logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
31m 23s

Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain introduce C...

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Hello, You’re Dead to me listener. Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain here, we thought you might like to know we have a brand-new series of Curious Cases. To start things off we look into the world of crabs and look into the possibility of us all eventually turning into crab like beings.

So, we thought we’d claw our way into your feed, with our very first episode of the new series. Enjoy!

Up next
Oct 3
Marie Antoinette: last French queen before the Revolution
Greg Jenner is joined in the eighteenth century by historian Professor Katherine Astbury and comedian Jen Brister to learn about French queen Marie Antoinette. Born an Austrian princess, Marie Antoinette went on to be the last queen of France before the Revolution and the aboliti ... Show More
57m 43s
Sep 26
Hannibal of Carthage: fearsome enemy of ancient Rome
Greg Jenner is joined in ancient North Africa by classicist Professor Josephine Quinn and comedian Darren Harriott to learn about Hannibal of Carthage and his war with Rome. Located in modern-day Tunisia, Carthage was once a Mediterranean superpower that rivalled Rome. In 218 BCE ... Show More
55m 21s
Sep 19
Alexandria: city of knowledge and culture
Greg Jenner is joined in Egypt by historian Professor Islam Issa and comedian Athena Kugblenu to learn all about the history of science and philosophy in the city of Alexandria. Founded by ancient conqueror Alexander the Great, Alexandria from its earliest days was a city at the ... Show More
56m 33s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
568. Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy (Part 1)
Who was Hannibal, the flawed but brilliant Carthaginian general? What makes Rome vs Carthage in the third century BC one of the most totemic ancient rivalries of all time? How did Hamilcar, father of Hannibal, restore the fortunes of Carthage following their devastating defeat to ... Show More
57m 36s
May 2025
The Rise of Hannibal (Part 1)
Hannibal Barca was Rome's greatest enemy. What was it about his strategies and leadership style that allowed him to haunt Romans' nightmares for centuries? 00:00 Hannibal's Blood Oath 02:00 Why Hannibal? 05:45 Carthage - A Brief History 17:30 The Making of Hannibal 28:35 The Rise ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 2025
571. Hannibal: Roman Bloodbath at Cannae (Part 4)
How did the Battle of Cannae - one of the most important battles of all time for Ancient Rome, with a whole Empire at stake, and a reputation that had reverberated across the centuries - in 216 BC, unfold? What brilliant tactics did Hannibal adopt in order to overcome the Roman k ... Show More
1 h
May 2025
569. Hannibal: Elephants Cross the Alps (Part 2)
Why did Hannibal choose to cross the Alps with his elephants in 218 BC, when invading Rome? Was it a brilliant stratagem or a military disaster? What was the secret to the Roman Republic’s growing military success at this time? And, why did Carthage, under Hannibal’s formidable g ... Show More
1 h
Jun 2025
570. Hannibal: The Invasion of Italy (Part 3)
How did Hannibal achieve the remarkable feat of crossing the Alps with his army, and elephants? How many of his men survived the treacherous journey? Was it worth sacrificing so much of his army in order to fight the Romans in Italy? And, what unfolded during the first great clas ... Show More
58 m
Nov 2024
Gladiators: The Real Spartacus
Spartacus is probably the most famous gladiator in history but how much of his legend is actually true? Dan is joined by Dr Rhiannon Evans, from Melbourne’s Le Trobe University, a leading expert in Ancient History and one of the hosts of the Emperors of Rome podcast to find out. ... Show More
40m 58s
Oct 2024
501. The Roman Conquest of Britain: Boudicca’s Reign of Blood (Part 3)
“Two cities were sacked, eighty thousand of the Romans and of their allies perished, and the island was lost to Rome. Moreover, all this ruin was brought upon by a woman...”Few figures have statues dedicated to them in the towns they incinerated. But Boudicca was no ordinary figu ... Show More
56m 23s
Jun 2020
Attila the Hun
Known as the Scourge of God, Attila the Hun was one of the greatest Barbarian rulers in history. Renowned for his brutality, sacking and pillaging the lands and cities he conquered, Attila became one of the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. But how did ... Show More
25m 47s
Jun 2024
Episode S7 - Ascendo
Synopsis: Part 1 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century rom ... Show More
31m 28s
Sep 2024
Love, Betrayal, and the Battle for Rome (Replay)
HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. September 2, 31 BCE. Two camps prepare for battle off the coast of Greece. On one side is Octavian, Julius Caesar’s heir apparent. On the other, M ... Show More
44m 48s