Ebbs of History

The Ebbs of History

Welcome to Ebbs of History, the show where we dive into the strangest, wildest, and sometimes downright creepiest stories the past has to offer. From Dancing Plagues to Pirate Queens, we’ll laugh, we’ll gasp, but most importantly, we will learn how history is way cooler than your textbook ever told you. Every episode, we will take a quick trip through time, then see what lessons we can still learn today. This is the Ebbs of History!

  1. 3d ago

    When a Soccer Game Started a Real War

    Content note: this episode briefly discusses the death by suicide of an 18-year-old in 1969 and how the media of the time used her death politically. We handle it carefully but listeners may want to be aware. If you need to talk to someone, in the U.S. call or text 988. Imagine a World Cup qualifier that ignites a full‑scale war—three soccer matches, a border crisis, and a hundred‑hour conflict that reshaped Central America. Dive into the shocking tale of how a game of football turned into a deadly showdown and what it tells us about power, migration, and the fragile line between sport and violence. Sources: - Wikipedia: Football War — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_War - Britannica: Football War — https://www.britannica.com/event/Football-War - BBC News: Honduras v El Salvador — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-48673853 - Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training: The 1969 Soccer War — https://adst.org/2014/06/the-1969-soccer-war/ - Zinn Education Project: July 14, 1969 — Soccer War — https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/soccer-war/ - Chirinos, E.A. (2018): National Identity and Sports in Latin America — The Hundred-Hour Football War. Memorial University Open Journals - Kapuscinski, Ryszard. The Soccer War. 1978. - Galeano, Eduardo. Soccer in Sun and Shadow. 1995. - Medium / Amit Katwala: World Cup Stories, 1970 — https://medium.com/@amitkatwala/world-cup-stories-1970-the-hundred-hour-football-war-cc801f6fac2b - Everything Everywhere: The Football War — https://everything-everywhere.com/the-football-war-el-salvador-vs-honduras/ Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link:**https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/** License: Attribution 4.0 International License

    35 min

  2. Jun 4

    When Ireland Had a Pirate Queen

    Dive into the wild world of 16th‑century Ireland, where a fierce mother‑captain named Grace O'Malley defied kings, gave birth on a ship, and fought off pirates the next day—proving that history’s fiercest rebels can also be moms. Sources: Chambers, Anne. Granuaile: Grace O'Malley — Ireland's Pirate Queen c. 1530–1603. Gill Books. Wikipedia: Grace O'Malley — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_O'Malley Royal Museums Greenwich: Grace O'Malley — https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/grace-o-malley-irish-female-pirate Royal Museums Greenwich: Grace O'Malley, fact and fiction — https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/maritime-history/grace-o-malley-pirate-history-fact-fiction-legend IrishCentral: The incredible life of Grace O'Malley — https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/grace-omalley-irelands-pirate-queen The Irish Post: 12 fascinating facts about Ireland's Pirate Queen — https://www.irishpost.com/gallery/irelands-pirate-queen-twelve-fascinating-facts-about-legendary-grace-omalley-129406 Howth Castle: Legends — https://howthcastle.ie/about/history/legends/ History Guild: Meeting Grace O'Malley — https://historyguild.org/meeting-grace-omalley-irelands-pirate-queen/ EBSCO Research Starters: Grace O'Malley — https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/grace-omalley Encyclopedia.com: O'Malley, Grace — https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/omalley-grace The National Archives (UK): State Papers SP 63/170 — Grace O'Malley's "Articles of Interrogatory," 1593 Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    29 min

