When Rome Burns

By Michael Stevens

Fifteen years of making teenagers care about dead people taught Michael Stevens one thing: the best history lessons happen when everything's falling apart. The former high school teacher turned podcas... more

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FAQs about When Rome Burns:

How many episodes does When Rome Burns have?

The podcast currently has 165 episodes available.

When Rome Burns episodes:

May 23, 2026 The Homemade Armor That Made Ned Kelly Bulletproof (Until It Didn't)
What if 97 pounds of homemade armor could make you bulletproof against an entire police force? Michael Stevens breaks down how Australian outlaw Ned Kelly turned stolen plow parts into legendary protection during his final, desperate showdown at Glenrowan. This isn't just another Wild West story: it's about innovation under pressure and how desperation breeds the most creative solutions.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• How Kelly hammered moldboard plows into armor that stopped 18 bullets at point-blank range
• Why the 12-hour siege at Glenrowan became Australia's first live-reported news event
• The tactical genius (and fatal flaw) in Kelly's final plan that almost worked
👤 Perfect for: history buffs who love stories where ingenuity meets impossible odds, and anyone fascinated by how people innovate when their backs are against the wall.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens introduces Kelly's armor engineering project
[01:45] The stolen plow metal that became bulletproof protection
[03:30] Inside the Glenrowan Inn siege: 12 hours that gripped Australia
[06:15] How Kelly walked through gunfire like a medieval knight
[08:45] The fatal design flaw that ended an outlaw legend
[11:00] Why this story still matters for modern crisis innovation
Kelly's armor weighed as much as a full-grown person, but it kept him alive long enough to become a legend. The siege drew reporters who telegraphed live updates across Australia, making it the country's first real-time news event. But here's what most people miss: Kelly's biggest innovation wasn't the armor itself, it was understanding that sometimes you have to become something completely different to survive.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, and next week Michael's covering the political collapse that made Kelly possible in the first place.
🔍 Topics: Ned Kelly, Australian history, homemade armor, Glenrowan siege, outlaw innovation
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: naval warfare, american revolution, gold standard, cultural disasters

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15min
May 23, 2026 How Ned Kelly's 3 Fatal Shots at Stringybark Creek Started Australia's Biggest Manhunt
What if three fatal gunshots in the Australian bush turned a horse thief into the most wanted man in the country? In this episode, Michael Stevens breaks down how Ned Kelly's deadly encounter at Stringybark Creek transformed him from petty criminal to folk hero and sparked the biggest manhunt in Australian history.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• How a four-man police party got authorization to shoot the Kelly brothers on sight
• Why two constables died within hours while a third ran 30 miles through the wilderness to survive
• How the Victorian government's £2,000 reward instantly made the Kelly gang Australia's most hunted criminals
👤 Perfect for: history lovers who want the real story behind Australia's most famous outlaw, not the sanitized legend.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens sets up the deadly showdown at Stringybark Creek
[01:45] The police party's shoot-to-kill orders and what went wrong
[04:20] Constables Lonigan and Scanlon's final moments on October 26, 1878
[07:15] McIntyre's desperate 30-mile escape through hostile territory
[09:30] How three gunshots created Australia's biggest manhunt
[11:20] Why this moment changed everything for the Kelly gang
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on your favorite podcast app and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite historical disaster is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Ned Kelly, Australian history, Stringybark Creek, Victorian police, Australian outlaws
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: hitler, cultural disasters, historical failures

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14min
May 22, 2026 The Police Shooting That Turned Ned Kelly Into Australia's Most Wanted Man
What if everything you think you know about Ned Kelly becoming an outlaw is wrong? Michael Stevens reveals how one corrupt cop's lies triggered a chain of harassment that turned a family of petty criminals into Australia's most wanted fugitives. This isn't just the story of bad policing - it's how justice systems create the very criminals they're supposed to stop.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick - already fired for dishonesty - could still destroy the Kelly family with fabricated charges
• How 30+ arrests and interrogations in just one year pushed ordinary people past their breaking point
• The moment three police officers walked into Stringybark Gully and changed Australian history forever
👤 Perfect for: anyone who's ever wondered how regular people become legends, and why some stories get told completely backwards.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens breaks down the real trigger behind Ned Kelly's transformation
[01:45] Constable Fitzpatrick's pattern of lies and why nobody stopped him
[04:20] The Kelly family's year of hell: harassment disguised as law enforcement
[07:00] How a £100 bounty became £2,000 and what that meant in 1878 money
[09:30] Three cops, one cabin, and the decision that made Ned Kelly a household name
[11:00] Why this story matters today: when systems create what they claim to prevent
The scariest part? This exact pattern still plays out today. When institutions lose credibility, they don't just fail - they create their own enemies.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on your podcast app and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, and next week Michael's covering how one telegraph changed everything for the Kelly gang.
🔍 Topics: Ned Kelly, Australian history, police corruption, outlaw legends, justice system failures
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: d-day, empire decline, nazi germany, strategic bombing, founding fathers, ned kelly, historical disasters, operation citadel

