History Extra podcast

Ahead of the release of the new film The Dig, Professor Martin Carver discusses the real story of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Ho

Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries about one of the dominant powers of the ancient world, the Persian empire.

Charles Spencer gives a lecture on England’s early Norman monarchs and the White Ship disaster – the 1120 maritime tragedy that threw England’s royal line into disarray.

Susan Cohen discusses the highs and lows of the NHS, from its creation in 1948 to the challenges it faces today.

Paul Betts explores how postwar regeneration after 1945 was inspired by the contested concept of civilisation

Helen Czerski explores the impact of oceans on human history, from providing food to connecting trade routes.

Rosie Whitehouse tells the story of a group of Holocaust survivors who sailed to Palestine in 1946, in defiance of the Royal Navy

As the campaign to vaccinate the population against Covid-19 picks up pace, Gareth Williams explores previous efforts to combat lethal diseases, from smallpox to polio

Dominic Sandbrook answers popular search queries and listener questions about Britain in the 1960s

Helen Fry gives a lecture on MI9’s missions during the to help Allied prisoners of war escape during the Second World War