  3. May 28

    When America Tried to Conquer Canada and Failed Spectacularly

    In 1812, the United States declared war on Britain and immediately set its sights on conquering Canada. American leaders were so confident that Thomas Jefferson claimed taking Canada would be "a mere matter of marching." What followed was one of the most embarrassing military disasters in American history: three separate invasions, all ending in failure, surrender, and humiliation. From a general who surrendered an entire fort without firing a shot to militia who refused to cross the border, this is the story of ambition meeting reality in the most spectacular way possible. Sources: USS Constitution Museum: War of 1812 Overview (https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/major-events/war-of-1812-overview/) History.com: How U.S. Forces Failed to Conquer Canada (https://www.history.com/articles/how-u-s-forces-failed-to-conquer-canada-200-years-ago) Wikipedia: Siege of Detroit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Detroit) National Park Service: Surrender of Detroit (https://www.nps.gov/articles/surrender-of-detroit.htm) The Canadian Encyclopedia: Capture of Detroit (https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/capture-of-detroit-war-of-1812) Wikipedia: Battle of Queenston Heights (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Queenston_Heights) American Battlefield Trust: Queenston Heights Battle Facts (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/battle-queenston-heights) Wikipedia: Battle of Lake Erie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lake_Erie) American Battlefield Trust: Lake Erie Battle Facts (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/battle-lake-erie) Wikipedia: Battle of York (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_York) The Canadian Encyclopedia: War of 1812 (https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/war-of-1812) Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    33 min

  4. May 14

    When Laughing Was Contagious

    In this episode, we explore the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic, a bizarre outbreak that affected a small village in East Africa. The epidemic lasted for 18 months and primarily affected adolescent girls and young women in schools. The psychological explanation, social context, and historical impact of the epidemic are discussed in detail. Sources: Wikipedia: Tanganyika laughter epidemic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanganyika_laughter_epidemic) Atlas Obscura: The 1962 Laughter Epidemic of Tanganyika Was No Joke (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/1962-laughter-epidemic-tanganyika) Rankin, A.M. & Philip, P.J. (1963): An epidemic of laughing in the Bukoba district of Tanganyika. Central African Journal of Medicine - Hempelmann, Christian F. (2009): The laughter of the 1962 Tanganyika 'laughter epidemic'. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research Wikipedia: Mass psychogenic illness (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_psychogenic_illness) Chicago Tribune: Examining 1962's 'laughter epidemic' (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/07/29/examining-1962s-laughter-epidemic/) History.com: 7 Mysterious Mass Illnesses That Defied Explanation (https://www.history.com/articles/mysterious-illnesses-mass-hysteria) Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    26 min

  5. May 7

    When Sports Were Crazy

    What if sports could get you sacrificed, dragged to death by horses, or killed by a king's splintered lance? In this episode, we count down ten of the craziest sports ever played. These weren't just games. Sources: Wikipedia: Mesoamerican Ballgame (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_ballgame) The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Mesoamerican Ballgame (https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/the-mesoamerican-ballgame) National Geographic: Death Ball (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/death-ball) Olympics.com: Pankration (https://www.olympics.com/ioc/ancient-olympic-games/pankration) Wikipedia: Pankration (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pankration) Britannica: Pankration (https://www.britannica.com/sports/pankration) History.com: Chariot Racing (https://www.history.com/articles/chariot-racing-ancient-rome) Wikipedia: Chariot Racing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot_racing) Wikipedia: Knattleikr (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knattleikr) Hurstwic: Knattleikr (http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/knattleikr.htm) Wikipedia: Jousting (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jousting) Warfare History Network: Medieval Jousting (https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/medieval-jousting-a-bloody-sport-indeed/) Italy Segreta: Calcio Storico (https://italysegreta.com/calcio-storico/) Wikipedia: Buzkashi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzkashi) Britannica: Buzkashi (https://www.britannica.com/sports/buzkashi) Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    41 min

  6. Apr 30

    When Germany Defended the Wrong Country

    In 1943, British intelligence pulled off one of the most audacious deceptions in military history. They dressed the body of a deceased Welsh homeless man as a fictitious Royal Marines officer, stuffed his briefcase with fake invasion plans, and dropped him off the coast of Spain — hoping Nazi Germany would take the bait. The plan, codenamed Operation Mincemeat, convinced Hitler that the Allies were targeting Greece and Sardinia instead of Sicily. When 160,000 Allied troops stormed Sicily on July 10, 1943, the Germans were completely caught off guard. The operation helped turn the tide of World War II and contributed to the fall of Benito Mussolini. Sources Ben Macintyre, Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory (2010) National WWII Museum: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/secret-agents-secret-armies-operation-mincemeat Imperial War Museum: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-war-on-paper-operation-mincemeat Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Mincemeat-WWII-1943 History.com: https://www.history.com/articles/what-was-operation-mincemeat BBC Wales: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-61080456 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXNDLnbTWQ8 Theme Song Attribution Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    30 min

