Beste History Extra Podcasts (2024)

1
A 17th-century scandal & a writer's secret life 31:55

4h ago31:55

31:55

To poet, playwright and writer Aphra Behn, the tale of a runaway aristocrat's daughter Lady Henrietta Berkeley, her scandalous affair and equally dramatic subsequent trial was rich material for some of the most outrageous and bestselling political fiction of the 17th century. However, Behn's own life may have been equally as exciting. Speaking to E…

1
Plato: life of the week 35:04

1d ago35:04

35:04

Ancient Greece produced some of the most celebrated philosophers in history. Yet in terms of fame and enduring influence, none rival Plato. This Athenian's theories on everything from the nature of the soul to the most desirable form of government have had an immense impact on how humankind has perceived the universe for 24 centuries. Paul Cartledg…

1
Breastfeeding in the Middle Ages 36:18

2d ago36:18

36:18

Breastfeeding has been part of raising children since the dawn of time. However, studying its history also highlights stories of grief, community support and enforced labour. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Hannah Skoda shares her research on breastfeeding during the Middle Ages, from what medieval medics believed breast milk was made from, t…

1
Death and mourning in Britain: everything you wanted to know 52:23

3d ago52:23

52:23

Why did people start cremating bodies? When did black become the colour of mourning? And who are the 'invisible dead'? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, historian Douglas Davies answers your top questions about traditions surrounding death and mourning in Britain through the centuries. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC Histor…

1
Julian: the Roman emperor who (almost) changed the world 29:58

5d ago29:58

29:58

It's one of the great what-ifs of ancient history. After Constantine the Great had converted Rome to Christianity it seemed that the faith's progress was inevitable, but just a few decades later a new pagan emperor sought to turn back the clock and reinstate the old gods – only to die before his plan was completed. That emperor was Julian – and his…

1
D-Day: Sea 45:00

6d ago45:00

45:00

During the early hours of 6 June 1944, a huge armada of Allied ships crossed the Channel, poised to deliver the largest seaborne invasion the world had ever seen. But sailors didn’t just ferry troops to the shore on D-Day – their continued defence of the perilous coastal waters ensured the Allies could maintain a foothold in France for months to co…

1
A Soviet road trip through 1930s America 40:08

7d ago40:08

40:08

After years of suspicion and hostility, relations between the Soviet Union and the United States had improved by the 1930s. In this episode, Lisa Kirschenbaum tells Danny Bird about how two Soviet satirists, Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov, launched a remarkable road trip across America in the middle of that fraught decade. From inedible T-bone steaks a…

1
Galileo: life of the week 40:35

8d ago40:35

40:35

Galileo Galilei stands as one of the most significant figures in the history of science and thought. But how did he gain this illustrious reputation? In today's 'Life of the Week' episode, historian of science James Hannam delves into Galileo's pioneering observations and experiments. Speaking to Danny Bird, he reveals how the dissemination of Gali…

1
What was life like as a peasant? 32:31

9d ago32:31

32:31

Europe's peasants have all but disappeared since the end of the Second World War. Patrick Joyce has studied the past 200 years of the peasant experience, and in conversation with David Musgrove, he explores what we might learn about this vanished world. He considers what European peasant society was like, and how far peasants' world view differed f…

1
The history of museums: everything you wanted to know 51:36

10d ago51:36

51:36

Millions of people flock to museums each year, eager to learn about the past and be inspired by the artefacts on display. But how old is the concept of the museum? How exactly has it shifted over time? And what controversies have plagued museums in recent years? Dr Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth talks to Jon Bauckham about the history of these remarkab…

1
Forgotten women writers of the Renaissance 42:36

12d ago42:36

42:36

You've heard of Shakespeare, but have you heard of his contemporary Mary Sidney, the first person to translate the Book of Psalms into English poetry? Or what about Elizabeth Cary, who published the first original play known to be written by a woman in English? In her new book Shakespeare's Sisters: Four Women Who Wrote the Renaissance, Ramie Targo…

1
D-Day: Air 36:02

13d ago36:02

36:02

On 6 June 1944, the Allies began their long-awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. By the end of the day, more than 150,000 men had landed in northern France, ready to start pushing further inland. But how had this immense undertaking been planned? And how long was it before they achieved their first objective? In the first episode of our new th…

1
Cat crazy: the Victorian mania for moggies 32:12

14d ago32:12

32:12

At the end of the 19th century, Britain and America entered the grip of a cat craze that saw the humble moggy catapulted from urban nuisance to beloved household pet. Historian Kathryn Hughes speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about 19th-century attitudes to cats, and how Louis Wain's anthropomorphic drawings helped us fall in love with all things feline.…

1
Maria Theresa: life of the week 37:04

15d ago37:04

37:04

Maria Theresa defied expectations of what a female ruler could achieve in the 18th century. When she ascended the throne of the Habsburg empire in 1740, there were riots on the streets of Vienna, and Europe's major powers prepared to pounce. Yet, as Pieter Judson tells Spencer Mizen, over the next four decades Maria Theresa introduced wide-ranging …

1
Agent Zo: spying against the Nazis 37:07

16d ago37:07

37:07

Operating under the codename Agent Zo, Polish resistance fighter Elżbieta Zawacka was one of the most courageous intelligence agents of the Second World War. From running secret missives under the noses of the Nazis, to parachuting behind enemy lines, Clare Mulley recounts her dramatic story to Ellie Cawthorne. (Ad) Clare Mulley is the author of Ag…

