Aspects of History

Summer Reads 2026 03.07.2026 1時間 5分

This week, it's a special episode as three of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gang – Antonia Senior⁠⁠, Richard Foreman⁠⁠ and Jane Thynne – join Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in person to talk through their recommendations for your holiday reading list. Plenty of picks, with links below, to accompany you in your hand luggage this summer! Books The August Coup: The Destruction of the Soviet Union and the Making of New Russia, 1985-1991, by Robert Service Stalin’s Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire, by Antonia Senior The Writers' Castle: Reporting History at Nuremberg, by Uwe Neumahr Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, by Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall White River Crossing, by Ian McGuire The Black Death: A Global History, by Thomas Asbridge Nonesuch, by Francis Spufford Conquest: A History of Roman Britain, by Ferdinand Addis Guests ⁠⁠Antonia Senior - Author and Historical Fiction Reviewer for The Times⁠ ⁠⁠Richard Foreman - Author and Publisher⁠ Jane Thynne - Author Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Relative Failures with Matthew Sturgis 26.06.2026 36分

What if you had a sibling as brilliant as Oscar Wilde…? This week’s episode offers a vivid window through which to view the artistic, literary and theatrical world of late Victorian London, a period of remarkable creativity, dramatic falls and cultural change. But, instead of viewing this fin de siècle moment through the brightest lights, why should we not focus on the forgotten characters? Joining ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on the podcast is acclaimed biographer Matthew Sturgis to discuss Relative Failures, his exploration of three overlooked figures who lived in the shadow of their more famous siblings: Willie Wilde, brother of Oscar Wilde; Mabel Beardsley, sister of Aubrey Beardsley; and Howard Sturgis, younger brother of the novelist Julian Sturgis. Episode Links Relative Failures: The Lives of Willie Wilde, Mabel Beardsley and Howard Sturgis Matthew Sturgis Links Matthew ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ Matthew on Instagram Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe with Katja Hoyer 19.06.2026 48分

The Weimar Republic, synonymous with German culture, idealism, and artistic brilliance, has become a common trope in the 21st century, as everyday politics becomes more polarised across Europe. Is Germany’s journey from fragile optimism to fascist collapse a warning we ought to be heeding today? Joining Phil Craig on the ⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast is historian Katja Hoyer, whose latest title, Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, offers an astute depiction of that period between 1919 and 1939 through the perspective of the small town and its residents. She explains the optimism of post-war democracy and the trajectory to economic despair, political radicalisation, and life lived in the shadow of Buchenwald concentration camp, all the while keeping an eye on the uncomfortable moral ambiguities that would come to shape daily life under Nazism. Episode Links Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe Katja Hoyer Links Katja online Katja on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Katja on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stealing Hitler's Rocket with Guy Walters 12.06.2026 33分

This week’s helping of the podcast recounts the terror of the world’s first ballistic missile and the heroic efforts of the Polish resistance, all contained in this tale of innovation and daring that reads like a wartime thriller – except it’s true… Pairing up with ⁠Phil Craig for this episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, author and historian, Guy Walters gives a blow-by-blow account of the remarkable true story of the race to uncover the secrets of Nazi Germany’s V-2 missile programme. His book, Stealing Hitler's Rocket, poses the question of whether said rocket could have changed the course of the war, observes at close quarters the intelligence battle to understand Hitler’s fatal technology, and why this little-known operation deserves a place among the greatest secret missions of the conflict. Episode Links Stealing Hitler's Rocket Guy Walters Links Guy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guy on Instagram Guy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches with Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall 05.06.2026 36分

In just a few days time, the 2026 Fifa World Cup will begin, a vast 48-team affair across North America, the geopolitical backdrop to the tournament as fractious as it has ever been in recent times. It goes without saying, however, that ideology, propaganda and diplomacy have always been at the forefront of the beautiful game throughout the tournament’s history. Joining Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, for this week’s episode are Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall, their collaborative efforts in Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches making for a fascinating dive into the sport on both sides of the Iron Curtain and beyond. From Dynamo Moscow’s infamous 1945 clash with Arsenal to the revolutionary style of Hungary’s Magical Magyars, North Korea’s bond with Middlesbrough in 1966, and the charged meeting of East and West Germany in 1974, our conversation reveals how the game both reflected and transcended global tensions, breaking and building connections on either side of the Cold War’s cultural divide. Episode Links Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches Tony Shaw Links Tony ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠ Alan McDougall Links Alan ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SAS Great Escapes 5 with Damien Lewis 29.05.2026 35分

From a legendary escape across the North African desert to a daring mission to rescue prisoners from concentration camps in Fascist Italy, this week offers breathless tales of endurance, ingenuity, and courage against the odds. Bestselling historian, writer and war journalist, Damien Lewis joins ⁠⁠Phil Craig⁠ on the ⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast to chat his latest book, ⁠SAS Great Escapes 5⁠⁠. Drawing on newly uncovered family archives and surprising firsthand accounts, Damien and Phil reflect on how these stories are pieced together, the legacy of special forces operations in the Second World War, and the leadership of figures like Blair Paddy Mayne. It’s a gripping conversation about history, memory, and the stories of brotherhood and daring that continue to shape our understanding of war. Episode Links SAS Great Escapes 5 Damien Lewis Links Damien online Damien on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Damien on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The World's Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion with Alec Ryrie 22.05.2026 50分

That word mission might make you think of Robert De Niro or Jeremy Irons in Jesuit robes clambering up the Iguazu Falls in deepest South America, but, lagging as they might have been and forgotten as their efforts may be, there was a Protestant expansion too, a clear will to propagate the Gospel to the world, that challenges those preconceptions. This week on the podcast, Professor Alec Ryrie joins ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss his new book, The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion, published by Yale University Press. From Lapland to the Caribbean and across Asia and Africa, we discuss how a now global religion attempted to convert the nations, sometimes falteringly, some successfully, and examine the motivations, approaches and instances where religion, colonialism and empire become intertwined. Episode Links The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion⁠ Alec Ryrie Links Alec ⁠⁠online⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Archbishop, Chancellor, Kingmaker with Dr Chris Given-Wilson 15.05.2026 44分

The medieval period is rife with kingmakers, but what about the dynasty-maker who also served as head of the church? In his excellent new study of Thomas Arundel, the master of medieval studies, Dr Chris Given-Wilson, Emeritus Professor at St Andrews, tells Nathen Amin all about the remarkable figure who served as Chancellor and Archbishop before helping change the path of English politics forever. Episode Links Chris Given-Wilson Links: University of St Andrews Profile at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/people/cjg2/⁠ Nathen Amin Links: Website: www.nathenamin.com Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/ Aspects of History Links: Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com Email: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West with James Holland 08.05.2026 40分

Economic turmoil of the 1930s and the need to create a new post-war fiscal order after 1945 were the challenges faced by Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman. Their vision, and the policies by which they enacted it, underpinned recovery, global cooperation, and long-term stability. Joining ⁠Phil Craig for this episode of the Aspects of History⁠ podcast, historian and Chalke History Festival supremo, James Holland offers his thoughts on those leaders of the free world who contributed so much to both Europe and North America in the 21st century. His latest book, The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West⁠ examines international responsibility, and the enduring impact of political leadership, considering the stark contrast between past and present economic strategy. Episode Links The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West James Holland Links James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠We Have Ways James ⁠online⁠ James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack Chalke History Festival Links Full line-up and tickets online Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors with Caillan Davenport 01.05.2026 1時間 5分

Rumours whispered in the forum, graffiti scrawled on walls, and scandalous tales passed between senator and citizen - the Roman emperor was as much a manifestation of gossip as of power. But how far can we trust these tales, and what do they reveal about the imperial system itself? Joining Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠, on the podcast today is Caillan Davenport, professor and historian, whose study, Behind Caesar’s Back, offers a bold, fresh approach to imperial Rome. Moving beyond traditional biographies, his sweeping study reconstructs the “oral world” of the Roman Empire, sharing insight into political talk, public opinion and the delicate relationship between ruler and ruled. Episode Links Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors Caillan Davenport Links Caillan ⁠online⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece with Adrian Goldsworthy 24.04.2026 49分

In a warring world of thousands of city-states, where honour, prestige, and survival were constantly at stake, two names would rise above the rest – Athens and Sparta. Though once allied together against the Persians, the powers would end up locked in a rivalry, the Peloponnesian War. In this episode of the podcast, Adrian Goldsworthy joins ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss his latest book, ⁠Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece⁠. His stimulating account runs from its mythic origins to the Peloponnesian War, exploring their contrasting identities and ideologies – militaristic Sparta as a conquering elite and democratic Athens as an autochthonous society – and quite how these shaped their politics and ambitions. Our conversation also considers the challenges of sources like Herodotus and Thucydides, the fragile alliances of the Persian Wars, and what descent into this enduring conflict reveals about power, warfare, and strategy. Episode Links Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece Adrian Goldsworthy Links Adrian ⁠⁠online⁠⁠ Adrian on Twitter/X Adrian on YouTube Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Henry VII: Treason and Trust with Dr Sean Cunningham 17.04.2026 56分

Henry VII was the king the brought the Plantagenets tumbling down and replaced them with the Tudor Dynasty. But his reign was anything but peaceful. Join Nathen Amin to tell us all about the first Tudor monarch's tense, turbulent and uncomfortable reign is Dr Sean Cunningham, author of 'Henry VII: Treason and Trust' and Head of Medieval Records at the National Archives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire with Antonia Senior 10.04.2026 56分

Few scandals have captured the imagination quite like the Cambridge Five - recruited in the 1930s, these infamous names would each penetrate the deepest recesses of the British intelligence system while secretly working for the Soviet Union. Their actions compromised operations, reshaped the nation’s security services and left a legacy that continues to echo in today’s world. Joining ⁠Phil Craig on the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠ podcast is historian, writer and journalist Antonia Senior, whose latest book, Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire, reexamines the lives and careers of some of the most intriguing figures in 20th century espionage. She sets forth the state of the world that produced these men, how they were recruited, and just how damaging their betrayal of information was. Episode Links ⁠Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire⁠ Antonia Senior Links Antonia on The History Book Buffs Antonia on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nazi and the Psychiatrist with Jack El-Hai 03.04.2026 30分

