Mount Vesuvius' eruption in the autumn of AD79 remains one of the deadliest and best-known in history. The plume of super-heated volcanic gases spewed skyward formed a cloud 21 miles high, with the volcano ultimately releasing 100,000 times the thermal energy of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Join Tom and Dominic as they piece together the di ... Show More
Apr 29
665. Britain in the 70s: The Bailout from Hell (Part 4)
How did the new British Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan, intend to keep Britain from bankruptcy in 1976? What extreme new step might have seen riots in the streets? And, would labour survive the greatest financial scandal in British history? Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the e ... Show More
1h 15m
Apr 26
664. Britain in the 70s: Scandal in Downing Street (Part 3)
With Britain heading towards financial meltdown and paranoia in the air, could its exhausted Prime Minister, Harold Wilson survive? Why were bombs going off in London every few days in the winter of 1975? And, with inflation reaching unprecedented heights, would the government fi ... Show More
1h 14m
Apr 22
663. Britain in the 70s: The Brexit That Never Was (Part 2)
In the Spring of 1975, why was the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, so embattled? Why was the left so divided during this period? And, was Britain’s relationship with Europe already fracturing…? Join Tom and Dominic, as they discuss the trials of Harold Wilson, as the melee of 1970 ... Show More
1h 17m
Aug 2023
Pompeii: The Eruption of Vesuvius
<p><em>This episode contains references to scenes that some listeners may find distressing</em></p><br><p>In 79 AD, ancient armageddon hit Pompeii: Mount Vesuvius erupted, freezing in time a town and its inhabitants.</p><br><p>Nearly 2000 years on, Pompeii's story continues. In t ... Show More
40m 59s
Oct 2021
Playback: If These Walls Could Talk
Social media is not just for modern folk. In this episode from the Overheard archives, we’ll look at how in ancient Pompeii, people also shared what they thought, who they met with, what they ate—just with different technology. For more information on this episode, visit national ... Show More
20m 15s
Mar 2024
The last eruption of Mount Vesuvius
The Mount Vesuvius eruption that buried Pompeii in 79AD is well known, but far fewer people know about the last time the volcano erupted in 1944.It was World War Two, and families in southern Italy had already lived through a German invasion, air bombardment, and surrender to the ... Show More
9m 15s
Nov 2020
Dura-Europos: The Syrian Pompeii
<p>When we think of Pompeii, we remember the city which became frozen in time after a natural catastrophe. Well, in 1920, exactly 100 years ago, another 'frozen city' was rediscovered. This time it was Dura-Europos, and rather than falling victim to a volcano, this city was destr ... Show More
49m 54s