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π§ Babylon and the Bible
When looking at the Hebrew Bible, the city of Babylon plays a prominent role - especially in the Old Testament. A city famed for it's architectural beauty and gardens, also holds stories of suffering and captivity. Travelling back to the 6th Century BCE, the Babylonian Captivity was a defining mo...
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π§ Colours: from Cave Paint to Nanotube Black
There's a theory that the invention of paint had something to do with the dawn of humanity. We are on a never-ending quest to create brighter, better colours. From grinding rocks, to crushing bugs, concocting chemicals and now manipulating nanotubes - a mind-boggling array of inventions of beauti...
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π§ The Rise of Celebrity Culture
Any of us who have happened to see a celebrity in the wild can admit to the strange thrill you get.Β
It doesnβt matter if itβs C, D, or Z-list celebrities, even, they all count!Β
But why are we as a society so obsessed with celebrities? From Ancient Greek Gods to Kim Kardashian, our obsession h...
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π§ Kissinger
A prominent American Diplomat, and influential American statesmen, Henry Kissinger is a name known around the world. Serving as National Security Advisor and later as Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford, he prioritised national interests over ideological concerns. Known for his inv...
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π§ Lincoln & God
He's the best president that the United States has ever had ... at least according to one 2021 C-span study.
But how did Lincoln's religious views affect his life and leadership? In this episode, Don is joined by Joshua Zeitz, author of 'Lincoln's God: How Faith Transformed a President and a Na...
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π§ Why Empires Fall
For centuries, the Roman Empire commanded unparalleled control over the world around it. It expanded its borders through trade and conquest, sucking resources from the periphery into its thriving centre - Rome. And then, suddenly, everything changed. The Empire entered a state of crisis, and rapi...
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π§ Origins of Scottish Independence: Declaration of Arbroath
For the first time in 18 years, the Declaration of Arbroath - an iconic document in the story of the struggle for Scottish independence in the 14th century - will go on public display.Β Dated 6 April 1320, and written by the barons and freeholders on behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland, the Declara...
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π§ Great Fire of London
Why do we call the Great Fire of London in 1666 βgreatβ? Was it because of the significant challenge it posed to authorities and residents as they sought to bring it under control? Was it because of the extent of its devastation? Or
was it because it occurred during an eventful couple of years wh... -
π§ Julian of Norwich
The writings of Julian of Norwich are the earliest surviving English language works by a woman and the only surviving English language works by an anchoress. But her life - particularly prior to taking on her role at Saint Julian's Church in Norwich - is shrouded in mystery and it has been widely...
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π§ 5. Story of England: Modern Warfare
From the First World War to the Cold War, conflict in the 20th century has been crucial in shaping England as we know it. This is the final episode of Danβs epic adventure, taking him deep inside the famous White Cliffs of Dover with Gavin Wright, into the complex warren of tunnels that became th...
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π§ Battle of Aden
In March 2015, a ten-nation coalition of Gulf states launched an attack against Houthi insurgents in Aden. With Iran seeking to dominate the Southern Arabian Peninsula and take control of the Suez Canal, Aden became a key logistical city and suddenly found itself thrust into the limelight. With W...
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π§ The Giggling Granny serial killer
Picture a serial killer in your mindβs eye. What do you see? More often than not it will be a man.
Statistically thatβs accurate, but it doesnβt tell the whole story. Whilst itβs perhaps not the most worthy feminist cause to jump behind, the issue of gendered narratives is a fascinating one - an...
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π§ The Cyrus Cylinder
An ancient clay artefact that dates back to the 6th century BCE, the Cyrus Cylinder is often considered one of the most important documents in history. Covered in Akkadian inscriptions that provide invaluable insight into the reign of Cyrus the Great - it focuses on Cyrus's conquering of Babylon ...
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π§ The Birth of the American Flag
13 equal horizontal stripes in red and white, with a navy blue square in the top left bearing 50 small white five pointed stars. It's recognisable the world over as the flag of the United States of America.
But how did this become the American flag? When did it develop its own 'cult'? And does B...
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π§ 4. Story of England: Industrial Revolution
Modern England as we know it started in the industrial heart of Ironbridge in Shropshire- now a verdant gorge that once was black with smog, fire and slag heaps. Dan tries his hand at casting iron at one of the last working foundries in the country and gets the scoop on the scandals of Georgian h...
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π§ Inventing Disneyland: The First Themepark
Giant mouse ears at the ready, we're off to Disneyland! Hop on board and travel with us inside Walt Disney's mind (for better or for worse). We discover how he came up with the idea, what it all means, and how his dream of a Utopian city led indirectly to the Magic Kingdom.
Dallas's guest today ...
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π§ 3. Story of England: Tudor Feuds, Explorers and Fanatics
The Tudors were the dynasty that had it all- power, family feuds, sex and scandal. Dan couldn't do a history of England without a hearty helping of our favourite family and for this episode, he's joined in the Elizabethan garden at mighty Kenilworth Castle by Dr Joanne Paul who tells the intricat...
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π§ Tudors in Ireland
King Henry VII and his Tudor heirs knew very little about Ireland, over which they ruled in name at least. During the 118 years of Tudor rule, not one of its monarchs ever set foot in the Emerald Isle. Yet the history of the Tudor monarchy cannot fully be told without understanding its relations ...
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π§ The Real Queen Charlotte
Queen Charlotte is back in the spotlight, thanks to the new Bridgerton spin-off series looking into her life and marriage to King George III.
We know Bridgerton uses a lot of creative license when it comes to historical accuracy (just in case you didn't know, people in the Regency period did not...
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π§ How the Mediterranean Created Wealth
What does archaeology tell us about how regions in the Mediterranean built their wealth between the 10th to 12th centuries?Β How did economies grow in Egypt, Tunisia, Sicily, the Byzantine empire, Islamic Spain and Portugal, and north-central Italy? And what were their trading relationships with ...
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π§ 2. Story of England: Medieval Invaders
Great Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, bloodshed at the battle of Hastings, Bubonic Plague and Roland the celebrity flatulist. As dawn breaks, Dan walks the beach at Pevensey where William the Conqueror and his Norman Invaders landed in 1066, but not before getting a quick lesson from Medieval Historian Dr ...
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π§ Rise and Fall of Encyclopedias
The 15th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, published in 1974, cost $32 million to create. The largest investment in publishing history. And yet you can now buy the complete set for pennies.
Who invented encyclopedias? Who wrote for them? And why did Samuel Taylor Coleridge get so upset abo...
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π§ Hanging Gardens of Babylon
A legendary, ancient architectural wonder, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are one of the most famed wonders of the Ancient world. Described in cuneiform texts, and even the bible, as being a luscious green space - likened to distant mountains, and fed by the Euphrates river, it's hard to know wha...
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π§ 1. Story of England: Stone Age to Roman Days
Dan begins his ultimate historical road trip at the mysterious plinths at Stonehenge in the South-West of England. Dan uncovers how the stones arrived in Salisbury all the way from Western Wales and unravels the ancient burial practices of Englandβs early humans with English Heritage curator Heat...