History Hit Podcasts

How Steam Power Remade the World

John Darwin joined me on the podcast to discuss how steam power reshaped our cities and our seas, and forged a new world order.

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Nazi Megastructures

Walking around Second World War fortifications, Patrick Bury is able to draw on his time in the infantry to tell the stories of the battles that...

The Hunt For The Killers Of Julius Caesar

Peter Stothard joined me on the podcast to discuss the assassination of Julius Caesar. Many men killed Julius Caesar. Only one man was determined...

Thor's Hammer

Set off with the Great Viking Army to conquer English Kingdoms. Find yourself in the midst of a conquest, battles and pillages. Also discover some...

Agrippa: Rome's Forgotten Hero

There are few men in Roman history that can claim to have been as influential as Marcus Agrippa. The right-hand man of Octavian / Augustus, his...

Soviet Snipers on the Eastern Front

In many countries, including Britain, women were banned from taking part in active combat operations during the Second World War. In the Soviet...

History of China with Michael Wood

Michael Wood joined me on the podcast to talk about his new history of China. He takes a fresh look at Chinese history in the light of the current...

Longships: The Dragon Of The Seas

Embark on a Viking ship, travel the seas, overcome huge waves and dodge lightning! Feel the fear in an untamed ocean. If you let yourself be...

How and Why History: Rome and the Mediterranean

By the first century BC, the nuisance of piracy had become a plague in the Mediterranean. The Romans dispatched Pompey who freed the way for the...

Chemical Weapons in WW1

Although the use of chemicals as weapons can be traced much further back in history, their use became widespread after the First World War, when the...

Vikings: The Sons Of The Great North

Who are the Vikings? Share the way of life, customs and beliefs of these men of the North. Understand exactly what is going to urge them to leave...

Joking About Stalin

Jonathan Waterlow joined me on the podcast to explore how ordinary people used political jokes to cope with and make sense of their lives under...

Invasion of Poland in WW2 with Roger Moorhouse

Roger Moorhouse comprehensively discusses the Polish campaign of 1939, separating the myths from reality and outlining the abject horrors that the...

The Polynesians: Ancient Mariners of the Pacific

The ancient Polynesians remain the greatest seafarers in history. Already by the time of the legendary founding of Rome on 21 April 753 BC,...

The Simulmatics Corporation

Jill Lepore joined me on the podcast to discuss The Simulmatics Corporation. Founded in 1959, it mined data, targeted voters, accelerated news,...

Greek Myths

Natalie Haynes joined me on the podcast to retell the stories of remarkable women at the heart of Greek myths, from Medusa, Penelope, and Pandora,...

The Great Famine

Charles Read joined me on the podcast to discuss the economic and political causes of the Great Famine. We discuss the British government’s...

The Battle of Arnhem with James Holland

This episode features interviews with two leading historians of the Second World War, James Holland and Paul Reed. They tell the story of the Battle...

The Viking History of the Lofoten Archipelago

Dan Snow explores the Viking history of Lofoten, an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Lofoten is known for...

The Battle of Salamis

We've had the Battle of Thermopylae with the brilliant Paul Cartledge; we've had the Battle of Artemisium with the great Owen Rees. And I'm...

Krystyna Skarbek

Clare Mulley joined me on the podcast to talk about the extraordinary story of Krystyna Skarbek, who worked as a spy for the British Special...