What Made You Ugly In Ancient Rome?

The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most famous works of medieval art in the world, but what do we actually know about it? Who made it? Where? Why? And are those actually human genitals?Kate is joined by Dave Musgrove, content director at History Extra and co-author of 'The Story o ...  Show more

Behind the impressive relics the Romans left behind lurks a much darker story: that most of Rome was built on the back of enslaved people.It's shocking to know that up to 30% of Roman society was made up of enslaved people. So how was this represented in every day life? What was ...  Show more

How did the 14th-century Black Death influenced fashion trends? And were medieval bald men considered 'hot' because their hair burned off due to their masculinity?From clear skin and youthful appearance to the controversial make-up practices of the period Dr. Eleanor Janega and D ...  Show more

What did Marcus Aurelius, Jesus, and Ragnar Lothbrok all have in common? Apart from their notorious and symbolic deaths, all three men boasted luscious beards. Throughout history, beards have posed quite the conundrum for all those able to grow them. While some Roman emperors cho ...  Show more

This episode contains a reference to animal cruelty

Would you be able to survive in ancient Rome?

Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to discusses the realities of daily life in the Roman Empire. Together, they discuss everything from stree ...

Appearance was everything in the Renaissance – a way to make a good marriage and gain power and influence. But what if you fell short of the era’s exacting beauty ideals? Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Professor Jill Burke ventures into the realm of Renaissance beauty culture, ...  Show more