logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
40m 59s

Pompeii: The Eruption of Vesuvius

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Apr 16
The Hittites
What made the Hittites one of the great Bronze Age powers, and how did their empire survive on war, diplomacy and faith? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Elena Devecchi to uncover ancient royal intrigue, lavish festivals, the 'Thousand God', and the world’s oldest known peac ... Show More
58m 36s
Apr 12
Homo Sapiens vs Neanderthals
Tristan Hughes is joined by Ella Al-Shamahi, paleoanthropologist and presenter of the hit BBC series Human, to explore what interactions between early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals may have been like, from communication and cultural exchange to interbreeding and the possibility o ... Show More
59m 23s
Apr 9
The Romans and China
How did Roman silver travel from Egypt to China across monsoon seas, pirate waters, and bustling ports? Tristan Hughes is joined by legendary archaeologist Sir Barry Cunliffe for a dramatic journey through the Indian Ocean, where Roman glass, pepper, and silk linked two ancient s ... Show More
58m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
Pompeii and the Vesuvius Eruption
What happens when a volcano erupts just six miles from a bustling city? In 79 AD Mount Vesuvius is regarded as a source of bounty by those who live in its shadow. But one of history’s most infamous natural disasters soon unfolds. How did the lucky ones make their escape? And how ... Show More
46m 5s
Mar 2024
#107 Pompeii and the Vesuvius Eruption
📖 Episode Transcripts in Link Below ⬇️ Today, let's delve into the ancient world of Pompeii and explore the dramatic event of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This story isn't just historically significant; it also showcases the relentless power of nature and the human tragedy th ... Show More
3m 48s
Jul 2023
355: Roman Apocalypse: Pompeii 79 AD
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 bombin ... Show More
46m 10s
Jan 2024
Why were the Romantics obsessed with Mount Vesuvius?
The Romantics were obsessed with Mount Vesuvius, climbing up to peer into its bubbling depths, and even using it as a metaphor to describe some of the tumultuous changes revolution was wreaking in Europe at the time. Rhiannon Davies spoke to John Brewer to learn more about this f ... Show More
28m 32s
Jan 2024
The Plague of Athens
<p>In 430 BC, in the midst of the Peloponnesian War, the powerful city-state of Athens was struck down by a disastrous plague. Athenians fell sick with a dizzying array of symptoms, from fevers and vomiting to painful pustules that broke out all over people's bodies. In total it ... Show More
25m 48s
Oct 2023
Unearthing Pompeii’s streets
From cobbled alleys and snarky graffiti to bustling communal fountains and holy shrines, Pompeii was a city teeming with life. In today’s long read, written by Sophie Hay, we travel back 100 years to an archaeological dig that transformed our understanding of daily life on its st ... Show More
16m 31s
Jul 2023
Wars of the Roses: Jack Cade's Rebellion Explained
<p>It’s one of the most dramatic stories you might never have heard. Featuring a seaborne assassination, a vengeful manhunt and London Bridge in flames, the rebellion of Jack Cade in 1450 shook the English Crown to its very core, and lit the spark that began the Wars of the Roses ... Show More
37m 34s
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
Jun 2023
Great Fire of London
<p>Why do we call the Great Fire of London in 1666 “great”? Was it because of the significant challenge it posed to authorities and residents as they sought to bring it under control? Was it because of the extent of its devastation? Or was it because it occurred during an eventfu ... Show More
42m 5s