Echoes of History

History Hit & Assassin's Creed

Dive into the real-life history that inspires the locations, characters, and storylines of the legendary world of Assassin’s Creed.  ‘Echoes of History’ is the official Assassin's Creed history podcast. We’ll head down the narrow side streets of Medici-ruled Florence, cross sand dunes in the shadow of ancient pyramids, climb the rigging of 18th century brigs sailing across the Caribbean and meet the most powerful warlords in Feudal Japan - all before hearing from the developers themselves to understand how and why these moments are recreated in the acclaimed historical game series. Every week, join historian Matt Lewis, and regular contributor Holly Nielsen, as they speak to historical experts about the secrets of the past and uncover how these stories influence Assassin’s Creed. A Ubisoft podcast brought to you by History Hit. If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. For more Echoes of History, including guided tours through the places of the past recreated in Assassin’s Creed, head to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@assassinscreedEOH  To find out more go to www.assassinscreed.com or find us on Facebook & Twitter. (Re)discover Assassin’s Creed full catalogue with Ubisoft+” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 21H AGO

    Rasputin: Russia's Greatest Propaganda Machine?

    Grigori Rasputin is a household name, mostly thanks to the Boney M song. And such is Rasputin’s reputation that you can’t help but think of the "mad monk" when playing Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia, even though he doesn’t appear in the game.  Was he really Russia’s greatest love machine? Did he have supernatural abilities? Was he even an ordained priest? To help answer these questions and more, Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Leonid Trofimov from Bentley University. As well as being senior lecturer in history and an expert on Russian relations with the rest of the world, he is the co-author of Seven Myths of the Russian Revolution. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel. Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Michael McDaid Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music by Aaron Miller, Mark Rutherford If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 8m

  2. JAN 5

    Alfred the Great's Downfall: The Battle of Chippenham

    Among the many cool characters from the Viking Age that are brought to life in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is Alfred the Great. Before his military success against the vikings, Alfred also boasts one of the all-time great comeback stories. In January 878 all looked lost: Alfred was hiding in marshlands, his army defeated and scattered, and the Vikings controlled his kingdom. The key event that almost saw the end of Anglo-Saxon England was the Battle of Chippenham. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla recreates the battle and puts players in the heart of combat. But what do we really know about the battle? How big was a viking army? What did the Anglo-Saxons count as a 'real' battle? To help answer these questions, Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Ryan Lavelle from the University of Winchester. In addition to writing Alfred's Wars: Sources and Interpretations of Anglo-Saxon Warfare in the Viking Age, he consulted on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel. Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Michael McDaid Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music: Leofirth's Honor by Jesper Kyd Frozen Lands by Sarah Schachner Kingdom of Wessex by Jesper Kyd If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 12m

  3. 12/29/2025

    The First Europeans In Japan

    When Portuguese merchants ran aground on the Japanese isle of Tanegashima in 1543, two worlds collided - Europeans encountered Japan for the first time. For the next 50 years, Portuguese and their partners flooded into this newly discovered land aiming to spread the power of the Christian Church and sell wares that could revolutionise Japan, like the powerful gun. But in the fiery cauldron of Sengoku Japan, Portuguese missionaries were but one player in the most bloody and brutal of political games. Assassin's Creed Shadows delves into the tensions at the heart of this culture clash. Did Buddhist and Shinto Japanese accept Christianity? Why did the Japanese see Europeans as barbaric? Were Japanese warlords like Oda Nobunaga exploited by Western traders and church leaders, or were the Europeans unwittingly being exploited by the Japanese? Matt Lewis and Prof. Frederik Cryns, historical advisor on the hit TV show Shogun, uncover how Europeans fit into 16th century Japan’s patchwork of daimyos and the momentous impact they had on feudal Japanese warfare and society. This episode was first published on 20th May 2024. Watch it here on YouTube. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.  Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Anisha Deva Produced by: Joseph Knight, Peta Stamper, Matt Lewis Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music by The Flight If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
  4. The Ancient Open-Air Library of Jabal Ikmah

    12/22/2025

    The Ancient Open-Air Library of Jabal Ikmah

    Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory transports players to the medieval Abbasid caliphate. One place in particular that is recreated in the game is the remarkable Jabal Ikmah, the ancient Open-Air Library. Here, on the mountains surrounding AlUla, archaeologists have found a treasure trove of texts that stretch across centuries in multiple languages and from several civilisations. Who made these inscriptions, and why? What do they reveal about the daily lives of the ancient peoples who lived in the oasis? Matt Lewis is joined by Solaiman al-Theeb, professor at the AlUla Language Institute. His work with ancient languages and inscriptions at Jabal Ikmah makes him the perfect person to reveal more about the writings in the rock. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel. Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Michael McDaid Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music by Brendan Angelides If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  5. Ancient Civilisations of Arabia in Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory

    12/15/2025

    Ancient Civilisations of Arabia in Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory

    Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory recreates life in the AlUla oasis as it was over a millennium ago. Players can climb the battlements of a Muslim fortress, wander through an ancient city carved into the mountainside, and experience the vibrant sights and sounds of a medieval spice market. In this episode, Creative Director Olivier Leonardi divulges the behind-the-scenes secrets of how the game developers combined history and artistry to transport players to the unique locations and ancient atmosphere of AlUla. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. You can discover more on our YouTube channel here, including exclusive reactions from historians to the games. Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Robin McConnell Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music: Land of the Living by Brendan Angelides Southern Skies by Brendan Angelides If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min

  6. 12/08/2025

    The Boston Tea Party: Did The Sons of Liberty Really Disguise As Mohawks?

