Peruvian Andes as he follows in the footsteps of intrepid American explorer Hiram Bingham who revealed Machu Picchu to the world. At the turn of the 20th century, Bingham heard rumours of a fabled lost city in the clouds that revealed the power and brilliance of the Inca and their vast empire that once spanned a continent from the Amazon rainforest to the Pacific coast. With the help of expert guests, Dan tells the story of Hiram Bingham's discovery an...
History of Gulags
February 29, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 40.3 MBOn the 16th of February, 2024, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service announced that opposition leader Alexei Navalny had died. He had been imprisoned in the far-flung "Polar Wolf" penal colony, built in the city of Kharp on the ruins of a Stalin-era labour camp. Dan is joined by Alexander Watson, Professor of History at Goldsmiths, University of London. He lays out the history of exile and the treatment of political prisoners in the Soviet Union and details the vast Gulag system to which...
New Series! Machu Picchu Coming 4th March
February 28, 2024 16:03 - 1 minute - 16.8 MBFollowing in the footsteps of explorer Hiram Bingham, Dan embarks on an incredible adventure through the cloud forest of the Andes to reveal the mysteries of Machu Picchu and the mighty Inca civilization. In this series he takes listeners to Peru's city in the clouds, chronicling the way this extraordinary citadel was unveiled to the world at the turn of the 20th century. He traverses Peru to explore the meteoric rise of the Inca Empire, how it conquered peoples and lands from the Pacific t...
How to Survive in Tudor England
February 28, 2024 00:30 - 36 minutes - 50.2 MBLife in Tudor England was risky. In addition to the outbreaks of plague, the threat of poverty and the dangers of childbirth, there were social risks - of not fitting in, of social death. How was a person supposed to behave? And what were the dangers involved? In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out about the art of surviving by 'blending in', with teacher and writer Toni Mount, author of How to Survive in Tudor England. This episode was produced by ...
Atatürk: Fall of the Ottoman Empire
February 27, 2024 00:30 - 33 minutes - 46.8 MBOn the 19th of May, 1919, an Ottoman general stepped ashore at the Black Sea port city of Samsun. This marked the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence, and ultimately the end of the Ottoman Empire. The man's name was Mustafa Kemal, the soldier, statesman and reformer who would create the Republic of Turkey out of the rubble, and become its first president. Dan is joined by Marc David Baer, Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He...
Abraham Lincoln
February 26, 2024 00:30 - 41 minutes - 57.1 MBAbraham Lincoln began his life in a log cabin in Kentucky, the son of poor pioneers. He would end it as President of the United States, having steered the Union through the turbulent years of civil war. Dan is joined by Adam Smith, Professor of US Politics & Political History at the University of Oxford and host of the podcast The Last Best Hope. Adam takes us through Lincoln's life, one of the most remarkable statesmen of the last 200 years. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal...
Britain's Secret Expedition to Antarctica
February 21, 2024 00:30 - 36 minutes - 49.9 MBIn 1943, just as the Second World War was raging across the globe, the British government launched a top-secret mission to the Antarctic. Code-named Operation Tabarin, its goal was to gather scientific data in some of the harshest conditions on the planet and reaffirm British sovereignty in the region. Dan is joined by Camilla Nichol, CEO of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, and Klaus Dodds, Professor of Geopolitics at Royal Holloway. Camilla and Klaus explain how this secret wartime operati...
Harold Godwinson: The Last Anglo-Saxon King
February 20, 2024 00:30 - 34 minutes - 47.3 MBDr Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis uncover the stories of the protagonists and events that led up to the Battle of Hastings. There’s Harold Godwinson, the Anglo-Saxon Lord who became the king of a people only recently brought together; Harald Hardrada, a legendary Viking warrior seeking to rebuild the North Sea Empire to which he believes himself heir; and William the Conqueror, descended from pagan Vikings, now the Christian Duke of Normandy. The lives of millions of people for centuries to c...
