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Slavery, exploitation and racism. These tragedies have long dominated histories of Africa. But there’s another way to tell this story. And, as this Long Read written by Luke Pepera explains, it’s one...
· 19 min 59 sec
Has our focus on the impact of the transatlantic slave trade blinded us to the diversity and complexity of Africa's past? That's one of the arguments at the heart of Luke Pepera's new book Motherland,...
· 38 min 49 sec
Why, in the 1850s, was the excrement of thousands of people being deposited straight into the Thames? How lethal were Victorian London's cholera outbreaks? And why is Joseph Bazalgette one of the most...
· 40 min 14 sec
Even if you're not a fan of classical music, chances are you will have heard Handel's Messiah. Going behind the scenes of its creation, Charles King delves into the shifting politics of the Hanoverian...
· 39 min 14 sec
From true crime pamphlets to reports from the scaffold, early modern Britain was gripped by tales of women who killed. But were these cases as common as they seemed, or was something else at play? Spe...
· 34 min 56 sec
In 359 AD, the Roman fortress of Amida held fast against the might of the Sassanian Persian army, in a gruelling 73-day siege that saw the city’s defenders face desperation, disease… and betrayal. Thi...
· 44 min 58 sec
While the Suffragettes were fighting to win the vote, over in Germany, Rosa Luxemburg was focused on overthrowing the entire system. A committed Marxist revolutionary and a fervent advocate of interna...
· 49 min 9 sec
The histories of religious reformations across the globe have largely focused on men. But women were also integral to these major transformations. Speaking with Emily Briffett, historian Merry Wiesner...
· 43 min 53 sec
King John’s sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215 is one of the most feted moments of the Middle Ages. Yet, as this Long Read written by David Carpenter explains, it was in fact a charter issued...
· 21 min 23 sec
What was history's worst furnishing trend? Why, in 1953, were you more likely to own a television than a fridge? And how can you learn more about the history of your own house? Deborah Sugg Ryan joins...
· 48 min 21 sec
Fearsome Amazons. Men who turned into wolves. Tribes who never grew old. Ancient Greek and Roman sources are packed with extraordinary descriptions of the peoples living beyond their borders. Speaking...
· 35 min 0 sec
With accusations of favouritism, poor spending and unrealistic international plans, resentment against Henry III simmered among his barons throughout the 1250s. This frustration came to a head in a co...
· 43 min 20 sec
Pacifist. Humanitarian. Whistleblower. From humble roots growing up in Cornwall, Emily Hobhouse went on to challenge the societal issues of her day and expose the horrors of British concentration camp...
· 40 min 13 sec
In 61 AD, the fate of Britannia hung in the balance. Thousands had risen up in open rebellion against Roman rule – at their head was Iceni queen Boudica, seeking vengeance for her people’s suffering....
· 43 min 39 sec
Marco Polo’s adventures in Asia earned him lasting fame. But are his accounts of these travels essentially works of fiction? In this Long Read, historian Peter Jackson investigates whether we can trus...
· 20 min 44 sec
From green men and jolly horse skulls, to chasing cheese down hills and morris dancing, Britain has a rich tradition of folk customs. Some are strange, some downright silly. But, as Liz Williams tells...
· 32 min 45 sec
What were your chances of surviving illness in ancient Rome? How did the Roman army deal with ailments and injuries on the go? And in what way were the medical practitioners of this ancient civilisati...
· 48 min 54 sec
What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To...
· 37 min 57 sec
On 11 June 1488, King James III of Scotland was hunted down and slain as he fled the field of battle. And more than 500 years later, the identity of his killer remains shrouded in uncertainty. Here, i...
· 31 min 18 sec
From To The Lighthouse to Mrs Dalloway, the writing of Virginia Woolf shook up literary norms and challenged societal ideas about what it meant to be a woman. In this 'life of the week' episode, Franc...
· 37 min 5 sec