Avsnitt

  • What if everything you think you know about Ancient Greece is wrong?


    In this episode of History Rage, bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy dismantles the comforting myth of a civilised, philosophical utopia. Forget marble statues and thoughtful men in cloaks — this is a world of bitter rivalries, brutal warfare, political volatility, and communities obsessed with proving they were the best.

    Drawing on his latest book, Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped the Ancient World, Adrian reveals a Greek world far more dangerous, competitive and unstable than most documentaries dare to show.


    Ancient Greece: 800 Rival States, Not One Noble Nation

    There was no “Greece” in the modern sense. Instead, there were 800–1,000 fiercely independent city-states, constantly competing for prestige, power and survival.

    In this episode, we explore:

    Why the Persian invasions weren’t an attack on a united GreeceWhy more Greeks fought for Persia than against itHow competition — not culture — defined Greek identityWhy colonisation, warfare and rivalry were normalThe performance culture of honour and reputation

    This isn’t Plato’s academy come to life. It’s a volatile world where cities needed enemies — but not so destroyed that there was no one left to applaud their victories.


    Athens vs Sparta: Democracy, Discipline and Myth

    We also unpack the two giants of the Greek world:


    Athens – Radical Democracy or Mob Rule?

    Athens pioneered a form of direct democracy that feels startlingly modern — and terrifyingly unstable.

    Every male citizen could voteThousands could serve on juriesOffices were filled by lotteryCitizens were paid for political serviceLeaders could be exiled through ostracism

    Adrian explains how Athenian democracy worked in practice — including how the Assembly once voted to execute an entire rebellious city… and reversed the decision the next day.

    This was participation politics at its most extreme.


    Sparta – Military Machine or Misunderstood Society?

    Sparta’s reputation as a society of full-time soldiers doesn’t tell the whole story.

    Because the Spartans wrote almost nothing themselves, much of what we “know” comes from outsiders — often centuries later.

    Adrian challenges the clichés:

    Were Spartans truly permanent warriors?How rigid was their society in reality?What was life like for the Helots?Why did Sparta’s citizen population collapse?How democratic was Sparta — really?

    The result is a more complex, less cartoonish Sparta than Hollywood’s 300 ever allowed.

     

    About Adrian Goldsworthy

    Adrian Goldsworthy is a leading historian of the ancient world and bestselling author. Though best known for his work on Rome, he has written extensively on Greece and the classical world.


    Book

    Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped the Ancient WorldBuy: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781800245426

    🔗 Website: https://www.adriangoldsworthy.com


    Follow & Support History Rage

    If you enjoyed this episode, here’s how to support the show:

    🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app

    ⭐ Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts – it helps more than you know

    🔔 Follow to never miss an episode

     

    Support the Podcast

    💷 Become a supporter for just £3 or £5 per month and help keep the rage alive.

    Support here: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage


    Follow History Rage

    🌐 Website: www.historyrage.com

    All social media platforms : @historyrage


    History isn’t polite. It isn’t tidy. And it certainly wasn’t pacifist.

    This is History Rage — where myth gets fed to Charybdis.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Think the Black Death was just a medieval European tragedy? Think again.


    When you picture the Black Death, you probably imagine a third of Europe being wiped out while flagellants marched through British and French villages. But pandemics don’t stop at borders. What if our standard history lessons have completely ignored more than half of the story?


    In this special episode for the Chalke History Festival, host Paul Bavill sits down with Tom Asbridge, Reader in Medieval History at Queen Mary University of London and author of The Black Death, a Global History. Together, they shatter the Euro-centric myths to reveal a truly global disaster that stretched from Central Asia all the way across the medieval world.


    Discover how the plague reshaped the wealthy and sophisticated Mamluk Empire. Massive Middle Eastern cities like Cairo—which completely dwarfed London with a population of half a million people—faced unimaginable mass mortality. Tom explains the fascinating doctrinal differences that dictated survival; while Christian Europe viewed the disease as divine punishment that justified flight and abandonment, Islamic doctrine saw it as a merciful martyrdom. This completely altered how communities reacted, locked down, and ultimately collapsed under the weight of the pandemic.


    From the horrific eyewitness accounts of parents burying their own children to the long-term socioeconomic shifts that triggered peasant revolts and altered workers' rights, this episode zooms out to a global scale and zooms in on the raw human experience. If you want to understand the true scale of history's most terrifying disease, hit play now!


    About Our Guest

    Tom Asbridge is a professional historian, author, and Reader in Medieval History at Queen Mary University of London.See Tom Live: Catch Tom speaking at the Chalke History Festival on Friday 26th June at 4:00 PM. Grab your tickets at: https://www.chalkefestival.com/Buy the Book: Get your copy of The Black Death, a Global History directly from the History Rage Bookshop to support the show: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780241399408

    Recommended Episodes To Check Out Next

    Episode 193: Luke Pepera rages that there is an African history long before any Europeans turned up.Episode 143: Eleanor Janega brings the rage to prove that medieval women absolutely worked.

    Support and Follow History Rage

    If you love truth being freed and myth getting a long, slow, brutal death, help us keep the anger alive!

    Support us on Patreon: Join the inner circle for £5 a month to get entry into our monthly book draws, pitch questions to future guests, access live streams, and grab the coveted History Rage mug: https://www.patreon.com/historyrageFollow us on Twitter/X: https://x.com/HistoryRageVisit our Website: Get the latest updates and episodes directly at https://www.historyrage.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Saknas det avsnitt?

    Klicka här för att uppdatera flödet manuellt.

  • Berlin wasn’t blockaded — and that changes everything you think.


    Was Berlin really “blockaded” in 1948? Or have we been repeating a Cold War myth for nearly eighty years?


    In this explosive episode of History Rage, cultural historian and author Joseph Pearson dismantles one of the most entrenched narratives of the early Cold War. We all know the story: Stalin sealed off West Berlin, starving its people, and the West heroically saved the city through the Berlin Airlift. But what if Berlin was never truly blockaded at all?


    Drawing on deep archival research and firsthand accounts from Berliners, Pearson argues that the term “blockade” is historically misleading. While ground and rail access from West Germany was restricted, movement between East and West Berlin continued. Civilians crossed borders. Food flowed in. Even Soviet authorities offered rations. The airlift was real — and extraordinary — but the idea of a city completely sealed off is far more myth than fact.


    We explore:

    What a “blockade” actually means — and why the word mattersHow ordinary Berliners experienced the airliftThe women who built Tegel Airport in just 90 daysThe terrifying near-misses that could have sparked World War IIIThe propaganda war that turned former enemies into alliesWhy the Berlin Airlift remains a masterclass in geopolitical brinkmanship

    Joseph Pearson, originally from Canada and now based in Berlin, specialises in everyday history — the lived experience behind the headlines. His latest book examines the Berlin Airlift through the eyes of civilians and pilots, revealing a more complex, human and politically charged story.


    Guest Details:

    Joseph Pearson is a cultural historian and author based in Berlin.

    Book: The Airlift: Victories, Myths, and the Berlin Blockade

    Buy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781803998220

    Follow Joseph on Instagram @writing_joseph


    If you care about Cold War history, post-war Germany, the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, or how propaganda shapes memory — this episode will challenge what you thought you knew.


    Episode recommendations:

    Episode 219 – Giles Milton on Post War Berlin - https://pod.fo/e/2f6bc6

    Episode 103 – Katja Hoyer on East Germany - https://pod.fo/e/21793e

     

    Follow & Support History Rage

    🎙 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms

    🌐 Website: www.historyrage.com

    📱 Patreon & Apple Subscriptions for early access and exclusives

    👉 www.patreon.com/historyrage


    Join the conversation on social media and share your rage @historyrage


    Have a myth you want dismantled? Get in touch via the website.


    If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it genuinely helps more people discover the show.


    History is human. History is political. And sometimes… history is wrong.

    Welcome to History Rage.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Why history’s greatest Athenian leader may be wildly misunderstood today


    Was Pericles really the mastermind behind Athens’ Golden Age — or have historians spent centuries exaggerating his importance?

    In this explosive episode of History Rage, acclaimed classicist and Cambridge professor Paul Cartledge tears apart the modern obsession with “Periclean Athens” and argues that ancient democracy was far more complex than the story of one great man. From the origins of democracy and demagogues to the brutal realities of Athenian politics, this is a fascinating deep dive into Ancient Greece, the Peloponnesian War, Sparta, rhetoric, and political power.


    Paul explains why Pericles could never have ruled like a dictator, why Athens executed failed politicians, and why modern comparisons between Pericles and modern autocrats completely miss the point. He also explores the cultural mythmaking around the Parthenon, the famous Funeral Oration, and the role of Thucydides in shaping Pericles’ legendary reputation.


    The conversation also shines a spotlight on Aspasia of Miletus — often unfairly dismissed as Pericles’ “mistress.” Paul argues passionately that Aspasia was Pericles’ intellectual equal and one of the most misunderstood women in ancient history.


    If you love Ancient Greek history, classical civilisation, democracy, Sparta vs Athens, Greek philosophy, or the politics of historical memory, this episode is essential listening.


    In this episode:

    Was Pericles really responsible for Athens’ Golden Age?How Athenian democracy actually workedWhy the word “demagogue” changed meaningThe truth about Aspasia of MiletusPericles, Sparta and the outbreak of total warAncient rhetoric and political persuasionWhy historians still argue about Pericles today

    Paul Cartledge’s book:

    Pericles: Statesman, Demagogue, Eccentric

    Buy through the History Rage Bookshop:

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781836392002


    See Paul at Chalke History Festival

    Paul is speaking at the on Wednesday 24th June.

    Tickets available here:

    https://www.chalkefestival.com/


    Follow Paul Cartledge:

    https://www.classics.cam.ac.uk/directory/paul-cartledge


    Support History Rage:

    If you enjoy the podcast, you can support History Rage on Patreon for bonus content, livestreams, book giveaways and more:

    https://www.patreon.com/historyrage


    Follow History Rage:

    https://historyrage.com

    https://x.com/historyrage

    https://www.instagram.com/historyragepodcast/

    https://www.facebook.com/historyrage

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • When history gets reduced to lazy moral takes, it misses the real Cold War truth.


    In this episode of History Rage, historian and broadcaster Guy Walters tears into the misunderstandings surrounding Nazi scientists, rocket technology, and one of the most consequential intelligence grabs of the 20th century: the post-war scramble for expertise that became Operation Paperclip.


    At the heart of the discussion is the extraordinary story of the V2 rocket programme and the Polish resistance operation that recovered an intact missile from occupied territory during the chaos of 1944. That single recovery effort fed directly into Allied intelligence assessments and helped shape how Britain and the United States understood Germany’s technological leap forward in rocketry.


    Guy argues that the real story isn’t about moral purity—it’s about survival in an emerging Cold War. As the Iron Curtain fell, the question wasn’t whether these scientists were compromised. It was who would get them first: the West or the Soviet Union.


    From covert recoveries in wartime Poland to the intelligence race over German aerospace expertise, this episode reveals how fragile the balance of power really was in 1945—and how close the Soviets came to dominating early rocket science.


    Guy also dismantles the idea that Operation Paperclip was uniquely scandalous. In reality, every major power—US, UK, USSR, and others—was racing to absorb German technical knowledge. The Cold War, he argues, was shaped as much by captured minds as by captured territory.


    The discussion explores:

    The Polish resistance recovery of a near-intact V2 rocket Why Allied intelligence needed it so urgently Whether Nazi rocket science could have changed WWII or only the Cold War The ethical grey zone of recruiting former Nazi scientists How figures like Wernher von Braun influenced the space race and beyond

    This is not just a story about rockets. It’s about power, pragmatism, and the uncomfortable truth that technological supremacy often comes with moral compromise.

    If you think the Cold War was won by ideals alone, this episode will challenge that assumption. If you already suspect history is messier than textbooks suggest, this is a deep dive into exactly how messy it gets.