This week’s episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast sees historian ⁠Phil Craig⁠⁠⁠⁠ joined by author Jack El-Hai to explore the disturbing psychological drama behind the Nuremberg Trials. After last year’s adaptation starring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe, the journalist discusses his book, The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, the uncanny relationship between US Army physician Douglas Kelley and the war criminal Hermann Göring, and what it reveals to us eighty years later about the nature of evil. Drawing on personal archival material, what follows is a gripping conversation about power, personality, and the disconcerting idea that the 20th century’s worst crimes might be rooted in ordinary human behaviour. Episode Links ⁠The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Goring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII by Jack El-Hai Jack Links Jack on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X Jack on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn Jack on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky Jack ⁠online⁠ Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sceptred Isle with Helen Carr 28.03.2026 47分

This week on the podcast, best-selling historian Helen Carr passionately explores the fourteenth century, subject of her vividly-told and immersive new book Sceptred Isle including insightful discussion of John of Gaunt, Katherine Swynford, exploring the voices of women of the past, and writing on the themes of loss and grief. Nathen Amin Links: Website: www.nathenamin.com Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/ Helen Carr Links: Website: https://www.helenhcarr.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sceptred-Isle-history-fourteenth-century/dp/1529151651 Aspects of History Links: Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com Email: History@aspectsofhistory.com ⁠⁠Aspects of History on Instagram⁠ ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale with Helen Fry 21.03.2026 38分

The Nuremberg Trials brought the surviving leaders of the Third Reich to justice, but they also posed a deeper question. How could ordinary men commit such extraordinary crimes? Joining Phil Craig on the Aspects of History⁠⁠ podcast is historian Helen Fry discussing Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale published by Yale University Press. Her new book tells the fascinating story of Howard Triest, a young German-Jewish refugee who returned to Germany as a US Army translator and found himself interviewing the very men responsible for the regime that had murdered his parents. His is a story of justice, memory, and the attempt to understand the architects of evil at the heart of the Nazi regime. Episode Links Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale by Helen Fry Helen Links Helen on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Helen online Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Edward I and Wales with David Pilling 14.03.2026 1時間

This week on the podcast, historian, author and novelist David Pilling joins to share his thoughts on Edward I, the Crusader King of England remembered for his uncompromising rule and struggles with the Welsh and Scottish. It's a fascinating discussion about a monarch who has become increasingly misrepresented and perhaps misunderstood. Nathen Amin Links: Website: www.nathenamin.com Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/ David Pilling Links: Substack: https://medievalrealms.substack.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B0086PTSCW Aspects of History Links: Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com Email: History@aspectsofhistory.com ⁠⁠Aspects of History on Instagram⁠ ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Themistocles: The Rise and Fall of Athens's Naval Mastermind with Michael Scott 07.03.2026 1時間 2分

Themistocles is a name conjures up many adjectives and epithets - a visionary, an outsider, the architect of Athenian maritime success, and, ultimately, an exile who ended his days in among his once-enemies. Alongside ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠, Editor of ⁠Aspects of History⁠, on the podcast today is Professor Michael Scott of the University of Warwick, academic, author and broadcaster. His biography of one of the most compelling and controversial figures of the ancient world observes a city’s political upheaval, Greece’s fight for survival against the invading Persians and that audacious gamble at Salamis. Episode Links Themistocles: The Rise and Fall of Athens’s Naval Mastermind Michael Scott Links Michael online Michael on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Michael on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠online⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Willie Willie Harry Stee with Charlie Higson 28.02.2026 54分

This week on the podcast, renaissance man of culture - comedian, musician, novelist, actor, podcaster and now historian - Charlie Higson joins Nathen Amin for a wide-ranging discussion around his podcast and accompanying book Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee. Find out who Charlie thought were 'stinkers' as monarchs and just why history matters so much. Charlie Higson Links: Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee Podcast Nathen Amin Links: Website: www.nathenamin.com Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/ Aspects of History Links: Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com Email: History@aspectsofhistory.com ⁠⁠Aspects of History on Instagram⁠ ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Berenice: Queen in Roman Judea with Bruce Chilton 24.02.2026 1時間

A lover of an emperor-to-be, the subject of scurrilous rumours of incest and a target of Juvenal’s anti-Semitic ranting - but who exactly was Berenice of Judea and why must her life viewed through these prejudiced lenses? Joining Zeb Baker-Smith, Editor of Aspects of History, on the podcast is Bruce Chilton, scholar and biographer. His fine-tuned account of a 1st-century client queen turns the spotlight onto religious upheaval in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, female agency within the Herodian dynasty, imperial succession and the life and times of an inspiring figure. Episode Links Berenice: Queen in Roman Judea Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠online⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠Twitter /X⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices