On the periphery of the Malian city of Gao, close to the banks of the River Niger, sits an extraordinary pyramid-like structure. Standing 17 meters tall, and reportedly constructed with mud and wood shipped in from Mecca, some 7,000 kilometers away, it is

In the years after World War II, hundreds of millions of Africans experienced newfound independence after decades or in some cases centuries of Colonialism. But in South Africa, the descendants of white settlers, and other European immigrants increased t

On the 29 April 1770, two men attempted to stop the disembarkation of a group of strange and unwelcome visitors on a beach in what came to be known as Botany Bay in Australia. The interlopers were lead by Captain James Cook of the British Royal Navy, and

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britons were subject to a penal system including up to 220 crimes punishable by death. These offences ranged from murder to theft, from arson to wearing blackface while poaching. Even young children, were subject to these d

Caligula the Roman emperor has been held up as the archetype of a crazy ruler for the last 2,000 years. But was he as bad as the history books say he was? And is everything you've read about him true? In this episode I examine Caligula and explain why he

Morris dancing -- a traditional type of British folk dance is synonymous with villages fairs and men dressed in white dancing with wooden sticks. But there are many more elements to "Morris" that the stereotypes we are familiar with. In this episode, I ex

Witches have existed in Denmark since primitive times. Though in the past, many were categorized as "cunning folk" since they were concerned with good deeds rather than ill. But in the late 16th century, anyone carrying around runes, whipping up potions,

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The Roman Emperor Commodus is best know for Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of him in the movie Gladiator. There is little doubt the ranks as one of Rome's craziest emperors. In this Wednesday bonus mini-cast, I separate fact from fiction and examine the man

Druids are synonymous with Stonehenge and the Summer Solstice but are these modern druids representative of their ancient forbears? And who exactly were the druids? Many people base their knowledge of the druids on brief remarks made by Roman Emperor Juli