Why Pompeii's tragedy still captivates us today
When the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried by ash spewed out of Vesuvius in AD 79, so too were their inhabitants, frozen in the moment of their deaths. In the final episode of our four-par...
1 Feb 46min
The United States and Latin America: a turbulent history
Has the United States always seen Latin America as its ‘backyard’? And when did influence tip into intervention? In this episode, Danny Bird is joined by Yale University's Greg Grandin to explore the ...
30 Jan 38min
History's most mysterious manuscripts
What do exploding bats and amphibious galleons have in common? They're both fascinating features of some of the world's most mysterious manuscripts, as revealed by journalist and author Garry J Shaw i...
28 Jan 47min
Francisco Franco: life of the week
Emerging in the early 20th century as Europe's youngest general since Napoleon Bonaparte, Francisco Franco was destined to make waves. But how did this uncharismatic reactionary become Spain’s dictato...
27 Jan 46min
How grim was life on Hitler's U-boats?
"Statistically, they were on a suicide mission." That's Roger Moorhouse's assessment of the odds facing Hitler's U-boat crews in the final years of the Second World War. Speaking with Spencer Mizen, R...
26 Jan 36min
How ancient Pompeii was rediscovered
The buried Roman city of Pompeii was ‘discovered’ in the 16th century, but was it ever lost? In this penultimate episode of our four-part series, Kev Lochun speaks with historian Dr Jess Venner about ...
25 Jan 38min
Why Belgian agents risked their lives spying for Britain
In the chaotic opening months of the First World War, Britain's intelligence services were desperate to learn where the Germans would attack next. Enter the White Lady. As historian Helen Fry lays out...
23 Jan 29min
How tanks redefined warfare
From the mud-churned battlefields of the First World War to the high-stakes clashes of the Cold War, the tank has shaped the course of conflict like no other machine. In this episode, Emily Briffett i...
21 Jan 43min
