Softcore History

Ramesses III took power in Egypt during the Late Bronze Age Collapse, a literal regional apocalypse caused by a horrifying invading horde known as the Sea Peoples and the fact that sun didn’t shine for about 20 years, making farming… difficult. Despite the invading horde and severe lack of food — and facing the first worker strike in human history — the guy did pretty well. But not everyone was a...

The Great Molasses Flood was a disaster that occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston after a large storage tank of the viscous substance burst and rushed through the streets killing 21 residents and injuring 150 more. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The guys discuss a meme floating around the internet that claims medieval peasants had more time off than modern workers. Spoiler alert! That’s not really true. Learn about peasant life this week and be thankful for your soulless corporate job. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The history of African slaves being sent across the Atlantic is well-known, but hundreds of years before Columbus arrived in America the Chinese were importing their own African slaves to do their hard labor, attempt dangerous underwater repairs to ships, and work as “ornamental” palace attendants. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad c...

Riots and angry mobs causing death and destruction are nothing new. In fact, the world has a long and rich history of people causing a commotion over the smallest inconveniences, impolite gestures, wrongdoings, and personal beefs. From a Roman soldier mooning a large group of Jewish pilgrims to a stadium of drunk baseball fans getting overzealous on ten-cent beer night, we cover some of the most a...

Washington D.C.’s upper crust decided it would be fun to tailgate Bull Run, the first major battle of the American Civil War. And, once there, they tried their hardest to armchair quarterback the Union Army. But things got a lot less fun once their side started charging at them in a panicked retreat. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad...

St. Patrick’s Day might seem like a bigger deal in the Northeast and Midwest but New Orleans was actually the second most frequent port of entry for Irish immigrants to the United States. They didn’t necessarily have a great time living in the Big Easy, however. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...

Fifth-century Romano-British slave turned bishop, Maewyn Succat, was on a mission to convert the entire island of Ireland to Catholicism by any means necessary. From dueling pagan magicians with fire to raising dozens of dead back to life, St. Patrick took no prisoners in his conquest for God. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choice...

This week we learn about Sergeant Stubby, a Boston Terrier who fought for the United States during World War 1. He was no mere mascot, though. He saw plenty of combat and ended up outranking his owner, all while accomplishing quite a bit more than most humans ever do in their military careers SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices...

Like any culture or region, Islam and pre-Islamic Arabia had stories about a number of mythical creatures. One in particular, though, was codified into official existence by the Quran. They’re made of fire. You can hook up with them. They can eavesdrop on Heaven unless God shoots meteors at them. And they’ll write your poems for you. Meet the Jinn (aka genies). SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusi...

Rough-and-tumble was a free-for-all fighting style in the colonial South wherein contestants would bite, dig, and tear into each other's eye sockets and testicles all in the name of defending their honor. It makes current-day mixed martial arts look like ballet. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...

Charles II of England was quite possibly the horniest king alive. From staging orgies to anointing royal mistresses, learn about his exploits and the absurdity of his reign in this week’s episode. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeffrey Hudson, “Court Dwarf” for Queen Henrietta Maria of England, was the most famous jester in Europe during the early 17th Century. But like all great comedians, he started to take himself WAY too seriously. It went badly. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The guys discuss the events that led up to Prohibition and the 18th Amendment, specifically the outrageous amounts of alcohol Americans consumed throughout the country's history prior to its brief outlawing. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 1976 murders of U.S. Army officers Captain Arthur Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark Barrett by North Korean soldiers, which stemmed from a tree-trimming disagreement at the DMZ, provoked a forceful response from the United States in the form of Operation Paul Bunyan. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices...

Charles Guiteau was a failed clergyman, lawyer, bill collector, and cult member who falsely believed he played a massive role in the election of James Garfield. Feeling snubbed of a reward from the Republican Party after the inauguration of the president, this lunatic decided the only logical thing to do was to assassinate the leader of the free world. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio,...

Another Russian mountain mass-death mystery is brought to the table and the guys have to figure out what went down. Perhaps a camping trip to Siberia might be ill-advised. Join Fitbod today and build a routine that lasts all year. Get 25% off your subscription or try the app FREE at Fitbod.me/SOFTCORE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 1967 Koro Panic in Singapore saw hundreds of healthy men and boys rush to the hospital convinced their penises were disappearing. This and other shrinkage panics across history — such as medieval witches stealing dongs and keeping them as living, slithering, worm-like pets — highlight a male, cross-cultural fear that supernatural forces are out to steal their pieces. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon f...

The secret location of the tomb of St. Nicholas — aka Santa Claus — has been potentially discovered in southern Turkey. But are Santa’s bones inside? Learn about the long history of Catholics pillaging Santa’s corpse and the miracles St. Nicholas performed that you definitely have NOT heard about. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad ch...

Zhang Zongchang was a Chinese general whom Time Magazine dubbed "The Basest Warlord". He was addicted to gambling and sex and relished trolling his enemies, friends, and the gods themselves. He pulled himself out of poverty and eventually became the military governor of his hometown Shandong, where he was a major player in the opium trade and one of the funnier leaders in the Fengtian Clique. SUBS...

Boris Yeltsin was the first democratically elected leader of the Russian Federation, and also quite possibly the drunkest. Learn of his escapades across the world and how a Houston grocery store led to the fall of the Soviet Union. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go...

Messalina, the Empress of Rome from 41 AD to 48 AD, had rumors about her so messed up that even the meanest girl from your high school would think her enemies went too far. The weirdest part about the rumors, though? They weren’t even necessary. The actual stuff Messalina did was bad enough. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Right now, you can get Harry’s St...

This week we cover four unique but equally bizarre tales from World War I including pilots being shot down in no man's land, a tough and durable bird that saved a battalion, and one of the most Australian stories imaginable. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we explore the NASA-funded experiments that involved giving LSD to dolphins, discuss animal consent, and the ethics of living "intimately" with a dolphin for six months. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring. Go to SIMPLISAFE.com/softcore. Head to Policygenius.com...

If you were in search of a prostitute in 1700s London you needed to look no further than Harris’s List of Covent-Garden Ladies, a pocketbook with reviews (and addresses) of over 150 of London’s ladies of the night. We read real hooker reviews from the 1788 edition of the pocketbook. SUBSCRIBE to our Patreon for exclusive audio, video, and written content. Go today and claim a free indoor security...