    Buy the book featured in this episode

    📘 Stealing Hitler’s Rocket by Guy Walters

    👉 https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781035910854


    Follow the guest

    Instagram: @guyebwalters X / other platforms: @GuyWalters

    Support History Rage

    If you enjoy the show and want to help it grow:

    Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage Or listen ad-free via Apple Subscriptions (£3/month) Tell someone else about the show and spread the Rage

    In this episode, history doesn’t behave. It collides with ethics, necessity, and Cold War fear—and leaves us with uncomfortable answers about who really shaped the modern world.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • The Crusades reshaped Europe far beyond Jerusalem — and we’ve forgotten it


    For most people, the Crusades begin and end with Jerusalem, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. But that narrow view hides a far bigger story. In this episode of History Rage, medieval archaeologist Professor Aleks Pluskowski takes aim at the myth that crusading was confined to the eastern Mediterranean — and reveals how crusades transformed northern and eastern Europe in ways that still shape the modern world


    Drawing on decades of archaeological research and historical evidence, Aleks explains how the Baltic Crusades were longer, more successful, and ultimately more influential than those in the Levant. From the rise of the Teutonic Order to the foundation of cities like Riga and Tallinn, this conversation exposes a forgotten chapter of European history that fundamentally reshaped societies, borders and identities


    You’ll hear why crusading was a papally authorised penitential war, how it expanded beyond Jerusalem to target pagans, heretics and political enemies, and why northern Europe became the Crusades’ most enduring battlefield. Aleks also unpacks the diversity of pre-Christian belief systems in the Baltic, the realities of conquest and settlement, and how crusading ideology became a template for later colonialism and modern nationalist myths


    The episode also tackles how the Teutonic Order evolved from a humble hospital in Acre into a powerful military state, why it succeeded where the Levantine Crusader states failed, and how its image was later distorted by 19th-century nationalism and Nazi propaganda. This is not just military history — it’s a story about how Europe learned to dominate, govern and remember its past


    If you think you know the Crusades, this episode will make you rethink everything.


    Guest: Professor Aleks Pluskowski

    Professor of Medieval Archaeology, University of Reading

    Aleks Pluskowski is a leading authority on crusading in northern Europe, with extensive fieldwork experience across Poland and the Baltic region. His research focuses on material culture, landscapes of conquest, and the long-term impact of crusading societies.


    Book

    The Black Cross: The Medieval Baltic Crusades

    Buy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780300279061


    About History Rage

    History Rage is the podcast that hunts down historical myths and kicks them into the long grass. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode invites leading historians to vent their fury at what everyone gets wrong about the past — loudly, passionately, and with evidence.


    Follow History Rage

    Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/historyrage

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage


    Support the podcast

    Join the rage on Patreon for bonus content, livestreams and early access:

    https://www.patreon.com/historyrage


    Or support via Apple Podcasts Subscriptions for ad-free listening and early releases.

    If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend and bring someone new aboard the rage train.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • From exploding kings to civil wars, Britain’s royals were never respectable.


    Comedy legend, author and podcast host Charlie Higson joins History Rage to dismantle the myth that today’s monarchy is uniquely scandalous. From William the Conqueror’s warring sons to murderous Plantagenets, abusive Hanoverians and Edward VII’s infamous Parisian “sex chair”, Charlie argues the Royal Family has always been gloriously dysfunctional.


    Drawing from his brilliant new book Willy, Willy, Harry, Stee, Charlie takes Paul Bavill on a whirlwind tour through a thousand years of royal chaos, revealing why modern headlines about Harry, Meghan and Prince Andrew are tame compared to the behaviour of their ancestors.


    Expect exploding corpses, imprisoned wives, civil wars, royal affairs, fathers and sons at war, and the astonishing truth behind Britain’s longest-running soap opera.


    In this episode:

    Why William the Conqueror’s family immediately descended into violence The endless cycle of Plantagenet betrayal and civil war Why Edward II may have been too normal to be king The shocking dysfunction of the Georgian monarchy The real story behind George IV and Queen Caroline Edward VII’s scandalous private life and surprising political successes Why the monarchy survives despite centuries of scandal

    Charlie also explains why Britain remains fascinated by royalty — and why countries that abolished monarchies still recreate them through celebrity dynasties and political families.


    Charlie Higson will be appearing at the Chalke History Festival on Sunday 28th June. Tickets available here:

    https://www.chalkefestival.com/


    Buy Charlie’s book here:

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780008741051


    Follow Charlie Higson:

    https://x.com/monstroso

    Follow and support History Rage:

    https://historyrage.com/ https://www.patreon.com/historyrage https://www.facebook.com/historyragepodcast https://www.instagram.com/historyragepodcast/ https://x.com/historyrage

    If you enjoy sharp historical debate, outrageous true stories and irreverent takes on Britain’s past, subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Mary Queen of Scots wasn’t stupid — history’s verdict is dangerously wrong.


    Was Mary, Queen of Scots really a reckless, lovestruck failure — or has history judged her by impossible standards? In this explosive History Rage counter-rage, acclaimed historian Linda Porter takes aim at one of the most persistent myths in British history and argues that Mary was anything but a “bloody stupid woman”.


    Drawing directly on political context, dynastic logic, gendered double standards, and Scotland’s uniquely volatile sixteenth-century landscape, Linda dismantles the lazy comparison between Mary and Elizabeth I. She reveals why Mary’s marriages made sense at the time, how Scottish politics stacked the odds against her, and why hindsight has been weaponised against a queen ruling in near-impossible circumstances.


    This episode dives deep into:

    Why Mary’s upbringing in France is misunderstood — and misused against herThe unfair Elizabeth I vs Mary, Queen of Scots comparisonThe dynastic logic behind the Darnley marriageWhy the Bothwell marriage looks far more like coercion than romanceHow trauma, pregnancy, betrayal, and political violence shaped Mary’s decisionsWhy calling Mary “stupid” says more about historians than history

    If you care about women in power, Tudor and Stuart history, Mary Queen of Scots, or how myths harden into “fact”, this episode is essential listening.


    About the guest: Linda Porter


    Linda Porter is one of Britain’s leading historians of the Tudor and Stuart period, known for her sharp analysis and willingness to challenge historical orthodoxies. She has written extensively on queenship, power, and dynastic politics.


    Buy the Book:

    The Thistle and The Rose: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781801105798

    About History Rage

    History Rage is the no-nonsense history podcast where leading historians get angry about myths, bad history, and lazy storytelling. Hosted by Paul Bavill, the show strips away comforting narratives and replaces them with evidence, context, and expert fury.


    Follow & support History Rage:

    🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app💥 Ad-free listening: £3/month on Apple Subscriptions or Patreon🔥 Full supporter perks (£5/month on Patreon): live streams, asking guest questions, and the coveted History Rage mug

    Support the podcast:

    👉 Patreon: www.patreon.com/historyrage

    👉 Apple Podcasts subscriptions available in-app

    If you enjoy this episode, tell someone. One recommendation keeps independent history alive.


