History Loves Company

"Well behaved women rarely make history." So goes a famous adage used by many feminist scholars and historians and one that most certainly applies to the subject of this week's episode. Who was the Syrian queen who led a rebellion against one of the greatest empires of all time? How did she form an empire of her own? And how did it all come crashing down? Find out this week in a truly riveting episode all about Queen Zenobia of Palmyra!

The two World Wars, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War...these are some of the 20th Centuries greatest conflicts, yet they pale in comparison to the Emu War, a skirmish that erupted in the state of Western Australia in 1932, pegging farmers and soldiers of the Australian Army against an indigenous species of flightless bird--the emu. Feathers will fly in this informative (and sometimes amusing) episode!

It goes without saying that the Civil War remains an indelible stain on American history. For four years, the nation was torn asunder by cultural and political differences, differences that indeed had rocked the country since its foundation. And yet, it nonetheless remains a fascinating period, for it produced a cast of colorful characters that have shaped our understanding of the conflict and its aftermath. One such figure was Newton Knight, a resident of Jones County, Mississippi who, disillusioned with the Confederacy and its policies, ultimately deserted from the Confederate Army and took matters into his own hands. Tune in to learn all about this Robin Hood-like figure and his daring deeds!

The Heian Period (794-1185) is seen as a golden age in Japanese history. The arts flourished, written Japanese was invented, and great works of literature were penned. But it was also a time of political turmoil as two rival factions fought for control over the imperial court and, in turn, the country. Join me for a bloodbath worthy of 'Game of Thrones' this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast.

Today, the Australian Outback is crisscrossed with roads and highways, having been mapped and charted by braver, more intrepid, individuals in earlier days. But in the 19th Century, it presented a formidable barrier between the country-continent's eastern settlements and its interior. Several people set about exploring this vast expanse, but perhaps none was as interesting as the story surrounding the German explorer who set about completing an east-west crossing, only to never be seen or heard from again. Join me for a look at the expeditions and mysterious disappearance of Ludwig Leichhardt, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

With the execution of Andrés Bonifacio, revolutionary fervor died down a bit, with disillusioned rebels succumbing to defeat at the hands of the Spanish. But in the tumultuous period that followed, his rival, Emilio Aguinaldo, would return from a brief exile in Hong Kong and be lauded as a hero. While this was going on, war had broken out between Spain and the United States and it wouldn't be long before this even larger conflict would arrive at the Philippines' doorstep. Find out how it all played out in the exciting conclusion of the Philippine Revolution!

Dissention, deceit, personal squabbles...these are just some of the factors that led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. Tune in this week to find out how and what lit the fuse of the conflict.

Ask anyone who's been to the Philippines and they'll tell you it's an island paradise, the "Pearl of the Orient," as one of its most famous writers, José Rizal, put it. But things weren't always peaceful and bright for that beautiful island nation. For three centuries, it was under the Spanish colonial yoke and most of its population enjoyed few rights and civil liberties. But by the 19th Century, there were talks of independence, of revolution, not just amongst its commoners, but its native-born intelligentsia as well. Tune in this week for part one of the story, in which we explore the history of the Philippines and the circumstances that led up to its war for freedom.

We tend to think, rather arrogantly, that we live in an enlightened age, that we and our immediate forebears invented reason and logical thought. The truth of the matter is that this is far from the case. In fact, some two-and-a-half millennia prior to our own time, logic and reason were the driving forces behind Western thought and philosophy, even before great minds like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle ever even dreamt up their own ideas. Tune in to the first episode of 2025 to discover the initial stirrings of reason and logic by the brilliant minds of the so-named Pre-Socratic Philosophers!

With the ratification of the 18th Amendment on January 17th, 1920, Prohibition went into effect throughout America. So began what's since become known as the greatest failed social experiment in this country's history. Drinking levels doubled (tripled even), crime rose to astronomical heights, and the general feeling of lawlessness that ensued was only rivaled by that of the Wild West some forty or fifty years prior. Join me for the exciting conclusion on the "intoxicating" history of Prohibition this week!