History Hit Podcasts

Lube: A Slippery History

From the seaweed-strewn shores of Ancient China to the American army camps in the Middle East, lube has been on a long and slippery...

Medieval Booze with Eleanor Janega

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis welcomes his new co-host, historian Dr. Eleanor Janega. For her first episode, Eleanor and Matt kick...

Good King Wenceslaus

Who was the real good King Wenceslas? The Duke of Bohemia who was made famous by the Christmas carol was also a pivotal figure of European...

Robert E Lee: Life & Legacy

He is undoubtedly the most famous member of the Confederate forces. But it wasn't always set to be that way.

In this episode, Don speaks to...

Gentileschi: Greatest Female Artist of the Baroque Age

Artemisia Gentileschi was the most celebrated female painter of the 17th century, as famous in her lifetime as Reubens or Van Dyke. But the...

Robert Mugabe

A Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician, Robert Mugabe served as the country's Prime Minister and later as its President for 37 years. His...

North vs South: How Korea Was Divided

The divided Korean peninsula is the last remnant of the Cold War: South Korea is a vibrant democracy, a strong market economy, and home to a...

Chichén Itzá

One of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is home to monumental pyramids, temples, and is a treasure trove of archaeological...

Thermos Flask: A Hot and Cold History 

Isn’t it mind-blowing that a thermos flask can keep your drink hot or cold for 8 hours, despite what’s happening in the climate around you? A...

Victorian Abortion & Birth Control

We’re connected to the past in more ways than you might think. 

For example, the 1861 Offences against the person Act is an abortion...

WW2: The Deadliest Blitz?

When you think of the Blitz and the devastation enacted by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, British cities like London or Coventry...

England's First Female Sheriff: Nicholaa de la Haye

Nicholaa de la Haye’s strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history.

She remained loyal to King John to...

Birth of the US Government: The Constitutional Convention

Beginning with the enduring words, 'We the People of the United States', the US Constitution is the basis of the government and its three distinct...

Poseidon: God of the Sea

God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses, Poseidon is one of the most iconic Olympians.

In this episode, host Tristan Hughes is joined by...

Tudor Gifts: How to Win Friends and Influence People

How meaningful can a gift - especially of a book - be? In the fickle world of the Tudor court, the strategic gifting of books was a common...

Oppenheimer: What If America Never Dropped the Atomic Bomb?

The new Oppenheimer movie has everyone asking questions about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 - were two bombs necessary? Would the war...

The Walkman: The First Intimate Technology

Think about how intimate our relationship with technology is. In today’s day and age, it’s almost impossible to function in the modern world...

The Fall of Mussolini

Benito Mussolini, the Italian fascist dictator met a gruesome end during the final days of World War II when he and his mistress were executed and...

How to Survive Plague and War in the Middle Ages

Throughout history, there have been plenty of hugely destructive, catastrophic moments. And yet somehow the human race managed to live on until...

Barbie: Feminist Icon?

Barbie is many things: an astronaut, a robotics engineers, a judge, and now a movie star! But can she be considered a feminist...

Warrior Women: Boudicca to Ukrainian Snipers

From Boudicca to Ukrainian snipers, battlefields have always contained a surprising number of women.

Today Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets...