<![CDATA[Aspects’s Substack: Aspects of History]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/s/aspects-of-historyhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!8AhF!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770fb6c7-1e81-4eaa-908b-ab3b6cc1b612_1280x1280.pngAspects’s Substack: Aspects of Historyhttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/s/aspects-of-historySubstackFri, 17 Jul 2026 20:04:18 GMT<![CDATA[Roy Farran: Rogue Hero]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/roy-farran-rogue-herohttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/roy-farran-rogue-heroWed, 15 Jul 2026 06:58:10 GMT
Major Roy Farran

Roy Farran was one of the outstanding British soldiers of the Second World War. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order and three Military Crosses while serving with the Royal Armoured Corps and the Special Air Service but he never rose above the rank of major unlike that other great SAS soldier, Paddy Mayne, who finished the war a Lt.Colonel with four DSOs. Farran and Mayne had much in common. Irish blood for a start, though the Catholic Farran was born and raised in India to a military father. They were brave and instinctive guerrilla fighters, able to size up a situation in seconds, quicker than the enemy, and react with swift and savage ferocity. The pair could be truculent and volatile, character flaws that were exacerbated by the stress of combat and became more acute after the war.

A serious back injury curtailed Mayne’s military career – and his rugby one – and he returned to civilian life after the war. Farran remained in the army, rejoining his parent regiment, the 3rd Hussars, before an appointment to Sandhurst as an instructor. It was a soulless role for a man of action. Restless, dissatisfied and probably suffering from combat stress, Farran volunteered for the Palestine Police Force. He was tasked with tracking down members of the Jewish paramilitary groups that were waging a war of insurgency against the British. In May 1947 16-year-old Alexander Rubowitz vanished while putting up propaganda posters for a paramilitary group. His body was never recovered but Farran was arrested and charged with the youngster’s murder (The death of Rubowitz is covered in Major Farran’s Hat: Murder, Scandal, and Britain’s Secret War Against Jewish Terrorism, 1945-1948, by David Cesarani). He was acquitted in a court-martial and returned to Britain, seeking refuge with the one man he knew he could trust: Bill Stirling, his former commanding officer in 2SAS.

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]]><![CDATA[Ismay’s People]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/ismays-peoplehttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/ismays-peopleSat, 11 Jul 2026 06:58:19 GMT
General Hastings ‘Pug’ Ismay

‘Pug’ Ismay was the personification of discretion and diplomacy. His book, The Memoirs of Lord Ismay, is testimony to this: no revelations are included, no confidences betrayed, no secrets exposed. There is hardly an unkind word about any of the people he met or worked with. The same is true of all the interviews he gave and articles he wrote. And he did not keep a diary. All of this was and is off-putting for the potential biographer! Did he live a very dull life? Or did he choose to see only the best in people? Or perhaps he was just a very bad judge of character? However, dig down into his private papers, his correspondence with personal friends, their notes and diaries, and what emerges is what Ismay really thought of people. Quite revealing, both about the people concerned and about Ismay himself.

Take for example Winston Churchill, whom Ismay served as his chief staff officer for the entirety of World War Two. Ismay was among Churchill’s greatest admirers. He genuinely considered him to be a genius, if a flawed one. But in public, the flaws almost never surface. In his memoirs, Ismay says that that Churchill “knew more about waging total war than all his military advisers put together” and had been “the master planner” of victory. But, after the war. in a private letter to a close friend, he wrote that Churchill “was, and still is, completely ignorant of modern war and logistics”, and bewailed “his plans for picking up small and superficially attractive prizes which have no real bearing on the conduct of war as a whole”. Similarly, in the draft of his memoirs, Ismay remarks on Churchill’s “interference” in detailed operations; but in the published version this word is replaced by “intervention”, together with justification for it: “imparting to the commanders his own impetuous, adventurous and defying character.”

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]]><![CDATA[Conquest: A History of Roman Britain with Ferdinand Addis]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/conquest-a-history-of-roman-britain-e6bhttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/conquest-a-history-of-roman-britain-e6bFri, 10 Jul 2026 23:01:00 GMTRoman 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

]]><![CDATA[What Is Unique about the Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/what-is-unique-about-the-forgottenhttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/what-is-unique-about-the-forgottenWed, 08 Jul 2026 06:58:44 GMT

Questions and myths about Subhas Chandra Bose, or Netaji, and the Indian National Army are of great interest in India today

India’s INA history is largely focused on Netaji. Indeed he did a lot, but he had a lot of help. The book shows that the INA was not started by him, but 18 months earlier by the little-known Captain Mohan Singh. Without Singh there would have been no Netaji legacy.

Another myth is about the size and impact of the INA in battle – it was actually very small, ill-equipped and not trusted – so not used to fight by the Japanese in 1944. It was miniscule, dwarfed by a Japanese army over 20 times larger at Imphal who did the fighting. Few died in combat, most of starvation or illness. Only in 1945 did Japan use it to fight, not to invade India but to defend Burma. For Japan that had nothing to do with Indian independence. Still ill-equipped, it was too late to make a difference. Again most losses were deserters and the sick.

Netaji took great risks in seeking Japan’s help to invade India, as they did not intend to let him rule occupied India freely. Pointed out to him repeatedly by Indians fearful of what would happen, he said ‘Leave it to me. I will handle it when the time comes.’ Fortunately, that time never came, and the INA succeeded instead in its propaganda role after the war.

My book tells story of brave INA soldiers, little-known today as focus has been solely on Netaji.

Aspects’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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]]><![CDATA[Summer Reads 2026]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/summer-reads-2026-79ehttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/summer-reads-2026-79eFri, 03 Jul 2026 23:01:00 GMTThis 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

]]><![CDATA[Relative Failures with Matthew Sturgis]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/relative-failures-with-matthew-sturgis-bc7https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/relative-failures-with-matthew-sturgis-bc7Fri, 26 Jun 2026 23:01:00 GMTWhat 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

]]><![CDATA[Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe with Katja Hoyer]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/weimar-life-on-the-edge-of-catastrophe-d21https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/weimar-life-on-the-edge-of-catastrophe-d21Fri, 19 Jun 2026 23:01:00 GMTThe 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

]]><![CDATA[Stealing Hitler's Rocket with Guy Walters]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/stealing-hitlers-rocket-with-guy-de1https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/stealing-hitlers-rocket-with-guy-de1Fri, 12 Jun 2026 23:01:00 GMTThis 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

]]><![CDATA[Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches with Tony Shaw and Alan McDougall]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/cold-war-football-a-history-in-ten-1f1https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/cold-war-football-a-history-in-ten-1f1Fri, 05 Jun 2026 23:01:00 GMTIn 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

]]><![CDATA[SAS Great Escapes 5 with Damien Lewis]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/sas-great-escapes-5-with-damien-lewis-704https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/sas-great-escapes-5-with-damien-lewis-704Fri, 29 May 2026 23:01:00 GMTFrom 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

]]><![CDATA[The World's Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion with Alec Ryrie]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/the-worlds-reformation-how-protestantism-be3https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/the-worlds-reformation-how-protestantism-be3Fri, 22 May 2026 23:01:00 GMTThat word mission might make you think of Robert De Niro or Jeremy Irons in Jesuit robes clambering up the Iguazu Falls in deepest South America, but, lagging as they might have been and forgotten as their efforts may be, there was a Protestant expansion too, a clear will to propagate the Gospel to the world, that challenges those preconceptions. 

This week on the podcast, Professor Alec Ryrie joins ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss his new book, The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion, published by Yale University Press. From Lapland to the Caribbean and across Asia and Africa, we discuss how a now global religion attempted to convert the nations, sometimes falteringly, some successfully, and examine the motivations, approaches and instances where religion, colonialism and empire become intertwined.

Episode Links

The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion⁠

Alec Ryrie Links

Alec ⁠⁠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

]]><![CDATA[Archbishop, Chancellor, Kingmaker with Dr Chris Given-Wilson]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/archbishop-chancellor-kingmaker-with-3edhttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/archbishop-chancellor-kingmaker-with-3edFri, 15 May 2026 23:01:00 GMTThe medieval period is rife with kingmakers, but what about the dynasty-maker who also served as head of the church? In his excellent new study of Thomas Arundel, the master of medieval studies, Dr Chris Given-Wilson, Emeritus Professor at St Andrews, tells Nathen Amin all about the remarkable figure who served as Chancellor and Archbishop before helping change the path of English politics forever.

Episode Links

Chris Given-Wilson Links:

University of St Andrews Profile at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/people/cjg2/⁠

Nathen Amin Links:

Website: www.nathenamin.com

Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/

Aspects of History Links:

Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com

Email: history@aspectsofhistory.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]><![CDATA[The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West with James Holland]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/the-visionaries-the-making-of-the-a15https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/the-visionaries-the-making-of-the-a15Fri, 08 May 2026 23:01:00 GMTEconomic turmoil of the 1930s and the need to create a new post-war fiscal order after 1945 were the challenges faced by Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman. Their vision, and the policies by which they enacted it, underpinned recovery, global cooperation, and long-term stability.

Joining  ⁠Phil Craig for this episode of the Aspects of History⁠ podcast, historian and Chalke History Festival supremo, James Holland offers his thoughts on those leaders of the free world who contributed so much to both Europe and North America in the 21st century. His latest book, The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West⁠ examines international responsibility, and the enduring impact of political leadership, considering the stark contrast between past and present economic strategy.

Episode Links

The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West

James Holland Links

James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠We Have Ways

James ⁠online⁠

James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack

Chalke History Festival Links

Full line-up and tickets online

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

]]><![CDATA[Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors with Caillan Davenport]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/behind-caesars-back-rumor-gossip-881https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/behind-caesars-back-rumor-gossip-881Fri, 01 May 2026 23:01:00 GMTRumours whispered in the forum, graffiti scrawled on walls, and scandalous tales passed between senator and citizen - the Roman emperor was as much a manifestation of gossip as of power. But how far can we trust these tales, and what do they reveal about the imperial system itself?

Joining Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠, on the podcast today is Caillan Davenport, professor and historian, whose study, Behind Caesar’s Back, offers a bold, fresh approach to imperial Rome. Moving beyond traditional biographies, his sweeping study reconstructs the “oral world” of the Roman Empire, sharing insight into political talk, public opinion and the delicate relationship between ruler and ruled.

Episode Links

Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors

Caillan Davenport Links

Caillan ⁠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

]]><![CDATA[Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece with Adrian Goldsworthy]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/athens-and-sparta-the-rivalry-that-1c7https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/athens-and-sparta-the-rivalry-that-1c7Fri, 24 Apr 2026 23:01:00 GMTIn a warring world of thousands of city-states, where honour, prestige, and survival were constantly at stake, two names would rise above the rest – Athens and Sparta. Though once allied together against the Persians, the powers would end up locked in a rivalry, the Peloponnesian War.

In this episode of the podcast, Adrian Goldsworthy joins ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss his latest book, ⁠Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece⁠. His stimulating account runs from its mythic origins to the Peloponnesian War, exploring their contrasting identities and ideologies – militaristic Sparta as a conquering elite and democratic Athens as an autochthonous society – and quite how these shaped their politics and ambitions. Our conversation also considers the challenges of sources like Herodotus and Thucydides, the fragile alliances of the Persian Wars, and what descent into this enduring conflict reveals about power, warfare, and strategy.

Episode Links

Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece

Adrian Goldsworthy Links

Adrian ⁠⁠online⁠⁠

Adrian on Twitter/X

Adrian on YouTube

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠

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]]><![CDATA[Henry VII: Treason and Trust with Dr Sean Cunningham]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/henry-vii-treason-and-trust-with-289https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/henry-vii-treason-and-trust-with-289Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:01:00 GMTHenry VII was the king the brought the Plantagenets tumbling down and replaced them with the Tudor Dynasty. But his reign was anything but peaceful. Join Nathen Amin to tell us all about the first Tudor monarch's tense, turbulent and uncomfortable reign is Dr Sean Cunningham, author of 'Henry VII: Treason and Trust' and Head of Medieval Records at the National Archives

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]]><![CDATA[Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire with Antonia Senior]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/stalins-apostles-the-cambridge-five-6a3https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/stalins-apostles-the-cambridge-five-6a3Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:02:00 GMTFew scandals have captured the imagination quite like the Cambridge Five - recruited in the 1930s, these infamous names would each penetrate the deepest recesses of the British intelligence system while secretly working for the Soviet Union. Their actions compromised operations, reshaped the nation’s security services and left a legacy that continues to echo in today’s world.

Joining ⁠Phil Craig on the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠ podcast is historian, writer and journalist Antonia Senior, whose latest book, Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire, reexamines the lives and careers of some of the most intriguing figures in 20th century espionage. She sets forth the state of the world that produced these men, how they were recruited, and just how damaging their betrayal of information was.

Episode Links

⁠Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire⁠

Antonia Senior Links

Antonia on The History Book Buffs

Antonia on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

Phil Links

Phil on ⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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]]><![CDATA[The Nazi and the Psychiatrist with Jack El-Hai]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/the-nazi-and-the-psychiatrist-with-619https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/the-nazi-and-the-psychiatrist-with-619Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:02:00 GMTThis week’s episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast sees historian ⁠Phil Craig⁠⁠⁠⁠ joined by author Jack El-Hai to explore the disturbing psychological drama behind the Nuremberg Trials.

After last year’s adaptation starring Rami Malek and Russell Crowe, the journalist discusses his book, The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, the uncanny relationship between US Army physician Douglas Kelley and the war criminal Hermann Göring, and what it reveals to us eighty years later about the nature of evil.

Drawing on personal archival material, what follows is a gripping conversation about power, personality, and the disconcerting idea that the 20th century’s worst crimes might be rooted in ordinary human behaviour.

Episode Links

⁠The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Goring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII by Jack El-Hai

Jack Links

Jack on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X

Jack on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

Jack on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky

Jack ⁠online⁠

Phil Links

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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]]><![CDATA[Sceptred Isle with Helen Carr]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/sceptred-isle-with-helen-carr-db4https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/sceptred-isle-with-helen-carr-db4Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMTThis week on the podcast, best-selling historian Helen Carr passionately explores the fourteenth century, subject of her vividly-told and immersive new book Sceptred Isle including insightful discussion of John of Gaunt, Katherine Swynford, exploring the voices of women of the past, and writing on the themes of loss and grief.

Nathen Amin Links:

Website: www.nathenamin.com

Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/

Helen Carr Links:

Website: https://www.helenhcarr.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sceptred-Isle-history-fourteenth-century/dp/1529151651

Aspects of History Links:

Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com

Email: History@aspectsofhistory.com

⁠⁠Aspects of History on Instagram⁠

⁠

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]]><![CDATA[Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale with Helen Fry]]>https://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/nuremberg-the-translators-tale-with-b3ahttps://aspectsofhistory.substack.com/p/nuremberg-the-translators-tale-with-b3aSat, 21 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMTThe Nuremberg Trials brought the surviving leaders of the Third Reich to justice, but they also posed a deeper question. How could ordinary men commit such extraordinary crimes? Joining Phil Craig on the Aspects of History⁠⁠ podcast is historian Helen Fry discussing Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale published by Yale University Press.

Her new book tells the fascinating story of Howard Triest, a young German-Jewish refugee who returned to Germany as a US Army translator and found himself interviewing the very men responsible for the regime that had murdered his parents. His is a story of justice, memory, and the attempt to understand the architects of evil at the heart of the Nazi regime.

Episode Links

Nuremberg: The Translator's Tale by Helen Fry

Helen Links

Helen on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠

Helen online

Phil Links

Phil on ⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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