Medieval Chastity Belts: History Unlocked

The Roman Emperor Tiberius has a harrowing reputation based on stories surrounding his latter years on the island of Capri. Stories of debauchery and abuse of the worst kind. But who was Tiberius and where does the truth lie?Kate Lister is joined by is Rome-based historian and to ...  Show more

In post-war Hollywood, the film industry had a reputation for its dark side as much as anything happening on the big screen.So when Elizabeth Short was dramatically - and cinematically - murdered in Hollywood, the press called her the Black Dahlia and made a sensation out of her. ...  Show more

This episode contains explicit language and graphic descriptions of birth

Today we're delving into historical childbirth's stark realities, facing the medieval attitudes toward childbirth, its dangers, and grizzly details. Dr. Eleanor Janega pays a v ...

With six wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful? In this episode, the tables are turned on Professor Suzannah Lipscomb as she becomes the guest of Dr. Kate Lister on our sister podcast, Betwixt t ...  Show more

Sex. It’s everyone’s favourite subject. But has it been that way since the Middle Ages? The repressive instincts of some medieval churchmen meant that the way that ordinary people experienced and enjoyed sex in medieval Europe was very different to how it is today. But despite ...

The stories of King Arthur are among the great legends of British history. But behind the romance, chivalry and sorcery of it all, there were some pretty sexy shenanigans going on, at least in the early to mid-Medieval versions of the legends. And the good, virtuous King ...