The Paris Commune: everything you wanted to know
In the spring of 1871, the citizens of Europe’s second largest city rose up and proclaimed the Paris Commune. For eight extraordinary weeks, the French capital defied the national government that had ...
16 Elo 202556min
VJ Day: why don't we talk about WW2 in Asia?
On the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, broadcaster Kavita Puri – presenter of a new BBC Radio 4 series on the Second World War in Asia – tells Matt Elton why stories of the Allied conflict with Japan rema...
14 Elo 202539min
Zoot suits, mashers & New Romantics: the evolution of the dandy
From zoot suiters and mods, to mashers and Congolese sapeurs, since the early 19th century, fashionable male subcultures have popped up across the globe. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Peter Andersson e...
12 Elo 202529min
Mary of Modena: life of the week
Cultural historian and author Breeze Barrington brings to life the fascinating – and often misunderstood – story of Maria, or Mary, of Modena. Born into Italian nobility and raised with quiet ambition...
11 Elo 202546min
Arson, murder and goddesses: secrets of a Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World
What would it have been like to have witness one of the most spectacular sights of the ancient world first-hand? Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Bettany Hughes explores the extraordinary Temple of Artemis...
10 Elo 202534min
Frontier life: everything you wanted to know
What was life like on the frontier in 19th-century America? Forget Hollywood’s high-noon shootouts and lawless swaggering cowboys – historian Karen Jones paints a far more complex picture of the Ameri...
9 Elo 202553min
Forgotten stories from South Asian history
South Asian history is currently in the spotlight, with 2025's South Asian Heritage Month focusing particularly on themes of movement and migration. But what's the value of such dedicated history mont...
7 Elo 202542min
Was the atomic bomb necessary to end war with Japan?
The decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 remains one of the most controversial moments in modern history. Did the atomic bombs forc...
5 Elo 202536min