Greek Myths: The Furies
February 20, 2024 00:30 - 20 minutes - 28.3 MBThe gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece have been written about for thousands of years. From their home atop Mount Olympus, they reigned over the land, sea and sky. The course of human history was shaped by the whims and wishes of these deities, and the Furies were no exception. On today's episode, Dan is joined by classicist and author Natalie Haynes, who tells us all about the goddesses of vengeance. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. Enjoy unlimited access to...
The Last Gay Men Executed in Britain
February 18, 2024 00:30 - 25 minutes - 34.6 MBWhy was Georgian Britain's penal code so bloodthirsty when it came to homosexuality? Was Britain unusually cruel in this regard? And does this animosity persist to the present day? For LGBT+ History Month, we hear the story of James Pratt and John Smith, the last two men executed for homosexuality in Britain. Dan is joined by politician and historian Christ Bryant MP, who takes us back to 1830s Britain and puts us at the centre of this controversial trial. Produced by James Hickmann and ed...
Life and Death in Greco-Roman Egypt
February 14, 2024 00:30 - 34 minutes - 46.9 MBIn its final centuries, Ancient Egypt was conquered by the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans, beginning with the invasion of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. But these new arrivals didn't squash the Egyptian way of life - the invaders blended their customs, practices and style with the native Egyptians. This is most notable in the extraordinary Fayum Mummy portraits - Egyptian sarcophagi with realistic Roman portraits painted on the front. To find out more about life and death in Greco-Roma...
Rameses The Great
February 14, 2024 00:30 - 22 minutes - 31 MBWas Rameses really that great or just an excellent self-promoter? Well, as Dan learns in this episode, a little bit of both. He reigned for 66 years and marked a golden era of prosperity, architectural triumphs, and military might. He also made sure to put his face on almost everything he built, and the things others had built before him. Even in death, he was revered above other Pharaohs who'd come before him. Dan is joined by Dr Campbell Price from the Manchester Museum, curator of Egypt a...
The Great Pyramid of Giza
February 13, 2024 00:30 - 28 minutes - 38.8 MBBuilt by Pharaoh Khufu some 4,500 years ago, the Great Pyramid was the first ancient wonder to be built and is the only one still standing. Towering above the Giza Plateau, this stone behemoth was to be Khufu's tomb, the place from which he would travel to the afterlife. For this episode, Dan is joined by broadcaster and historian Bettany Hughes, author of 'The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World'. She explains how the Great Pyramid was built, what this awesome structure would have looked li...
The Origins of Ancient Egypt
February 12, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 41 MBAll this week Dan is delving into the history, mystery and legacy of Ancient Egypt. Discover how this mighty empire grew from nomadic settlers to the Nile and how its magnificent wonders were built. Dan explores the life of the most powerful Pharaoh Rameses II, of the ideological muse and Queen Nefertiti as well as Egypt's conquest at the hands of the Persians, Greeks and Romans. Today we’re starting at the very beginning. How and where exactly does Ancient Egypt begin? To answer this quest...
Who are the Houthis?
February 08, 2024 00:30 - 48 minutes - 66.7 MBAs Houthi missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea continue, we turn to the past to answer the all-important questions - who are the Houthis, and what do they want? Dan is joined by Baraa Shiban, a Yemeni human rights activist and Associate Fellow with the Royal United Services Institute in London. Following the Houthis' coup in September 2014, he participated in rounds of negotiations with the rebels. Still, he was forced to go into exile due to his criticism of their human rights abuses...
The City of Alexandria
February 06, 2024 00:30 - 31 minutes - 43 MBThis is the story of a city that laid the foundations for our modern world. Sitting at the intersection of East and West, Alexandria has been home to many of humanity's greatest architectural and cultural achievements, like the famous Lighthouse and the storied Great Library. Some of history's most illustrious figures have left their mark there, from Alexander the Great and Aristotle to Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. Dan is joined by Islam Issa, Professor of English at Birmingham City Univers...
The Real King Arthur
February 06, 2024 00:30 - 1 hour - 109 MBIf King Arthur never existed, why does he loom so large in England's history? Dan traces the real-life figures who could have been the legendary King Arthur- the medieval king who pulled the sword from the stone and led the English against the Anglo-Saxons who arrived in England in the 5th century with peace on their tongues and conquest in their hearts. He explores the origins of the Arthur myth in medieval literature, the state of disarray in Britain after the Romans left and the real-life...
