Gone Medieval8 Apr 2025

Monsters of the Medieval Apocalypse

Does a four-winged leopard, a woman riding bareback on a monstrous serpent-like beast and giants having a good chat signal the beginning of the apocalypse? Medieval folk certainly thought so.

Dr. Eleanor Janega and Prof. James Palmer delight in these terrifying - and sometimes comical - figures and how they served both as religious symbols and as interpretations of worldly evils, reflecting the medieval fascination with the unknown and the stark moral lessons intended by these vivid depictions.

The discuss the meanings of apocalyptic monsters like the dragon and the beast of the abyss, as well as their artistic representations in illuminated manuscripts, church walls, and maps from the medieval period.

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Watch Eleanor's new documentary uncovering how medieval people understood the end of days, from the terrifying visions of Revelation to the vivid warnings painted onto church walls, in Medieval Apocalypse on the History Hit channel.

Sign up to History Hit for this and hundreds more original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

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