It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Professor Michael Scott nominates Kleisthenes. He tells Kev Lochun about how this sixth-century BC aristocrat came to be regarded as the father of Athenian democracy.
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Apr 30
George Orwell's final chapter
Did you know that George Orwell only found national acclaim as an author in the final years of his life, as his health was worsening? Or that, with the growing prospect of death looming increasingly large, he sought refuge on a remote Scottish island? Historian Robert Colls tells ... Show More
40m 12s
Apr 28
Was Elizabeth II's reign a golden age?
When the late Queen acceded to the throne in 1952, Britain, though left bankrupt and reeling from the Second World War, was still a major global power. By the end of Elizabeth II’s reign in 2022 – the longest in Britain’s history – the nation and its place in the world was marked ... Show More
37m 45s
Apr 2023
Athens: Birthplace of Democracy?
<p>When we think of democracy in the ancient Greek world, our minds often go straight to Athens, the purported birthplace of democracy. But was Athens <em>truly</em> the home of democracy? And if so, who's responsible for giving a voice to the people?</p><br><p>In this episode, T ... Show More
1h 5m
Mar 2024
Découvrez notre nouveau podcast Secrets d'Histoire !
<p>Stéphane Bern vous invite chaque semaine à la rencontre d’un grand personnage de l’Histoire, en retraçant les grands moments de son existence. Monarques, artistes, courtisanes et seigneurs de la guerre, tous ces personnages jalonnent la grande et la petite histoire au travers ... Show More
37s
Mar 2022
The Legacy of Julius Caesar's Assassination
<p>The legacies of the Ides of March stretch from that very afternoon on March 14th 44BC to the modern day. From Roman times to the Medieval period, from Dante to Shakespeare, and from Brutus to the other infamous assassin he inspired in John Wilkes Booth, the echoes of Julius Ca ... Show More
55m 26s
Dec 2021
How Julius Caesar Changed Time
<p>We’re finishing off 2021 with what is perhaps Julius Caesar’s greatest legacy. It’s not a military victory or battle, but one of the many political reforms that truly has stood the test of time: the Julian calendar. Before, calendars were largely based on the lunar calendar, a ... Show More
46m 4s