Dan Snow's History Hit - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

What Happens in The Odyssey? Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Dan narrates his own epic retelling of the Odyssey - following Odysseus' route around the Mediterranean. He tells the story of the many trials and tribulations the Greek hero faces on his 10-year journey home to his kingdom of Ithaca. From the Trojan War in Turkey to Cyclops' cave, to the clutches of Circe on her island near Sicily (we think), Dan travels to some of the real-world locations that could have inspired Homer and tries to make sense of what happens on the voyage.

Written by Dan Snow, produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

You can watch Dan's adventures in Greece in his Odyssey documentary on the History Hit TV platform. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

The Birth of America Explained Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

Born from revolution, this bold vision of liberty toppled the old order and reshaped the course of democracy. Today, we discover how a few powerful ideas changed history forever.

Joining us is Gary Gerstle, Emeritus Professor of American History at the University of Cambridge.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Natasha Hughes.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Agrippina the Younger: Rome's Most Notorious Empress Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Agrippina the Younger was one of the most powerful players in Roman history: a ruthless political operator who clawed her way to co-rule the empire, only to be murdered by the son she put on the throne. We're joined by historian Dr Emma Southon to unravel the extraordinary, blood-soaked life of Rome's most formidable woman.

Emma's latest book is called "Servus: How Slavery Made the Roman Empire".

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Life in the Trenches Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

What was life really like in the trenches of the First World War? In this episode, we step into the mud of the Western Front to hear about the horrors that soldiers faced; from artillery bombardments and sniper fire to disease, rats and relentless weather.

Joining us is Joshua Levine, author of "Forgotten Voices of the Somme", to explain the daily dangers soldiers faced, and the remarkable ways they survived.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Matthew Wilson.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Spain vs Portugal: The Spice Race Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

What happens when tiny volcanic islands become the most valuable real estate on Earth? In the 16th century, Portugal and Spain launched a deadly race to control the global spice trade, sparking an age of empire, violence and globalisation. Historian Roger Crowley joins us to tell the extraordinary story of the ruthless spice race that reshaped the entire world.

Roger's book is called "Spice: The 16th-Century Contest that Shaped the Modern World".

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

You can hear our episode with Roger about the rise and fall of Venice here - https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/the-rise-and-fall-of-venice.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Why Did The Roman Empire Collapse? Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

How does an empire spanning three continents and half a millennium fall apart?

In the final episode of our series on the Roman Empire, we're joined by Professor Peter Heather to unravel Rome's collapse - from the chaos of the third-century crisis to the deposition of the last Western emperor. Why did an empire at its economic peak unravel so quickly? And why did the East survive when the West did not?

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

The Origins of the Tank Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

How did century-old 'landships' developed from agricultural tractors evolve into the armoured giants of the modern battlefield? Today, we trace the lineage of the tank, from its origins in the trenches of the First World War to Second World War behemoths and their modern battlefield descendants.

For this, we're joined by Mark Urban, historian and writer specialising in defence and foreign affairs. With him, he discusses the all-important question: in an era of drones, missiles and precision strikes, does the tank still have a place on the battlefield?

Mark's book is called "Tank: The 10 War Machines That Changed the World and the Remarkable Men Behind Them".

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Mary Beard on Ruling the Roman Empire Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

What did it take to rule an empire that was never meant to have an emperor?

In this second episode of our series on the Roman Empire, we're joined by classicist Mary Beard to trace how Roman leadership evolved over a thousand years - from the competitive power-sharing of the Republic, to the carefully constructed one-man rule of Augustus. Why did the republican system buckle under its own success? And what set the empire on the path to fragmentation?

Make sure to join us for our third episode next week, when Peter Heather will explain how and why the Roman Empire fell apart.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Harald Hardrada Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Exile, mercenary, Viking king. Harald Hardrada, 'Thunderbolt of the North', fought his way from Norway to Byzantium, from the streets of Constantinople to the battlefields of Sicily. He married a princess, blinded an emperor, and nearly conquered England.

Today, Dr Wayne Bartlett joins us to tell the astonishing story of the last great Viking, a man who shook the medieval world before meeting his end at Stamford Bridge in 1066.

Wayne's book is called "Thunderbolt of the North: Harald Hardrada, Viking King".

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

The Rise of the Roman Empire Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

How did a cluster of Iron Age huts grow into one of history's greatest civilisations?

In the first episode of our series on the Roman Empire, we're joined by Dr Simon Elliott to trace Rome's rise - from its humble origins on the banks of the Tiber to the moment Augustus became the first Emperor. Why did Rome thrive when so many competitors fell? What were the key battles, the turning points, the extraordinary individuals who shaped the story?

Make sure to join us for our second episode next week, when Dame Mary Beard will shed some light on how this mighty civilisation was ruled.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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