    Assassin’s Creed III recreates many key events from the American Revolution, including the Boston Tea Party, when colonists resisted British taxes by dumping tea into Boston Harbor. But the game challenges the popular perception of the protest as a pure and noble defiance of tyranny. In fact, the legend of the Party started to develop nearly half a century after the event. What were the true motives of the Sons of Liberty? Did they really dress up as Native Americans? Was the Boston Tea Party as impactful as its reputation suggests? And how much tea did they destroy? Matt Lewis is joined by Prof. James Fichter, author of Tea: Consumption, Politics, and Revolution 1773-1776, to explain the real intentions and outcomes of the Boston Tea Party. Listen to our previous expert chats about the Declaration Of Independence and the Battles of Lexington & Conchord. Watch this episode here on YouTube. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.  Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Robin McConnell Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music: Welcome to Boston by Lorne Balfe Philadelphia by Lorne Balfe Escape in Style by Lorne Balfe If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 6m

  7. 12/01/2025

    Life as a Greek Philosopher: Socrates, Hippocrates & Herodotus

    One of the most profoundly influential periods in history is the 5th century BCE, when when a collection of great minds in Ancient Greece formed the foundations of Western philosophy, medicine and history itself. How did ancient doctors heal the sick? How did historians share their research with a society that didn't read? What influence did female intellectuals have on the Fathers of Philosophy? Matt Lewis presents the expertise of Prof Michael Griffin, Prof Helen King and Justin Marozzi about Socrates, Hippocrates and Herodotus - all of whom are brought to life in Assassin's Creed Odyssey for players to get a taste of what it might have been like to walk alongside these remarkable people in their daily lives. Click these links to listen to the full episodes about Socrates and his wife Xanthippe, the world's first historian Herodotus, and the most influential physician of all time Hippocrates. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. You can discover more on our YouTube channel here, including exclusive reactions from historians to the games. Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Robin McConnell Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music: Athens, Birthplace of Democracy by The Flight, Mike Georgiades Sokrates by The Flight, Mike Georgiades Conversations by The Flight, Mike Georgiades Atlantis by The Flight If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
  8. The Incense Route Through Arabia

    11/24/2025

    The Incense Route Through Arabia

    Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory takes our hero Basim ibn Ishaq from the glory of Baghdad in the Abbasid era to the remote oasis at Al-Ula. There, he discovers mysteries hidden in the mountains and ancient dwellings of civilisations that fell long ago. Even though the oasis at AlUla has provided sustenance to people living there throughout history, that doesn’t entirely explain why so many civilisations wanted to rule it. Instead, the answer may lie in its position on the trade routes that carried spices and incense from Arabia to the rest of the world. Where did the Incense Route travel to and from? How did it influence life in Al-Ula? And what relevance does the Route have to today's spice trade? To answer these questions, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Sterenn Le Maguer., whose expertise in Islamic archaeology, trade and pilgrimage routes in Arabia makes her the perfect person to explore the Incense Route. Watch the episode here on YouTube. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.  Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Michael McDaid Produced by: Robin McConnell Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Manager: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music by Brendan Angelides If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here. Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
See All (154)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
248 Ratings

About

Dive into the real-life history that inspires the locations, characters, and storylines of the legendary world of Assassin’s Creed.  ‘Echoes of History’ is the official Assassin's Creed history podcast. We’ll head down the narrow side streets of Medici-ruled Florence, cross sand dunes in the shadow of ancient pyramids, climb the rigging of 18th century brigs sailing across the Caribbean and meet the most powerful warlords in Feudal Japan - all before hearing from the developers themselves to understand how and why these moments are recreated in the acclaimed historical game series. Every week, join historian Matt Lewis, and regular contributor Holly Nielsen, as they speak to historical experts about the secrets of the past and uncover how these stories influence Assassin’s Creed. A Ubisoft podcast brought to you by History Hit. If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. For more Echoes of History, including guided tours through the places of the past recreated in Assassin’s Creed, head to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@assassinscreedEOH  To find out more go to www.assassinscreed.com or find us on Facebook & Twitter. (Re)discover Assassin’s Creed full catalogue with Ubisoft+” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    History Hit & Assassin's Creed
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    154
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Assassin's Creed
  • Show Website
    Echoes of History

You Might Also Like