    Related episodes you might enjoy

    Episode 216 — Mary Queen of Scots: What a Bloody Stupid Woman (with Tracy Borman) https://pod.fo/e/2e60bdEpisode 186 — Katherine Parr (with Linda Porter): https://pod.fo/e/2b3cc9Episode 80 — Catherine of Braganza (with Linda Porter): https://pod.fo/e/1ef377

    Mary, Queen of Scots wasn’t stupid — and after this episode, neither will you be about her.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Weimar Was a Real Place Before It Became a Political Warning


    The “Weimar Republic” has become shorthand for collapse, extremism, and economic chaos — but as historian and author Katja Hoyer argues in this episode of History Rage, Weimar was first and foremost a real town with a rich cultural history stretching back centuries. Home to Goethe, Schiller, Liszt and Nietzsche, Weimar was long considered the spiritual and intellectual heart of Germany before it ever became associated with democratic failure.


    In this fascinating conversation, Katja dismantles the clichés surrounding interwar Germany by exploring how ordinary people experienced extraordinary political change. Through the lives of Weimar residents — bookbinders, teachers, social democrats and shopkeepers — she reveals how hope, apathy, fear and economic despair gradually transformed a fragile democracy into a dictatorship.


    From the optimism surrounding Germany’s first truly democratic elections in 1919 to the devastation of hyperinflation, the Great Depression, and the rise of Nazism, this episode explores how extremism becomes acceptable when people feel abandoned by politics. Katja explains why the Nazis initially remained a fringe movement, how the economic crash of 1929 changed everything, and why so many ordinary Germans convinced themselves to look away from the horrors developing around them.


    The discussion also examines Weimar’s proximity to Buchenwald concentration camp and the uncomfortable realities of what civilians knew — or chose not to know — as Nazi brutality escalated. This is a powerful exploration of how democratic societies fracture, and why understanding the everyday experience of historical change matters now more than ever.


    Katja’s new book, Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, is available here:

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780241681244


    You can also hear Katja on her podcast Reichs and Republics, and follow her work here:

    Substack: https://www.katjahoyer.uk/

    X/Twitter: https://x.com/hoyer_kat

    🎟️ Katja Hoyer will also be appearing at the Chalke History Festival on Friday 26 June. Tickets available here:

    https://www.chalkefestival.com/

    If you enjoy History Rage, please follow, rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it genuinely helps new listeners discover the show.


    You can support the podcast and become an official History Rager here:

    https://www.patreon.com/historyrage


    Follow and contact History Rage:

    Website: https://historyrage.com

    X/Twitter: https://x.com/historyrage

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Roman slavery myths shattered with brutal truths historians can’t ignore


    Roman slavery is often portrayed as mild, civilised, or even preferable to poverty—but that comforting myth collapses under scrutiny. In this explosive episode of History Rage, historian and author Emma Southon unleashes her fury at the persistent sanitising of Roman slavery and reveals the stark, violent realities behind the Roman Empire’s power.


    Drawing on archaeological evidence, ancient writings, and modern scholarship, Emma dismantles the comforting fiction that Roman slavery was temporary, humane, or somehow “not that bad.” Instead, she exposes a system built on terror, exploitation, and absolute lack of human rights—where millions lived in constant fear of violence, separation, and death.


    You’ll hear how people became enslaved—from war captives to children born into bondage—and why slavery was so embedded in Roman society that even modest households often owned enslaved people. Emma also reveals the chilling legal reality: for centuries, enslaved people had virtually no protections, and violence against them was both legal and culturally accepted.


    From the myth of the “happy slave” taught in school textbooks to the romanticised portrayals in television and fiction, this episode challenges everything you thought you knew about Rome—and shows why understanding slavery is essential to understanding the empire itself.


    What You’ll Learn in This Episode

    Why Roman slavery was widespread across every level of societyHow people entered slavery through war, birth, crime, or kidnappingThe reality of daily life under constant threat of violenceThe truth about manumission and why freedom was rarer than often claimedHow myths about Roman slavery developed—and why they still persistWhy slavery may have slowed Roman technological innovation

    About the Guest

    Emma Southon is a historian specialising in the Roman Empire and the social realities behind its power. She is the author of “Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire”, a groundbreaking exploration of slavery’s central role in Roman society.

    Emma is also co-host of the History Is Sexy, where she explores the ancient world through stories often overlooked in traditional history.


    Follow Emma Southon:

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasouthon

    Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/emmasouton.bsky.social

    📚 Buy Emma’s book “Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire “ from the History Rage Bookshop:

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781399741255


    Support History Rage

    Love hearing historians destroy popular myths? Here’s how to support History Rage:

    ⭐ Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favourite app📣 Share this episode with a friend who loves history🎧 Subscribe for ad-free listening via Apple Podcasts🔥 Join the rage community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage

    Get in Touch with History Rage

    📧 Email: [email protected]

    🌐 Website: https://www.historyrage.com

    📱 Follow on social media:

    Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/historyrage

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage


    If you’ve ever been told Roman slavery “wasn’t that bad,” this episode will leave you questioning everything—and maybe feeling a little angry too.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Britain’s past politicians were no better—often far worse—than today’s MPs.

    Were Britain’s past politicians really more honourable than today’s? Or is nostalgia blinding us to just how corrupt, violent, and self-serving many of them actually were?

    In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by historian, author, and Get History founder Debbie Kilroy to rage against one of Britain’s most persistent political myths: that historic MPs were somehow morally superior to the modern lot.


    Drawing on over 400 years of parliamentary history, Debbie dismantles the rose-tinted view of Britain’s political past, revealing a parade of bigamists, slave traders, duelists, bribe-takers, fraudsters, and outright psychopaths who once sat comfortably in Parliament.

    From Norman MacLeod kidnapping his own tenants into slavery, to Lord Cardigan’s cruelty, incompetence, and vanity, to the systemic corruption that brought down figures like Francis Bacon and David Lloyd George, this episode exposes how power, privilege, and political protection enabled shocking behaviour—often without consequences.


