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
901
15 minutes of fame: St Wilfrid, quarrelsome chu...
Marc Morris chronicles the impressive life of the controversial medieval saint St Wilfrid
20 min
902
Gold rushes: everything you wanted to know
Stephen Tuffnell answers listener questions on the gold rushes that captivated the imaginations of hoards of prospectors in the 19th century
50 min
903
Reconstructing black lives in the Antebellum South
Dr Kimberly Welch reveals what legal records can tell us about the lives of black people in the Antebellum South
26 min
904
The end of Roman Britain | 8. ends and beginnings
In the final episode of the series, David Musgrove wraps up what we’ve learnt from our experts about how Britain moved out of the orbit of the Roman empire in the 5th century. He also considers how some modern parallels might help us get a handle on what life was like for those living at the time, and looks forward to some exciting possibilities for future research.<br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
29 min
905
Hannibal: Rome’s greatest nightmare
Philip Freeman discusses the life of the brilliant Carthaginian general who almost brought Rome to its knees
30 min
906
Stalin’s library: inside the mind of a dictator
Geoffrey Roberts explores the life and career of Josef Stalin through his vast book collection
38 min
907
15 minutes of fame: Queen Tiye, overshadowed an...
Joyce Tyldesley explores how ancient Egyptian Queen Tiye’s story has been neglected, despite her fundamental role within her dynasty
13 min
908
The partition of India: everything you wanted t...
Dr Anwesha Roy answers listener questions on the 1947 partition of India, which divided British-ruled India into two independent countries
30 min
909
The BBC at 100: scandals break
David Hendy discusses some of the scandals that have surrounded the BBC across the past two decades – both new and historical
48 min
910
The end of Roman Britain | 7. bones, diet and m...
In this episode, we talk to Dr Sam Leggett, an expert in archaeological bone analysis, about the latest fascinating research with stable isotopes, to find out what the bones of burials from the 5th century can tell us about how much people were moving around and what they were eating in post-roman Britain <br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
40 min
911
The first Vietnam War
Christopher Goscha explores the conflict between the French empire and Ho Chi Minh’s Vietnamese army that followed WW2
40 min
912
Powerful pages: the beguiling history of books
Emma Smith delves into the fascinating history of books, revealing how their pages can be dangerous as well as magical
30 min
913
15 minutes of fame: Marie Tharp, ground-breakin...
Jerry Brotton considers the life and legacy of geologist and cartographer Marie Tharp, uncovering her major role in mapping the ocean’s floor
18 min
914
The Inca empire: everything you wanted to know
Bill Sillar answers listener questions about the mighty South American empire
54 min
915
The vanishing inventor
In September 1890, inventor Louis Le Prince boarded a train to Paris, and disappeared without a trace. Paul Fischer shares his story
39 min
916
The end of Roman Britain | 6. cultures lost and...
In episode six of our podcast series on the end of Roman Britain, Professor Robin Fleming speaks to David Musgrove about how far the archaeological evidence and the documentary sources agree – or disagree – about what happened as Britain moved away from the influence of the Roman empire. <br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
39 min
917
Britain’s century of political nightmares
Phil Tinline reveals why he believes that fear has defined British politics for the past 100 years
36 min
918
Royal rivals? Medieval England and France’s tem...
Catherine Hanley traces the great conflicts, and occasional friendships, between the rulers of medieval England and France
38 min
919
15 minutes of fame: Tsiang Ting-fu, Chinese his...
Rana Mitter explains how historian and diplomat Tsiang Tingfu was an important link between China and the west in the 20th century
20 min
920
The Peasants’ Revolt: everything you wanted to ...
Helen Carr responds to listener questions on the major uprising that rocked medieval England in 1381
43 min
921
Elizabeth I’s greatest rival?
Estelle Paranque untangles the complex relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two 16th-century queens who wielded huge power - and frequently locked horns over religion, marriage and more
38 min
922
The end of Roman Britain | 5. an identity crisis?
In the fifth episode of our podcast series on the end of Roman Britain, David Musgrove talks to Dr James Gerrard about how society changed as Britain slipped out of Roman control in the fifth century. They also discuss what the latest research can tell us about how people might have reimagined their identities in the face of a changing world.<br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
48 min
923
David Stirling: SAS hero or fraud?
Special forces historian Gavin Mortimer casts a critical eye over David Stirling, who is renowned as the founder of the SAS in World War Two
38 min
924
The Norman kings of Africa
Levi Roach explains how the Normans conquered and held regions of Africa during the 12th century
32 min
925
15 minutes of fame: Hildegard of Bingen, mediev...
Janina Ramirez explains why medieval polymath Hildegard of Bingen deserves recognition today
19 min