Ancient to Recent
Ancient to Recent is a history podcast that explores how the past continues to shape our world today. From forgotten empires and overlooked revolutions to the hidden lives of historical figures, each episode takes a deep dive into the moments that mattered and the ones that should have. New episodes are released every week, based on real historical research and books, covering everything from ancient civilisations to modern events.
Episodes
The Hunt for Adolf Eichmann | Part 2 | Escape to Argentina | Ancient to Recent | Episode 53
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we continues the story of the hunt for Adolf Eichmann as one of the architects of the Holocaust embarks on a desperate bid to escape justice and disappear from Europe forever.As Allied investigators, Jewish organisations and survivors begin uncovering the true extent of Eichmann's role in the Final Solution, the former SS officer adopts new identities and
The Hunt for Adolf Eichmann | Part 1 | The Hunt Begins | Ancient to Recent | Episode 52
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we begin the story of one of the most infamous manhunts in modern history: the search for Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi official who played a central role in orchestrating the Holocaust and then vanished into the shadows after the Second World War.The story opens on a cold evening in Buenos Aires in 1960, as a team of agents waits anxiously for a man who has spent
Suez Crisis 1956 | Part 4 | Back From the Brink | Ancient to Recent | Episode 51
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson concludes the story of the 1956 Suez Crisis as Britain, France and Israel press forward with their invasion of Egypt, only to find military victory slipping into political disaster.British and French paratroopers land in Port Said, Israeli forces complete their advance across the Sinai and Gamal Abdel Nasser faces the darkest moments of his le
Suez Crisis 1956 | Part 3 | Operation Musketeer Begins | Ancient to Recent | Episode 50
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson continues the story of the 1956 Suez Crisis as Britain, France and Israel launch their assault on Egypt.Israeli paratroopers drop into the Sinai, British and French fleets move towards the Suez Canal and Gamal Abdel Nasser prepares Egypt for war. As Operation Musketeer begins, the secret conspiracy behind the invasion starts to unravel at the
Suez Crisis 1956 | Part 2 | The Conspiracy at Sevres | Ancient to Recent | Episode 49
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson continues the story of the 1956 Suez Crisis as Britain, France and Israel move ever closer towards war.In secret meetings outside Paris, David Ben-Gurion, Moshe Dayan and Shimon Peres meet with British and French officials to lay out plans for a joint attack on Egypt. As tensions rise across the Middle East, Gamal Abdel Nasser’s growing influe
Suez Crisis 1956 | Part 1 | The Rise of Nasser | Ancient to Recent | Episode 48
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson begins a new series on the Suez Crisis, exploring the collapse of European imperial power and the rise of a new global order.From the battlefields of the Second World War to the streets of colonial Algeria, the cracks in the old empires begin to show. As France struggles to maintain control and nationalist movements gain momentum, a new force
Stalin’s Shadow | Part 2 | The Struggle for Power | Ancient to Recent | Episode 47
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson continues the story of the Soviet Union after the death of Stalin, as the struggle for power begins.As the regime stages a grand funeral to preserve the illusion of stability, figures like Georgy Malenkov, Lavrentiy Beria, and Nikita Khrushchev maneuver behind the scenes to claim control of the Soviet state.But beneath the surface, the empire
Stalin’s Shadow | Part 1 | The Final Days | Ancient to Recent | Episode 46
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson begins a new series on the final days of Joseph Stalin.At the height of his power, the Soviet dictator who had ruled through fear, purges, and war suddenly lies stricken after a stroke in his dacha. As his inner circle, men like Lavrentyi Beria and Nikita Khrushchev, hesitate, delay, and quietly calculate their next moves, the fate of the Sovi
The Siege of Constantinople | Part 5 | The Fall of an Empire | Ancient to Recent | Episode 45
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson concludes the dramatic siege of Constantinople.After weeks of relentless bombardment and failed assaults, Mehmed II launches his final, all-out attack. Wave after wave crashes against the shattered walls, as the exhausted defenders under Constantine XI Palaiologos fight to hold the line.But a series of crucial moments, a forgotten gate, the wo
The Siege of Constantinople | Part 4 | The Noose Tightens | Ancient to Recent | Episode 44
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson continues the dramatic siege of Constantinople as the struggle enters a final and brutal new phase.With his navy strengthened, Mehmed II seeks to break the city from both land and sea. After a failed assault on the Golden Horn, he executes one of the most audacious maneuvers in military history, hauling ships over land to bypass the chain and
The Siege of Constantinople | Part 3 | The Gunpowder Age Begins | Ancient to Recent | Episode 43
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson continues the story of the 1453 siege of Constantinople.As Mehmed II brings one of the largest armies of the medieval world to the city’s gates, the legendary Theodosian Walls face their greatest test. For centuries they had held firm but now a new weapon threatens to change everything: gunpowder.With massive cannons designed by Orban, the Ott
The Siege of Constantinople | Part 2 | The Gathering Storm | Ancient to Recent | Episode 42
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, the stage is set for one of history’s most brutal sieges as the Ottoman Empire and Byzantium move toward their final confrontation.Born into uncertainty and raised in a court shaped by ambition and intrigue, Mehmed II rises to power with a singular vision: the conquest of Constantinople. While his father Murad II had preserved and stabilized the Ottoman state,
The Siege of Constantinople | Part 1 | The Queen of Cities | Ancient to Recent | Episode 41
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Joseph Parkinson begins a new series on the long road to the fall of Constantinople.For centuries the great city stood as the heart of the Byzantine Empire, a wealthy, powerful capital that guarded the frontier between Christianity and the rising forces of Islam.From the early expansion of Islam under Muhammad and the Arab sieges of the city, to the catastroph
The Haitian Revolution | Part 5 | Napoleon’s Gamble | Ancient to Recent | Episode 40
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Napoleon Bonaparte launches one of the largest overseas expeditions of the age to crush Toussaint Louverture and restore French control over Saint-Domingue.In 1802, a vast armada carrying tens of thousands of soldiers sails across the Atlantic under General Charles Leclerc. Publicly, France promises to defend emancipation. Privately, Napoleon prepares to disma
The Haitian Revolution | Part 4 | Shadows of Supremacy | Ancient to Recent | Episode 39
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, Toussaint Louverture crushes rivals and claims unchallenged power in Saint-Domingue, but at the cost of deepening divisions and inviting imperial backlash.From 1797–1800, he expels the British, defies French agents, and wins a savage civil war against André Rigaud in the War of the South. Ex-slaves return to plantations under rigid labor rules, white planters
The Haitian Revolution | Part III | Liberty in Chains | Ancient to Recent | Episode 38
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, the Haitian Revolution becomes a global imperial battlefield, and a test of what freedom truly means.Early 1793. The execution of Louis XVI drags Saint-Domingue into the wars of revolutionary Europe. Britain and Spain invade, white planters betray France to save slavery, and commissioners Sonthonax and Polverel make a desperate gamble: they proclaim emancipati
The Haitian Revolution | Part II | Fire in the Cane Fields | Ancient to Recent | Episode 37
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, the Haitian Revolution explodes into open war.August 1791. Across the northern plains of Saint-Domingue, plantations burn, masters flee, and thousands of enslaved men and women rise in a coordinated rebellion that shocks the Atlantic world. What had been whispers of conspiracy becomes a revolution of fire, steel, and vengeance.We follow the first days of the u
The Haitian Revolution | Part I | Slavery, Sugar, and the World That Broke | Ancient to Recent | Episode 36
