Middle East history special

In 1665 the Portuguese Inquisition arrested Crispina Peres, a powerful slave trader in the west African port of Cacheu. The records of her case provide a remarkable window into everyday life in 17th-century west Africa, and form the basis of Toby Green's latest book, The Heretic ...  Show more

What was 'nidgeting'? How did women know they were pregnant before modern tests? And what did people in the past believe a mother’s imagination could do to her unborn child? In this episode, Lauren Good speaks to historian Erin Maglaque about her book Presence, which explores the ...  Show more

This week's journey back in time will take us to the iconic Crusader Battle of Arsuf, the apogees of the Umayyad Caliphate and the Roman Empire and to the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge.

Hosted by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, The Rest is History dives deep into history's most dramatic moments and fascinating figures - exploring the stories of great empires, epic battles, and world-changing events. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire to the ...  Show more

The Museum of Lost Objects traces the histories of 10 antiquities or cultural sites that have been destroyed or looted in Iraq and Syria.With hundreds of thousands of lives lost, millions of people displaced and some of the world’s most significant heritage sites destroyed, the w ...  Show more

Why did Crusaders travel from Western Europe to Gaza and The Levant in the 11th century? Who was Saladin and how did he conquer the Franks? How did the Mamluks defeat the Mongols in the 1200s and usher in an era of prosperity for Gaza? Anita and William are joined by Jonathan Phi ...  Show more