    Along the way, Debbie explains:

    Why we keep romanticising historic politiciansHow corruption adapted rather than disappeared over timeWhy reforms like the 1832 Reform Act only scratched the surfaceHow crowds, riots, and popular protest once held MPs to accountWhy the system itself—not just individuals—remains the problem

    This is not a defence of modern politics—but a warning against pretending the past was cleaner, fairer, or more honest. Politicians, Debbie argues, haven’t changed. What’s changed is what they can get away with.


    About the Guest: Debbie Kilroy

    Debbie Kilroy is a historian, writer, and the creator of the popular history platform Get History. She specialises in British political history, focusing on the human realities behind power, myth, and reputation.


    She is the author of:

    📘 Members Behaving Badly: A History of Britain in 52 Parliamentary Rogues

    A deeply researched and often shocking exploration of Britain’s most notorious MPs, spanning four centuries of corruption, cruelty, and chaos.

    🔗 Book available via https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781783969388


    Connect with Debbie

    Website: Get History: https://gethistory.co.uk/Social media: @debbiekilroyauthor (Instagram, Facebook and most platforms)X (Twitter): @DebbieKilroy

    Recommended Listening

    Episode 241 – Erica Canella on chaos and dissent in the early Quaker movementEpisode 181 – Shalina Patel dismantles the myths of the Pankhursts

    About History Rage

    History Rage is the podcast where professional historians confront popular myths head-on and angrily demand historical honesty.


    Follow & Contact

    Website: www.historyrage.comSocial media: @HistoryRage on X, Instagram, FacebookPatreon: www.patreon.com/historyrage

    Support the Podcast

    Get ad-free episodes on Apple Podcasts or Patreon for £3/monthJoin monthly live streams with historians via PatreonOr simply help by telling one other person to listen

    If you think politicians were better “back then”, this episode may ruin that illusion forever.

    Stay angry.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Cold War Protest Songs, Punk Anthems, and Nuclear Pop Culture Collide


    Why did the Cold War produce generations of unforgettable protest songs while today’s crises barely inspire a mainstream anthem? In this electrifying episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill welcomes back historian, author, and Imperial War Museum senior manager Fraser McCallum to trace the history of protest music from folk ballads and Bob Dylan through punk, hip hop, Live Aid, and Cold War pop classics.


    From Two Tribes and 99 Red Balloons to Fortunate Son, London Calling, and Born in the USA, Fraser explores how music became the soundtrack to nuclear fear, civil rights, Vietnam, Thatcherism, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Along the way, the pair discuss why protest songs once dominated Top of the Pops and ask the big question: where have all the decent protest songs gone?


    Expect passionate debate on:

    Bob Dylan and the birth of modern protest music Folk traditions, skiffle, and anti-war ballads Vietnam War classics like Fortunate Son and Paint It Black Punk, Thatcherism, and London Calling Nuclear anxiety in Two Tribes and 99 Luftballons Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Cold War Berlin Why modern artists rarely risk overt political protest songs

    Fraser also shares fascinating insights into how pop culture and Western music seeped through the Iron Curtain, influencing East Germany and the wider Cold War world.

    Fraser is the author of Cold War Britain.


    Buy the book from the History Rage Bookshop here:

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780008743994


    Listen to Fraser’s specially curated Cold War soundtrack playlists:

    Apple Music Playlist:

    https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/cold-war-britain-the-soundtrack-to-the-book/pl.u-NRp7s3pq7o

    Spotify Playlist:

    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2lZ7HBrKKyBj31wXKXx2nq?si=-jyLeTguToieWb87K3CG3A&pi=0lbsCZu1SV2xV&nd=1&dlsi=0de49b8d828a4db0


    Fraser will also be hosting the IWM History Festival at IWM Duxford on 13–14 June 2026, featuring leading historians, authors, and live discussions surrounded by iconic wartime aircraft.

    Tickets available here:

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/iwm-history-festival


    Follow Fraser McCallum and the Imperial War Museum online:

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/


    Love the show? Support History Rage by subscribing, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and sharing the episode on social media.


    Follow and contact History Rage:

    Website: https://historyrage.com/

    X: https://x.com/historyrage

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage/

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Drones didn’t start in Silicon Valley — they began with Victorians and war

    Drones feel like the defining weapon of the 21st century — cheap, disposable, and terrifyingly effective. But what if that belief is completely wrong?

    In this episode of History Rage, aviation historian and journalist Mark Piesing explodes the modern myth surrounding drones and reveals a truth that stretches back more than 120 years. Long before satellites, digital cameras, or GPS, Victorian engineers were already imagining — and building — pilotless weapons designed to change warfare forever.


    From Nikola Tesla’s radio-controlled boats in the 1890s, to British attack drones planned during the First World War, this episode traces how unmanned warfare evolved through failed experiments, secret Cold War programmes, and nuclear testing — long before the Predator ever flew.

    Mark explains why the “father of the drone” was a British engineer targeted by German assassins, how Marilyn Monroe began her career on a drone production line, and why US Navy admirals were signing orders for thousands of attack drones before the Battle of Midway. Along the way, Paul and Mark explore why these technologies repeatedly promised to change war — and why military bureaucracy so often held them back.


    This is not a story of sudden innovation. It’s a story of persistence, secrecy, and ideas far ahead of the technology needed to make them work. And it explains why today’s drone warfare in Ukraine looks eerily familiar to predictions made in 1898.


    If you think drones are a modern invention, prepare to be very, very angry.


    Guest: Mark Piesing

    Mark Piesing is an award-winning journalist and aviation historian specialising in unmanned systems, aerospace innovation, and Cold War technology. His work has appeared with the Smithsonian, Royal Aeronautical Society, and major international publications.

    Read more here: https://markpiesing.com/2025/07/03/i-was-asked-to-write-this-piece-by-history-com-how-drones-have-upended-warfare/


    Follow & contact Mark

    Twitter/X: @markpiesingInstagram: @markpiesingwrites

    Further listening

    History Rage Episode 196 – Mark rages against polar explorers: https://pod.fo/e/2c75bdHistory Rage Episode 53 – Nikola Tesla with Iwun Morus: https://pod.fo/e/16c1d5

    About History Rage

    History Rage is the podcast where historians unleash their fury on the myths, half-truths, and bad history we all think we know. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode gives an expert one burning misconception to destroy — loudly, passionately, and with evidence.