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we begin one of the most radical and world-changing revolutions in history: the Haitian Revolution.At the end of the eighteenth century, the French colony of Saint-Domingue was the richest place on earth. Powered by sugar, coffee, and the relentless exploitation of enslaved Africans, it generated staggering wealth for France and sat at the heart of the Atlanti
The Shah and the Iranian Revolution | Part 3 | Revolution, Coup and the Flight of the Shah | Ancient to Recent | Episode 35
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we follow Iran through the decisive year of 1979, the moment when a crisis becomes a collapse, and a monarchy that once looked unshakeable disintegrates in a matter of weeks.As protests intensify and strikes paralyze the economy, the Iranian state begins to lose control of the streets. Police forces buckle, government authority evaporates, and law and order gi
The Shah and the Iranian Revolution | Part 2 | Carter, Khomeini and the CIA| Ancient to Recent | Episode 34
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we follow Iran at the height of its apparent power in the mid-1970s, a country awash in oil money, armed to the teeth, and ruled by a monarch who believed history itself was on his side. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s Iran looked unstoppable: soaring growth rates, grand infrastructure projects, and an alliance with the United States that seemed unshakeable.But beneat
The Shah and the Iranian Revolution | Oil, Power, and the Illusion of Modernity | Ancient to Recent | Episode 33
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we step into the glittering world of 1960s and 70s Tehran, where nightclubs, foreign visitors, and booming oil revenues gave the impression of a nation racing confidently into the modern age. At the center stood Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, a monarch determined to reshape his country through rapid modernization and centralized power.Beneath the neo
Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire | Part II | War with China & the Birth of Mongol Warfare | Ancient to Recent | Episode 32
In this history podcast episode of Ancient to Recent, we follow Genghis Khan as his newly united Mongol nation collides with the great settled empires to the south, beginning a cycle of conquest that would change world history forever.Having unified the steppe through blood, loyalty, and merit, Temüjin now faced a new challenge: how to sustain his people without endless civil war. The answer lay b
Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire | The Early Life of Temüjin | Ancient to Recent | Episode 31
In this history podcast episode of Ancient to Recent, we explore the early life of Genghis Khan, the rise of Temüjin, and the origins of the Mongol Empire on the Eurasian Steppe.Born into violence, betrayal, and extreme poverty, Temüjin’s childhood was defined by abandonment, hunger, and survival. After his family was cast out by their own clan, he endured slavery, exile, and constant danger in a
Maximilian of Mexico: The Rise and Fall of the Second Mexican Empire | Part 5 | The Siege of Querétaro, Betrayal and Execution | Ancient to Recent | Episode 30
By early 1867, the Second Mexican Empire was fighting for its life. French troops had gone, Republican armies were closing in from every direction, and Maximilian’s authority barely extended beyond a shrinking patchwork of territory. Yet rather than flee, abdicate, or negotiate, the emperor chose to stand and fight, taking everything on honour, loyalty, and a belief that destiny had not yet abando
Maximilian of Mexico: The Rise and Fall of the Second Mexican Empire | Part 4 | Napoleon’s Betrayal, Juarez’s Advance and the Fateful Decision | Ancient to Recent | Episode 29
By late 1865, the Second Mexican Empire was beginning to unravel. French support, once the foundation of Maximilian’s throne, was wavering, Republican resistance was intensifying, and pressure from a resurgent United States threatened to turn Mexico into a flashpoint for international conflict. Yet at the very moment the empire required decisive leadership, Maximilian seemed increasingly detached
Maximilian of Mexico: The Rise and Fall of the Second Mexican Empire | Part 3 | Juarez, the Catholic Church & the US Civil War | Ancient to Recent I Episode 28
At the height of his power, Emperor Maximilian believed he could reconcile monarchy with liberal reform and heal a nation torn apart by decades of war. By the end of 1864, the Second Mexican Empire stretched to the U.S. border, Republican forces were on the run, and French troops appeared to have secured the throne. Yet the empire’s greatest victories concealed its deepest weaknesses.This episode
Maximilian of Mexico: The Rise and Fall of the Second Mexican Empire | Part 2 | US Civil War, Franz Josef and the Catholic Church |Ancient to Recent I Episode 27
In 1864, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria crossed the Atlantic to claim a crown forged in diplomacy, ambition, and illusion. What awaited him in Mexico was not the enlightened monarchy he imagined but a nation exhausted by war, divided by ideology, and pushed to the breaking point by foreign intervention.This episode follows Maximilian and Carlota as they enter Mexico City in triumph, unaw
Maximilian of Mexico: The Rise and Fall of the Second Mexican Empire | Benito Juárez, Napoleon III & Habsburg Mexico | Ancient to Recent I Episode 26
In 1864, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria took the throne as Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, believing he could unite a fractured nation and build a modern empire. Instead, he stepped into one of the most violent political storms of the 19th century.Backed by Napoleon III’s French army, opposed by Benito Juárez and the Mexican Republican forces, Maximilian struggled to rule a country divided
Hermann Goering and the Nazi Mind Part 2 | Nuremberg & The Final Deception | Ancient to Recent | Episode 25
At Nuremberg in 1945, the last leaders of the Third Reich faced judgment before the world. Hermann Goering arrived determined to turn the courtroom into his personal stage, launching a defiant performance that briefly revived the shattered pride of his fellow Nazis, but could not save him from the evidence closing in around him.Psychologists Douglas Kelley and Gustave Gilbert battled to decode the
Hermann Goering and the Nazi Mind | How the Nazis Were Captured, Studied & Prepared for Nuremberg | Ancient to Recent | Episode 24
In 1945, the Allies seized the top surviving Nazi leaders and locked them inside a secret U.S. prison known as Ashcan. At the center of it all was Hermann Göring, Reichsmarschall, head of the Luftwaffe, Hitler’s chosen successor, and the highest-ranking Nazi to face justice.Inside Mondorf-les-Bains, a young U.S. Army psychiatrist, Dr. Douglas Kelley, began a groundbreaking mission: to uncover the
The Ukrainian Revolution Part 4 | Holodomor: Stalin’s Terror-Famine in Ukraine | Ancient to Recent | Episode 23
In 1932–33, Ukraine faced one of the deadliest tragedies of the 20th century, the Holodomor. Stalin’s regime seized food, blacklisted entire villages, sealed Ukraine’s borders, and used starvation as a weapon to crush resistance. Millions died as the Soviet state destroyed Ukrainian culture, language, and identity.In Episode 23, Joseph Parkinson uncovers how the famine was engineered, how the OGPU
The Ukrainian Revolution Part III | Stalin’s Collectivisation: The War on Ukraine’s Peasants | Ancient to Recent | Episode 22
By the end of the 1920s, Stalin had a vision, to forge a new Soviet man and break the old peasant world forever. Across Ukraine, a war was declared on the countryside. Villages were torn apart, churches destroyed, families deported, and the proud independence of Ukraine’s farmers was crushed beneath the machinery of collectivisation.Through forced labor, quotas, and terror, millions were driven fr
The Ukrainian Revolution Part II | Lenin, Stalin, and the Seeds of the Holodomor | Ancient to Recent | Episode 21
In the aftermath of revolution, Ukraine lies in ruins. The Bolsheviks have won the Civil War but for Lenin, victory is not enough. From the brutal terror of the Cheka to forced grain seizures and man-made famine, Ukraine becomes the testing ground for a new kind of tyranny.As millions starve and resistance is crushed, a new figure rises from the shadows: Joseph Stalin. His plan for collectivizatio
The Ukrainian Revolution | Birth of a Nation, Seeds of the Holodomor | Ancient to Recent | Episode 20
In the spring of 1917, as the Russian Empire collapses under the weight of war and revolution, Ukraine dares to dream of freedom. From the hopeful marches through Kyiv’s sunlit streets to the bitter struggle against Bolshevik armies, this is the story of how Ukraine first tried to forge its own destiny.But revolution brings chaos. Armies rise and fall, cities burn, and hunger stalks the land. The
Norman Conquest | The Fall of Anglo-Saxon England | Ancient to Recent | Episode 19
As the smoke of Hastings clears, William the Conqueror’s work has only just begun. From the burning towns of Sussex to the frozen wastes of Northumbria, England descends into chaos. The Godwinsons rise from exile to challenge the Norman invader, rebellions erupt from Devon to York, and the Vikings return one last time to stake their claim.But William answers rebellion with terror, slaughter, famin
