Roman warfare: everything you wanted to know

Did the Roman legions actually wear red? How often was their famous 'tortoise' formation actually used? How did military leaders maintain control of an army spread across such a massive empire? And what exactly was it that made that army so formidable? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Adrian Goldsworthy answers listener questions on the ancient superpower's attitude to warfare, as well as its tactics, strategy and logistics. If you’re interested in finding out more about Roman military history, Adrian recently appeared on History's Greatest Battles to chart five epic clashes of the Roman empire – from naval showdowns and brutal sieges to disastrous defeats and tales of betrayal. Listen to that now: pod.link/1794311126 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of season 2 of History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Twomey joins Rob Attar to tackle the "back door to war" conspiracy theory, explaining why many Americans have been willing to believe in a president's treachery. Find the full episode and listen to the whole series by heading to History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories or following this link: https://link.chtbl.com/HGCTHEX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From her introduction into the royal family to the tragic circumstances of her death, Diana, Princess of Wales was never far away from a newspaper front page or TV headline. She was a media sensation, a national talking point, and a cultural icon. Speaking to Matt Elton, Edward White, author of Dianaworld: An Obsession, argues that the mythologisation of the 'people's princess' reveals a great deal about the world of the late 20th century – from Britain's relationship with its monarchy to the dominance of American culture. (Ad) Edward White is the author of Dianaworld: An Obsession (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdianaworld%2Fedward-white%2F%2F9780241562680. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On first glance, what might you notice about a medieval manuscript? Maybe the material it's made from, the elaborate script, or ornamental illustrations. But, look a little closer, and there's a lot more to discover. In fact, as historian and curator Michelle P Brown explains, these medieval artefacts offer a portal to the past. Emily Briffett speaks to Michelle to unravel some of their secrets and find out what they can tell us about the Middle Ages. (Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Illumino: A History of Medieval Britain in Twelve Illuminated Manuscripts (Reaktion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fillumino%2Fmichelle-p-brown%2F9781836390374. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Famed for his dramatic and determined revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, as well as his bold vision for an independent Wales, Owain Glyndŵr has gone down in history as a symbol of Welsh resistance and a national hero. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Gideon Brough charts the medieval nobleman's emergence as a warrior and a statesman, to uncover the man behind the enduring myth. (Ad) Gideon Brough is the author of The Rise and Fall of Owain Glyn Dŵr: England, France and the Welsh Rebellion in the Late Middle Ages (I.B. Taurus, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Fall-Owain-Glyn-D%C5%B5r/dp/1784535931/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Metal detectorists and members of the general public have contributed hugely to our understanding of Britain's past, through the artefacts they have found hidden in the ground. Speaking to David Musgrove, Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson revisit some of the everyday discoveries that have reshaped history – from a Bronze Age cup with magical properties and a Roman cavalry helmet that would have been very hard to see out of, to a hoard of gold coins that tells us a lot about resistance to the Normans after 1066. (Ad) Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson are authors of Beneath our Feet: Everyday Discoveries Reshaping History (Thames & Hudson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beneath-our-Feet-Discoveries-Reshaping/dp/0500027528/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From parachuting into Nazi-occupied France to silent assassinations and exploding rats, many of the missions undertaken by the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War sound like the events of a high-octane spy thriller. Dr Kate Vigurs tells Elinor Evans more about the organisation dubbed 'Churchill's Secret Army', answering listener questions on the men and women trained to take on these dangerous, high-stakes secret operations. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latter half of the 19th century, Europe was dazzled by the beauty, charm and sensibility of two empresses: Eugénie, Empress of the French via her marriage to Napoleon III; and Elisabeth (or 'Sisi'), consort to the Austrian emperor, Franz Joseph. Author Nancy Goldstone speaks to Danny Bird about the lives of these two women, revealing how they broke boundaries and redefined what a royal consort could be. (Ad) Nancy Goldstone is the author of The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-Empresses-Nancy-Goldstone/dp/139960399X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of tourists flock to London each year, eager to snap a selfie in front of Buckingham Palace or Big Ben. But beyond the crowds lies a darker – and distinctly stranger – side to the city: a gothic metropolis haunted by tales of demons, poltergeists and murders most foul. Jon Bauckham talks to author and historian Clive Bloom about some of the capital’s spookiest stories, and why he believes that the eeriest encounters tend to unfold in the most mundane of places. (Ad) Clive Bloom is the author of London Uncanny: A Gothic Guide to the Capital in Weird History and Fiction (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flondon-uncanny%2Fclive-bloom%2F9781350424036. From the terror of being strangled by violent thieves to tales that the sewers were infested with a squealing band of pigs, 19th-century Londoners spent much of their time living in fear. Here, Emma Butcher and Tim Blythe reveal what seven such scare-mongering stories can tell us about the psyche of the capital: https://www.historyextra.com/membership/victorian-london-dangers-what-was-life-like/. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at centuries of challenges to international security – and how previous generations tackled rough sleeping and homelessness. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices