The Early History of the Olympics

We mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of one of the most influential books ever written, Gulliver's Travels, & we find out how Jonathan Swift created one of the landmarks of world literature.Featuring Dr Jason McElligott, Director of Marsh’s Library; Prof Daniel Cook, ...  Show more

‘Seven Sisters: Captives and Rebels in Revolutionary Europe's First Family’ with Veronica Buckley, historical biographer; ‘Gothic: Building Castles in post-Union Ireland’, with Dr Judith Hill, architectural historian; and ‘Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the A ...  Show more

Every four years, the Modern Olympic Games is a celebration of athletic excellence. From modest roots in 19th Century Athens, to a worldwide phenomenon which will feature almost 15,000 athletes in Paris 2024, the Modern Olympics has developed into the largest sporting festival in ...  Show more

A tradition that endured millennia. The ancient Olympic Games began in 776 BC and took place every four years until at least 396 AD. It was a major religious and sporting festival, attended by over 40,000 spectators who flocked to watch athletes compete in sports like wrestlin ...

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss eighteenth century 'vase-mania'. In the second half of the century, inspired by archaeological discoveries, the Grand Tour and the founding of the British Museum, parts of the British public developed a huge enthusiasm for vases modelled on the anc ...  Show more

From TV commercials and branded soda cans to Emily in Paris spon-con, the Olympics are once again everywhere. In the Olympic spirit, we’re bringing you four stories about the games in all their international, theatrical glory.In the first story, Christopher Johnson introduces the ...  Show more