What are the best history podcasts? These picks are the perfect way step into the past

Why has podcasting become such a natural home for history?

Perhaps it’s because the medium is so well-suited to storytelling. Podcasts invite listeners into the past through conversation and narrative – and when done right, this can bring history to life in a way that few other forms can match.

But history podcasting has also become a crowded field, overflowing with choice and variety. With so many voices vying for attention, choosing where to spend your listening hours can feel like its own historical expedition.

So, whether you’re after scholarly debate, sweeping historical epics, or hidden corners of the past, this list highlights the very best history podcasts, perfect for learning something new along the way while being transported through time.

Betwixt the Sheets

Hosted by historian Dr Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal and Society explores the intimate – and often overlooked – aspects of the human past. Lister, best known for her research on sexuality, brings academic expertise and irreverence, making the podcast distinctive in both its tone and content.

The scope ranges from medieval sex manuals and contraception to the history of drag and the sexual politics of the Cold War. It highlights voices often absent from mainstream history, including stories of sex workers, queer communities and women navigating restrictive systems, while also revealing how sexuality indelibly intersects with politics, economics and religion.

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History reshaped how history is told in audio form. Launched in 2006, it showed that audiences would happily devote hours (even half a day) to listen to a podcast episode about the past.

Dan Carlin, a former journalist and broadcaster rather than a professional historian, delivers with a distinctive style; he immerses listeners in the period he’s reflecting on, urging them to imagine what it was like to live in the past – from the Mongol conquests to the trenches of Verdun.

Series such as Blueprint for Armageddon (on the First World War, running nearly 24 hours) or The Wrath of the Khans (on the Mongol empire) have become legendary.

Episodes are released irregularly but each feels like a mammoth event: truly immersive and unforgettable.

Empire

Hosted by historian William Dalrymple and journalist Anita Anand, Empire tackles the history and legacy of global empires (albeit with a broad definition of the word). Dalrymple’s expertise on India and the East India Company is complemented by Anand’s journalistic questioning, producing a compelling mix of analysis and storytelling.

The series on the Yalta Conference of 1945, as Hitler’s defeat became increasingly imminent, is a particular highlight. It explores the unique roles of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin in determining the future of postwar Europe, and how they interacted at this moment of seismic significance.

Fall of Civilizations

Fall of Civilizations is an exploration of history’s great societies and how they collapsed, from the Maya and Khmer Empire to the Norse of Greenland and the Roman west.

Episodes are long (often exceeding two hours) but host Paul Cooper’s reflective narration, careful research and immersive sound design all combine to make for an engaging listen. He blends archaeology, primary sources and cultural history to ask not just why civilisations fell in the first place, but what lessons their decline can offer.

Gone Medieval

Gone Medieval explores the millennium following the fall of the Western Roman empire – a period that shaped European history and beyond.

Part of the History Hit network and hosted by Matt Lewis and Dr Cat Jarman, episodes cover subjects from Viking voyages and the Black Death to illuminated manuscripts and medieval queenship. Lewis often focuses on politics and warfare while Jarman, a bioarchaeologist, offers scientific insights into the period. By showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of the Middle Ages, the podcast manages to go well beyond the familiar clichés of knights and castles.

HistoryExtra

As one of its hosts, I might be biased when I say that the HistoryExtra podcast is one of the very best in a crowded field. But what’s not a matter of opinion is that it’s one of the longest-running history podcasts available.

With nearly daily episodes, the podcast offers insightful conversations with leading historians from around the globe – a format that really shines a spotlight on the knowledge of the guests.

Spanning from the depths of prehistory to Reagan’s America, the podcast is often tied to new publications or fresh research, and ensures listeners are kept at the cutting edge of scholarship, remaining up to date with the latest thinking across all aspects of history.

For deeper dives, you can catch mini-series on subjects like Ancient Egypt, Tudor England or 1066, or can you check out spin-off series including History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories and History’s Greatest Scandals. There’s a near endless archive of content to step into, and you can listen ad-free with a HistoryExtra membership.

History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories

Member exclusive | Was the moon landing faked? Did Shakespeare actually write his plays? Were the pyramids built by aliens? Expert historians offer their perspectives on history's biggest conspiracy theories.

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In Our Time

Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 since 1998 and now available as a podcast, In Our Time has become well-known in the audio space. Host Melvyn Bragg – who has announced his departure from the show after 26 years – convenes a panel of specialist scholars to discuss a single topic from history, from the fall of the Roman Republic to the philosophy of Spinoza.

Bragg’s direct questioning unveils the scholarly disagreements surrounding subjects, and results in engaging conversation. The archive now runs to more than a thousand episodes across history, science, philosophy, religion and culture.

The Rest is History

Fronted by prominent British historians (not to mention BBC History Magazine contributors) Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland, The Rest is History has become a true podcasting phenomenon, regularly topping charts – even outside of the history category.

Episodes veer from one-off explorations of figures such as Lope de Aguirre or John Dee to multi-part series on topics ranging from the fall of Anglo-Saxon England to the Watergate scandal (and everything between). But perhaps the real appeal lies in the hosts’ chemistry. The pair have known each other for decades, and the strength of their relationship creates a space to navigate challenging subjects with their wit and intellectual curiosity.

Throughline

Produced by American public broadcaster NPR and hosted by Ramtin Arablouei and Rund Abdelfatah, Throughline traces the historical roots of present issues. Episodes on subjects such as immigration, policing and the politics of oil show how today’s debates are only the sharp point of centuries of ideas and change.

Blending journalism and history, the podcast employs archival audio, interviews and music to create richly produced episodes, usually under 60 minutes. While many focus on American history, the scope is international, with features on Afghanistan, Haiti and the Ottoman empire among others.

You’re Dead to Me

Hosted by public historian Greg Jenner – perhaps best known for his work on TV comedy series Horrible Histories – the BBC Radio Four series You're Dead to Me combines solid research with humour.

The result is a version of history that’s accessible without being simplistic. Topics range from Joan of Arc to the Harlem Renaissance, with episodes also highlighting histories often overlooked elsewhere. Jenner’s skill as a moderator ensures the conversations stay lively and well-paced.

But what really sets the show apart is its ability to balance fun and seriousness, offering an entertaining introduction to a wide span of historical figures and themes without getting bogged down too heavily by intricate details.