History Obscura

Latest Episodes:

A Victorian Retelling of the Antonines of Rome Jul 04, 2020

Show notes

Only a Victorian could write such a story with the perfect mixture of awe and tasteless xenophobia all at once. This is a partial retelling of the stories of Roman Emperors Antonine Pius, Marcus Aurelius, and Commodore.

Listen for a promo from Find Me in the Dark podcast! https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/find-me-in-the-dark-podcast

Please support the podcast at Patreon.com/HistoryObscura - thank you!

Music from Fesliyan Studios

--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/historyobscura/support

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Pliny & the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

A young Pliny (nephew to Pliny the Elder) witnessed the eruption of Vesuvius--which buried the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 AD--and compiled the reports his uncle made during those chaotic days under a black cloud.

Please support the podcast via Anchor or www.patreon.com/historyobscura -- thank you!

Music by Fesliyan Studios

--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/historyobscura/support

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

Special Reading: Chapter 2 of ”The Utmost Island” Jun 27, 2020

Show notes

Moving right along with the second chapter of Henry Myers' fictionalized recounting of Leif Erickson's life, "The Utmost Island!"

Please support the podcast at Patreon.com/HistoryObscura

Music from Fesliyan Studios

--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/historyobscura/support

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

Special Reading: Chapter 1, ”The Utmost Island” Jun 27, 2020

Show notes

In 1951, Henry Myers published "The Utmost Island," a beautiful tale of Leif Erickson's life and voyage to Newfoundland, Canada.

This is the first chapter.

Please support the podcast at www.Patreon.com/HistoryObscura --thank you!

Music from Fesliyan Studios

--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/historyobscura/support

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

Leonardo da Vinci’s Job Application Letter Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

You probably don't think of da Vinci as one of the great war-mongers of history, but wait until you hear what he had to promise his employer in order to get a job where--one day, hopefully--he'd be able to build beautiful pieces of art.

Please support the podcast by becoming a patron at www.Patreon.com/HistoryObscura or donating a cup of tea to the show at www.buymeacoffee.com/historyyobscura --thanks!

Music by Fesliyan Studios

John Schmidt: The Bluebeard Killer Jun 20, 2020

Show notes

John Schmidt, or Johann Otto Hoch--or any number of this German man's pseudonyms throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries--was a male version of the classic Black Widow. He hunted for brides through the classifieds and made off with their worldly savings as soon as the arsenic had done its work.

Please support the podcast through www.Patreon.com/HistoryObscura or www.buymeacoffee.com/historyobscura -- thank you!

Music by Fesliyan Studios

A Story of England and the Black Death Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

Having claimed some 25 million lives in England alone, the Black Death is the most infamous pestilence in history. It sparked a million "cures," generations of religious fanatics and eventually, modern scientific germ theory.

Music by Fesliyan Studios

Support the podcast at www.BuyMeACoffee.com/historyobscura

or at www.patreon.com/historyobscura

Thank you!

The Spanish Flu; ”All Under Control” Jun 13, 2020

Show notes

"On the fourth day, the patient is either as well as he ever was, or pneumonia and other complications assert their dangerous presence. A harsh cough is a frequently encountered symptom. The patient thus hacks and sprays forth lots of the microbes which spread the infection quickly unless handled with the greatest precaution."

Please support the podcast through www.Patreon.com/HistoryObscura or www.buymeacoffee.com/historyobscura -- thank you!

Music by Fesliyan Studios

Sneeze by Mike Koenig

The Rapa Nui of Easter Island Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

When European explorers discovered the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui in the 18th century, the island's once-flourishing ecosystem had been ravaged nearly to the point of no return. So, too, had the tiny remaining population of a mysterious tribe.

Please support the podcast (and our rescued kitty Tito during his cancer treatments!) at www.Patreon.com/HistoryObscura, or at www.buymeacoffee.com/historyobscura -- Thank you!

Music by Fesliyan Studios

Special Episode-Chapter Reading of ”Letters to Earth” Jun 06, 2020

Show notes

Hey listeners, I wrote a book! Tune in to hear the first chapter of my science fiction novel :)

If you like, you can buy a full copy at Endless Ink Books!

Here are the links: Paperback Digital copy

You can also support the podcast at www.Patreon.com/Historyobscura, or at www.BuyMeACoffee.com/historyobscura

Thank you!

Music by Fesliyan Studios