Podcasts

Rise of the Borgias

In the 15th and early 16th centuries, one Spanish family rose to exert its influence over Renaissance Italy - the Borgias. Deploying diplomacy,...

How to Survive a Medieval Crusade

What would it have been like to go on a medieval crusade? What dangers would you have faced on the gruelling journey to the Holy Land, and what...

Ancient Eroticism, Pagan Workouts & Body Ideals: History of the Gym

It's January and (reluctant) thoughts turn to gym memberships, but what are the ancient origins of this phenomena?

From the naked workouts...

The Real Lady Macbeth with Val McDermid

Lady Macbeth is best known to us as Shakespeare’s scheming, sleepwalking villain. But, as with most of his so-called history plays,...

The First 12 Days of the Civil War

In April 1861, Union forces having lost the first battle of the Civil War, attention turned to the Confederacy's likely next target - Washington...

Hagia Sophia: Where Worlds Collide

The Hagia Sophia is a landmark that has stood for 1500 years, and that players can clamber all over in Assassin’s Creed Revelations. It is...

Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli’s name has become synonymous with cunning, deceit and a lack of morality to achieve one's goals in politics or business. He...

Great Fire of London: Who started it?

(1/2) London's Burning! London's Burning! Disaster strikes in 1666 as the dense, mostly wooden, city of London begins to burn. Who started the...

Rome's Greatest Humiliation: Roman Empire vs Germanic Tribes

In 9 AD, the rebel chieftain Arminius and his confederation of Germanic tribes ambushed three Roman legions in the Teutoburg Forest. For days the...

Atlantis

The story of Atlantis is one of history's enduring legends. So what’s the actual, ancient tale of Atlantis? Where does it come from? Was...

Edward the Confessor & New Year Saints

Ever wondered why the medieval world was so captivated by saints?

Matt Lewis welcomes in the new year with Amy Jeffs, author of 'Saints, A...

Medieval Sex Myths

From medieval d*ck pics to sex with monks, how did people in medieval times think about sex and sexuality?

It was a period that spanned...