  7. Apr 23

    When an Emperor Made His Horse a Senator

    In ancient Rome around 40 CE, Emperor Caligula became so obsessed with his champion racehorse, Incitatus, that he gave the horse a marble stable, an ivory manger, golden wine goblets, eighteen personal servants, and purple imperial blankets. Then he announced plans to appoint Incitatus as a Roman consul — one of the highest offices in the empire. Was it genuine madness? A brutal political joke aimed at a corrupt Senate? Or propaganda written decades later by historians with their own agendas? We dive into the spectacular, absurd, and surprisingly nuanced story of the horse who almost ran Rome. Sources: Wikipedia: Incitatus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incitatus) History.com: Did Caligula Really Make His Horse a Consul? (https://www.history.com/articles/did-caligula-really-make-his-horse-a-consul) Wikipedia: Caligula (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligula) Britannica: Caligula (https://www.britannica.com/biography/caligula-roman-emperor) HistoryExtra: Roman Emperor Caligula Facts (https://www.historyextra.com/period/roman/caligula-facts-life-biography-horse-consul-incitatus-little-boots-how-die/) TheCollector: Principal Sources of Emperor Caligula's Reign (https://www.thecollector.com/what-are-the-principal-sources-of-emperor-caligulas-reign/) Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    31 min

  8. Apr 16

    When a Woman was Pope

    What if I told you that a woman once disguised herself as a man and became the Pope? Join us this week on Ebbs of History as we unravel the incredible legend of Pope Joan—a tale of ambition, deception, and a shocking revelation that could change everything you thought you knew about the history of the Catholic Church. Don't miss it! Sources Wikipedia: "Pope Joan" — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan Smithsonian Magazine: "Why the Legend of Medieval Pope Joan Persists" — https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-coins-suggest-legendary-female-pope-may-have-existed-after-all-180970297/ History Extra / HistoryExtra: "The Outrageous Heretical Legend of Pope Joan" — https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/pope-joan/ Cambridge History of the Papacy, Chapter 7: "The Myth of Pope Joan" — https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-history-of-the-papacy/myth-of-pope-joan/8CF23E2BCFE14452CC06BAFD0A787F3F Franciscan Media / St. Anthony Messenger: "The Legend of Pope Joan" by Christopher M. Bellitto, PhD — https://www.franciscanmedia.org/st-anthony-messenger/the-legend-of-pope-joan/ • Catholic Answers Magazine: "Pope Joan: The Myth That Just Won't Go Away" — https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-popess-who-just-wont-go-away Catholic Exchange: "A Primer on the Persistent Myth of Pope Joan" — https://catholicexchange.com/a-primer-on-the-persistent-myth-of-pope-joan/ Sky History: "Pope Joan: Did the Vatican Have a Medieval Female Pontiff?" — https://www.history.co.uk/articles/pope-joan-did-the-vatican-have-a-medieval-female-pontiff On This Day (April 16 historical events) — https://www.onthisday.com/events/april/16 • Britannica: "On This Day — April 16" — https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day/April-16 Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/ License: Attribution 4.0 International License

    31 min
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About

Welcome to Ebbs of History, the show where we dive into the strangest, wildest, and sometimes downright creepiest stories the past has to offer. From Dancing Plagues to Pirate Queens, we’ll laugh, we’ll gasp, but most importantly, we will learn how history is way cooler than your textbook ever told you. Every episode, we will take a quick trip through time, then see what lessons we can still learn today. This is the Ebbs of History!

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  • Creator
    The Ebbs of History
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Ebbs of History
  • Show Website
    Ebbs of History