History Loves Company

It's difficult to imagine now, but there was a time in American history when the production and sale of alcohol was a criminal offense. Known as Prohibition, it was ratified as the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1919 and would prove to be the greatest failed social experiment in this country's history. But its origins date back to even before the nation's founding and it would be a long road before it would go into effect at the federal level. Find out how it all began in Part One of Prohibition, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

There was a time when Britain ruled much of the world. But long before that, the opposite was true, when outside forces invaded and colonized the British Isles as their own. The Romans were first, then the Normans, and between these two time periods, the Norse. The last of these three came from Scandinavia in the late 8th and early 9th Centuries with the intent of setting up permanent shop, giving rise to a unique Viking state known as Jórvík, better known in English as York. Find out how they did it in this week's episode!

No sooner was young Baldwin crowned king did he set his sights on taking down Saladin, his Muslim adversary. What ensued were a series of conflicts and skirmishes, each led by the new monarch, despite his ever-worsening leprosy. Family drama, bloodshed, and a war of succession are just some of the things he'd face, as you'll discover in the second half of his truly epic story!

As an important center for the three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), the Holy Land has been hotly contested for centuries. Since time immemorial, it's been under the jurisdiction of several rulers and empires, though perhaps none was as famous and renowned as the subject of this week's episode. Find out how the so-called Leper King, Baldwin IV, assumed command in this, the first part of his epic life story!

Since at least the Age of Exploration, Africa has been referred to as "the Dark Continent." It's, naturally, a dated and controversial term, though to me, it refers to the mysterious interior of the continent, which wasn't seen by European eyes until the 19th Century. But in this podcaster's opinion, it's a moniker that could just as easily be applied to South America, whose Amazonia region in Brazil wasn't even fully mapped until the 20th Century, a feat achieved by none other than former American president Theodore Roosevelt. Tune in to find out how he did and what transpired on that fateful expedition!

The game of Telephone many of us played in childhood is indeed fun, though it's also a fascinating study as to how information changes from one person to the next and reveals just how muddled the truth can become when filtered through the broader public. Such, perhaps, is the case with this week's episode, in which a man from a mysterious and unknown country turned up at a Japanese airport in the 1950s. Who was the so-called Man from Taured? What ultimately became of him? And is there any truth to this seemingly weird story? Pull up a chair, cozy up by the fireplace, and give it a listen!

Ghosts, goblins, trick-or-treating, candy. These and several other symbols and practices are hallmarks of Halloween. It's difficult to think of a more universally-beloved holiday and it seems that people brighten up a bit the closer it gets. But the origins of this fun and festive holiday run much deeper, and older, than you might expect. Tune in this week as we discover the spooky origins of Halloween!

What defines a golden age? Google, that most invaluable of sources, defines it as "an idyllic, often imaginary past time of peace, prosperity, and happiness." But the period of time we're discussing today was anything BUT imaginary. Scientific achievements, religious tolerance, and some of the greatest works or art ever created are just some of the things for which this era was known. Find out how it all came about in this week's episode!

Individually, the Germanic Norse and Celtic Gaels were two of the richest and most fascinating cultures of Late Antiquity and the Early Medieval Period. But when combined, they became a force to be reckoned with and went on to conquer much of Ireland, the British Isles, and the islands of the North Sea and North Atlantic under their control. What gave birth to the rise of this distinct hybrid culture? And how are its influences still being felt today? Find out in this week's episode!

A few episodes ago, I covered the first pharaoh of Egypt. This week, we discuss the last and his tragic downfall as brought about by the man who would become Rome's first emperor. Full of political intrigue and behind-the-scenes drama, this is the story of Caesarion, today on the 'History Loves Company' podcast.