Aspects of History

Zeb Baker-Smith
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Aspects of History interviews historians and authors on the past – from the ancient world right up to the modern day. In each episode, we seek to get to the bottom of a story or scrutinise a figure from history. There are bonus episodes too, from current events to anniversaries.

  1. Jul 17

    Alexander: God, King, Man with Edmund Richardson

    He remains one of history's most scrutinised figures, but Alexander the Great's victories were far from inevitable. Recent discoveries are beginning to reshape our understanding of his life and legacy, and the immense personal burden of becoming simultaneously Macedonian king, Egyptian pharaoh, Persian Great King and a living god. With Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History, on the podcast this week is Edmund Richardson, historian and classicist, whose book, ⁠Alexander: God, King, Man⁠, re-examines its title character through newly translated sources, groundbreaking archaeology and a wealth of evidence to reveal a conqueror far more uncertain, contradictory and human than legend would suggest. Episode Links Alexander: God, King, Man Edmund Richardson Links Edmund ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. Jul 10

    Conquest: A History of Roman Britain with Ferdinand Addis

    Roman Britain might appear a staid topic at first glance, one littered with the usual headliners and the iconic events, Julius Caesar's brief expeditions, Claudius' conquest, Boudicca's revolt and Agricola's northern campaigns. But, dig deeper, the narrative is not quite how it seems, especially in light of archaeological discoveries, the continued challenges of interpreting an ancient past, and the shifting ways generations of Britons have come to understand the Roman occupation. This week on the podcast, Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, is joined by historian and author Ferdinand Addis to discuss his new book, ⁠Conquest: A History of Roman Britain⁠. The conversation ranges from Iron Age hill forts and ancient DNA to imperial ideology, national identity. He also discusses his approach to writing history, the importance of landscape and place, and why the Roman conquest remains one of the defining encounters in British history. Episode Links Conquest: A History of Roman Britain Ferdinand Addis Links Ferdinand ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ferdinand on ⁠Twitter/X⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Jul 3

    Summer Reads 2026

    This week, it's a special episode as three of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gang – Antonia Senior⁠⁠, Richard Foreman⁠⁠ and Jane Thynne – join Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in person to talk through their recommendations for your holiday reading list. Plenty of picks, with links below, to accompany you in your hand luggage this summer! Books The August Coup: The Destruction of the Soviet Union and the Making of New Russia, 1985-1991, by Robert Service Stalin’s Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire, by Antonia Senior The Writers' Castle: Reporting History at Nuremberg, by Uwe Neumahr Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches, by Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall White River Crossing, by Ian McGuire The Black Death: A Global History, by Thomas Asbridge Nonesuch, by Francis Spufford Conquest: A History of Roman Britain, by Ferdinand Addis Guests ⁠⁠Antonia Senior - Author and Historical Fiction Reviewer for The Times⁠ ⁠⁠Richard Foreman - Author and Publisher⁠ Jane Thynne - Author Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Jun 26

    Relative Failures with Matthew Sturgis

    What if you had a sibling as brilliant as Oscar Wilde…?  This week’s episode offers a vivid window through which to view the artistic, literary and theatrical world of late Victorian London, a period of remarkable creativity, dramatic falls and cultural change. But, instead of viewing this fin de siècle moment through the brightest lights, why should we not focus on the forgotten characters? Joining ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on the podcast is acclaimed biographer Matthew Sturgis to discuss Relative Failures, his exploration of three overlooked figures who lived in the shadow of their more famous siblings: Willie Wilde, brother of Oscar Wilde; Mabel Beardsley, sister of Aubrey Beardsley; and Howard Sturgis, younger brother of the novelist Julian Sturgis. Episode Links Relative Failures: The Lives of Willie Wilde, Mabel Beardsley and Howard Sturgis Matthew Sturgis Links Matthew ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ Matthew on Instagram Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Jun 19

    Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe with Katja Hoyer

    The Weimar Republic, synonymous with German culture, idealism, and artistic brilliance, has become a common trope in the 21st century, as everyday politics becomes more polarised across Europe. Is Germany’s journey from fragile optimism to fascist collapse a warning we ought to be heeding today? Joining Phil Craig on the ⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast is historian Katja Hoyer, whose latest title, Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, offers an astute depiction of that period between 1919 and 1939 through the perspective of the small town and its residents. She explains the optimism of post-war democracy and the trajectory to economic despair, political radicalisation, and life lived in the shadow of Buchenwald concentration camp, all the while keeping an eye on the uncomfortable moral ambiguities that would come to shape daily life under Nazism. Episode Links Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe Katja Hoyer Links Katja online Katja on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Katja on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Jun 12

    Stealing Hitler's Rocket with Guy Walters

    This week’s helping of the podcast recounts the terror of the world’s first ballistic missile and the heroic efforts of the Polish resistance, all contained in this tale of innovation and daring that reads like a wartime thriller – except it’s true… Pairing up with ⁠Phil Craig for this episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, author and historian, Guy Walters gives a blow-by-blow account of the remarkable true story of the race to uncover the secrets of Nazi Germany’s V-2 missile programme. His book, Stealing Hitler's Rocket, poses the question of whether said rocket could have changed the course of the war, observes at close quarters the intelligence battle to understand Hitler’s fatal technology, and why this little-known operation deserves a place among the greatest secret missions of the conflict. Episode Links Stealing Hitler's Rocket Guy Walters Links Guy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Guy on Instagram Guy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Jun 5

    Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches with Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall

    In just a few days time, the 2026 Fifa World Cup will begin, a vast 48-team affair across North America, the geopolitical backdrop to the tournament as fractious as it has ever been in recent times. It goes without saying, however, that ideology, propaganda and diplomacy have always been at the forefront of the beautiful game throughout the tournament’s history. Joining Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, for this week’s episode are Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall, their collaborative efforts in Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches making for a fascinating dive into the sport on both sides of the Iron Curtain and beyond. From Dynamo Moscow’s infamous 1945 clash with Arsenal to the revolutionary style of Hungary’s Magical Magyars, North Korea’s bond with Middlesbrough in 1966, and the charged meeting of East and West Germany in 1974, our conversation reveals how the game both reflected and transcended global tensions, breaking and building connections on either side of the Cold War’s cultural divide. Episode Links Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches Tony Shaw Links Tony ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠ Alan McDougall Links Alan ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb Links Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. May 29

    SAS Great Escapes 5 with Damien Lewis

    From a legendary escape across the North African desert to a daring mission to rescue prisoners from concentration camps in Fascist Italy, this week offers breathless tales of endurance, ingenuity, and courage against the odds. Bestselling historian, writer and war journalist, Damien Lewis joins ⁠⁠Phil Craig⁠ on the ⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast to chat his latest book, ⁠SAS Great Escapes 5⁠⁠. Drawing on newly uncovered family archives and surprising firsthand accounts, Damien and Phil reflect on how these stories are pieced together, the legacy of special forces operations in the Second World War, and the leadership of figures like Blair Paddy Mayne. It’s a gripping conversation about history, memory, and the stories of brotherhood and daring that continue to shape our understanding of war. Episode Links SAS Great Escapes 5 Damien Lewis Links Damien online Damien on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Damien on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Phil Links Phil on ⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠ Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ Aspects of History Links AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Aspects of History interviews historians and authors on the past – from the ancient world right up to the modern day. In each episode, we seek to get to the bottom of a story or scrutinise a figure from history. There are bonus episodes too, from current events to anniversaries.

Information

  • Creator
    Zeb Baker-Smith
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    344
  • Copyright
    © Aspects of History
  • Show Website
    Aspects of History

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