    Follow History Rage

    Twitter/X: @HistoryRageInstagram: @historyrageWebsite: www.historyrage.com

    Support the Podcast

    If you enjoy independent, expert-led history without ads, you can support History Rage in several ways:

    £3/month – Ad-free listening via Apple Podcasts or Patreon£5/month – Ask questions to future guests and receive the coveted History Rage mug

    👉 Support the show at patreon.com/historyrage

    Or simply tell someone else about the podcast — word of mouth keeps History Rage alive.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • The Blitz myth shattered: courage, crime, and chaos behind stoicism

    The familiar story of Britain’s Blitz—calm, united, unshaken—is one of the most powerful myths of the Second World War. But in this gripping episode of History Rage, historian Joshua Levine dismantles the “Keep Calm and Carry On” narrative and reveals a far more complex reality.


    Drawing on firsthand accounts and deep archival research, Joshua shows how the Blitz was not a single story of resilience, but a patchwork of human experiences. Alongside genuine moments of solidarity—strangers comforting each other under falling bombs—there were also spikes in crime, looting, black marketeering, and deeply personal tragedies driven by desperation.


    We explore how wartime propaganda helped shape the enduring myth of the “Blitz Spirit,” promoting unity while downplaying panic, fear, and social tension. Even the iconic “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster was barely used during the war, despite becoming a defining symbol decades later.


    Joshua also uncovers how the Blitz became a turning point in British society. Class boundaries blurred, communities were reshaped, and people lived with an intensity that led to dramatic social change—including what he provocatively describes as a “first sexual revolution.” At the same time, the government’s response to bombing and homelessness laid early foundations for the modern welfare state.


    This episode challenges everything you thought you knew about wartime Britain—and replaces myth with nuance, humanity, and truth.


    👤 About the Guest

    Joshua Levine is a leading social historian and author specialising in modern British history and the Second World War.


    📖 The Secret History of the Blitz

    Buy your copy here (and support independent bookshops):

    👉 https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398550681

    🎤 Live Event: Joshua will be speaking at the Imperial War Museum History Festival at IWM Duxford on Saturday 13th June.

    🎟️ Tickets available here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/iwm-history-festival

    Check out the IWM Sound Archive at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/sound


    🎧 Follow History Rage

    Stay connected and never miss an episode:

    🌐 Website: www.historyrage.com

    🐦 Twitter/X: @HistoryRage

    📘 Instagram: @historyrage

    📩 Email: [email protected]


    💥 Support the Show

    Love what you hear? Become a History Rager on Patreon:

    👉 £5/month gets you:

    Entry into the monthly book draw 📚Access to exclusive listener Q&As 🎙️The coveted History Rage mug ☕

    If you’re tired of oversimplified history, this episode is your antidote—revealing the Blitz as it truly was: messy, contradictory, and profoundly human.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Bletchley Park wasn’t built by one man—and history must stop pretending otherwise


    For most people, Bletchley Park means one thing: Alan Turing, Enigma, and a single heroic breakthrough.

    That story is neat, cinematic—and deeply misleading.


    In this episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by historian, author, and Bletchley Park trustee Sir Dermot Turing to dismantle one of Britain’s most comfortable Second World War myths. What follows is a forensic, passionate unpicking of how thousands of codebreakers—most of them women—have been written out of history.


    This is not an attack on Alan Turing. It’s a demand for accuracy.


    Sir Dermot explains why Enigma has become a historical obsession, how it eclipses dozens of other vital ciphers, and why reducing Bletchley Park to a single man does a disservice to everyone involved—including Turing himself. From Spanish and Italian diplomatic codes to Japanese military signals, this episode reveals just how broad, complex, and international the intelligence war really was.


    Crucially, the conversation exposes how women codebreakers were systematically downgraded by job titles, pay grades, and later historians. Clerical assistants, typists, and “support staff” were in reality performing some of the hardest cryptographic work of the war—often better than the men promoted over them. Figures such as Joan Clarke, Wendy White, Helen Hazelden, Marie Rose Egan, and many others emerge not as footnotes, but as central players.


    This episode also explores:

    Why Enigma machines themselves were never the real secretHow civil service bureaucracy distorted the historical recordThe hidden importance of German diplomatic intelligenceWhy Bletchley Park was far messier, more political, and more human than popular culture admits

    If you think you know the story of Bletchley Park, this episode will make you angry—for all the right reasons.


    About the Guest: Sir Dermot Turing

    Sir Dermot Turing is a historian, author, and trustee of Bletchley Park, specialising in intelligence history and overlooked figures of the Second World War. He is the nephew of Alan Turing and a leading voice challenging simplistic narratives around wartime codebreaking.


    Recommended Reading

    📘 Misread Signals: How History Overlooked Women Codebreakers

    An essential corrective to the Enigma-centric story, uncovering the vital contributions of women across British intelligence.

    Available here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781803997933


    Explore More from History Rage

    🎧 History Rage is the podcast where historians confront the myths that refuse to die.

    Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platformsFollow History Rage on social media for episode clips, debates, and announcements

    Support the Podcast

    If you value independent, ad-free history:

    £3/month – ad-free listening£5/month – bonus content and the legendary History Rage mug

    👉 Support the show at patreon.com/historyrage or directly through Apple Podcasts subscriptions.


    And if you loved this episode?

    Tell someone. History only changes when the story spreads.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Daniel Defoe wasn’t just a novelist — he helped forge Britain itself

    Daniel Defoe is remembered as the author of Robinson Crusoe — but that legacy hides a far more dangerous, politically explosive truth. Long before his novels reshaped literature, Defoe was shaping nations.


    In this episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by historian Marc Mierowsky, Fellow and Lecturer in English at the University of Melbourne, to rage against the idea that Defoe was “just” a novelist. Instead, we uncover Defoe as a government propagandist, intelligence agent, and covert operator, working at the very heart of early British state power.


    Marc reveals how Defoe:

    Operated as a political fixer and spy for Robert HarleyBuilt one of Britain’s earliest nationwide intelligence and propaganda networksInfiltrated Scottish politics during the crisis years before the 1707 Act of UnionManipulated religious divisions, rebellion, and public opinionHelped sabotage organised resistance to the Union of England and Scotland

    This is a story of dirty tricks, espionage, pamphlet warfare, and political manipulation, all carried out by a man later celebrated as a literary pioneer. It also raises uncomfortable questions about state power, surveillance, and whether the foundations of modern Britain were laid through persuasion — or coercion.

    If you think you know Daniel Defoe, this episode will leave you furious, fascinated, and questioning everything.


    About the guest

    Marc Mierowsky is Fellow and Lecturer in English at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Restoration and early eighteenth-century literature, politics, and espionage. His research focuses on Daniel Defoe’s secret service work, propaganda networks, and the intelligence machinery behind the Anglo-Scottish Union.

    Marc Mierowsky – links & contact

    Book: A Spy Amongst Us: Daniel Defoe’s Secret Service and the Plot to End Scottish IndependencePublisher page / book retailers: Available via major academic and online booksellersAffiliation: University of Melbourne

    Why this episode matters

    Defoe’s story forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: the modern British state was built using surveillance, propaganda, and manipulation of public opinion. The debates around sovereignty, identity, and union that rage today were already burning in the early 1700s — and Defoe was pouring fuel on the fire.

    This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in:

    British historyScottish independence and the Act of UnionEarly modern espionageThe hidden political origins of the novelPropaganda, intelligence, and state power

    About History Rage

    History Rage is the podcast that smashes historical myths and takes cherished assumptions out back and wrecks them. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode gives expert historians space to rage about the misconceptions they want destroyed.

    Follow & contact History Rage

    Website: https://historyrage.comTwitter / X: @HistoryRageBluesky: historyrage.bsky.socialEmail: [email protected]

    Support the podcast

    If you love fearless history without the myths:

    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrageApple Subscriptions: Ad-free listening from £3 per month£5 tier: Bonus content and the legendary History Rage mug

    Supporting the podcast keeps independent, expert-led history alive — and angry.


    Stay angry.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Discover the Spanish Infanta who reshaped Renaissance power from behind the throne.

    Step into the glittering courts of 16th-century Europe as historian Professor Magdalena Sánchez joins host Paul Bavill to rage against a stubborn myth: that women only matter in history when they command political power.

    Catalina Micaela — daughter of Philip II of Spain and Duchess of Savoy — has long been treated as a political footnote. But across 3,000 intimate letters, a forceful, devoted, and highly capable woman emerges: one who shaped diplomacy, managed wars, and commanded a court… while enduring ten pregnancies in thirteen years.


    Professor Sánchez reveals how Catalina:

    • Asserted her authority as Infanta of Spain, not merely “a duchess”

    • Governed Savoy during her husband’s campaigns, acting as his lieutenant

    • Challenged ministers, criticised generals, and organised court life with precision

    • Maintained deep emotional connection through constant letter-writing and gift-giving

    • Balanced political influence with religious devotion and motherhood as central duties

    This episode uncovers Catalina’s love story, her leadership, and the invisible labour of royal women — all of which historians have too often ignored.

    If you think only queens and rulers shape history, Catalina will change your mind.


    Further Listening from the History Rage Archive

    For more on powerful and underestimated women of Renaissance Europe:

    • Episode 199 — Catherine de’ Medici with Una McElvenna

    • Episode 232 — Ruling Queens with Elizabeth Norton


    About Our Guest – Professor Magdalena Sánchez

    Professor of History at Gettysburg College and author of:

    Infanta: The Short Remarkable Life of Catalina Michaela (Yale University Press) — the first major biography to spotlight Catalina’s voice and legacy.

    📚 Buy the book

    Infanta: The Short Remarkable Life of Catalina Michaela

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780300282832


    Listen, Follow & Support History Rage

    🎧 New to History Rage? We invite leading historians to vent their anger at the myths we keep getting wrong.

    Follow for more raging truth:

    → Search History Rage on Apple Podcasts or your preferred app

    → Find @HistoryRage on social media (search to connect)


    💥 Support the show and unlock benefits:

    • Ad-free listening available via Apple Podcasts subscription at £3/month

    • Join the £5/month Patreon for monthly livestream access — search History Rage Patreon to subscribe


    📣 Love this episode?

    Tell one friend, one colleague, one fellow history-nerd — and help the rage spread.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Samuel Pepys exposed: secrets, suppression, and the truth behind his diary. Samuel Pepys Was Not What You Think…

    EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING - NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!


    For generations, Samuel Pepys has been portrayed as a witty observer of Restoration London — a charming administrator who documented plague, fire, and naval reform.


    But what if that version of Pepys wasn’t the full story?


    In this explosive Gloucester History Festival Special, historian and author Guy de la Bédoyère joins History Rage to challenge the long-standing myth that Pepys was simply “a man of his time.”


    Drawing on decades of research — including learning Pepys’s original shorthand — Guy reveals how editors suppressed, mistranslated, and obscured disturbing passages from the diary for over 200 years.


    What You’ll Discover in This Episode

    This episode goes beyond familiar Pepys anecdotes and digs into the hidden layers of his diary — and the people who shaped how history remembers him.


    Inside this episode:

    Why large sections of Pepys’s diary were deliberately removed or mistranslated How 19th- and 20th-century editors shaped the public image of Pepys The truth behind Pepys’s secret use of foreign languages and coded shorthand Why the phrase “a man of his time” can dangerously excuse behaviour Why Pepys’s record remains unique in early modern history

    Guy explains how Pepys deliberately buried controversial actions within routine daily entries — making them easy to overlook unless carefully decoded.


    Why This Episode Matters

    Pepys’s diary is one of the most important personal records in English history — documenting events like:

    The Great Plague of 1665 The Great Fire of London The Restoration of monarchy after the English Civil Wars

    But Guy argues that understanding Pepys properly means confronting the uncomfortable details — not sanitising them.

    This episode challenges the idea that historical figures should be excused simply because of the era in which they lived — and asks what happens when historians uncover what earlier editors chose to hide.


    About the Guest — Guy de la Bédoyère

    Guy de la Bédoyère is a bestselling historian, broadcaster, and former Time Team presenter.

    He is widely known for his work on Roman Britain and historical biography, and his latest research focuses on uncovering suppressed truths within Pepys’s writings.


    📖 Buy the book here:

    https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780349147406

    Purchasing through the History Rage Bookshop helps support both the podcast and independent booksellers.


    See Guy Live — Gloucester History Festival

    🎟 Live Event Announcement

    Gloucester History Festival

    📅 Saturday 18th April 2026

    🎤 The Confessions of Samuel Pepys

    Guy will be speaking live about the hidden realities behind Pepys’s diary and answering audience questions.

