History Loves Company

At its height, it was believed to be the sixth largest city in the world at the time. But it might surprise you that the place in question wasn't in Europe, Africa, or even Asia, but the proverbial New World. From humble beginnings, Teotihuacán quickly rose to become THE powerhouse in Mesoamerica, whose influences extended from its home base in the heart of Mexico down to the jungles of Guatemala...

Most Americans are familiar with the story BEHIND the Thanksgiving holiday, but fewer know how it came to BE an enduring national tradition in the first place. The process involved several decades of early American bureaucracy, two of the nation's greatest presidents and even the intervention of a magazine editor. But how did all these disparate elements figure into the establishment of the holida...

Few military units in American history are as celebrated and revered as the Rough Riders. Formed by then Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Theodore Roosevelt, it was a ragtag band of men from various walks of life willing to prove their might and skill in battle against the Spanish in the Spanish-American War. Tune in to this special Veteran's Day episode to find out how they beat the odds!

Typically, societal collapses occur gradually, with years of slow decline before the inevitable end takes place. But in the subject of today's episode, the first societal collapse in history, the opposite was true, in which the fall came rather swiftly. But what caused so many civilizations in and around the Mediterranean to meet such a rapid demise? A nefarious band of brigands and vagabonds know...

When the Roman Empire fell in the late 5th Century, much ancient knowledge was lost. It would take three centuries for any semblance of the old order to return to Western Europe and it would come from a seemingly unlikely source: Charlemagne, the King of the Franks. What caused him to turn to the past? What reforms and changes did he bring about for his kingdom? And how did said changes shape the...

The Nazca Lines are a series of large images (or geoglyphs) etched into the desert floor of the Nazca Desert in Southern Peru. Depicting plants, animals and geometric patterns, archaeologists and historians have long posited the purpose of these strange manmade formations. Join me as we attempt to decipher for ourselves the meaning of these truly awesome monuments, today on the 'History Loves Podc...

It was the event that almost single-handedly started a war, and not just any war, but one of the fiercest struggles for independence the world has ever seen. Famously dubbed "the Shot 'Heard Round the World" nearly a century later by the famed American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, it was the defining moment that would ultimately lead to the American Revolution. Join me as we pay the Massachus...

There was a period, spanning the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, in which study, research and exploration of Antarctica became prevalent. Now known by the awesome(if somewhat romantic) moniker of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, it was a time of great scientific achievement and discovery. Of the many events that shaped this important period, however, perhaps none was as influential (to...

While there have been many political assassinations throughout history, few have led to full scale conflicts. Of these rare instances, perhaps none is as famous as the topic of today's episode, which lit the fuse of a Europe on the brink of war. Who was Gavrilo Princip and how did his name become synonymous with one of the biggest plots of the 20th Century? Tune in to find out.

The concepts of rights and liberties are still relatively new. For the longest time, the common people and even nobles enjoyed limited or restricted freedoms while a king or monarch maintained absolute power. But a little over eight centuries ago, the first attempt at limiting the monarchy's power was made in England when one of the most important documents was drafted and signed. Tune in to the s...

Ethnic enclaves are interesting, as they often are communities of specific groups of people living in a particular, if unlikely, place. Such is the case of the Magyarabs, a people who have called the stretch of the Nile River along the Egyptian-Sudanese border home for the last five centuries. How did these people get there and where did they come from initially? The answer might surprise you. Tun...

Most cultures throughout the world have legendary founding figures, great men and women who birthed mighty empires and societies. Of them all, however, perhaps none is as fascinating as the subject of today's episode. Join me as we take a look at the patriarch of Armenia, a man who led his people to freedom and founded a great nation, right here on the History Loves Company podcast!

Humanity's struggle to reverse aging is one that has plagued us since the beginning. But some have gone even further than others, risking it all in an attempt to come up with a solution. That being said, upon first glance, a 16th Century Spanish explorer and a 3rd Century BC Chinese monarch may have little in common, but their quests for immortality are two of the most legendary in all of history....

Otherworldly incidents and encounters are nothing new. Christopher Columbus reported strange flashing lights in the sky off the coast of the Bahamas in 1492. Since then, however, the reporting of such incidents have become far more frequent the world over, though perhaps none was as strange or unusual as that which took place in the small town of Aurora, Texas in 1897. A cigar-shaped ship, an alie...

Today, the French capital of Paris extends to both sides of the River Seine. It truly is a dazzling, mesmerizing place, so much so that it can be hard to imagine that it was once vulnerable and prone to attacks. But that's exactly what happened in the 9th Century, when the city and its inhabitants came face to face with some of the most fearsome warriors in European history. Don't miss this week's...

Süleyman's reputation as a skilled military strategist and fearsome warrior tends (in the West, anyway) to overshadow his other achievements. Yet he was an outspoken and enthusiastic patron of the arts as well as a fair and just ruler in regards to the law and his people. In this, the conclusion of Süleyman the Magnificent's story, we'll explore these lesser known characteristics to reveal how tru...

Süleyman the Magnificent's reputation has been cemented by many characteristics and achievements. One of the more famous of these was his knack for conquest and domination. Throughout much of his reign, he successfully managed to subjugate one of Central Europe's great powers while simultaneously challenging the authority of the largest empire in Central Asia at the time. Join me today as we embar...

Few leaders in history were as impressive or beloved as Süleyman the Magnificent, who was perhaps the greatest sultan the Ottoman Empire ever knew. Join me as we trace both its and his origins in this, the first part in a limited series about this most "magnificent" of monarchs.

The Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans were each mighty and key power players in the Mediterranean world of Antiquity. But there was another civilization that was born on Italy's shores who rivalled them in greatness and were astonishingly more forward-thinking than any of those three combined. For some nine centuries, the Etruscans thrived and astonished their neighbors by granting women equal...

What makes a song become part of a tradition? Is it because it's tried and true? Or maybe it has resonant themes that inspire joy in those who listen to or sing it. Whatever the case, today, we'll be looking at three songs that have become a part of traditional music in the English-speaking world and beyond. I do so hope you'll "tune" in for this one!

Following Augustus Caesar's victory in the Battle of Actium, Rome, which had been a republic for the better part of five centuries was reorganized into an empire, one that would go on to become one of the largest in history. This, naturally, was followed by an initiative to expand its borders and territories. But when the Romans looked to the north in what's now Germany, they were met with heavy r...

The history of Britain begins with Stonehenge, the Neolithic monument that stands in an open field in Southern England. For centuries, this site has captivated the British public's imagination and curiosity, inspiring several myths and legends as to its construction. But what was its actual purpose? Who exactly built it? And just how long has it been standing? Tune in to this week's episode to lea...

Formed in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was an elite group of Japanese American soldiers willing to prove their loyalty to the United States, even in light of the adversity they faced at home. They would not only become the most decorated unit in the entirety of American warfare, but would also answer the question of what it means to be American. Tune in...

Today, Hawaii, as America's fiftieth state, enjoys a reputation the world over for being an unspoiled island paradise. But its history as independent islands dates back to its origins some 1600 years ago. For centuries, the islands often warred with each other for land and power. It wasn't until the late 18th and early 19th Centuries that one man from the Big Island rose up to unite the Hawaiian p...

In this, the third and final segment of 'The Ballad of Ned Kelly,' we take a look at some of his more notorious crimes, including the infamous last stand at Glenrowan. Up to the present moment, Kelly remains a controversial figure in his native Australia, with some lauding him a hero while others denounce him as nothing more than a cold-blooded killer. But what exactly led to his life becoming suc...