King Leopold's elephant expedition: a story of colonialism in Congo

What were your chances of surviving illness in ancient Rome? How did the Roman army deal with ailments and injuries on the go? And in what way were the medical practitioners of this ancient civilisation similar to the snake-oil peddlers of the American Wild West? Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Patty Baker to get the answers to your questions about the treatments, cures and surgical practices of ancient Rome. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To mark International Women's Day, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to three expert historians – Sarah Richardson, Hannah Skoda and Hannah Cusworth – to get their thoughts on the biggest trends and challenges in the field of women's history at the moment. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 11 June 1488, King James III of Scotland was hunted down and slain as he fled the field of battle. And more than 500 years later, the identity of his killer remains shrouded in uncertainty. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian Gordon McKelvie explores this most enduring of royal murder mysteries. How, he asks, had James made so many enemies – and could the killer have been his own son? The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From To The Lighthouse to Mrs Dalloway, the writing of Virginia Woolf shook up literary norms and challenged societal ideas about what it meant to be a woman. In this 'life of the week' episode, Francesca Wade discusses the impact of Woolf's work, and the key moments of her life – from her late-night soirées with the Bloomsbury Group and love affair with Vita Sackville-West, to her long struggles with her mental health. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How violent were towns and cities in the Middle Ages? And how did medieval citizens deal with cases of murder? Drawing on detailed coroner's reports, Professor Manuel Eisner has mapped out cases of murder across three English cities – London, Oxford and York. In this episode, he revisits some notable crimes with David Musgrove, offering up some fascinating insights into the mean streets of medieval cities. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why were Assyrian armies so powerful? Did the Assyrians produce the ancient world's greatest cultural treasure? And what should we make of claims that they forged the world's first empire? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Paul Collins, curator at the British Museum, answers listener questions on this ancient civilisation. (Ad) Paul Collins is the author of The Assyrians: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assyrians-Lost-Civilizations-Paul-Collins/dp/1789149231/?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

In 1879, King Leopold of Belgium commissioned an expedition to transport Asian elephants from India to the African interior, with a vision of using them as working animals to unlock the continent's resources. Ellie Cawthorne speaks to journalist Sophy Roberts, who has retraced the route of this mammoth and ill-conceived voyage for her book A Training School for Elephants. (Ad) Sophy Roberts is the author of A Training School for Elephants (Doubleday, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-School-Elephants-Sophy-Roberts/dp/0857528378/?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

Vicious civil wars. Gruelling sieges. Rebellious provinces, galling betrayals and tribes seeking revenge… Join us for the first series of History’s Greatest Battles, where we’re heading back to the Roman empire. Emily Briffett is joined by historian Dr Adrian Goldsworthy to look back at five of the most fascinating clashes of this ancient civilisation, taking in the action blow by blow and identifying the major moments and key commanders that shaped events. They’ll also be uncovering what the military engagements of this mighty superpower can reveal about the age of the emperors, and asking: how history might have turned out differently had things gone the other way? Series 1 is live now. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/historys-greatest-battles/id1794311126 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ph7KUocWnqPREhTZa44Mb Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Battles You can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What did a Roman wear under their tunic? What was the best occasion to wear socks with sandals? And what might land you in trouble with the ancient Roman fashion police? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Ursula Rothe heads back to the ancient world to uncover what the Romans wore, and why they were so obsessed with what everybody else did. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Frederick Barbarossa has gone down in history as one of medieval Europe's most formidable rulers. He waged ruthless wars in Italy, clashed with the papacy, and came to an ignominious end on crusade. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Graham Loud explores the life and many afterlives of the legendary red-bearded emperor. (Ad) Graham Loud is the author of Frederick Barbarossa (Reaktion Books, 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%2Ffrederick-barbarossa%2Fg-a-loud%2F9781836390220. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices