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HistoryExtra Long Reads

History Extra

Take a deep dive into the past as we bring you the very best of HistoryExtra magazine, Britain’s bestselling history magazine. With a new episode released every Monday, enjoy fascinating and enlightening articles from leading historical experts, covering a broad sweep of the centuries – from the scandals of Georgian society to the horrors of the First World War, revolutions, rebellions, and more.

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  • 28 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 21 min
  • English

Episodes 28

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  • #166
    Sunday · 23 min

    Ale, terror and a martyr’s death: what not to miss on the Bayeux Tapestry

    David Musgrove and Michael Lewis offer the essential spotter's guide to the iconic medieval embroidery Heading to the British Museum to see the Bayeux Tapestry for yourself? This Long Read, written by David Musgrove and Michael Lewis, reveals the 10 things you simply must do when experiencing the world’s most famous embroidery in all its glory. Today's feature originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of HistoryExtra Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • #164
    September 20 · 18 min

    A beginner’s guide to medieval farming

    From famine to fines, the life of the medieval farmer was often far from straightforward. In this Long Read, Christopher Dyer offers six tips for those seeking success in running a smallholding in the 13th and 14th centuries. Today’s feature originally appeared in the September 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • #163
    September 13 · 23 min

    History repeating?

    It’s human nature to believe that history repeats itself – but might our instinct to look for echoes of the past in the present be misguided, and even dangerous? This Long Read, written by Robert Blackmore, explores why such comparisons can be deceptive. Today’s feature originally appeared in the August 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • #161
    August 30 · 21 min

    The troubled birth of England

    The collapse of Roman rule in Britain, followed by the emergence of kingdoms established by Germanic tribes, marks one of the most turbulent periods in Britain’s history. But what factors drove this dramatic transformation? This Long Read written by Nick Higham chronicles the rise of the Anglo-Saxons. Today’s feature originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • #159
    August 16 · 21 min

    Athens v Sparta: a Greek tragedy

    Adrian Goldsworthy traces how Athens and Sparta went from united defenders of Greece to bitter rivals whose war shattered the ancient Greek world

  • #157
    August 2 · 24 min

    Marilyn Monroe: the brains behind the bombshell

    Lucy Bolton reveals how the star became a cultural icon not just through her glamorous image, but through fierce ambition, talent and relentless hard work The heart-shaped face. The iridescent blonde hair. And who can forget that billowing white dress? Image was key to Marilyn Monroe’s meteoric rise but, as this Long Read written by Lucy Bolton explains on the star’s centenary, her success was only possible because of raw talent, ambition and a ferocious work ethic. Today's feature originally appeared in the June 2026 issue of HistoryExtra magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • #151
    June 21 · 22 min

    Elizabeth II: the great survivor

    David Cannadine explores how Elizabeth II steered Britain through seven decades of upheaval, from imperial decline to multicultural transformation

  • #149
    June 7 · 24 min

    Lost stories from Pompeii

    Jess Venner pieces together the lives of Pompeii from the ashes of Mount Vesuvius

Showing 1–20 of 28 episodes