History Hit Podcasts

THE LEADERS: Hirohito

Was Hirohito really as passive as history has painted him? Emperor Hirohito stood at the head of Japan’s war machine, yet after 1945, both the...

The Fall of Athens

In 404 BC, Athens faced total defeat. Once the dominant power of the Greek world, their navy was shattered, their food supply cut off, and on the...

Medieval Jerusalem

Imagine walking where those who shaped your deepest beliefs have walked...

Matt Lewis is joined by archeologist Professor Jodi Magness to...

Real Wives of Dictators | Nadya Alliluyeva, Stalin's Wife

Nadezhda Alliluyeva was born into a revolutionary family, but was it always her fate to marry Joseph Stalin?

She was independent,...

The Rise & Fall of The Moors in Spain

In 711 an Arab and Berber army crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and invaded the Iberian Peninsula. Seven years later, their conquests had birthed...

What If JFK Wasn't Shot?

The biggest counterfactual that hangs on the assassination of JFK is this: Would JFK have launched a ground war in the jungles of Vietnam? Don...

Samurai & Shinobi: Historians Review Assassin's Creed Shadows

5. Assassin's Creed Shadows Review

Assassin's Creed Shadows is now available to play! Matt Lewis had advanced access to the new game and...

Final Days of Joan of Arc: Trial & Execution

(Part 2/2) Joan of Arc, mystic leader of a French army, was captured and sold to the English who tried her as a witch. What do the final days of...

Henry VIII & his Rabbis

Henry VIII's desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon changed England; it could be justified by a biblical law that prohibited a man from marrying...

The Iliad

A story of war, honour, and destiny, The Iliad is one of the greatest epics in history. Written by Homer and featuring legendary figures like...

THE LEADERS: Stalin

Was WWII actually Stalin's War? He's a man whose name is synonymous with absolute power, the epitome of ruthless ambition, his story is one of...

Edward III: The Little Lion

Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis bring our series on the Plantagenets to its climax with a look at one of England's most influential...

The Truth About Alice in Wonderland

In this episode, we're well and truly going down a rabbit hole. To unpick the controversies surrounding the author of Alice in Wonderland, Kate is...

The Confederacy: Could They Have Won?

Did the Confederates predict that secession would lead to war? How ready were they to fight? And what was their military strategy?

Cecily...

Murderous Women

**This podcast contains graphic descriptions of murders and the punishments of those convicted**

Gruesome murders carried out by women...

Azuchi Castle: The Ultimate Fortress

Assassin's Creed Shadows gives us the chance to explore the places where history occurred. One such place is recreated in remarkable detail:...

Black Death: Inside Medieval Lockdown

Around 50% of everyone in Europe died during the Black Death. It's very hard to make sense of that. What did it look and feel like to live through...

Babylon: The Most Important City of Antiquity

The urban cultures of ancient Mesopotamia formed the foundation for so much of our modern world. Nowhere exemplifies this better than the city of...

Rise of Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous figures. But before his legendary conquests and romance with Cleopatra, how did he rise to...

Roger Mortimer: The Usurper

Roger Mortimer: The Man Who Overthrew a King.

Matt Lewis delves into the life of Roger Mortimer, a key figure in the downfall of King Edward...

Real Wives of Dictators | Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's Wife

What was life like as Adolf Hitler's other half?

Although their marriage came (very) late in their lives, Eva Braun was with Hitler from the...