Dan Snow's History Hit - TopPodcast.com

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Chichén Itzá Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

One of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is home to monumental pyramids, temples, and is a treasure trove of archaeological findings. Built in the early 5th century by the Maya, it has provided invaluable insight into Maya civilisation; from discoveries of sporting arenas to ancient feathered serpents, it's allowed an image of Mayan daily life to be created. But what specifically does Chichen Itza tell us about Mayan society - and what can it tell us about the collapse of Mayan civilisation?

In this episode, Tristan welcomes Annabeth Headrick back to the podcast to talk about this incredible site and to shine a light on recent discoveries that have been made there. Exploring the immense architecture and art, ancient religions, and precious gemstones and metals discovered - what can we learn about this impressive wonder of the world, and what does it tell us about the Maya?

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.

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If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!

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Marco Polo Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

You may have heard the many myths about the life and exploits of Marco Polo- was he really the one who brought ice cream and spaghetti from his travels on the Silk Road from the court of Kublai Khan, where he served as a diplomat? Almost as soon as he wrote his memoir, people doubted the wild stories of his travels across Europe and Asia.

His life and myth are unravelled on today's podcast with Laurence Bergreen, historian and author of 'Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu' who followed in the footsteps of Polo, travelling the old Silk Road all the way to China, to see for himself if the stories of the great Venetian merchant were true…

Produced by Mariana Des Forges, sound design and editing by Dougal Patmore.

PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.

If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Legacy of Rome Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Rome has attracted aspiring conquerors and leaders for millennia, not just as a great metropolis, but as an idea. It has long been a symbol of military might and universal power, defined by political and religious authority as well as great feats of engineering that would leave indelible marks on the regions it conquered, and overshadow empire builders for centuries to come. Dan is joined by Simon Elliott, a historian, archaeologist and author of 'The Legacy of Rome', to discuss how the experience of being part of the Roman world is still felt in the modern day.

This episode was produced by Beth Donaldson and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

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Rise of the Tudors Sep 03, 2023

Show notes

Join Dan as he rollicks through the tumultuous life and rise to power of Henry Tudor, the man who would ultimately become King Henry VII of England. Step back to the late 15th century, a period marked by conflict, political manoeuvring and alliances as a young Henry Tudor, having spent much of his early life hiding out in France, honed his political skills and formed alliances, eventually rising from obscurity to challenge the might of the ruling Plantagenet dynasty.

This explainer isn't just dates and battles; it's a lively exploration of the larger-than-life personalities, intricate plots, and the human drama that shaped the Tudor dynasty's rise to power.

Written by Dan Snow and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

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Secret Origins of the SAS Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

In 1974, a pioneer of the SAS and master of military deception, Dudley Clarke, passed away. His death went almost entirely unnoticed by the British public, despite the fact that he carried out some of the most dramatic deception campaigns of World War Two. He waged a covert war of trickery and misdirection across Europe, which ended up getting him arrested by Spanish authorities while dressed as a woman. He also helped to found one of the world's preeminent special forces; the Special Air Service, or the SAS. His contribution is often overlooked, but without it, the SAS may well have never existed.

So who was Dudley Clarke? What were some of the most audacious acts of subterfuge he carried out? And why is he not better known? Dan is joined by former SAS Troop Commander and author of Speed, Aggression, Surprise: The Secret Origins of the SAS, Tom Petch, to answer these questions and more.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!

We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ivan the Terrible Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

The name Ivan the Terrible is synonymous with brutality and ruthlessness. While Western scholars insist that the first crowned Tsar of all Russia did create a policy of mass repression and execution, others claim Ivan’s name has been tarnished by Western travellers and writers. How then should his complex and fascinating personality be understood?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb examines the evidence with Dr. Charles Halperin, one of the world's foremost historians of Ivan the Terrible.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

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Charlie Chaplin Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

The Golden Age of Hollywood was a place of pioneers, storytellers, ideas, westward expansion, money, politics and scandal- the story of Hollywood is the story of America itself. At the turn of the 20th century, Hollywood in Los Angeles was a dusty country hamlet, but soon bright young things came from across the country and even the Atlantic to seek fame and fortune. One of them was Charlie Chaplin who became famous for his iconic Little Tramp character with his baggy trousers, bending cane and toothbrush moustache. In a lot of ways The Tramp was a mirror of Chaplin’s own life- born into abject poverty in London, looking for something better, standing up for those without a voice. But Chaplin was of course a more complicated, darker character- his personal life was controversial and troubling- he had a number of relationships and marriages with teenagers whom he often met as children starring in his films. At the height of his fame, he was on the FBI's most wanted list under instruction from J Edgar Hoover and was eventually exiled from the USA, where he'd made his name.

It’s a long and complicated life and to help Dan untangle it is Paul Duncan, author of ‘The Charlie Chaplin Archives’. He's one of very few whose ever been granted full access to the archives of the Chaplin estate in Paris and Switzerland...

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Brutish were our Ancestors? Aug 27, 2023

Show notes

Was life for our ancient ancestors brutish and short or did they exist as noble savages, free and living in harmony with nature and each other? Many of our assumptions about ancient societies stem from Renaissance theories about how society should be organised and what civilisation is. Dan is joined by David Wengrow, Professor of Comparative Archaeology at University College London and co-author of 'The Dawn of Everything' to challenge some of these assumptions and show that they were founded on critiques of European society. David shines a light on the great variety of ancient civilisations, the different models of society they offer and how that might influence us today.

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.

If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WWII Britain: The Home Guard's Silent Assassins Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

WWII Britain's Home Guard wasn't a bumbling dad's army but in fact included factions of highly trained silent killers and spies hiding out in secret bunkers, caves and safe houses all over the country. The Auxiliary Unit was given a deliberately boring name to disguise the top secret mission they'd been tasked with- if and when the Germans invaded the British Isles, they would have to stop the first waves of soldiers, taking them down as they moved inland, often in brutal and secretive ways. They were locals chosen from and posted around coastal areas who knew the land particularly well and most went to their graves never revealing what they'd been a part of so we're only really just learning about them now.

Today, Andy Chatterton and his organisation Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team are mapping the bunkers left by this secretive unit and those used by Special Operations Wireless Operators who were posted in similar areas in the same sorts of hideouts. Many were sealed straight after the war with everything inside, while others have collapsed, revealing their secrets to the outside world. Andy got word there must be some hidden in the New Forest where Dan lives, so for this episode, Dan and Andy are joined by New Forest historian Marc Heighway as they go bunker hunting. The team come across some very promising discoveries...

If you've found something you think could be or relate to an Auxiliary bunker, get in touch with Andy and his team at https://www.staybehinds.com/contact-us

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Image Credit: “Parham airfield, Museum of the British Resistance Organisation - Auxiliary unit operational base” by Gaius Cornelius is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.02.0.

We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chairman Mao Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1949 until his death in 1976, Chairman Mao reshaped the nation's course of history, founding the People's Republic of China and implementing sweeping socio-political reforms that dramatically changed the country. However, his rule was marred with controversies and disastrous policies, leading to widespread suffering, trauma, and ultimately the deaths of millions.

In the first episode of Warfare's Dictators series, James is joined by author Jung Chang to talk about her and her family's experiences under Mao's rule, and to help shed light on who exactly Mao was. Looking at the devastating loss' she faced during the Cultural Revolution, her eventual move to the UK, and how Mao's political relationships reached even Russia - what legacy has Mao's rule left on not only China but the rest of the globe?

PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.

If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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