207. The Stargazing Hippie vs The Lion King

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world every year by the Irish diaspora, but what is the real history behind the patron saint of Ireland? How is the traditional story of his life almost entirely incorrect? And why were Irish people in Rome considered to be the most ...  Show more

The Roman Conquest of Britain. The furthest western point of the empire. How did life change for ordinary people after the invasion? Why do Middle Eastern gods end up on Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England? And how does the famous gorgon face carved into stone in Bath blend Celtic ...  Show more

Hisham’s armies faced many different opponents during his long and formidable reign. The mismanagement of the half-brothers who preceded him had taken its toll on the umma’s unity, and the caliphate’s borders were no longer as secure as they had once been. We’ll take a whirlwind ...  Show more

Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Mehreen Chida-Razvi and comedian Sindhu Vee to explore The Mughal Empire and its legacy in art and architecture. We learn why an Emperor always needed to be wary of his siblings and how a zebra came to cause disbelief in court, and we hear th ...  Show more

Synopsis: In Shalmaneser’s final years, his eldest son – the crown prince Assur-danin-pal – enters into rebellion, while his younger son, Shamshi-Adad, struggles to defend his father’s legacy. “Where my brother Assur-danin-pal, in the time of Shalmaneser, his father, acted wicked ...  Show more

In this episode, we uncover the brief and bizarre reign of Emperor Shah Jahan II, who ascended the Mughal throne in absentia after his father’s assassination. Overshadowed by court intrigue and swiftly dethroned, his story is a testament to the empire’s turbulent decline. Tune in ...  Show more