Emperor Vespasian: life of the week
The year AD 69 found the Roman empire in a state of chaos. Three emperors had come and gone. Civil war reigned supreme. Rome's enemies smelled blood. Enter Vespasian. In the latest instalment of our '...
26 Aug 202432min
An audacious escape from slavery
On 20 December 1848, Ellen Craft placed a top hat on her head, slipped her arm into a sling, and perched dark green glasses on her nose. Once her disguise was complete, Ellen and her husband William e...
25 Aug 202440min
The Abbasid caliphate: everything you wanted to know
The Abbasid caliphs sat at the head of a vast Islamic empire that stretched from Tunisia to the frontiers of India, which they ruled over for several centuries. But how did they first come to power? W...
24 Aug 202447min
Crusader criminals: how the Holy Land became a hotbed of lawlessness
The medieval crusades are remembered for their sweeping military campaigns. But they also engendered a brutality that went beyond the battlefield – in the form of a violent criminal underbelly, fuelle...
22 Aug 202445min
Ancient Egypt | 1. civilisation
You’re probably familiar with the idea of godly pharaohs, menacing mummies and their deadly curses. But how much do you actually know about the fundamental facts of ancient Egyptian civilisation? In t...
21 Aug 202451min
Ancient Egypt: the big questions | Trailer
From the secrets of the pyramids to the mysteries of mummification, ancient Egypt has captivated the popular imagination for centuries. In HistoryExtra’s new five-part podcast series, we look back at ...
21 Aug 202446s
Gulag doctors: saving lives in Stalin's prison camps
The Soviet gulag was a place of brutality, exploitation and death. But it was also home to tens of thousands of medical personnel who had to overcome limited facilities, appalling conditions and polit...
20 Aug 202438min
The far right in Britain: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by historian Nigel Copsey to discuss the long history of the far right in the ...
19 Aug 202445min
