Actually Interesting History

When did Homo sapiens develop? How are we related to other great apes? Did aliens change our DNA (you don't have to listen for that answer, it's no). Tune in to find out how we went from small groups of hunter-gatherers to building the pyramids in less then 30 minutes!

We left off with Richard III in 1483.  The War of the Roses, Restoration, German cousins, and more!! 

Last epsiode, we went over the rulers of Scotland.  Continuing on this theme, we are covering the notable rulers of England this week.  Well, the first half of them at least.  From the initial uniting of the tribes of the area against the Vikings to the Princes in the Tower, this episode we cover invasions, dysentery, and a cap with a flower in it that changed the course of history! 

I recently found out I will be going to Scotland later this year and I thought the perfect way to celebrate was to go over some of the notable rulers of Scotland!! Major takeaways: tanistry, child rulers, and a stone!!

During the conclusion of our coverage of Caligula, we reach the series of events for which he is best known. Did he really try to make his horse a consul? What's all of this talk about his sister?? Seashells??? The truth, if you can ever really know the truth, may surprise you! Tune in to hear the conclusion of Caligula's tale and my final thoughts. Thanks for listening!!

6 years after calling Caligula to Capri, Tiberius dies in ambiguous circumstances. Caligula triumphantly enters Rome a few weeks later to the delight of the Roman people. Caligula's first few months back in Rome are blissful, but perfection cannot last forever...

Caligula will ultimately spend 6 years on Capri with Tiberius and his entourage. Tiberius constantly plays his grandson and Caligula against each other, refusing to name an heir. Someone is always listening and Caligula's life depends on the whim of a man whose appetites have been rumored throughout history….

We pick up our story after the death of Germanicus.  The family comes back to Rome and is soon swept up in the turmoil, plotting, and ruthless aggression of men jockeying for position in the power vacuum created by Tiberius' unclear direction and ultimate retreat from Rome.  Tragedy is unfortunately far from over. 

Caligula's reputation through the ages has been one of tyranny and insatiable appetite, but he was once just a little boy in boots. In today's episode we cover the beginning of the Roman Empire and the family at the center of it all!

Ever wondered about the origins of the modern olympics games? Well wonder no more! In this episode, we cover the ancient history of the Olympics, learn about some ancient winners, and then get a quick overview of the beginnings of the modern Olympic games! 

Spoiler Alert: it should actually be called Lactase Persistence and I go into the details of why this episode. It's a little bit of evolution, a little of physical anthropology, and a whole lot of me getting worked up because frankly I don't like milk and I'm still mad they made me drink it in the 3rd grade. Some hurts never heal. Thanks for listening!

WELCOME BACK to Actually Interesting History! In the first episode of Season 3 we explore the Great Sphinx! In this episode we cover what a sphinx is, the history of the archaeological excavations, and some ~interesting~ theories about who built it!!

Many moons ago, I had a thought. “Hey! It would be fun to do a bookend series covering the Hellenistic Age with Alexander the Great and Cleopatra!” 21 episodes and small novel's worth of notes later, we have reached the conclusion of the series. After the Battle of Actium, Cleopatra and Antony continue to fight but are running out of options. As Octavian closes in on Alexandria, the situation turns desperate. Ultimately, the ramifications of the events in this episode mark a turning point in Western Civilization. Tune in for the conclusion of Cleopatra's epic tale!!!!

As the end of our tale draws near, the conflict of Antony and Octavian finally turns to violence. Antony decides his future is with Cleopatra. Together, they begin to plan for war; a war which will ultimately decide the fate of the Mediterranean.

Antony leaves Cleopatra in the spring of 40BC and soon after she gives birth to twins. They would not see each other again for three years. During this time, the stage is set for the beginning of the ultimate conflict. Octavian and Antony, rivals turned uneasy allies turned brother in law, struggle to gain power. Octavian ultimately pushes Antony to make a final choice: Would Antony come back West to duty and navigate Roman politics, or would he stay with Cleopatra in the Hellenistic East? Antony's decision will set destiny in motion.

Their love affair has fascinated us for ages. In this episode, learn about the beginning of Antony and Cleopatra. Cleopatra put on possibly the greatest PR display of all time and even from here, 2000 years later, I assure Antony didn't stand a chance.

Liberators, Loyalists, and rough storms make navigating the years after Caesar's death no easy feat for Cleopatra. How was she going to maintain independent control of Egypt without Caesar's protection? Tune in to find out!!

