History Hit Podcasts

The Colosseum

Join Dan in Rome as he unravels the dramatic story of the Colosseum and the gladiators who fought — and died — for glory. From the origins of...

Medieval Obscenity

This episode contains obscene and sexual language throughout

The medieval world was far from prudish, it was positively bawdy. Writers,...

The Real Virgin Mary

Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?

What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and...

What If Lincoln Hadn't Been Shot?

It's the biggest 'What if?' in American history: What if Lincoln hadn't been shot? The assassination could so easily have failed and things went...

Tudor True Crime: Murder of Christopher Marlowe

Who stabbed the famed playwright? And who planned it? We're stepping out of the sun and into the shadows on Not Just the Tudors, as Professor...

How Rome Built An Empire

In the new game Anno 117: Pax Romana, the Emperor has appointed you as governor, tasked with developing new provinces in the Empire.

It’s...

New York's Wildest Murder Case

This 1897 New York murder case that has it all - a villain, an incredibly useless police force, and a duck who saves the day. The incredible Dr...

Napoleon in Paris

Napoleon Bonaparte dreamed Paris would be the 'capital city of the universe' and much of what we see - and love - about Paris is thanks to him....

The White Huns

The Huns weren’t just Attila’s warriors in Europe — in Central Asia, the White Huns built the most powerful Hunnic empire, ruling for a...

The Paston Letters with Helen Castor

Matt Lewis and Helen Castor uncover the romantic entanglements and perilous struggles of the 15th-century Paston family, whose personal...

How Wild Were The Last Days Of Rome?

As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?

That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by...

Pompeii

Warning: this episode contains explicit language and discussions of sex.

Pompeii is a city frozen in time and shows us exactly how the...

American Traitors: Benedict Arnold

Is Benedict Arnold the biggest traitor in American History? In this episode, Don is joined by author Stephen Brumwell to examine how Arnold went...

Victorian Love Triangle Murder

Through the industrial fog of Victorian London, in one of the city's most notorious slums, a murder took place that shocked a nation.

The...

Roman Aqueducts

How did Roman aqueducts help build an empire? They’re some of the most iconic structures from the ancient world — feats of engineering that...

Othered: Race, Gender & Human 'Monsters'

**Contains examples of 'othering', including birth abnormalities, and the terms used to describe them historically**

Professor Suzannah...

The Surrender of Japan

On the morning of August 15th, 1945, Emperor Hirohito's voice crackled over Japanese airwaves to announce the unthinkable - the surrender of...

The Strangest Tudor & Stuart Aphrodisiacs

Forget oysters, have you tried eating sparrows with a side of phallic vegetables to stir your lust?!

Getting in the mood isn’t just a...

Legend of William Tell

What happened when tyranny came face to face with an imperturbable crossbow sharp-shooter?

Dr. Eleanor Janega explores the myth of...

The End of the Pacific War

On August 14, 1945, the Japanese government accepted Allied terms of surrender. The war in the Pacific was over. But how had it come to...

The Body In The Trunk: France's Shocking 19th Century Murder Case

It was a murder mystery that gripped 19th century France and changed crime investigation forever.

Who was the body in the trunk? What were...