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
2051
Postwar Germany and medieval CSI
Dr Lara Feigel talks to us about her new book, The Bitter Taste of Victory: In the Ruins of the Reich, which shows how the Allies used culture to try to rebuild Germany after 1945. Meanwhile, we are joined by historian Elizabeth New to discuss a projec...
52 min
2052
The amazing history of Egypt
In a lecture from our 2015 History Weekend event, Professor Joann Fletcher, presenter of the BBC series Immortal Egypt, explores the story of this remarkable civilisation, from the pyramids to Cleopatra  See acast.com/privacy for privacy ...
53 min
2053
Victorian bakers and the Leningrad symphony
Historian and TV presenter Alex Langlands explains how bread making in the 19th century differed from today. Meanwhile, music expert Tom Service tells the remarkable story of Dimitri Shostakovich’s 7th symphony, which was composed and performed during ...
40 min
2054
2015 Christmas history quiz
Test your trivia knowledge with our podcast pub quiz. The questions have been devised by QI’s Justin Pollard  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
22 min
2055
Britain’s railways and the Titanic
Simon Bradley, author of The Railways: Nation, Network and People talks to us about a British transport revolution. Meanwhile, we pay a visit to Titanic Belfast in the company of Aidan McMichael, an expert on the world’s most famous ocean liner ...
50 min
2056
A history of red hair and amazing animals
Jacky Colliss Harvey charts the fascinating history of red-headedness from ancient times until the present day. Meanwhile, Stephen Moss talks about his new book Natural Histories, which accompanies a recent BBC Radio 4 series, describing extraordinary ...
44 min
2057
The Battle of the Atlantic and the history of S...
Jonathan Dimbleby describes the pivotal World War Two naval clash, while Marion Milne talks about a new BBC Four series on Spain through the ages  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
57 min
2058
Shakespeare in 1606 and Olympic swimmers
Professor James Shapiro talks to us about his new book 1606: William Shakespeare and the Year of Lear, a follow-up to his acclaimed 1599. Meanwhile the author Julie Checkoway tells the story of a remarkable group of Japanese-American swimmers who sough...
48 min
2059
The Peasants’ Revolt and a Cold War spy
Author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg introduces his latest historical novel, Now is the Time, which centres on the 14th-cenury uprising. Meanwhile, we talk to Andrew Lownie about his new biography of a key member of the Cambridge Spy Ring, Guy Burgess. ...
52 min
2060
Ancient Rome special
Classical historian and broadcaster Mary Beard talks to us about her new one-volume history of Rome entitled SPQR. Meanwhile, we speak to the bestselling historical novelist Robert Harris about his latest fictional portrait of the Roman statesman Cicer...
55 min
2061
The end of the Cold War and British culture
Professor Robert Service describes how the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union – Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev – brought about a dramatic change in east-west relations. Meanwhile, historian Dominic Sandbrook talks to us about his new BB...
59 min
2062
World War Two spies and an extraordinary natura...
Bestselling military historian Sir Max Hastings joins us to discuss his new book The Secret War. Meanwhile, we speak to historian and author Andrea Wulf about Alexander von Humboldt who made great strides in natural sciences in the 18th and 19th centur...
60 min
2063
The Last Kingdom and Agincourt
Bernard Cornwell talks about his books that inspired the new TV drama The Last Kingdom, while Anne Curry discusses Agincourt ahead of the 600th anniversary  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
53 min
2064
A year in medieval England
Cambridge historian and BBC Making History presenter Helen Castor interviews medieval historian Dan Jones about his new book, Realm Divided, which explores what it was like to live during the tumultuous year of 1215  See acast.com/privacy...
62 min
2065
The Brontës and a revolutionary artist
Charlotte Brontë’s latest biographer, Claire Harman, visits the home of three remarkable literary sisters. Meanwhile, broadcaster and historian Loyd Grossman introduces the Georgian painter Benjamin West who shook the art world with his depiction of Ge...
57 min
2066
New views on the Holocaust and 1980s Britain
Yale historian Timothy Snyder discusses Black Earth, his bold new study of the Nazi genocide of the Jews. Meanwhile, we speak to Andy Beckett whose latest book charts the early years of the Thatcher revolution in the UK.  See acast.com/pr...
61 min
2067
Celts special
As the British Museum's major new exhibition, Celts: Art and Identity, opens, curator Julia Farley guides us around some of the most important and intriguing objects on show.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out inform...
48 min
2068
The Somme and the Jacobites
Historian Andrew Roberts talks to us about his new book on the opening day of one of World War One's bloodiest battles. Meanwhile, Professor Christopher Whatley discusses the events of the Jacobite revolt, 300 years after the 1715 uprising ...
47 min
2069
Roman emperors and women through the ages
Tom Holland speaks to us about his new book on the first five Roman emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Meanwhile, we're joined by historical author Amanda Foreman to discuss her new BBC TV series The Ascent of Woman. ...
50 min
2070
North Sea oil and the Blitz
BBC Radio 4 presenter James Naughtie talks to us about his new series that charts the history of Britain's oil boom, which began 40 years ago. Meanwhile, historian and author Joshua Levine reveals how the Nazi bombing raids in World War Two i...
63 min
2071
Killing Mussolini
In a lecture from our 2014 History Weekend, historian Roderick Bailey describes the attempts of Britain's SOE to assassinate the Italian Fascist leader during World War Two. To find out more about our 2015 History Weekend events in...
46 min
2072
Ancient cities and the Norman conquest
Classical historian Andrew Wallace-Hadrill explains how the great cities of Athens and Rome functioned in the ancient world. Meanwhile, medieval expert David Bates pays a visit to Norwich Castle, a key site for understanding how the Normans consolidate...
55 min
2073
Crusade logistics and the battle over the slave...
Oxford historian Christopher Tyerman talks to us about his new book How to Plan a Crusade. Meanwhile, we pay a visit to the University of Cambridge where Ryan Cronin introduces some remarkable documents relating to British slave ownership.  ...
63 min
2074
The Pacific War and First World War black soldiers
Historian Francis Pike challenges some commonly-held assumptions about World War Two in Asia, as we reach the 70th anniversary of the attack on Hiroshima. Meanwhile, Stephen Bourne, author of Black Poppies, talks about the participation of black Briton...
54 min
2075
Ancient thinkers and the history of madness
Historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes discusses three of history's greatest philosophers: Socrates, Confucius and the Buddha, who all feature in her new BBC Four TV series. Meanwhile, Professor Andrew Scull talks to us about his recent boo...
54 min