The second Arab siege of Constantinople should probably just be called the "real" Arab siege of Constantinople. In 717 the Umayyad Caliphate seriously threatened the continued existence of the Roman Empire by besieging the capital from both land and sea. The the army of the Caliphate vastly outnumbered the Roman defenders. But the Romans still had a few tricks up their sleeves. The formidable Theodosian walls, the horrifying flaming liquid known as Greek Fire, and one most slippery men to ever be called Roman Emperor all helped Constantinople weather the Umayyad storm. How did the Romans manage to survive this time? Tune-in and find out how tricky Greeks, unquenchable flames, and general who was just too darn honest all play a role in the story.

In the 670's something was brewing in the eastern Mediterranean. The Umayyad caliphate had built an impressive navy and was scoring victories at sea over the Roman empire. It looked like the Caliphate was ready to make a move against the Roman capital of Constantinople. But did they? Our sources tell us wildly different things. Was there a seven year siege? A four year siege? No siege at all? Tune-in and find out how sassy Edward Gibbon, unreliable churchmen, and ambiguous fire ships all play a role in the story.

When the capital of the Roman empire was moved from Rome to the city of Constantinople, the city on the Bosporus strait became one of the most important places on planet earth. One top being the heart of Roman religious, political, and cultural life for a millennium, the city had a reputation for being impregnable. From the 6th to the 13th century the city was besieged an amazing 19 times, and not once was it overcome by a foreign army. This resilience added to the city's legendary status. Two of the most significant sieges came at the hands of the Muslim Umayyad Caliphate, in 674 and 717. These battles have been cited as historical turning points, however recent scholarship has cast doubt on the traditional sources. How significant were these sieges? Did they both even occur? Tune-in and find out how sassy Voltaire, sloppy meta-narratives, and the end of the world all play a role in the story.

In this throwback episode Sebastian takes you back to Season 2 Episode #34 - Did Archimedes Build a Death Ray? Archimedes was one of the ancient world’s most important mathematicians. His discoveries would form the foundation upon which all future western science was built. However, he’s probably best remembered for his amazing inventions that saved his city from attackers during the siege of Syracuse. The most discussed of all of these amazing devices has to be Archimedes’ “Death Ray”. This mysterious machine was said to be able to set ships on fire from hundreds of meters away. Did this fabled “Death Ray” really exist, or is just another legend in a life filled with mythology. Tune-in and find out how gold scams, Archimedes claw, and a sphere in a cylinder all play a role in the story.

Edgar Allan Poe has been remembered as one of America's greatest authors and poets. However, many are less familiar with is career as a hoaxer. In the 1830's and 1840's Poe made a name for himself orchestrating elaborate newspaper hoaxes, and debunking hoaxes attempted by others. Poe specialized in deceptions that dealt with the frontiers of science. Some of these scientific hoaxes flopped, while others drummed up real excitement among astonished readers. What was the secret sauce that made a newspaper hoax go large? Tune-in and find out how moon-gnomes, chess playing automatons, and bipedal space beavers all play a role in the story.

Trying to come an "objective" understanding of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot has proved difficult for historians. From the the outset the facts of the case were distorted to help serve the political interests of powerful English ministers. The details were massaged so that a group of Jesuits could be framed as the masterminds. But, if the authorities were lying about the Jesuits, what else might they have been lying about? Was the Gunpowder Plot actually a false flag operation cooked up by members of King James' inner-circle? Have revelers on bonfire night been celebrating a lie... or is something more complicated going on? Tune-in and find out how Satan's imps, English Mardi Gras, and the Guilford Guys all play a role in the story.

There is an old English rhyme that implores every patriotic Briton to "Remember, Remember, the 5th of November." This was the date of a foiled attack on the English parliament known as the Gunpowder Plot. The man poised to light the fuse on the 36 barrels of gunpowder stockpiled under the house of lords in 1605 was the Catholic agitator Guy Fawkes. Since the date of his capture the popular understanding of Fawkes has undergone a remarkable transformation. He has gone from being a nearly forgotten triggerman, to a reviled villain burnt in effigy, to a valiant folk hero, to a symbol for internet "hacktivists." Does "Guy Fawkes" the symbol have anything to do with Guy Fawkes the man? Tune-in and find out how rambunctious political theatre, Hungry Scots, and a man with all sorts of Rizz play a role in the story.

In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits one of the earliest episodes of Our Fake History from 2015. Is the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur just a bedtime story for morbid children or does it contain the kernels of real history? This week we dive into this classic myth and discover how it might hold clues about a real conflict between ancient bronze-age civilizations. Tune in to discover how bull jumpers, volcanic eruptions, boys with double-daddys, and the real life Indiana Jones all play a role in the story!

In 1976 the bestselling biography A Man Called Intrepid made the Canadian spy Sir. William Stephenson something close to a household name. The book claimed that the previously obscure Stephenson had secretly been the head of one of WWII's most important espionage agencies. Some even gave him credit for inspiring Ian Fleming's beloved fictional spy, James Bond. But, despite it's success, the book soon met with a wave of criticism from historians. The most vocal critics decried Stephenson as an "intrepid fraud" who "fooled the world into believing he was a master spy.” Was Stephenson truly an important part of British Intelligence, or was he just a Winnipeg con-man who duped his gullible biographers. Tune-in and find out how secret Canadian commando camps, stolen can openers, and the Butcher of Prague all play a role in the story.

Thanks for supporting our sponsors!

Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Enter coupon code FAKEHISTORY for 4 months EXTRA at https://surfshark.com/FAKEHISTORY