335: The Freemasons: History's Greatest Conspiracy Theory
A grubby, secretive cabal of devil worshippers that run the world, or a fraternity of like-minded individuals who enjoy eccentric rituals? Freemasonry, originating in the Middle Ages, played a signifi...
25 Maj 20231h
334: Athens and the Birth of Democracy
What did "demos" really mean to the Athenians? Why were women such a crucial part of Athenian democracy? And who was the Tom Wamsgams of Athens? Join Tom and Dominic as they explore whether Athenian d...
22 Maj 202355min
333: The Republic of Britain: Life under Cromwell
It's 1649 and a new republic has been declared, the Commonwealth of England. It's an age of 17th century republicanism, difficult policies in Ireland, and a serious PR problem... writer and historian ...
18 Maj 202356min
332: King Solomon's Mines
In 1885, H. Rider Haggard’s brother offered him a wager: five shillings if he could write a book half as good as Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”. By the end of the year, Haggard had penned ...
15 Maj 202358min
331: American Witches
It’s 1647, and in New England, where puritan settlers live in fear of God’s wrath and a hostile indigenous population, there are rumours coming from Boston, and up the Connecticut valley, that witches...
11 Maj 202355min
330: Herodotus: The Birth of History
Born on the Western edge of an empire that stretched all the way to India, Herodotus was a Greek historian of the 5th century BC. His major work The Histories, a long and detailed account of the Greco...
8 Maj 202354min
329: Coronations: Chaos, Ceremony and Empire (Part 3)
What was the most calamitous coronation of all time? Which ceremony does Tom think is the most boring topic he's ever discussed on the podcast? How will Charles III's big day compare to that of his an...
6 Maj 202353min
328: Coronations: Sex, Holy Oil and Civil War (Part 2)
Whether it’s London descending into a riot, a bad hangover with Samuel Pepys, or a royal lacking discretion… Charles III will certainly be hoping that History does not repeat itself this weekend. In ...
5 Maj 202353min
