Fan of History

New science is rewriting the story of Ice Age South America. Humans didn’t just live alongside the giants — they hunted them. Join me as we explore the lives, deaths, and legacies of the GIANT BEASTS that vanished 11,600 years ago. Please help support the show! https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistory Links to articles: https://phys.org/news/2025-10-early-humans-dined-giant-sloths.html?utm_sourc...

In this episode we talk about men that made up the fleet and army, how the courts worked (you would definitely get jury duty in this system!), and how you could be "dishonored" and thus lose your "civic honor". And you can you believe they wouldn't allow CRIMINALS to serve or lead in government??  This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like what we do you can support th...

We got a letter from a listener—an actual hydraulic engineer—calling SHENANIGANS! on the big claims of building the pyramids with water power as we explored in a recent episode. So we brought Garry back to dig in. Were the ancients really hoisting massive stones with water or is this all just a scholar's "pipe dream"? he he  Join us as we test the waters of ancient engineering one more time....

Democracy wasn’t just showing up and voting in Athens—it needed infrastructure, and that’s where the Boule came in. This episode explores how 500 citizens, chosen at random, met daily to steer the Athenian state, draft proposals, and make democracy happen in real time. Sound impossible? It wasn’t. And it’s probably more sophisticated than you think. If you like what we do you can support the Fan o...

Welcome our newest coin guru - Leo from Classic Numismatics!  Bernie and Leo unpack the significance of a 2,200‑year‑old gold coin featuring Queen Berenice II—discovering power, prestige, and politics in a single tiny disk. We are thrilled to have Leo join us in this episode set in a time of intrigue, sex, and violence. Check it out and share with your friends and enemies! Please rate us (hig...

In this first of a multi-part series set in the 500s BC, we dive deep into the nuts and bolts of early Athenian democracy. Join us as we explore how Cleisthenes' radical reorganization of the people—from 4 tribes to 10, from clans to geography—laid the groundwork for a political system that still echoes today. This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like what we do you can su...

We thought we knew how the pyramids were built. Then we read this paper. When a headline claims to rewrite 4,500 years of history, you have to take a closer look. A bold new archaeological theory claims that the ancient Egyptians may have used technology far more advanced than anyone thought possible—thousands of years before such machines were believed to exist.  We brought in Garry Stevens,...

King Tarquins first attempts to get Rome back failed and now he has to bring in Lars Porsena, the warrior king of Clusium to fight the roman patricians. But is Lars really going to reinstall Tarquin as the king or does he have other plans? Bonus feature: Lars Porsena builds a tomb bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza! This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like what we do y...

Everyone thought Hatshepsut—the most powerful woman to rule ancient Egypt—was erased from history by jealous men. But a new archaeological study reveals something stranger. In this episode, we explore who Hatshepsut really was, what her divine birth had to do with it, and how modern science is rewriting the story of one of Egypt’s most mysterious pharaohs. Link to article: https://www.livescience....

Tarquin is locked out of his city and the patricians must now decide what to do with Rome. How can they make sure that no man tries to be king again? This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory Custom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to  graveyardprinting.com  and enter coupon...

What do Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and a modern-day marketing director have in common? They all knew how to get their face out there. In this episode, Bernie sits down with Dean Kinzer of Kinzer Coins to talk about how ancient coins were more than money—they were the original social media and promotional products. https://www.kinzercoins.com/ If you like what we do you can support the Fan...

Romes final king Tarquin the Proud and his son Sextus mess up, invoking the wrath of the patricians. These are the events that maybe occured in 509 BC that caused the Roman Kingdom to end and heralded the beginning of something new. That something would turn out to be spectacular. This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History proje...

This is the fifth and final episode in our special re-edited Rome series—trimmed and tuned for anyone wanting a clear, entertaining binge through early Roman history. Originally part of our larger decade-by-decade show, this arc gives new listeners the perfect entry point: the fall of the kings and the birth of the Roman Republic. Detail and fun like you’ll only get at Fan of History , from Dan th...

This is the fourth episode in our re-edited Rome series—a clean, bingeable path through the city’s legendary and early historical development. Originally part of our larger decade-by-decade podcast, this arc focuses solely on Rome, and this episode marks a turning point: the reign of Servius Tullius and his game-changing reforms. Servius Tullius isn’t just a placeholder king—he’s the guy who trans...

Episode three of our special re-edited Rome series dives deeper into the monarchy—where assassination, ambition, and unlikely succession plans start shaping Rome into something recognizable. These episodes were originally part of our decade-by-decade podcast, now re-released to let you binge through early Rome without interruption. Lucius Tarquinius Priscus is assassinated by the sons of Ancus Mar...

In order to prepare for episode 219 we are releasing all our previous Roman History episodes. This is episode two in our re-edited Rome series, giving new listeners a clean way to follow the early rise of the Eternal City. Originally part of our decade-by-decade podcast, we’ve re-released this arc as a Roman binge-track—one myth-soaked, war-filled episode at a time. Was Rome an Etruscan city? A Gr...

In order to prepare for episode 219 we are rereleasing all our Roman History episodes... We kick off our special Rome series with the legendary origins of the Eternal City—Romulus, Remus, and all the myth-soaked drama that follows. From wolves and war to kings and augurs, we trace the early stories and semi-historical shadows of Rome’s first rulers, leading up to the reign of Tarquinius Priscus ar...

In preparation for episode 219 we have decided to release remastered episodes of all the Roman history we have covered. This will be episode 147, 163, 168, 172 and 199. These episode cover all of Roman history until right before the Roman Kingdom falls in episode 219. We hope that you enjoy this series. Our very detailed coverage of Rome will continue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

The year is 508 BCE, and Athens is a mess. Tyrants have fallen, Sparta’s been meddling, and the aristocrats can’t agree on lunch—let alone a constitution. Enter Cleisthenes with a bold idea: hand power to the people. In this episode, Bernie and Dan walk through the real, chaotic, and sometimes violent birth of Athenian democracy. This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like w...

Dean Kinzer of Kinzer Coins joins Bernie to talk about the world of ancient coin collecting—how surprisingly accessible it is, what to look for, and why these tiny pieces of metal are gateways to massive historical stories. You don’t have to be a museum to hold the past in your hand. https://www.kinzercoins.com/ You will put the Buy me a Coffee and rest in right? If you like what we do you can sup...

Athens in the 510s BCE was on the edge of transformation. As tyranny collapsed, rival aristocrats scrambled to shape the city’s future. In this episode, we follow the dramatic events that set the stage for democracy—including one unexpected turning point that changed everything. This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski. If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project...

Long before the Greeks launched triremes or the Egyptians built reed boats, ancient Southeast Asians were already mastering the sea. In this episode, Bernie and Dan dive into new archaeological findings that challenge the entire timeline of technological progress. Stone tools, deep-sea fish bones, and microscopic plant fibers tell the story of a forgotten seafaring culture—one that may have built...

It’s a wild ride through the 510s BCE in Greece—where legends fall and the ground starts to shift beneath the ancient world. We kick things off at the Olympics of 512, where a new champion takes all three footraces and Milo of Crotone suffers his final Olympic defeat. But Milo isn’t done—he goes to war, becomes a symbol of Crotone’s might… and eventually meets a famously gruesome end. Meanwhile, P...

We march into the Persian Empire with Xenophon and Alex Petkas to break down the opening of Anabasis—a story of betrayal, survival, and leadership born from failure. This isn't just ancient military drama; it’s a mirror for modern challenges: how to lead when no one else will, how to make decisions in chaos, and how to earn trust in a world of uncertainty. https://www.costofglory.com/ Retreat info...

“If they are free men, they are the basest cravens in the world; but if they are slaves, none would love their masters more.” — Herodotus, on the Ionians A Persian army on the run. A desperate warning from the Scythians. And a group of Greek tyrants who choose despotism over defiance. In this episode, we follow the moment Darius I almost lost it all—plus Megabazus’ ruthless conquest of Thrace and...