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17min
May 22, 2026 From Farm Boy to Australia's Most Wanted: The Ned Kelly Story Nobody Tells
Picture this: a 14-year-old kid gets arrested for allegedly punching a pig farmer. Seems like small-time trouble, right? That kid was Ned Kelly, and Michael Stevens shows you exactly how one unfair arrest triggered a chain of events that created Australia's most legendary outlaw.
Most people think they know the Ned Kelly story. They're wrong. This isn't about a random criminal who snapped. It's about systemic corruption, impossible choices, and how quickly things spiral when the system's rigged against you from day one.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why Ned's first arrest at 14 was probably bogus, but set his entire life trajectory
• How "selectors" like the Kellys got trapped in a rigged land system designed to keep them poor
• The lie that put a massive bounty on Ned's head and made him Australia's most wanted
• Why that £500 reward (about $50,000 today) made peaceful resolution impossible
👤 Perfect for: anyone who loves stories where the underdog fights back against a corrupt system, even when the odds are stacked impossibly high.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens introduces the real Ned Kelly origin story
[02:00] The pig farmer incident that started everything
[04:30] Life as selectors: why the Kellys were set up to fail
[07:00] Constable Fitzpatrick's lie that changed Australian history
[09:30] The bounty that made Ned Kelly a dead man walking
[11:00] How one teenager became the symbol of resistance
The Kelly gang story gets crazier from here. Ned didn't just rob banks, he wrote manifestos. He didn't just fight police, he built armor. And his final showdown? Pure Australian legend.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. Multiple episodes drop daily, and trust me, you don't want to miss what happens next in the Kelly saga.
🔍 Topics: Ned Kelly, Australian history, bushrangers, police corruption, Irish settlers
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: paper money, fall of empires, world war 2, historical disasters

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17min
May 21, 2026 The Catherine the Great Horse Myth: How 300 Years of Lies Destroyed Her Legacy
What if everything you know about one of history's most powerful women is a complete lie? The story about Catherine the Great and the horse isn't just wrong - it's 300 years of deliberate propaganda designed to destroy her legacy. Michael Stevens uncovers how French revolutionaries created the most persistent myth in royal history, and why we're still falling for their lies today.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• How a German princess named Sophie became Russia's most successful ruler and conquered territory the size of Texas
• The specific propaganda campaign that French revolutionaries used to discredit monarchy after Catherine's death
• Why Catherine corresponded with Voltaire and Diderit while simultaneously expanding the brutal serfdom system
• The real scandals in Catherine's life that actually happened (spoiler: they're way more interesting than the fake ones)
👤 Perfect for: anyone who's tired of believing historical "facts" that turn out to be complete fiction, and wants to know what really happened behind the palace walls.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] The horse myth that won't die
[02:15] Sophie from Prussia becomes Catherine of Russia
[04:30] How she seized power from her own husband
[06:45] The real Catherine: Enlightenment philosopher or brutal dictator?
[08:20] French revolutionaries invent the perfect lie
[10:00] Why we still believe 300-year-old propaganda
This isn't just about debunking myths. It's about understanding how false stories get created, spread, and become "historical fact" - and recognizing when it's happening right now. Catherine's story shows how easily the truth gets buried under centuries of lies designed to serve someone else's agenda.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, and your next favorite historical revelation is just one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Catherine the Great, Russian history, historical propaganda, French Revolution, royal scandals
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: australian history, operation citadel, d-day, gold standard, military history, paper money