    🎟 Get tickets:

    https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk/events/the-confessions-of-samuel-pepys/


    Follow History Rage

    Stay connected with the podcast and never miss an episode.

    📱 Follow History Rage

    Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/HistoryRage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage Website: https://www.historyrage.com Newsletter: https://historyrage.substack.com/

    Support the Podcast

    If you enjoy History Rage and want to keep the show going, there are several ways to help:

    ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps others discover the show.

    🎧 Share the episode with friends and fellow history lovers.

    ☕ Support via Patreon — early access, livestreams, and exclusive extras.


    👉 Join here: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage

    Subscribers receive:

    Early episode releases Monthly livestream access Opportunities to submit questions to guests Exclusive History Rage rewards

    Listen Next

    If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:

    Episode 241 — Quakers weren’t peaceful outsiders Episode 284 — The forgotten women of the Restoration court

    Both continue the theme of challenging historical myths and misconceptions.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Titanic myths sink fast when the real evidence finally surfaces.


    For decades, J. Bruce Ismay has been cast as the Titanic’s cowardly villain—but what if almost everything you think you know is wrong? In this revelatory episode, Paul Bavill is joined by Clifford Ismay, author of Understanding J. Bruce Ismay: The True Story of the Man They Call the Coward of the Titanic, to explore the real man behind the myths.


    Drawing on family documents, maritime records, witness statements, and newly uncovered letters, Cliff exposes how false press narratives, Hollywood invention, and long-lived conspiracy theories reshaped Ismay’s legacy beyond recognition.


    What You’ll Learn in This Episode

    Why the infamous “coward” label doesn’t match documented evidenceHow J. Bruce Ismay actually spent the final hours on the TitanicWhy claims that he forced Captain Smith to speed up are baselessThe truth about “unsinkable” myths and who really said itHow William Randolph Hearst ignited a media assault that changed historyThe bizarre “Olympic switch conspiracy”—and why it’s complete nonsenseHow Ismay lived after the disaster, and why the recluse narrative isn’t trueHow film portrayals from A Night to Remember to Titanic distort the facts

    This is Titanic history stripped of melodrama and rebuilt from primary sources—the closest you’ll get to the truth without descending to the wreck yourself.


    ABOUT THE GUEST – Clifford Ismay

    Clifford Ismay is a maritime historian, museum director, and author specialising in Edwardian shipping history and the legacy of the White Star Line. As a distant relative of J. Bruce Ismay, he brings unparalleled insight into both the man and the myths that engulfed him.


    Clifford Ismay – Contact & Follow

    📘 Book: Understanding J. Bruce Ismay

    👉 Order here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780750998666

     

    Listen Next

    🎧 Episode 117 – Gareth Russell on Third Class “Locked Below Deck” Myths

    🎧 Episode 91 – Anne Fletcher on the Widows of the Scott Expedition


    FOLLOW & SUPPORT HISTORY RAGE

    If you’re raging right along with us, here’s how to keep the fury flowing:

    Follow History Rage

    🐦 Twitter/X: @HistoryRage

    📸 Instagram: @HistoryRage

    🌐 Website: https:www.historyrage.com

     

    Support the Podcast

    💷 Apple Podcasts Subscriptions:

    Ad-free listening for £3/month. Tap Subscribe in the Apple Podcasts app.

    💷 Patreon:

    Join for £5/month to get

    The monthly live streamExclusive perksThe coveted History Rage mug👉 patreon.com/historyrage

    Spread the Rage

    If you enjoyed this episode, tell a friend, share it online, or leave a review. It genuinely helps more listeners discover the show.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • The Mercian king history reduced to a ditch—but changed England


    Most people know Offa of Mercia for one thing: a giant ditch dividing England and Wales. But that familiar image hides a far more powerful—and fascinating—figure.

    In this episode, host Paul Bavill is joined by Cambridge historian Rory Naismith to challenge the long-standing myth of Offa as a brutal warlord. Instead, we uncover a ruler who helped shape the political, economic, and diplomatic foundations of early England.


    Why Offa of Mercia deserves a rethink

    For centuries, narratives shaped by sources like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle have painted Offa as a violent tyrant. But as Rory explains, that version of history is incomplete—and often biased.

    Look closer, and a different picture emerges:

    A king who ruled for nearly 40 years, stabilising a vast kingdom A ruler who centralised power across southern England A leader who pioneered systems later used by kings like Alfred the Great

    Offa wasn’t just surviving—he was building something lasting.


    More than Offa’s Dyke

    Yes, Offa's Dyke is impressive—stretching coast to coast and rivaling Roman engineering in scale. But it wasn’t simply a defensive ditch.

    It was:

    A symbol of power and dominance A political statement to neighbouring Welsh kingdoms Part of a wider strategy to control borders and project authority

    Offa wasn’t just reacting—he was sending a message.


    The king who connected kingdoms

    Far from being isolated, Offa operated in a deeply interconnected world.

    This episode explores:

    His rivalry and diplomacy with Charlemagne Trade, coinage, and economic reform across his realm A remarkable gold coin linking Mercia to the Islamic world

    From Rome to Francia, Offa was playing the game of international politics at the highest level.


    Offa’s real legacy

    Forget the “bloodthirsty conqueror” cliché. Offa’s greatest achievement was something far more significant:

    Creating a unified system of kingship Bringing together multiple regions under one authority Laying the groundwork for the future kingdom of England

    Without Offa, the later successes of rulers like Alfred may not have been possible.


    Listen More

    Episode 16 – Eleanor Janega on the Dark Ages: https://pod.fo/e/11c7f3

    Episode 240 – Dirk Hoffman-Becking on the Holy Roman Empire: https://pod.fo/e/3330ce


    Guest details: Rory Naismith

    Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rory_naismith

    📚 Buy the book “Offa: King of the Mercians” via the History Rage Bookshop:

    👉 https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780300257465


    See Rory live

    🎤 Gloucester History Festival

    📅 Sunday 19th April

    🎟️ Tickets: https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk/events/anglo-saxon-kings/


    Follow & support History Rage

    Love the show? Here’s how to keep the rage alive:

    🔔 Follow History Rage on your podcast platform ⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 📢 Share the episode with a fellow history fan 🌐 Find more episodes and updates via your preferred podcast app

    Your support helps bring more expert guests and untold stories to the surface.


    History isn’t just what we’re told—it’s what we question.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.