We begin at the end… in 1945, with a pile of bodies dumped in Milan then strung up for all to see. Among them, the most powerful man in Italy. One of the most significant figures in modern history. How did it come to this? In this episode, we scroll back to follow the start of Benito Mussolini’s extraordinary rise. From humble origins as the son of a blacksm ... Show More
Oct 2025
608. Nelson: Slaughter in Naples (Part 1)
What happened when the heroic Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of the Nile, sailed into the seething city of Naples? Why would his meeting with the glamorous celebrity, Lady Emma Hamilton, shape the rest of his life? And, why would his decision to lend his support to the fool ... Show More
1h 22m
Apr 2025
Attila the Hun, Part 1 of 2
We’re in south-eastern Europe in the 400s AD. The once mighty Roman Empire is riven in two. And on the Great Hungarian Plain a fearsome enemy is rising. The Huns’ king, Attila, will become a terrifying, iconic figure. A byword for plundering and pillaging. The archetypal warlord. ... Show More
57m 10s
May 2024
[RERUN] EPISODE 68: My Grandma and Her Bombs: A Story of WWII
This is a tale of Italian Resistance during WW II. Unlike nearly all
History on Fire episodes, this is not a story I researched in books. It’s a
much more personal one—these are my grandparents’ experiences. The starring
role goes to my grandmother, Liana Germani, who as a ... Show More
1h 48m