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15min
May 21, 2026 Catherine the Great's $50 Million Succession Mistake That Destroyed Russia
What if the most powerful woman in Russian history spent 34 years building an empire, only to watch it crumble because she couldn't figure out succession? Michael Stevens breaks down Catherine the Great's catastrophic $50 million mistake that sent Russia spiraling into chaos the moment she died.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why Catherine explicitly wrote her son Paul out of her will (and the 40-year grudge that made it inevitable)
• How her lover Platon Zubov's desperate attempt to destroy her succession documents backfired spectacularly
• The exact moment on November 17, 1796 when Russia's golden age ended with a stroke in a bathroom
👤 Perfect for: anyone who's ever wondered how the world's most successful leaders can still fail at the basics, and why having a plan beats having power every single time.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael introduces Catherine's billion-dollar empire and fatal blind spot
[02:15] The 40-year feud between mother and son that shaped Russian history
[04:45] Paul's twisted childhood and why Catherine knew he'd be a disaster
[07:30] November 17, 1796: The stroke that changed everything
[09:15] Zubov's panicked cover-up attempt and why it was already too late
[11:30] How Russia paid the price for Catherine's succession failure
This isn't just about Russian royalty. It's about what happens when brilliant leaders think they can control everything, including what comes after them. Catherine built one of history's greatest empires, but forgot the most important rule: succession planning isn't optional when you're irreplaceable.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on your podcast app and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite historical disaster is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Catherine the Great, Russian history, succession crisis, leadership failure, imperial Russia
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: ned kelly, battleships, historical failures, history podcast, nazi germany

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14min
May 20, 2026 The One-Eyed General Who Became Catherine the Great's Secret Weapon
A one-eyed billiards brawler becomes the most powerful person in Russian history after Catherine the Great. The fight that cost Grigory Potemkin his left eye in 1762 was just the beginning of an extraordinary rise that would reshape an empire. In this episode, Michael Stevens reveals how a disgraced army officer transformed into Catherine's secret weapon, combining military genius with romantic passion to build Russia's naval dominance.
🎯 What You'll Discover:
• Why Potemkin's eye injury from a tavern fight actually accelerated his career
• How Catherine rewarded him with over 50,000 serfs and multiple palaces, creating instant wealth beyond imagination
• The strategic brilliance behind building Russia's Black Sea fleet from zero to 40 ships
• How their romantic relationship became a political partnership that founded entire cities
👤 Perfect for history lovers who want the untold stories behind empire-building, where personal drama and political strategy collide in ways that changed the world.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens introduces the one-eyed general mystery
[01:45] The billiards fight that changed Russian history
[03:30] How Catherine spotted Potemkin's potential
[05:15] Building an empire through romance and warfare
[07:00] The Black Sea fleet transformation
[08:45] Cities that still exist today because of their partnership
[10:30] Why this relationship model terrified other European powers
The cities Potemkin founded including Kherson, Nikolaev, and Sevastopol remain strategically crucial today. His story proves that sometimes the most unlikely partnerships create the biggest historical impacts.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Spotify and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, and next week Michael's covering another power couple that literally burned down everything they touched.
🔍 Topics: Catherine the Great, Grigory Potemkin, Russian Empire, Black Sea fleet, 18th century politics
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: civilization collapse, war stories, fall of empires, american revolution, paper money, world war 2

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16min
May 20, 2026 Catherine the Great's Biggest Mistake Nearly Destroyed Russia
Picture this: the most powerful woman in 18th century Europe nearly loses everything to a pretender claiming to be her dead husband. In this episode, Michael Stevens breaks down how Catherine the Great's boldest reforms triggered the largest peasant uprising in Russian history, and why her response reveals the brutal contradictions at the heart of enlightened rule.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why Catherine's 655-article legal code based on Voltaire's ideas was too radical for her own nobles
• How a Cossack named Pugachev convinced 100,000 peasants he was the rightful tsar and nearly toppled her government
• The shocking numbers behind Catherine's court: 400,000 bottles of wine annually and 40,000 employees
• How she founded over 200 new cities while keeping millions of serfs in brutal conditions
👤 Perfect for: history buffs who love stories about power, rebellion, and the messy reality behind "enlightened" rulers.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens introduces Catherine's contradiction problem
[01:45] The Nakaz: when enlightenment ideals meet Russian reality
[04:30] Pugachev's Rebellion explodes across the empire
[07:15] How Catherine crushed the uprising and learned her lesson
[09:45] The legacy question: reformer or tyrant?
[11:30] Why this pattern keeps repeating in history
Catherine thought she could have it both ways: enlightened philosopher and absolute ruler. Spoiler alert: it didn't work. But her mistakes teach us everything about how power actually operates versus how we pretend it does.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite historical disaster is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Catherine the Great, Russian history, Pugachev's Rebellion, enlightened despotism, peasant uprisings
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: ned kelly, historical failures, byzantine empire, war stories, nazi germany

