logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
39m 31s

Deadly Dancing Plague of 1518

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
Dark Side of Prehistoric Britain
Across prehistoric Britain people raised vast stone circles, buried their dead in monumental tombs, and left offerings in rivers and bogs. Archaeologists have uncovered skeletons bearing signs of violence, carefully arranged human bones, and bodies that may have been killed in ri ... Show More
43m 21s
Apr 23
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On a summer day in Sarajevo in 1914, a young man fired two rounds of his pistol in the middle of the street, killing a Royal couple... He didn't know it then, but his actions would cause a chain reaction, resulting in the First World War. But who were Archduke Franz Ferdinand and ... Show More
49m 15s
Apr 20
Titanic's Biggest Myths Debunked
Is it true that third-class passengers were locked below decks? Or that more lifeboats would have saved more lives? Did the band really play as the Titanic went down? Anthony is joined once again by the marvellous Gareth Russell to debunk the myths around the disaster. Gareth's b ... Show More
57m 32s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2021
17: People Danced Until They LITERALLY Died?! - The Dancing Plague of 1518
In 1518, the peasants of Strasbourg, France began dancing and couldn’t stop. Because of it, 15 people were dying per day. Historians don’t know what caused it, but they all agree that it absolutely happened. Today, Bailey tells the puzzling story of a mysterious Dancing Plague th ... Show More
49m 27s
Feb 2022
146. Disease vs. the rise of civilisation
The way we die has been utterly transformed. There have been around 10,000 generations of human beings, but only in the last 3 or 4 have infectious diseases not been an expected and accepted cause of death. What drove the most deadly infectious diseases? Was technological progr ... Show More
40m 1s
Mar 2024
Mysteries Revealed_The Dancing Plague of 1518
Uncover the bizarre 1518 outbreak in Strasbourg where hundreds danced uncontrollably for days. Was it a disease, mass hysteria, or something darker? Find the full transcript of this episode and learn more about it on https://englishpluspodcast.com/the-dancing-plague-of-1518-when- ... Show More
3m 1s
Mar 2024
18th Century Graffiti: Sex, Murder & Rebellion
<p>Whether it's a declaration of love, anger or rebellion against the government, graffiti can give us incredible insight into the social history of everyday people.</p><br><p>By the 18th century it's recognised by authorities a serious social problem and a threat to their positi ... Show More
48m 37s
Nov 2023
Leprosy in the Middle Ages
<p><strong>Leprosy in the Middle Ages</strong></p><br><p>Medieval people were very concerned about how to deal with those in their midst who had leprosy, now called Hansen's disease. It's assumed today that sufferers were shunned from society, forced onto the margins, and general ... Show More
30m 1s
Dec 2023
AIDS Epidemic: Life & Death On The Frontline
<p>How do we understand something as huge as a global epidemic?</p><br><p>Similarly to Covid, the AIDS epidemic, which was most destructive in the 1980s and 90s, had such universal reach. Yet within that, there were millions of personal experiences.</p><br><p>What was it like to ... Show More
59m 33s
May 2024
Medieval Torture & Execution
<p>When you say ‘going medieval’ on someone, it brings up quite nasty connotations.&nbsp;</p><br><p>But is this brutal suggestion a fair depiction of medieval times and their thoughts on torture and punishment? What are some of the more gruesome methods they employed? And why did ... Show More
49m 47s
May 2022
The Cult of True Crime
From voraciously consuming gruesome podcasts by the dozen to amateur sleuthing gone wrong to fetishizing dangerous killers, the world of true crime definitely has a cult following… but does it ever go too far? This episode was chosen by our listener giveaway winner and features N ... Show More
59m 35s
Jan 2024
How To Keep Fit in the Middle Ages
<p>If your new year's resolutions include getting more exercise, drinking less, or eating well, you might be surprised to know that medieval people were every bit as interested as we are in becoming, being and staying healthy.</p><br><p>In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Elean ... Show More
30m 48s
Jul 2023
How to Survive Plague and War in the Middle Ages
<p>Throughout history, there have been plenty of hugely destructive, catastrophic moments. And yet somehow the human race managed to live on until today. So how did people in the Medieval period find ways to survive, for example, a siege of their city, or a natural disaster, or p ... Show More
25m 16s