In the aftermath of Caesar's death, the forces that would ultimately shape the rest of Cleopatra's life began to take form. Marc Antony and Octavian were about as different as two people could be and became uneasy allies as they fought against Caesar's assassins. While Cleopatra leave Rome and returns to Egypt to rule, Rome soon comes calling again….

After Caesar left Egypt, he invited Cleopatra and her brother/husband T14 (don't worry, we forget he exists too) to Rome as heads of state. We get a glimpse into the Roman attitudes surrounding womanhood, kingship, and binge drinking (thanks Marc Antony). After Caesar mops up Marc Antony's mess, proclaimed dictator for life…..

From the second she rolled out of the carpet in Caesar's chambers (or climbed out of a sac) the chemistry between Cleopatra and Caesar is what legends are made of. However, their romance took place against a backdrop of civil war and siege. Who gains control of Egypt and where is Cleopatra's brother/husband? Find out by tuning into this weeks episode!

We are back to our regularly scheduled programming with the early reign of Cleopatra. Now that we know all the moving parts happening, both in Rome and in Egypt, everything comes to a head when Pompey arrives on Egyptian shores. Bad advisors, Caesar being Caesar, and some daring actions myths are made of are in store!!

I know what you are thinking, “MADDY this is not Cleopatra.” I know, but in order to understand the complex political landscape Cleopatra has to maneuver, we first need to understand what was happening on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea. We briefly cover the Roman Republic and the political shift that was happening at the end of the 1st century BC that would eventually give rise to the Roman Empire. Consuls, oligarchs, and petty PR energy awaits!!!!

Cleopatra's dad did something really impressive for a Ptolemaic pharaoh, he managed to die of old age! However, his reign had is challenges. In this episode, we cover Cleopatra's early life and her dad's reign. So grab some wine (T12 would approve) and get ready to meet the Romans, make some expensive friends, and play the flute!

Welp, you cannot make this stuff up. In order to give Cleopatra's early years some context, we take a look at her ancestors. The Ptolemy's make the Game of Thrones writing room seem tame. Let the murder, marriage, and rioting begin!

We are traveling through time and space to Ancient Egypt! Before Alexander got to Egypt, Persia had gained control of the throne. In fact, a lot of the things we associate with Ancient Egypt happened WAY before Alexander saw the Nile. Before we cover Cleopatra, I think it's important to gain some context for her story. Thanks for listening!

Tudor? But you already covered that on this podcast!!! You are right my friend, but it's been nearly a year since that first episode went live and frankly it makes my skin crawl listening to it. So, in a pre-celebration for our one year anniversary I decided to revisit my notes and redo the episode with a years worth of experience under my belt. Pigs, barons, winter, 95 problems, and more!!!!

Alexander returned to Persia from India to begin the work of ruling his new empire. He seemed frankly uninterested in dealing with the logistical nightmare that was the governing of his new empire and he was already planning a southern campaign into Arabia. At the age of 32 in 323BC, Alexander caught a fever and died soon after. It's at this point that the story often ends, but what happened after the death of Alexander? This episode, we cover the Wars of the Diadochi. Who will inherit Alexander's Empire? Tune in to find out!!

In this episode we discuss Alexander's love life, his journey to India, and his last epic battle.

We meet again with Alexander leaving Egypt and marching to meet Darius to decide who the ultimate ruler of Persia would be. Alexander encounters the riches of the Persian empire and it seems that he begins to loose control of some of his darker impulses. Tune in the learn more about the exciting tale of Alexander the Great!

We pick up our story after the assignation of Alexander's father and his consolidation of power in Greece. Alexander begins moving east toward Asia Minor. Many battles, a few myths, and a killer headache are in store for our hero!

In this week's episode we learn about Alexander's mom and her thing for snakes, we get an introduction into Alexander's personality, and we learn about a eunuch that nearly killed three emperors.

After researching Macedonia while working on Alexander the Great, I was left with more questions than answers. Enter Mario of Mario's History Talks! We discuss Ancient Macedonia's social structure, the ancient culture's connection to the modern country of Macedonia, his opinion of Alexander, and so much more! Check out his YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCLzTxPcysZKwLUrOjtX9cSg

The first historical figure we will be covering in season 2 is none other than Alexander the Great! In this episode, we cover Ancient Greece, Ancient Macedonia, the Persian empire, and Alexander's family background. Our coverage of Alexander will be followed by Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt. But how are Cleopatra and Alexander connected? Tune in to find out!!