Norman Conquest | Vikings, Rebellion, and the English Throne | Ancient to Recent | Episode 18
The stage is set. As Edward the Confessor’s reign falters and his death throws England into crisis, two rivals begin their march toward destiny. In Normandy, Duke William proves himself against France and Anjou, crushing enemies and securing alliances that will one day fuel his claim to the English crown. In England, Harold Godwinson rises in the shadow of his father, steering the Godwin dynasty t
Norman Conquest | Edward the Confessor and the Roots of 1066 | Ancient to Recent | Episode 17
In this opening episode of our Norman Conquest series, we trace the story of England before 1066, from the rise of the Anglo-Saxons to the Viking invasions that reshaped the land. We meet Edward the Confessor, a king who never should have worn the crown, yet whose reign set the stage for the greatest turning point in English history. From Alfred the Great’s defiance to the chaos of Ethelred the Un
Kim Il Sung: The Still Birth of North Korea, Part 2 | Ancient to Recent | Episode 16
The Korean War erupts in a storm of artillery, but Kim Il Sung's plans for a swift victory unravel as UN forces push back the North Korean advance. As the conflict descends into a brutal stalemate, Stalin's death and a changing geopolitical landscape create an opportunity for Kim to solidify his rule. This episode takes you through the pivotal battles of the Korean War, the power struggles
Kim Il Sung: The Still Birth of North Korea | Ancient to Recent | Episode 15
In the early days of the 20th century, Korea was under the grip of Japanese imperial rule, a period that reshaped the peninsula forever. Out of this turmoil emerged Kim Il Sung, a partisan fighter who would go on to become the founding leader of North Korea.In this episode of Ancient To Recent, Joseph Parkinson takes you through Kim’s early life, the struggles of Korean nationalism, the Japanese o
Bullets and Rosary Beads , Part 3 | Father Patrick Ryan | Ancient to Recent | Episode 14
In the 1980s, Father Patrick Ryan stood at the heart of the IRA’s international network, funding operations, brokering weapons, and evading capture across borders. Part Three follows his role in daring attacks and the high-stakes chase to bring him to justice. Inspired by Jennifer O’Leary’s The Padre. New episodes every Friday at 8 PM CET Follow on Spotify, YouTube & Instagram @AncientToRecent
Bullets and Rosary Beads, Part 2 | Guns & Gaddafi | Ancient to Recent | Episode 13
In the 1980s, Father Patrick Ryan became one of the IRA’s most valuable allies. From secret Libyan arms deals to the Brighton bombing that nearly killed Margaret Thatcher, his story is one of faith, firepower, and the deadly politics of the Troubles.In Part Two, we follow his journey from rural Ireland to the heart of an international struggle, uncovering how belief and rebellion collided in Brita
Bullets and Rosary Beads | The IRA’s Priest and the Brighton Bombing | Ancient to Recent | Episode 12
In the 1980s, a Catholic priest became one of the IRA’s most valuable allies. From secret Libyan arms deals to the Brighton bombing that nearly killed Margaret Thatcher, Father Patrick Ryan’s story is one of faith, firepower, and the deadly politics of the Troubles. We follow his journey from rural Ireland to the heart of an international struggle, uncovering how belief and rebellion collided in B
Navalny vs. Putin Part III | Poison, Prison, and the Fight for Russia’s Future | Ancient to Recent | Episode 11
In this powerful final chapter of our Alexei Navalny series, we follow Russia’s most prominent opposition leader from the 2017 acid attack that scarred him, to his poisoning with Novichok, his defiant return to Moscow, and his slow death inside Putin’s prisons. Through corruption exposés, political trials, and the relentless brutality of the Russian state, Navalny’s life became a test of whether t
Navalny vs. Putin Part II | Corruption, Power, and the Battle for Russia | Ancient to Recent | Episode 10
In Part II of Ancient to Recent’s deep dive, Alexei Navalny takes his fight against Vladimir Putin to the streets, the courts, and the ballot box. From rigged Moscow elections to uncovering multi-million dollar corruption at the Kremlin’s core, discover how Navalny became Putin’s most dangerous opponent and the ruthless tactics used to bring him down.🎧 New episodes every Friday, 8PM CET📲 Follow on
Navalny vs. Putin Part I | A Tale of Two Tsars | Ancient to Recent | Episode 9
