History Hit Podcasts

The Great Train Robbery

Did the "heist of the century" really happen the way the robbers say it did? In the summer of 1963, a gang of masked robbers executed a daring...

Italians in America

From Columbus onwards, Italians have been a part of American culture. Don explores this rich history with Professor Anthony Tamburri, Dean of the...

Bloodiest Mutiny & Shipwreck in History: Batavia

What happens when you're left on a desert island with a psychopath? This is a story so horrendous it would be hard to believe were it not for the...

Vasari: Inventor of Artistic Genius

What if the tale of one night could change the way we view art forever?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Noah Charney to explore...

The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations

Iconic monumental stone heads, the intriguing Lord of Las Limas, the enigmatic 'were-jaguar' figures, so much survives from the ancient Olmec...

Hiroshima: As It Happened

This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence and may not be suitable for all listeners.

On the morning of August 6th, 1945, a...

Medieval Beauty Standards with Kate Lister

How did the 14th-century Black Death influenced fashion trends? And were medieval bald men considered 'hot' because their hair burned off due to...

Who Were The Vestal Virgins?

What happened if a Vestal Virgin broke their pledge of virginity? How would a woman be chosen for the role? And were there any benefits to taking...

The Battle for the Philippines

The largest ever surrender of American forces occurred in May 1942. The event resulted in medals of honour for two American military leaders - one...

Britain’s Most Prolific Executioner

For Albert Pierrepoint, execution was a family affair. His father and uncle were hangmen and from the 1940s until the late 1950s Albert was...

What Is Pax Romana?

In the new game Anno 117: Pax Romana, the Emperor has appointed you as governor, tasked with developing provinces in the Roman-based Latium region...

British Barbary Slaves

**Contains historical language which may cause offence**

Between the early 1600s and late 1700s, thousands of British sailors, fishermen,...

Notre Dame

Join Dan Snow in the heart of Paris as he kicks off his summer series exploring Europe’s greatest historic sites. From a leafy Montmartre café...

Livia: Empress of Rome

Powerful, cunning, uncompromising, even murderous (allegedly)... meet Rome’s first empress and one of ancient history’s ultimate power...

Battle of Winchelsea with Dan Jones

Matt Lewis explores Edward III's daring naval gamble at the Battle of Winchelsea in 1350 with Dan Jones.

Together they unravel the dramatic...

Royal Sex: Cleopatra

Did Cleopatra have a bee-powered vibrator? Why did she marry both of her brothers? And how serious were her relationships with Julius Caesar and...

5 Reasons the Allies Won the War

What really tipped the scales in the Allies’ favour during World War II? In this episode, we break down five critical reasons behind the Allied...

5 Key Weapons of the Civil War

How did new weapons shape the Civil War? Why were the muskets so deadly? What on earth were the Ironclads all about? Don explores five key weapons...

Isabel and Ferdinand: Renaissance Power Couple

From the establishment of a formidable double monarchy to the complex dynamics of the Spanish Inquisition, Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of...

Could You Survive The Victorian Workhouse?

Today we’re going behind the foreboding doors of the Victorian workhouse to ask - ‘Could we survive it?’. From Oliver Twist's gruel to songs...

Siberian Ice Mummies

In this special episode of the Ancients, released just hours after the embargo on new research was lifted, Tristan Hughes discusses the...