Interviews

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  • Unpacking the Myths of King Arthur with Eleanor Janega

    King Arthur. Merlin. The Knights of the Round Table and the Sword in the Stone. We think we know these stories but they've changed a lot since they were first told...

    In this episode of History Hit's After Dark podcast, Maddy and Anthony are joined by Dr. Eleanor Janega, host of the Gone Mediev...

  • HMS Terror and Erebus: With Sir Michael Palin

    In 1845, a British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain Sir John Franklin departed England aboard two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. The expedition was assigned to traverse the last unnavigated sections of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic and to record magnetic data to help ...

  • Medieval Pleasures

    1 season

  • The Suprising Truth About Beauty Standards in the Middle Ages

    What made you attractive in the Middle Ages? In this filmed episode of the History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets, Dr Kate Lister interviews medieval historian Eleanor Janega about medieval beauty standards, hygiene and the perspectives of women throughout the Middle Ages.

    You can listen to Kat...

  • Operation Margin: The Augsburg Raid

    In April 1942 the Second World War hung in the balance. Nazi Germany had occupied most of Europe and its seemingly unstoppable armed forces were driving deeper and deeper into Russia and North Africa. To add to Allied worries, German U-Boats were threatening to cut off Britain’s supply lines in t...

  • The Art Of Mummification

    Ever been Mummy-curious? Egyptologist Chris Naunton joins us to demonstrate the ancient Egyptian art of mummification.

  • The Origins Of Homo Sapiens

    From where did humans originate? What did the earliest humans look like? Why did homo sapiens survive while other hominin species went extinct?

    In this filmed episode of The Ancients podcast, we're on location at the Natural History Museum in London as Tristan Hughes delves into a huge topic; t...

  • The Knights Templar: With Dan Jones

    They might be more famous today for their cameos in The Da Vinci Code and Assassin’s Creed, but in real life they were an army of valiant, daring Crusaders famous for their self-discipline, who fought in the Middle Ages' most bloody battles. They were allowed no sex, no personal possessions, and ...

  • The Fall Of The Western Roman Empire

    The Roman Empire remains one of the most enduring and prolific civilisations of written history. Yet it, like all great civilisations, would eventually come to an end. Join Dan Snow as he speaks to historian Tom Holland about the many contributing factors that would bring this seismic and seeming...

  • How To Make Friends and Influence People In Medieval Europe

    From grand castles & cathedrals to glowing sonnets and well chosen marriages, Dan is joined by Dr Eleanor Janega to find out how one might get ahead in Medieval Europe.

  • 10 Big Myths About the Vikings

    People seem forever reimagining the seafaring Vikings from northern Europe, but 'the Viking Age' is one of the most confusing periods in European history. When did it really start and why? What does 'Viking' really mean? What kind of helmets did they actually wear?

    One of the best ways to delve ...

  • Who Owns History?

    In the late 1960s, when many in the UK viewed colour television as tacky, art historian Kenneth Clarke was asked to produce a series all about Western Art. Clarke duly delivered on this assignment, creating the series ‘Civilisation’. At a time when there was a genuine belief that the world stood ...

  • Sex Lives of the Ancient Romans

    Joined by historian Honor Cargill-Martin, Tristan Hughes explores the real sex lives of ancient Rome.

    From popular series to kinky paintings, there is a recurring image today of Romans as sex-mad degenerates. And although there are sex stories in the dozens from the Roman period, when it comes ...

  • Debunking the Myths of Ancient Sparta

    "Did 300 Spartans Really Fight at the Battle of Thermopylae?"

    Ancient historian Professor Michael Scott sits down with History Hit's Tristan Hughes to dispel some of the myths we continue to believe about Ancient Sparta.

  • Killing God: The Assassination of Julius Caesar

    15 March - 'The Ides of March'. It is arguably the most well known date in ancient history. On that day in 44 BC the Roman statesman Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senatorial conspirators in the heart of Rome. But why was this political giant of ancient Rome assassinated? How did th...

  • The Story of Egyptology

    Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton explores the story of how Ancient Egypt was rediscovered, and how its incredible sites and treasures were gradually decoded. Starting with the earliest travelers who ventured inside the pyramids, Chris traces how this curiosity exploded into Egyptomania in the 18th ...

  • The Real Richard III

    1 season

    Who is Richard III? This notorious King of England reigned for only two years, but left quite a mark! Is he an unsung hero of the medieval world or a cruel, manipulative child murderer?

    Join Matt Lewis to forensically dissect the evidence for and against this so-called villain. From childhood t...

  • Ernest Shackleton: With Ranulph Fiennes

    In this fascinating interview, Dan Snow chats to the world's greatest living explorer Ranulph Fiennes about Ernest Shackleton and his heroic expeditions in the Golden Age of Antarctic Exploration.

  • Secrets of Shakespeare's Stratford

    In this series, Alice Loxton and Dan Snow head to Stratford-upon-Avon to uncover the secrets of William Shakespeare’s early life and upbringing. Who were Shakespeare’s parents? What was rural Warwickshire like in the 16th century, and how was it changing? What sort of childhood did William have?
    ...

  • Dan Snow and Dan Jones Talk Crusades

    Dan is joined by fellow history presenter Dan Jones to talk about the Knights Templar and the crusades.

    If you love Dan Jones, then join him at our book club. He is the History Hit Book Club's author for October/November 2022. The book club is a community of people who are passionate about histo...

  • Ancient Greece

    Did the Ancient Greeks really invent the olympics? What did they wear? How did they party? What did Ancient Greek music sound like?

    Host of 'The Ancients' podcast, Tristan Hughes, answers the most searched Google questions about Ancient Greece.

  • The Falklands: The Last British War

    1 season

    On the night of the 2nd April 1982, without warning, Argentina launched the invasion of the Falklands Islands. What followed was Britain’s last solo war: the last major conflict fought over British imperial territories, the last major conflict Britain fought by itself rather than as part of a coa...

  • Nuclear Armageddon with Julie McDowall

    Dan sat down with Julie McDowall to talk about Britain's plans in case of nuclear Armageddon during the Cold War. They also discuss the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl and its infamous legacy.

  • Quickfire Questions with Author Bernard Cornwell

    English author Bernard Cornwell, best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe, sits down with Dan Snow to answer some quickfire questions for the fans. Ever wondered if an early 19th Century infantryman could really fire three rounds a minute? Or whether Bernard plans o...