HistoryExtra podcast

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/

History
51
Attenborough: a life on screen
42 min
52
A worker's eye-view of ancient Rome
34 min
53
Niccolò Machiavelli: life of the week
46 min
54
How to pull off a Georgian dinner party
30 min
55
The Black Death: a global contagion
30 min
56
George Orwell's final chapter
36 min
57
Was Elizabeth II's reign a golden age?
34 min
58
Johannes Vermeer: life of the week
38 min
59
When did Roman Britain really end?
28 min
60
How the Vikings reshaped Anglo-Saxon England
31 min
61
Preview: The surprising history of pizza
11 min
62
A short history of running
31 min
63
Mary Beard on why the classics still matter
37 min
64
Elizabeth II: life of the week
45 min
65
Retracing Eleanor of Castile's final journey
35 min
66
How Alfred the Great saved the Anglo-Saxons fro...
29 min
67
How to find a billion-dollar shipwreck
32 min
68
A fantastical history of fairies
25 min
69
Aud the Deep-Minded: life of the week
40 min
70
How Tudor London inspired literary genius
37 min
71
The rise of Alfred the Great
40 min
72
Stalin's murderous vendetta against Trotsky
34 min
73
A new take on the battle of Hastings
29 min
74
Mrs Beeton: life of the week
33 min
75
The battle of the Arctic: the overlooked crucib...
33 min