History Loves Company

Like 'Gilgamesh' or Homer's 'Odyssey,' the legend of King Arthur is one of the Western World's foundational stories, one whose tales of triumph, glory, and virtue have inspired such disparate factions as the Tudors and the Kennedys. But is there any truth to the story? Was Arthur a real person? And what, if any, historical accounts from this shadowy period of British history survive to corroborate his existence? Find out in this week's episode!

As kids, we often dreamed of visiting a land made of candy or other sugary substances. But for people living in Boston's North End in 1919, this fantasy became a terrifying reality, as a giant wave of molasses swept through the neighborhood, injuring some 150 people and claiming 21 lives as a result. Just what caused this industrial disaster? Who or what was at fault? And how was it that the North End smelled sickly-sweet for decades afterward? Tune in this week to find out.

No ancient civilization has so captured the public imagination quite like Egypt. For a staggering thirty centuries, this mighty empire held sway on much of Northeastern Africa and the Mediterranean World, influencing every culture within its orbit. But even it had to start somewhere. Tune in this week for its humble origins and the man responsible for it all!

There have been a number of (in)famous mutinies throughout history, but perhaps none was harrowing, as human, as that of the Spanish schooner-turned-slaver, La Amistad. One fateful day in 1839, her human cargo cast off their proverbial and literal shackles and revolted against their overseers. A series of court cases ensued in the United States, but would the captives be found guilty of murder or would they get off Scott free? Find out in this week's all new episode!

Throughout much of history, the copying of printed material was a long and tedious and process that took the writer several days, weeks, months, even years, to complete. Particularly in Medieval times, places known as scriptoria saw scribes, usually monks, spending hours of back-breaking work hunched over illuminated manuscripts. While beautiful works of art in their own right, something had to be done to make the copying of texts quicker, more efficient and less labor-intensive. Enter Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith and printmaker who changed the course of publishing forever and even ushered a revolution in printing. Tune in to this week's brief segment to learn all about it!

With the insurrection against the Roman Republic well underway, we witness the behind-the-scenes actions taken to quell this most treasonous act. But will Catiline emerge victorious? Or will Cicero, the consul, and the Senate be able to stop him in his tracks? Find out in the exciting conclusion of the Catiline Conspiracy!

The history of Rome is perhaps best known and most famous for its days as a vast empire, the largest of the Ancient World. But before Augustus Caesar declared himself its first emperor, it was a republic and had been for some five centuries. Though it served its people well, it soon became steeped in corruption and political turmoil, perhaps none more so than in the subject of this week's episode. Join me for the first part of a two-parter all about the greatest political event of the Roman Republic...the notorious Cataline Conspiracy!

Anyone who's been to the United States knows that each state has its own flag. Texas has the Lone Star Flag, a remnant of its days as an independent nation. Hawaii's has the Union Jack in its upper left-hand corner, a reminder that a Brit, Captain Cook, was the first European to "discover" the islands in the 18th Century. And California has the so-called "Bear Flag." Depicting the now extinct California grizzly Bear on a patch of grass, the words "California Republic" are written in black letters underneath. But the Golden State was never its own self-governing nation...or was it? Find out in this week's episode!

Last week, we discussed the long and lengthy origins of the tank, right up to their initial use in the Great War (World War One). Today, we examine just how far they've come in the over a century since then, so be sure strap in and tune in for the fascinating conclusion!

In the years since their introduction during World War One, the tank has become an integral part of war and conflict. These machines forever changed the tactics of battle, but did you know that their roots go back to ancient times? Join me again this week for part one of yet another transportation-themed episode, this time about the tank!