1
The Terror: everything you wanted to know 59:32

17d ago59:32

59:32

Why did the French Revolution descend into a spiral of paranoia, finger-pointing and state violence? Were fears of treachery and counter-revolution justified? And how did the guillotine become a symbol of revolutionary justice? Speaking to Danny Bird, historian David Andress answers listener questions about 'the Terror' – a bloodthirsty phase of th…

1
The real Lady Whistledown & the golden age of gossip 35:30

19d ago35:30

35:30

Smash-hit historical romance Bridgerton returns this week. One of the series' key characters is the elusive Lady Whistledown – a savvy wordsmith with a penchant for causing mayhem among the Regency elite. But did an anonymous gossipmonger like Whistledown really exist in the Regency era? Emily Briffett speaks to public historian Professor Hannah Gr…

1
WW2's greatest battles | 5. Guadalcanal 31:41

20d ago31:41

31:41

Why did a remote Pacific island become one of the most fiercely fought-over locations in the Second World War? In the fifth and final episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the battle of Guadalcanal. He reveals why occupying the island was seen as key to victory in the Pacif…

1
A surprising history of sex between men 42:26

21d ago42:26

42:26

Until recently, the history of sex between men was a taboo topic. But by delving into the historical archive, historian Sir Noel Malcolm has uncovered a more complex story of same-sex relationships and encounters in early modern Europe and the Ottoman world. He speaks to Rebecca Franks about his findings. (Ad) Noel Malcolm is the author of Forbidde…

1
History Behind the Headlines: student protests down the centuries 41:13

22d ago41:13

41:13

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter chronicle the history of student protests, explore the story of a remarkable medieval astrolabe and discuss some new discoveries about Jane Austen. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more ab…

1
Tudor ladies-in-waiting: the women who served Henry VIII's queens 37:55

23d ago37:55

37:55

Every queen had ladies in waiting, but few of those royal companions witnessed such tumult as the women who served the six queens of Henry VIII. Speaking to Kev Lochun, Dr Nicola Clark discusses how these women navigated the competing demands of queen, country and family as the world was reshaped around them. (Ad) Nicola Clark is the author of The …

1
Ancient Greek theatre: everything you wanted to know 47:39

24d ago47:39

47:39

Was tragedy or comedy the crowd favourite of the ancient Greek stage? Were audiences raucous and rowdy, or quiet and civilised? And how much do modern theatrical productions draw on their ancient antecedents? Speaking to Emily Briffett, classicist Sarah Nooter answers your top questions about the theatrical antics of ancient Greece – from advice on…

1
The Tattooist of Auschwitz: is it ok to fictionalise the Holocaust? 27:49

26d ago27:49

27:49

Is it ever appropriate to fictionalise the Holocaust? That's a question highlighted by the controversies surrounding The Tattooist of Auschwitz, a 2018 novel by Heather Morris, which sold millions across the globe but also received criticism from some in the historical community for the way it represents the reality of Auschwitz. As a new TV adapta…

1
WW2's greatest battles | 4. El Alamein 36:15

27d ago36:15

36:15

In October 1942, Axis and Allied forces went head-to-head in the North African desert. Fighting over access to the Suez Canal and crucial oil fields, tanks and infantrymen slogged it out across sand dunes and minefields, under the command of two of the most charismatic military leaders of the war. In the fourth episode of our series on WW2's Greate…

1
Shardlake: bringing the Tudor murder mystery to the screen 27:19

28d ago27:19

27:19

Based on the bestselling novels of CJ Sansom, Disney+'s new Tudor drama Shardlake is a 16th-century whodunnit that takes place during the tumult of the dissolution of the monasteries. The show's historical consultant, Peter Wagstaff, tells Kev Lochun about how Shardlake brings the story of a lawyer who solves crimes and mysteries for some of the mo…

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History Extra Podcasts

Podcasts, die es wert sind, gehört zu werden

1
History Extra podcast

Immediate Media

1
A 17th-century scandal & a writer's secret life 31:55

1
Plato: life of the week 35:04

1
Breastfeeding in the Middle Ages 36:18

1
Death and mourning in Britain: everything you wanted to know 52:23

1
Julian: the Roman emperor who (almost) changed the world 29:58

1
D-Day: Sea 45:00

1
A Soviet road trip through 1930s America 40:08

1
Galileo: life of the week 40:35

1
What was life like as a peasant? 32:31

1
The history of museums: everything you wanted to know 51:36

1
Forgotten women writers of the Renaissance 42:36

1
D-Day: Air 36:02

1
Cat crazy: the Victorian mania for moggies 32:12

1
Maria Theresa: life of the week 37:04

1
Agent Zo: spying against the Nazis 37:07

1
The Terror: everything you wanted to know 59:32

1
The real Lady Whistledown & the golden age of gossip 35:30

1
WW2's greatest battles | 5. Guadalcanal 31:41

1
A surprising history of sex between men 42:26

1
History Behind the Headlines: student protests down the centuries 41:13

1
Tudor ladies-in-waiting: the women who served Henry VIII's queens 37:55

1
Ancient Greek theatre: everything you wanted to know 47:39

1
The Tattooist of Auschwitz: is it ok to fictionalise the Holocaust? 27:49

1
WW2's greatest battles | 4. El Alamein 36:15

1
Shardlake: bringing the Tudor murder mystery to the screen 27:19

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