WWII: The Allied Invasion of Italy
February 04, 2024 00:30 - 31 minutes - 44 MBBy the summer of 1943, there were Allied boots on Axis soil. Sicily had been taken, and fascism's grip on Italy was beginning to loosen. But Allied command was faced with a tough decision - what to do next? Dan is joined by historian, author and broadcaster, James Holland, to explain why they decided to invade Italy proper and tell us how the invasion played out. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free pod...
Prohibition
February 01, 2024 00:30 - 42 minutes - 58 MBOn 17 January 1920, the 18th Amendment came into effect in the United States. It made the manufacture, sale and transportation of 'intoxicating liquor' illegal. Sarah Churchwell is BACK to explore the realities of the roaring twenties with Don. Why was alcohol banned? How did prohibition become federal law? And why would the US government have poisoned its citizens? Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Anisha Deva. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Discover the past with e...
The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
January 31, 2024 00:30 - 31 minutes - 44 MBPeople have always looked to the wonders of the ancient world for awe and inspiration. In the Ancient era, people embarked on dangerous pilgrimages to visit storied sites like the Pyramids of Giza, or the Statue of Zeus at Olympia. While only one of them remains, they still excite us thousands of years later. Bettany Hughes, author of 'The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World', joins Dan to talk about what they were like when they were first built, and what remains of them today. Produced by...
First Polynesians
January 30, 2024 00:30 - 38 minutes - 53 MBIn small wooden canoes and with just the stars for navigation, how did the first Polynesians conquer the largest ocean on earth? For centuries this has perplexed scholars and anthropologists. The Polynesian Triangle is drawn by connecting the points of Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island and encompasses countries like Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti with each island connected to the others by common traditions of sea-faring, celestial navigation and mythology, all passed down the generations thro...
Masters of the Air: WWII's Bloody 100th Bombers
January 28, 2024 00:30 - 39 minutes - 55.1 MBScreenwriter John Orloff joins Dan to talk about the new WWII mini-series 'Masters of the Air'. It tells the true story of the 'Bloody Hundredth', an American bomb group stationed in England that fought in the skies over Nazi-occupied Europe. A decade in the making, John explains how the show works to faithfully recreate the story of these airmen and the trials that they faced. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries ...
The Vandals
January 25, 2024 00:30 - 49 minutes - 68.8 MBKnown for bringing about the fall of the Western Roman Empire - the Vandals have a reputation for violence, destruction, and conquering. Moving from Eastern Europe across Gaul, and eventually taking Carthage, their actions have been immortalised in Christian texts and Western Language. But what do we actually know about the Vandals, and how did their behaviour bring one of the most powerful empires of all time to an eventual collapse? In this episode, Tristan welcomes Professor Andy Merrill...
One Life: The 'British Schindler' Nicky Winton & The Kindertransport
January 24, 2024 00:30 - 43 minutes - 59.8 MBNicholas Winton masterminded an effort that saved the lives of 669 Jewish Children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War Two. There's a new movie out called 'One Life' telling the incredible story of Nicholas - 'Nicky' - a man people called the 'British Schindler' and stars Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Flynn. In 1938 Nicky was planning to go on a skiing Vacation in Switzerland but cancelled his trip to set up a rescue operation for children at risk of persecution. ...
The Taj Mahal
January 23, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MBThe Taj Mahal is one of the most iconic and romanticised buildings on earth. Commissioned by a Mughal ruler to mark the passing of his beloved wife, it is thought that this monumental marble mausoleum was built by some 20,000 stone carvers, masons and artists. Perhaps 1,000 elephants were used in its construction, and materials were brought from as far away as Sri Lanka, Tibet and China. Joining Dan today is Mehreen Chida-Razvi, an art historian at the University of SOAS who specialises in ...
The Life and Death of Vladimir Lenin
January 22, 2024 00:30 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBVladimir Lenin died just over 100 years ago, on the 21st of February, 1924. The Russian revolutionary leader fought in no battles, spent much of his time in libraries and was in his 40s before he held high public office. Yet he managed to take over one of the world's largest empires and set the wheels of Communism in motion, a turning point that continues to shape our world today. Dan is joined by Victor Sebestyen, a journalist and historian of Eastern Europe and author of Lenin: The Dictat...
