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History isn’t just the tale of kings and queens, of armies and empires. It’s also the story of how we’ve suffered, how we’ve punished, and how far humanity has gone to make death a spectacle.

In this Halloween special, The Hungry Historian ventures into the blackest corners of the past. To the places where execution was an art form, and pain was meant to echo. 

From the slow scrape of the blade to the crack of the rope, from ingenious devices of torment to punishments so vile they were outlawed even by tyrants, this episode is a grim reminder that cruelty is as old as civilization itself.

You’ll hear about deaths meant not just to end life, but to send a message. The tools, the theatre, the terrifying imagination behind them. Ritualized agony. Sanctified suffering. Justice twisted into horror.

Across centuries and continents, we’ll unearth stories that reveal what happens when power, vengeance, and fear collide. A place where death becomes performance. These are the moments history tried to forget… but the screams still linger.

So dim the lights, pour yourself something strong, and settle in. Because tonight, The Hungry Historian isn’t serving comfort, nor is he in the pursuit of a goodnight story. 

Tonight, he is serving carnage.

⚠️ Listener discretion is very much advised. This one isn’t for the faint of heart.

Available now wherever you get your podcasts.

Cheers!

Ratcliffe's Colonial Catch

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

*Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips available within the show