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
76
Murder in WW2 London
Amy Helen Bell reveals how the chaos and disruption of the Second World War enabled violent criminals to stalk the streets of Britain's capital
29 min
77
British TV history: everything you wanted to know
David Hendy answers listener questions on the history of television in Britain – from 1950s 'horror plays' to why early presenters were given electric shocks
52 min
78
The big questions of the Holocaust
Laurence Rees charts the course of the Holocaust – from its origins to its devastating conclusion
40 min
79
Happiness: history of an emotion
Katie Barclay explores how people have thought about happiness down the centuries – and how they have sought to attain it
24 min
80
The 1453 fall of Constantinople: capturing the ...
Jonathan Harris charts the extraordinary battle that saw the Byzantine capital fall to the Ottoman Turks
42 min
81
Inside the mind of the Third Reich
Laurence Rees discusses the dark psychology behind the Nazi regime and the chilling lessons it holds for posterity
32 min
82
Sacagawea: life of the week
Stephenie Ambrose Tubbs traces the life and legacy of the Native American interpreter famed for her involvement with the Lewis and Clark Expedition
33 min
83
Women's bodies: an unreliable history
Professor Helen King explores the ever-changing cultural history of women's bodies
31 min
84
Ancient Mesopotamia: everything you wanted to know
Moudhy Al-Rashid answers listener questions on ancient Mesopotamia, which encompassed multiple remarkable civilisations and saw numerous revolutionary innovations
42 min
85
Who moulded Winston Churchill?
46 min
86
Elizabethan London: a multicultural melting pot
John Gallagher delves into the multicultural and multilingual world of early modern London
37 min
87
Strange stories of medieval saints
Luke Daly explores what the lives of medieval saints can tell us about the thoughts and fears of the Middle Ages
33 min
88
What is the greatest historical movie of all time?
Roger Luckhurst and Alex Von Tunzelmann reflect on the results of HistoryExtra's recent poll to identify the greatest historical film of all time
33 min
89
Nell Gwyn: life of the week
Sophie Shorland charts the spectacular rise of one of the Restoration era's most colourful characters
30 min
90
How pigs caused a stink in medieval England
Dolly Jørgensen explores medieval England's love-hate relationship with the urban pig
28 min
91
The Hanseatic League: everything you wanted to ...
Professor Sheilagh Ogilvie answers your questions on a mysterious medieval federation that dominated trade in northern Europe
40 min
92
Secret forceps & pig bladders: medical objects ...
Carol Cooper explores the history of medicine through a series of pivotal objects – from the bonesaw to the heart-lung machine
34 min
93
How Roman roads transformed Europe
Catherine Fletcher explores how ancient Rome's road network transformed a continent – and inspired leaders for centuries to come
34 min
94
Hotel Lux: the guesthouse of world revolution
Maurice J Casey explores the history of a Moscow hotel that hosted revolutionaries from every corner of the world in the years following the Bolshevik Revolution
30 min
95
Introducing History's Greatest Scandals | New P...
0 min
96
Susan B Anthony: life of the week
Susan Ware answers listener questions on the life of American social reformer and women's rights activist, Susan B Anthony
45 min
97
How the compass became a political weapon
Jerry Brotton takes us on a journey through the unexpected history of the four cardinal directions
31 min
98
Medieval towns: everything you wanted to know
Were medieval towns filthy? How often did fires break out? And where could you get a slap-up meal? Carole Rawcliffe answers listener questions on urban life in the Middle Ages
41 min
99
Harold Wilson: the rock 'n' roll prime minister
Former home secretary Alan Johnson reveals how the Labour leader attempted to capture the 1960s zeitgeist
24 min
100
Who is buried at Sutton Hoo?
Helen Gittos shares a fascinating new theory about the identity of the man buried in the Sutton Hoo ship burial
36 min