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19min
May 19, 2026 How Catherine the Great Murdered Her Husband to Steal the Russian Throne
What if the most powerful woman in Russian history had to murder her own husband to claim her throne? In this episode, Michael Stevens reveals how Catherine II executed one of history's most ruthless power grabs, overthrowing Peter III in just 12 hours and transforming herself from German princess to Russian Empress.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• How Peter III's 186-day reign became a masterclass in political self-destruction
• The exact 6 AM moment that started Catherine's coup and changed Russian history forever
• Why the Guards regiments chose a foreign-born woman over their own Emperor
• The calculated promises Catherine made to win over nobles, military, and church
👤 Perfect for: history buffs who love political intrigue and anyone fascinated by how power really changes hands when everything's on the line.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens sets up the ultimate royal betrayal
[01:45] Peter III's fatal mistakes that handed Catherine her opening
[03:30] July 9, 1762: How a pre-dawn wake-up call became revolution
[05:15] The 12-hour power grab that shocked Europe
[07:30] Catherine's brilliant propaganda campaign to justify regicide
[09:00] Why this coup succeeded when so many others failed
[11:00] Key lessons about power, timing, and political survival
This isn't just another royal power struggle. Stevens connects Catherine's tactical brilliance to modern political maneuvering, showing how the same psychological principles still determine who wins and who gets buried by history. Peter III thought blood and tradition made him untouchable. Catherine proved that in politics, competence and timing beat birthright every time.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite historical disaster is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Catherine the Great, Russian Empire, political coups, Peter III, 18th century Russia
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: operation citadel, nazi germany, battleships, historical disasters, founding fathers, political meltdowns, ancient rome

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15min
May 19, 2026 The Letter That Made Catherine the Great Russia's Most Cunning Ruler
What if I told you a German princess outmaneuvered every Russian noble, spoke the language better than the actual Empress, and built a secret empire through nothing but carefully crafted letters? In this episode, Michael Stevens reveals how Catherine II transformed from powerless foreign bride into Russia's most cunning political mastermind.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• How Catherine wrote over 21,000 letters to build an underground network of allies
• The lending scheme that turned cash-strapped nobles into her personal supporters
• Why learning Russian perfectly became her most powerful political weapon
• The three assassination attempts she survived through pure strategic thinking
👤 Perfect for: history buffs who love stories about underdogs who refuse to stay down and anyone fascinated by how real power actually works behind the scenes.
📍 Chapters:
[00:00] Michael Stevens introduces the letter that changed everything
[02:15] How a German princess learned to out-Russian the Russians
[04:30] The secret lending network that bought loyalty
[06:45] Three ways they tried to destroy her (and why they all failed)
[09:00] Why her correspondence strategy was decades ahead of its time
[11:30] What modern leaders can learn from Catherine's playbook
This isn't just another royal biography. Stevens connects Catherine's tactics to today's political maneuvering, showing how the fundamentals of power haven't changed in 300 years. You'll walk away understanding not just what Catherine did, but why it worked and how similar strategies play out right now.
Catherine didn't inherit power. She didn't marry into it successfully. She wrote her way to the throne, one perfectly calculated letter at a time. And honestly? Her approach was pretty brilliant.
🔔 Never miss an episode:
Follow When Rome Burns on Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite historical revelation is one tap away.
🔍 Topics: Catherine the Great, Russian history, political strategy, royal correspondence, 18th century politics
Stream the full show at When Rome Burns
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Keywords: strategic bombing, historical failures, paper money, economic collapse, historical disasters, political meltdowns

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15min

FAQs about When Rome Burns:

How many episodes does When Rome Burns have?

The podcast currently has 165 episodes available.