The oldest known piece of literature on the planet is the epic tale of Gilgamesh, king of the Mesopotamian city-state of Uruk. The story was a staple of middle-eastern storytelling for well over a thousand years. However, after the destruction of Assyrian city of Nineveh in the 600's BC, key manuscripts were lost and the tale faded from memory. When the story was rediscovered in the 1870's, by an unlikely assistant curator in the British Museum, it resumed its place among the great works of world literature. But the rediscovery came with questions. Was anything in this epic tale based in fact? Could the Epic of Gilgamesh actually be used to substantiate history as revealed in the Old Testament? Tune-in and find out how naked translators, civilizing sex workers, and Will Farrell all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are few Christian saints more misunderstood than St. Patrick. Ireland's patron saint is best known for driving the snakes off the island, but that isn't even close to the most interesting thing about him. Both the legend of St. Patrick and the details of his real life have been poorly remembered. Driving the snakes out of Ireland is nothing compared to the wizard duels described in the medieval sources. Have we completely missed the boat on what makes St. Patrick worth remembering? Tune-in and find out how poisoned wine, miracle pigs, and demon fossils all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1611 a the Hungarian Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, was confined to her castle of Cachtice, never to leave again. This sentence was imposed on her by the Lord Palatine of Hungary. But strangely, even though Bathory had been accused of some truly heinous crimes, she was never formally charged, or given a proper trial. If she was so clearly guilty, then why was she denied due process? Elizabeth's case becomes even more suspicious once you consider that most of the testimony used to incriminate her was either procured through torture, or was riddled with hearsay and inconsistencies. Is it possible that she was actually the victim of a conspiracy? Tune-in and find out how old crones, a fake diary, and the Guinness Book of World Records all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Throw the name Elizabeth Bathory into your favourite search engine and you will quickly find superlatives like “history’s most prolific female serial killer” and leading questions like “Was Dracula Woman?” She is a figure with a reputation so terrifying that her name has been endorsed by Black Metal bands as a suitably evil band name. In 1611 the Hungarian Countess was imprisoned for allegedly torturing and killing as many as 600 young maidservants. It was not long before a vampire-like legend grew up around Bathory. But did she really bathe in the blood of virgins to remain forever young? Tune-in and find out how medieval dragon slayers, the elixir of life, and a whole lot of inbreeding play into the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In episode #125 a historical myth about the origins of karate snuck past Sebastian! In this bonus episode the host does his darndest to set the record straight. Many thanks to listener Philipp Surkov for pointing out the error and recommending sources.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Martial arts myths are have been described as "savvy marketing". But, the most enduring bits of of fake martial arts history also combine Zen tradition, a Confucian veneration of the past, and a healthy dose of nationalism. Schools of martial arts will sometimes bend over backwards to prove that their form is a "pure" expression of their particular national culture. Sebastian is joined by history podcaster, and martial artist, Daniele Bolelli, to help separate the fact from the fiction. Tune-in and find out how Flower Knights, mysterious Buddhist monks, and a violent white crane all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Asian martial arts are often coated in a thick layer of of legend. Many fighting styles have elaborate origin stories and mystical founding fathers. These stories often help enhance the prestige of a particular school and inspire new students. However, the "histories" of many of these martial arts disciplines are completely made up. The granddaddy of all of these martial arts myths is the tale of the Zen mystic, Bodhidharma, teaching the monks of the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu. Is any of it true? Tune in and find out how Buddhist philosophy, eyelid tea, and the "Crown Prince of Death" all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For this Bonus Episode Sebastian is sharing something he recorded earlier this year for a project curated by Daniele Bolelli, host of History on Fire. Sometime last year Daniele got the idea to pull together a rogues gallery of history podcasters including Sam Davis (Inward Empire), CJ Killmer (Dangerous History), Alexander Rader von Sternberg (History Impossible), Darryl Cooper (Martyrmade), and Sebastian. The idea was that each of these podcasters would explore historical event, or figure, that had a surprising or unexpected historical impact. Daniele dubbed this project Ripples of History. In this bonus you will hear Sebastian laying out his take on the surprising impact of the Trojan War on history. Tune-in and find out how history's greatest scallywag, fake Trojan ancestors, and a giant named Gogmagog all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

These days Nostradamus is best known for the predictions found in his book The Prophecies. But, surprisingly, that book only became popular after the French seers' death. During his lifetime Nostradamus was better known for his yearly almanacs. Still, there is something about the poetic style of The Prophecies that has kept it evergreen, where his almanacs have faded into obscurity. What is it about The Prophecies that has kept people engaged over the centuries? Is there anything in this book we should take seriously? Tune-in and find out how splinters in the eye, astronomical assurances, and a gouty foot bench all play a role in the story.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 16th century French prophet, Nostradamus, has a way of rearing his head anytime humanity finds itself in the midst of a crisis. Anytime there's a collective tragedy, the world is plunged into conflict, or society finds itself on the cusp of painful transition, you will find someone waving a copy of Nostradamus' Prophecies. But how accurate were Nostradamus' predictions? Was a random French pharmacist really able to accurately describe five centuries of history? Tune-in and find out how Nostradamus' jam recipe, apothecary prejudices, and my Dad's last minute Y2K plan all play a role in the story.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.