Why did witches confess?
Who were the people that were accused of witchcraft in the 1640s British witch trials? And why did they confess to being in league with the devil? In this episode, Marion Gibson breaks down the trial ...
6 Aug 47min
Inside the Maya storyworld
The Maya have a rich and varied storyworld shaped by diverse traditions and communities. In this episode, Mallory E Matsumoto tells Emily Briffett about her recent book, The Maya Myths, which explores...
4 Aug 44min
Zheng Yi Sao: life of the week
Few pirates in history wielded as much power as Zheng Yi Sao, the woman who rose from obscurity to command one of the largest pirate fleets the world has ever seen, challenging the Qing empire's contr...
3 Aug 48min
The Fifth Crusade: triumph, disaster and the battle for Egypt
In 1217, crusaders launched an ambitious campaign to conquer Egypt, believing it held the key to reclaiming Jerusalem and securing the Holy Land. Historian and author Thomas Smith tells Emily Briffett...
2 Aug 45min
Is the Odyssey myth or memory?
The Odyssey is a tale of impossible monsters, angsty gods and the unquiet dead – but does that mean it holds no truth? In this third episode of HistoryExtra's four-part series, Kev Lochun and classici...
1 Aug 43min
Renaissance Italy's firearm revolution
Long before the modern debates over gun control, Renaissance Italy was grappling with many of the same questions. As firearms became smaller and easier to conceal, guns spread rapidly through society:...
30 Juli 40min
How blood banks saved Britain in WW2
How did the sign of the Red Vampire help British surgeons during the Second World War? Roderick Bailey, author of 'The Life Savers', explains to David Musgrove how Britain led the way in blood banks d...
28 Juli 35min
Pericles: life of the week
Ancient Athenian statesman Pericles was a remarkable figure, renowned for promoting democracy, championing the arts, and shaping the fate of the Athenian empire. Yet his legacy of military mistakes an...
27 Juli 49min
