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
1201
The Highland Clearances: everything you wanted ...
Sir Tom Devine responds to listener questions on the causes and consequences of one of the most notorious episodes of Scottish history
45 min
1202
Running to escape the horrors of war
Jonathan Westaway explores why there was a boom in the popularity of endurance running following the First World War
46 min
1203
The glamour & danger of Cairo’s 1920s nightlife...
Raphael Cormack discusses the golden age of Cairo’s nightlife scene in the 1920s, and some of the enterprising women who dominated it.
33 min
1204
The Viking Great Army: the latest discoveries
Julian Richards discusses the Viking Great Army, which wreaked havoc on the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England from 865-878
55 min
1205
Glee-man, high-deedy & bendsome: a language to ...
Siân Rees shares the story of an eccentric Victorian vicar who invented a new language to try and solve the problems of 19th-century England.
18 min
1206
Healthcare before the NHS
Professor Barry Doyle explains what kind of treatment you could expect If you were ill before the National Health Service was founded in 1948
62 min
1207
The Medici: everything you wanted to know
Historian Catherine Fletcher responds to listener questions about the infamous Italian family, from their role in the Renaissance to stories of dark deeds and scandalous affairs.
43 min
1208
From hysteria to wandering wombs: women and med...
Elinor Cleghorn traces the long history of the misdiagnosis and mistreatment of women’s health issues, from the ancient world to the modern day.
42 min
1209
Hogarth: the chronicler of the 18th century
Jacqueline Riding discusses the life and work of the famed artist and satirist William Hogarth, and explores how his many engravings and portraits charted the morals and vices of the 18th century
56 min
1210
Digging into the Klondike gold rush
Stephen Tuffnell delves into the Klondike gold rush, a two-year whirlwind that brought at least 30,000 prospectors to the remote Yukon in search of glory and gold.
38 min
1211
The Cold War battle for Berlin
Giles Milton reveals how the German capital became the frontline in a bitter diplomatic conflict between the western Allies and the Soviet Union in the wake of the Second World War.
29 min
1212
The history and mystery of UFOs
Dr David Clarke explains how the idea of extra-terrestrials in mysterious flying saucers developed from its origins in the Cold War to become an enduring modern myth.
44 min
1213
Canadian history: everything you wanted to know
In the latest episode in our series tackling big historical topics, historian Donald Wright answers listener questions on the history of Canada, from the country’s indigenous population and its contribution to the two world wars
53 min
1214
Forgotten heroes: Japanese Americans in World W...
Daniel James Brown reveals how a group of young Japanese Americans became some of the most decorated US soldiers in World War Two
27 min
1215
The trials of Ethel Rosenberg
Anne Sebba explores the life of Ethel Rosenberg, who was executed for espionage in one of the most sensational and controversial episodes of the Cold War.
42 min
1216
Socialite, countess, WW2 spy: Aline Griffith
Larry Loftis details the life and work of Aline Griffith, a model-turned-spy who rose to the upper echelons of society in WW2 Spain.
43 min
1217
Murder: a legal history
Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, discussing the cases that shaped UK murder laws
37 min
1218
The merits of meritocracy
Adrian Wooldridge explores meritocracy’s role in forging the modern world, and weighs up its challenges and advantages.
40 min
1219
The Enlightenment: everything you wanted to know
Ritchie Robertson responds to listener questions on the intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries
42 min
1220
African Europeans
From Roman emperors and medieval saints to enslaved people, Olivette Otele charts the long history of Africans in Europe.
40 min
1221
Women secret agents in Nazi-occupied France
Kate Vigurs discusses the female agents of Britain’s Special Operations Executive, who carried out resistance work in France during the Second World War.
35 min
1222
Introducing: HistoryExtra Plus
We’re launching a brand-new premium podcast feed, HistoryExtra Plus – a subscription channel where we take you on a deep dive into the past, with even more on history’s most gripping events.
0 min
1223
Censorship, contradiction & controversy: a deca...
Biographer Frances Wilson discusses a pivotal decade in the turbulent life of writer DH Lawrence.
34 min
1224
Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Secr...
For the final episode in our series on the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most, Anthony Seldon discusses the secrets of being a great leader.
30 min
1225
Unearthing Britain’s prehistoric secrets
Alice Roberts reveals what archaeological discoveries and cutting-edge science can reveal about Britain’s prehistoric past.
43 min