In the year 732, one of the most important battles in world history took place between the cities of Tours and Portier in France.
On one side was an unstoppable juggernaut that had amassed one of the largest empires in world history in less than a century.
On the other side was a vastly outnumbered force that lacked the primary weapon of the era, heavy c ... Show More
Today
Nuke the Moon: Project A119
Tell me your favorite episode for the 6th anniversary show! At the height of the Cold War, the United States considered a plan so audacious that it sounds like science fiction: detonating a nuclear weapon on the Moon. Known as Project A119, it was born from fear, prestige, and th ... Show More
14m 43s
Yesterday
Elephants: Nature’s Largest Land Animals
Tell me your favorite episode for the 6th anniversary show! Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, capable of extraordinary intelligence, complex communication, and deep social bonds. For thousands of years, they have shaped ecosystems, carried armies, inspired cultures ... Show More
15m 33s
May 2025
566. The Great Northern War: Slaughter on the Steppes (Part 3)
Why was the greatest and most climactic battle of the Great Northern War, the Battle of Poltova, one of the most important in all European history? What drove Charles XII of Sweden to invade Russia in the Summer of 1707, in the lead up to that totemic clash? Exactly what happened ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 2025
593. The Fight of the Century
Why did two men - John Heenan and and Tom Sayers - illegally meet in a field in Hampshire, in 1860, to brutally fight one another, captivating Britain in the process? What can the fight tell us about the nature of Britishness in the 19th century? Was this the birth of boxing? Who ... Show More
58m 57s
Aug 2025
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 118 "The Battle of Tours, AD 732"
In this episode, I’m going to focus on one of the most famous battles in history: the battle of Tours, or Poitiers as it’s sometimes called, in 732. It’s famous because some historians think it stopped the Arabs from conquering Europe. But others think its significance has been e ... Show More
24m 30s