What if Hitler Had Invaded Britain?
January 17, 2024 00:30 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MBHow prepared was Britain for a Nazi invasion? The common perception is of a country woefully unprepared for war; hastily assembled defences manned by characters from 'Dad's Army', and a government unfit for the task at hand. But in reality, a top-secret training programme was underway to turn civilian volunteers into ruthless resistance fighters, saboteurs and assassins. Dan is joined by historian Andrew Chatterton, author of 'Britain's Secret Defences', to discuss how Hitler's invasion of ...
The Battle of Little Bighorn
January 17, 2024 00:30 - 34 minutes - 47.7 MBAlso known as Custer's Last Stand or the Battle of the Greasy Grass, the Battle of Little Bighorn was a pivotal moment in the story of the American West. In 1876 General George Custer's US army faced a devastating defeat at the hands of the native Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes. The native warriors fought defiantly to protect their ancestral lands after the US government reneged on a treaty promising them the Black Hills in South Dakota when gold was discovered there. Historian and author...
Lawrence of Arabia
January 16, 2024 00:30 - 59 minutes - 81.9 MBThe famed British officer who fought alongside Arab guerrilla forces in WW1. Best known for his legendary exploits as an intelligence officer in the Middle East, Thomas Edward Lawrence was also an archaeologist, scholar and photographer. His life was one of adventure and espionage, where fact went hand in hand with myth. In this explainer episode, Dan tells us the real story of who Lawrence was, and what he did. Written by Dan Snow and edited by Dougal Patmore. Discover the past with excl...
Mike Sadler: The Last SAS Soldier
January 15, 2024 00:30 - 46 minutes - 64.4 MBIn this episode, we remember Mike Sadler the last of the original SAS men who recently died at the age of 103. Major Sadler was the navigator for the regiment’s founder David Stirling, guiding raiding columns for hundreds of miles behind enemy lines in North Africa. Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 mont...
Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate
January 11, 2024 00:30 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MBThe Warring States period brought Japan to its knees. It was a time of turbulence and treachery, with rival warlords fighting bitterly for control of the land. But by the dawn of the 17th century, one of Japan's 'Great Unifiers' had emerged victorious - Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first ruler of the Tokugawa Shogunate. On this episode Dan is joined by Christopher Harding, a cultural historian of India and Japan and author of The Light of Asia. Chris explains how this military government worked to ...
The Plague of Athens
January 10, 2024 00:30 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBIn 430 BC, in the midst of the Peloponnesian War, the powerful city-state of Athens was struck down by a disastrous plague. Athenians fell sick with a dizzying array of symptoms, from fevers and vomiting to painful pustules that broke out all over people's bodies. In total it killed roughly a third of the city's population and caused a total breakdown in Athenian society. Dan is joined by Alastair Blanchard, Deputy Head of the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University...
The WW2 Witch Trial of Hellish Nell
January 04, 2024 10:25 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBWhat made a working class woman from Edinburgh become such a threat to British intelligence services during the Second World War, that they tried her as a witch? In today's episode, we're telling you the story of Helen Duncan, aka Hellish Brown, a medium who lays claim to being the last woman in England to be tried as a witch, culminating in her trial in 1944 under the 1735 Witchcraft Act. Joining us is Jess Marlton, manager of Bodmin Jail where all sorts of paranormal events take place. ...
3. Thomas Cochrane: From Disgrace to Freedom Fighter
January 03, 2024 00:32 - 51 minutes - 70.3 MB3/3. After a meteoric rise to fame, Cochrane finds himself in front of a court and stripped of his titles for fraud on the London Stock Exchange. Known for his ingenuity and schemes, Cochrane breaks out of prison before embarking on the adventure of a lifetime in South America. He's put in charge of the Chilean and then Brazilian navies, helping these mighty countries break free from Spain and establish their independence. But Cochrane wasn't just doing it out of a sense of justice, he charg...