History Hit Podcasts

The History of the RNLI

In the tempestuous waters of the 18th century, a revolutionary idea emerged from the depths of despair and necessity: the lifeboat. Born from the...

St Patrick: Pirates, Snakes and Goatees

He wasn't Irish. He didn't wear green. There were no snakes. So who was the real St Patrick? How did his myth grow? And how did he invent the...

Warfare in Ancient Greece

How did warfare work in Ancient Greece? The weapons and armour of the Greek hoplite are legendary, as are the warrior cultures of city-states like...

Artemis: Goddess of the Hunt

Artemis is best known as the goddess of the Hunt. But she is far more than just the famed huntress of Greek mythology - she is the patron of the...

Peasants' Revolt

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was a public rebellion that sent revolutionary ripples across the entire medieval world. In a new video series...

Viking Sexuality

The Vikings have a fair claim to being the most overly-eroticised group of people in history. It's fair to say this is somewhat...

Lincoln: Love, Loss & Legacy

President and Commander-in-Chief at a major turning point in American History? Victim of a violent and public assassination? How do you remember...

Medieval Torture: The Dark History

This episode contains descriptions of execution and torture.

To be Hanged, Drawn & Quartered. Put on the Rack. Impaled on a spike. This list...

Trial of Charles I

In the mid-17th century, King Charles I of England was put on trial for treason against the sovereign state. Such a process involved a singular...

Supersonic Nazi Vengeance: V2 Rocket from Cautionary Tales

We're bringing you an episode of a podcast we think you'll love: Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford. At the height of World War Two, British...

The Walls of Babylon

The ancient metropolis of Babylon was famed for its wonders like the Tower of Babel and the mysterious Hanging Gardens. But few Babylonian...

Boudica: Queen of the Iceni

She's the warrior queen who took on the mighty Roman Empire, but who really was Boudica?

Separating facts from the myths we've read can be...

Real Medieval Women with Philippa Gregory

When we think about women in the Middle Ages, we know about Eleanor of Aquitaine or Hildegard of Bingen, but we are a lot less likely to think...

18th Century Graffiti: Sex, Murder & Rebellion

Whether it's a declaration of love, anger or rebellion against the government, graffiti can give us incredible insight into the social history of...

Infiltrating the IRA: Murder & Espionage in Northern Ireland

With Operation Kenova back in the headlines, we look to the story of Frank Hegarty, an IRA member turned British informant whose assassination led...

The Rise & Fall of the Ku Klux Klan

A far-right hate group known the world over, the Ku Klux Klan emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War. So why did it emerge? Where did it get...

How to Live Like a Stuart Aristocrat

After the Restoration of the Monarchy, the upper classes took their cues from court life - its entertainments, costumes, food and leisure...

'Black Widow': Serial Killer of Victorian England

Mary Ann Cotton is known as the first British female serial killer. A trail of bodies, many her own children, followed her through life. Bodies...

The Financial Crashes that Changed the World

Over the last turbulent century, the global economy has suffered the shockwaves of recessions and depressions, bubbles and unchecked investor...

The Origins of Wine

Wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. But its popularity dates back thousands of years. Throughout ancient history,...

Oppenheimer vs Einstein

Today we're talking about two 20th century titans, the physicists J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein. Their scientific achievements changed...