There was no warning. Just radioactive rain and the beginning of a story that shaped modern Russia. In this premiere episode of Ancient to Recent, we explore how the Chernobyl disaster, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the chaos of the 1990s led to the rise of Vladimir Putin and the emergence of his most dangerous opponent: Alexei Navalny.Follow the origin story of a man who dared to speak the tr
Road to Unity Part 4 | The Guns of August: How Germany Went to War in 1914 | Ancient to Recent | Episode 8
In this epic episode of Ancient to Recent, we unpack the tragic and complex chain of events that dragged Germany and the world into the First World War. From the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo to the infamous "blank cheque" to Austria, we explore how imperial ambition, strategic paranoia, and domestic turmoil pushed Germany into a devastating global conflict.We examine Germ
Road to Unity Part 3 | The Second German Empire | Ancient to Recent | Episode 7
In this episode of Ancient to Recent, we unpack the turbulent reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the dramatic transformation of Germany from 1890 to 1914. From Bismarck’s calculated power structures to Wilhelm’s impulsive foreign policy and volatile personality, we explore the roots of Germany’s growing isolation and instability. Learn how economic booms, social upheaval, colonial ambitions, and a ser
Road to Unity Part 2 | Bismarck and the Unification of Germany | Ancient to Recent | Episode 6
Bismarck’s Empire: Building Germany, Crushing Enemies, and Creating a NationAfter unification, the real challenge began. In this episode, we explore how Otto von Bismarck governed the new German Empire from 1871 to 1890 navigating class tension, religious conflict, rapid industrialization, and the rise of socialism.From Kulturkampf and anti-socialist laws to revolutionary social reforms and coloni
Road to Unity Part 1 | Bismarck and the Unification of Germany | Ancient to Recent | Episode 5
From Napoleon to Bismarck, this is the story of how Prussia unified the German states through diplomacy, war, and ruthless ambition culminating in the creation of the German Empire in 1871. Based on Iron and Blood by Katja Hoyer. Part two out 11 July at 20:00 CEST
The Death of Mahsa Amini and the Fight for Freedom in Iran | Ancient to Recent | Episode 4
When Mahsa Amini died in police custody in 2022, her name became a rallying cry across Iran. This episode traces the roots of the Iranian regime's oppression from the 1979 revolution to modern-day censorship, protest, and resistance. A powerful story of women, workers, and minorities standing up to authoritarianism.
No Escape: The Global Reach of China's Uyghur Crackdown | Ancient to Recent | Episode 3
In this gripping episode, we uncover the chilling reality faced by Uyghurs both inside and outside China. From high-tech surveillance in Xinjiang to threats and coercion abroad, the Chinese government's repression has no borders. Through testimonies, reports, and global patterns of intimidation, we reveal how one of the most advanced surveillance states in history is targeting an entire people
The Tragedy of Joe Biden - Ancient to Recent - Episode 2
In the second episode of Ancient to Recent, we cover Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson.Convinced that the threat posed by Trump was too great and that only Biden could stop him, his team lied.To the press.To the public.To themselves.About Biden’s mental health.This is a story of fear, corruption, and cover-up…And how it led to the election of Donald J. Trump.
Ancient to Recent - D-Day: The Longest Day – From the Sky, the Sea, and the Cliffs
On June 6, 1944, the fate of the free world hung in the balance. In this special episode, we take you deep into the epic story of D-Day—the largest amphibious invasion in history.From the silent landing of gliders at Pegasus Bridge to the fierce resistance at Omaha Beach, and the heroic scaling of Pointe du Hoc by U.S. Rangers, we walk through the strategy, chaos, and courage that defined Operatio
COMING SOON: Ancient to Recent, A History Channel That Changes How You See the Past
Welcome to Ancient to Recent, the history channel that dives deep into the events, empires, and people that shaped our world.🎙️ Launching soon with new episodes every week📽️ Historical facts, and book recommendations📚 Based on real historical research and fascinating booksFrom forgotten kingdoms to myth-busting facts, we're here to make history engaging, surprising, and relevant.👉 Follow us @A