Happy Holidays!! In this special holiday episode, we cover the origins of Christmas. Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? What's the winter solstice? How did we get some of the traditions we associate with Christmas today? Find out during this episode! Also if you are listening before December 21st, 2020 be sure to check out the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the sky, the last time this happened this close was 1226!

We left Maria Theresa on the brink of disaster. How was she going to gain control of the lands her father had promised her? Tune in to this episode following the reign of Maria Theresa. We cover war, lots of marriages, and the lasting impact Maria Theresa had as Holy Roman Empress!

In today's episode we cover Maria Theresa's childhood, education and marriage. After the death of her father, Maria Theresa assumes her inherited positions and begins work to secure her father's elected positions for her husband. Did Maria Theresa encounter smooth sailing during this task? Short answer: Nope. Tune in to learn more!

The next person we are covering on Actually Interesting History is Maria Theresa, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire and mother to the famous ill-fated Queen Marie Antoinette. To understand her story, we first talk about what the Holy Roman Empire was, who the Habsburg family was, and how they became de facto rulers of an elective monarchy. We also introduce mom and dad!

When did Homo sapiens develop? How are we related to other great apes? Did aliens change our DNA (you don't have to listen for that answer, it's no). Tune in to find out how we went from small groups of hunter-gatherers to building the pyramids in less then 30 minutes!

Did you think the tale of Hercules/Heracles ended with the completion of his 12 tasks?! If you did, you are in for quite the surprise. Our hero's mortal journey has only just begun. Check out the website for the information we cover in the episode: Actuallyinterestinghistory.com

Tune in for our newest addition to the exciting tale of Hercules/Heracles. After the deaths of his family by his own hands, Hercules is made to serve his cousin for 12 years and complete 12 tasks in order to atone. When you are 8 feet tall and the son slash great grandson of Zeus, how hard could some choirs be? Well, Hera has a few tricks (monsters) up her sleeve. This will be the last episode published on Friday! Our conclusion to Hercules will go live this upcoming Wednesday, thanks for listening!

It is finally time to meet Hercules/Heracles!! We start with a little context then dive into the story of how Hercules came to be, why he was extra special, and the reason he gets stuck doing possibly the worst to do list of all time!

This is not Hercules/Heracles. I'm really sorry, but since we introduced Ancient Greece and I briefly mentioned Kythera last episode, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to talk about the islands and a very special archaeological find. The Anti-Kythera Mechanism is an ancient analog computer dating to around 60BC. But how could a computer have existed before electricity? And what does it mean for our understanding of ancient people? To discuss these very important topics, I have a special guest this week. Matt Crum is currently in his 5th year of study for his PhD at UC San Diego. He specialized in studying Roman identity, specifically in the period we would now refer to as the Byzantine Empire. Matt has been working on Kythera with Timothy and Lita Gregory, some of the foremost experts on Kytherian archaeology and historical study, during field seasons since 2014.

This episode, we are setting the stage of the epic tale of Hercules/Heracles! With plentiful obscure Disney references, we cover: Ancient Greece, who that Heracles guy is, the Olympic gods, and so much more!

Today we are going back to my roots and talking about the theoretical framework that shaped anthropological theory! Sound boring? I was hoping to avoid that, so I brought on a special guest to make the episode a tad more conversational. Further, its impossible to talk about the beginnings of anthropology without acknowledging the problematic views on evolution, culture, and race in the human species that many of the early anthropologists shared. We dig into all of that and more this episode, I hope you learn something interesting!

Ever wondered why some people in Ireland have Spanish ancestry? Well that can be traced back to events that happened directly following the logistically challenged Spanish Armada! Tune in for a recap of the failed invasion and how it connects to my family history!

Spain, Ireland, personal disappoints, and legacy that lives on to this day. Don't miss the conclusion of Elizabeth's life and reign!

Elizabeth's on throne, now what? We know that she ended up having one of the most successful reigns in English history, but she certainly didn't know it starting out. This week we cover: bachelors, pirates, and an annoying cousin.

Everyone knows about Elizabeth I, but did you know there was another queen right before her? Mary I was Elizabeth's older half sister and the first true ruling queen of England. What was Elizabeth's life like while her sister ruled? Tune in to find out!

Four step moms, Flemish, an important life lesson, and an awkward family Christmas dinner. Let's explore the future Elizabeth I's early years! Actually Interesting History is a podcast by Madeleine Smith.

Our first season will cover Elizabeth I! But what is a Tudor? And how did they end up on the throne? Tune in the find out!

Welcome to Actually Interesting History!