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
676
Wild urban spaces: a history
Ben Wilson examines the long relationship between cities and nature, and the ways in which past generations of urban planners have attempted to bring wildlife closer to home
29 min
677
Boudica’s rebellion: a blood-soaked blow to the...
Duncan Mackay delves into Rome’s brutal conquest of Britain and the ferocious rebellion against it, led by an infamous warrior queen
50 min
678
What did the Tudors wear?
Jane Malcolm-Davies unpicks the historical sources to uncover what people wore in the 16th century
36 min
679
WW2 the big questions: the build up
Historian and broadcaster Laurence Rees explains some of the short and long term causes of the Second World War
25 min
680
British castles: everything you wanted to know
Marc Morris answers listener questions on the history of British castles – from the motte and bailey structures of William the Conqueror to the great stone fortresses of Edward I
32 min
681
The mindset behind the Holocaust
Martin Davidson explores the psychological factors that motivated perpetrators of the Holocaust and the devastating power of Hitler’s antisemitic worldview
35 min
682
Grisly killings & mysterious motives: murder in...
Blessin Adams delves into several sensational murder cases from early modern Britain, exploring what they can reveal about society at the time
28 min
683
The man who almost discovered the double helix
Kersten Hall charts the life and successes of scientist William Astbury – the man who almost discovered DNA’s structure
42 min
684
Marriage, Middlemarch & male pseudonyms: George...
Clare Carlisle explores how the author George Eliot’s unconventional approach to marriage shaped her life and work
31 min
685
George VI’s Nazi dilemma
Alexander Larman reveals how figures within the royal orbit were either linked with, or sympathetic to, Nazi Germany in the Second World War era
32 min
686
The Seven Years’ War: everything you wanted to ...
Jeremy Black responds to listener questions on the 18th-century conflict that convulsed the globe and helped turn Britain into a world superpower
37 min
687
Six Wives Trailer
1 min
688
Patriarchy’s long roots
June Purvis and Angela Saini discuss the roots of male domination and how it has shaped societies throughout history
29 min
689
Disciplining the “scum of the Earth”
Zack White details the crimes and punishments in the Duke of Wellington’s army during the Napoleonic wars
45 min
690
Women & the crusades: patronage, propaganda & p...
Helen Nicholson traces women’s involvement in the crusades, from noble patrons and pious pilgrims to those willing to risk their lives on the battlefield
38 min
691
Science & religion: a story of war or harmony?
Nicholas Spencer chronicles the complex relationship between science and Christianity – and explores moments when tensions between the two have bubbled over
35 min
692
The North: from Bede to Lowry
Brian Groom shares some notable moments in the history of northern England, from the “Harrying of the North” to the Industrial Revolution
26 min
693
Paganism: everything you wanted to know
Ronald Hutton answers listener questions on the long history of paganism
38 min
694
Eat for victory: WW2’s “British Restaurants”
Bryce Evans takes listeners back to the aspirational canteens of Second World War Britain, which became bastions of good food, good prices and good company
25 min
695
Madame Restell: the abortionist who shocked and...
Jennifer Wright discusses the dramatic life of Madame Restell, a New York businesswoman who made millions – and horrified many – by selling abortions and birth control in the 19th century
32 min
696
Medieval manuscripts: an enduring obsession
Christopher de Hamel introduces an extraordinary cast of historical characters, all of whom shared a burning passion for manuscripts
33 min
697
Njinga: queen, warrior, diplomat
Luke Pepera tells Kev Lochun about the dramatic life and reign of Queen Njinga, the formidable 17th-century ruler of Ndongo and Matamba, in modern-day Angola
33 min
698
Sirens, succubi & sex symbols: a history of fem...
Sarah Clegg explores how and why historical myths have portrayed women as monstrous beings – from seductive, child-killing monsters to mermaids, sirens and vampires
35 min
699
Britain’s WW2 home front: everything you wanted...
Dan Todman answers your top questions surrounding Britain’s Second World War home front, from evacuees and black market deals to sheltering from bombs in the London underground
36 min
700
Treasure, heritage & returning artefacts
Government minister Lord Parkinson discusses proposed changes to which historical artefacts might be considered “treasure” – and other issues facing heritage in the UK
24 min