Were the Aztecs really obsessed with death and sacrifice? Did they have a pantheon of deities similar to the ancient Greeks or Romans? And how did a magical gem change the fortune of the Aztec people? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Camilla Townsend delves into their myths, legends and folklore to reveal a society bursting with life and colour.
(AD) Camilla Tow ... Show More
Yesterday
Harriet Martineau: life of the week
Thinker, feminist, sociologist, campaigner: 19th-century writer Harriet Martineau was a pioneer and a radical across a huge range of areas, but it's very likely you've never heard of her. Stuart Hobday tells Matt Elton about a figure who played a key role in shaping the modern wo ... Show More
40m 4s
Mar 23
Sores, sweat and secretions: the pox in early modern London
With sinful associations and incredibly painful symptoms, the pox could be a damning diagnosis in the early modern period. In this episode, Olivia Weisser speaks to Charlotte Vosper about the pox-ridden world of London in the era. She takes us behind the doors of medical practiti ... Show More
39m 24s
Mar 22
Elizabeth’s enemies: plots, rivals and the Spanish Armada
Elizabeth I’s reign was defined by constant threat, both at home and abroad. In this third episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the Tudor monarch, Rachel Dinning is joined by historian Nicola Tallis to examine the rivals and conspiracies that endangered the queen's security ... Show More
31m 57s
Nov 2023
390. The Fall of the Aztecs: War to the Death (Part 7)
"Conquer or die indeed, Cortes thought… The hour of decision was at hand…"
It is the spring of 1521 and the fate of Mexico hangs by a thread. Smallpox has ripped through the local population, while the ruthless Spanish commander, Hernán Cortés, has cut off the Aztec capital, Ten ... Show More
38m 4s
Aug 2020
Bringer of Death, the Dread Goddess Persephone, and her mother, Demeter
She's the Bringer of Death, the Dread Goddess Persephone (and she's Kore, the maiden goddess of the spring). Persephone and Hades have a hand in countless stories from mythology and theatre, they ruled the Underworld and required constant appeasement. Meanwhile, in the daily lie ... Show More
22m 42s
Nov 2023
391. The Fall of the Aztecs: The Last Emperor (Part 8)
Tenochtitlan, once the glittering jewel at the heart of the mighty Aztec Empire, has fallen. Hernán Cortés stands triumphant, the master of this New Spain. Or so it seems. For the last Aztec emperor, Cuauhtemoc, is still alive and well. And in the jungles of Mexico and Honduras, ... Show More
56m 35s