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
51
Soviet dissidents who challenged the Kremlin
Benjamin Nathans discusses how dissidents within the Soviet Union mounted a sustained campaign of 'civil obedience' after Stalin's death, compelling the Kremlin to live up to its own laws
47 min
52
El Cid: life of the week
Professor Nora Berend traces the life and times of El Cid, the medieval warlord who fought for both the Christian and Muslim rulers of the Iberian Peninsula
27 min
53
Burying the enemy: commemorating the world wars...
Tim Grady explores the story of the British and German war dead buried on enemy soil – and those who cared for them – during the two world wars
36 min
54
The Mughal empire: everything you wanted to know
Nandini Chatterjee steps inside the Mughal world to uncover a rich cultural history
46 min
55
The Amazons: wonder-women of the ancient world
David Braund explains why the Amazons of ancient legend were much more than just women who could fight
39 min
56
How did the Vikings shape Russia and Ukraine?
Vikings didn't just sail west: they also went east, playing a crucial role in the emergence of what would become eastern Europe – Martyn Whittock explores this overlooked story
41 min
57
William the Conqueror: life of the week
David Bates explores the life of the formidable medieval warrior and ruler, who inspired both fear and respect
45 min
58
Why the Maginot Line couldn't save France in WW2
Kevin Passmore tells the story of the fortifications that have become synonymous with France's fall to the Nazis in 1940
36 min
59
Crime fiction history: everything you wanted to...
From Hercule Poirot to Sherlock Holmes, Martin Edwards answers key questions on the history of the crime fiction genre
40 min
60
How Christianity came to dominate the Roman world
Alice Roberts explains how Christianity took over all aspects of Roman life – and helped perpetuate the empire
40 min
61
The spy next door: Moscow's century-long plot t...
Shaun Walker casts light on Moscow's shocking 'illegals' programme - a daring feat of espionage that saw Russian spies going deep undercover
42 min
62
Edward the Confessor: life of the week
Tom Licence leads us through the legacy of the medieval monarch whose death led to England's Norman takeover – but whose life also left a significant mark on history
45 min
63
Britain and the Caribbean: from slavery to Blac...
Imaobong Umoren argues that we need to take a longer view of British involvement in the Caribbean 
26 min
64
Nationalism: everything you wanted to know
41 min
65
Preview: The forgers who faked a fortune
6 min
66
From dodos to 'lost' tribes: a history of extin...
Sadiah Qureshi explains why the history of extinction is a much murkier story that it initially seems
31 min
67
Europe's last pagans
Francis Young shares the surprisingly long story of the non-Christian parts of Europe 
37 min
68
VJ Day and the story of women's football: histo...
Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss the historical context behind recent news stories
41 min
69
The tangled legacies of two Americas
Greg Grandin unpacks the tangled legacies of North and Latin America – and the name they share
34 min
70
The Paris Commune: everything you wanted to know
David A Shafer discusses the extraordinary eight weeks in 1871 when Paris embarked on a radical – and ultimately doomed – experiment in municipal self-governance
52 min
71
VJ Day: why don't we talk about WW2 in Asia?
Eighty years on from the end of the Second World War, Kavita Puri considers why stories from the war against Japan remain overlooked and under-told
35 min
72
Zoot suits, mashers & New Romantics: the evolut...
Peter Andersson delves into various dandy subcultures that saw men dressing immaculately, from the early 19th century to the 1980s
25 min
73
Mary of Modena: life of the week
Breeze Barrington explores the extraordinary story of Mary of Modena – the Italian-born queen consort to James VII and II – and considers how her controversial childbirth in 1688 paved the way for the Glorious Revolution
42 min
74
Arson, murder and goddesses: secrets of a Seven...
Bettany Hughes uncovers the secrets of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
30 min
75
Frontier life: everything you wanted to know
Karen Jones unpacks the myths and realities of 19th-century American frontier life – from the Oregon trail to barbed wire and bison
49 min