8 Best History Podcasts of 2021

Updated: May 2022


Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

By Dan Carlin  

History  

13 Episodes

Started: Oct 2015

Latest: Month ago

In "Hardcore History" journalist and broadcaster Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", unorthodox way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras? This isn't academic history (and Carlin isn't a historian) but the podcast's unique blend of high drama, masterful narration and Twilight Zone-style twists has entertained millions of listeners.

Best Episodes of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History:

Show 68 - BLITZ Human Resources

The Atlantic Slave Trade mixes centuries of human bondage with violence, economics, commerce, geo-political competition, liberty, morality, injustice, revolution, tragedy and bloody reckonings. That s…

Throughline

By NPR  

History  Society & Culture  Documentary  

183 Episodes

Started: Jan 2019

Latest: Few days ago

The past is never past. Every headline has a history. Join us every week as we go back in time to understand the present. These are stories you can feel and sounds you can see from the moments that shaped our world.Subscribe to Throughline+. You'll be supporting the history-reframing, perspective-shifting, time-warping stories you can't get enough of - and you'll unlock access to our sponsor-free feed of the show. Learn more at plus.npr.org/throughline

Best Episodes of Throughline:

Cinco de Mayo and the Rise of Modern Mexico

Does history have a border? That is the question at the heart of Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, a holiday that symbolizes Mexico's fight for autonomy, even as it's come to be associated with sales and cervez…

Revisionist History

By Pushkin Industries  

Society & Culture  

88 Episodes

Started: Jun 2016

Latest: Few days ago

Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

Best Episodes of Revisionist History:

See Revisionist History Live!

For the first time ever, Revisionist History is hitting the road! On two nights, Malcolm will be working out an episode from the upcoming season 7—with the help of some very smart friends—…

BackStory

By BackStory  

History  Education  

259 Episodes

Started: Sept 2015

Latest: Year ago

BackStory is a weekly public podcast hosted by U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Brian Balogh, Nathan Connolly and Joanne Freeman. We're based in Charlottesville, Va. at Virginia Humanities. There’s the history you had to learn, and the history you want to learn - that’s where BackStory comes in. Each week BackStory takes a topic that people are talking about and explores it through the lens of American history. Through stories, interviews, and conversations with our listeners, BackStory makes history engaging and fun.

Best Episodes of BackStory:

331: The End of the Road: BackStory and the History of Finales in America

On this final episode of BackStory, Nathan, Brian, Joanne and Ed explore different kinds of finales throughout American history. They also consider what it’s like being a part of their own finale and …

Revolutions

By Mike Duncan  

History  Education  

345 Episodes

Started: Sept 2013

Latest: Week ago

A weekly podcasting exploring great political revolutions. Now: The Russian Revolution Next: ???

Best Episodes of Revolutions:

10.95- Russian Empire Soviet Empire

Tbh, it's bit like one of those "circle five differences in these two pictures that otherwise seem identical" games.

In Our Time: History

By BBC Radio 4  

History  

300 Episodes

Started: Apr 2000

Latest: Month ago

Historical themes, events and key individuals from Akhenaten to Xenophon.

Best Episodes of In Our Time: History:

The Arthashastra

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ancient Sanskrit text the Arthashastra, regarded as one of the major works of Indian literature. Written in the style of a scientific treatise, it provides rulers w…

the memory palace

By Nate DiMeo  

History  

242 Episodes

Started: Nov 2008

Latest: Week ago

the memory palace

Best Episodes of the memory palace:

Episode 195: A New Bronze Man

The Memory Palace is a proud member of [Radiotopia] (http://radiotopia.fm/) from PRX. A note on notes: We’d much rather you just went into each episode of The Memory Palace cold. And just let the stor…

1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

By Jon Hagadorn Podcast Host  

History  Arts  Books  

354 Episodes

Started: Dec 2014

Latest: Few days ago

Where History Comes Alive! A fast-paced, well-researched weekly podcast covering a wide range of historical events, persons, places, legends, and mysteries, hosted by Jon Hagadorn. 1001 Heroes Podcast is a proud part of the 1001 Stories Podcast Network, which includes 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales Podcast, 1001 Radio Days, and 1001 Stories For the Road Podcast. The network enjoyed over 5 million listens in the past year from a worldwide audience. SUPPORT OUR SHOW BY BECOMING A PATRON! www.patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork. Thank you!

Best Episodes of 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast:

NAMING THE GENERATIONS: EACH HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS

There are ten generations which have been given names, and these date back to births starting in 1890. The naming of generations is a sort of haphazard process, and is usually , but not always, predic…

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