History Extra podcast

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/

History
276
WW2's greatest battles | 4. El Alamein
James Holland explores the story and significance of the second battle of El Alamein, a key engagement in the North African campaign
32 min
277
Shardlake: bringing the Tudor murder mystery to...
Historical consultant Peter Wagstaff takes us into the world of Shardlake, a new Tudor murder-mystery drama set during the dissolution of the monasteries
23 min
278
Kublai Khan: life of the week
Nicholas Morton explores the life of a mighty Mongol emperor who left an indelible mark on 13th-century China
33 min
279
Inside a Jim Crow asylum
Antonia Hylton explores the story of Crownsville Hospital, one of the last segregated asylums in the USA
38 min
280
The Spartans: Everything You Wanted to Know
Paul Cartledge answers listener questions on the the ancient Greek city-state famed for its martial prowess
49 min
281
Death by nostalgia: the curious history of a da...
Agnes Arnold-Forster discusses the surprising history of nostalgia - from its diagnosis as a deadly disease, to its weaponisation for political agendas
26 min
282
WW2's greatest battles | 3. Battle of the Atlantic
James Holland explores the story and significance of the battle of the Atlantic, and considers how it shaped the course of the Second World War
30 min
283
Smash hits: 17th-century style
Professor Christopher Marsh and Dr Angela McShane share some of the most popular tunes of the early modern period – from romantic songs to ballads about crime
34 min
284
Benjamin Franklin: life of the week
Historian George Goodwin discusses the life and legacy of the polymath and founding father of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin
41 min
285
OJ Simpson: the trial that gripped the world
Following OJ Simpson’s death in April, Joe Street explores the 1995 murder trial that grabbed the attention of audiences around the world – and what the crime and its aftermath tell us about recent US history
22 min
286
Greg Jenner and Campbell Price delve into the c...
Greg Jenner and Campbell Price delve into the curious and fascinating world of ancient Egyptian mummification
52 min
287
The Magus: enlightened magician or Renaissance ...
Anthony Grafton explains the many roles and responsibilities of the practicing Renaissance magicians known as 'Magi'
36 min
288
WW2's greatest battles | 2. Stalingrad
James Holland explores the story and significance of the battle of Stalingrad, and considers how it shaped the course of the Second World War
32 min
289
Aztec myths
Camilla Townsend delves into the stories, myths and legends of the Aztec people
44 min
290
David Lloyd George: life of the week
Professor Richard Toye delves into the life and career of Britain's last Liberal prime minister
37 min
291
Graffiti's golden age: radicalism & romance in ...
Madeleine Pelling explores the stories behind historical graffiti, from chalk markings to glyphs scratched onto windows, to reveal what they can tell us about life in 18th-century Britain
40 min
292
Highwaymen: everything you wanted to know
Bob Shoemaker answers listener questions on the criminal capers of highwaymen
23 min
293
An African perspective on the history of Africa
Zeinab Badawi examines the history of Africa from the perspective of its own diverse inhabitants and cultures
33 min
294
WW2's greatest battles | 1. Battle of Britain
James Holland explores the story and significance of the battle of Britain, and considers how it shaped the course of the Second World War
41 min
295
WW2's greatest battles | Trailer
In our new series WW2's Greatest Battles, we chart five pivotal moments that shaped the course of the conflict, with historian James Holland. New episodes every Thursday on the HistoryExtra Podcast
0 min
296
How Kissinger transformed the Cold War
Rana Mitter considers the life and legacy of one of the US' most influential – and contentious – diplomats, Henry Kissinger
35 min
297
Lord Byron: life of the week
Corin Throsby delves into the life, writing and love affairs of the Romantic poet Lord Byron, one of the 19th century's most scandalous celebrity figures
33 min
298
Horrible Histories: 15 years of death, poo and ...
As Horrible Histories marks 15 years on our TV screens, Matt Elton speaks to some of the cast and crew about making the hit show
28 min
299
Medieval medicine: everything you wanted to know
Elma Brenner answers listener questions on the strange world of medieval medicine
48 min
300
Death & hubris in west Africa: how two British ...
Dane Kennedy discusses two ill-fated British expeditions that aimed to explore the interior of West Africa in the early 19th century, but ended in catastrophe
38 min