History Rage

Did the ancient world celebrate queer love, or did they invent homophobia? Stop repeating the myth that the ancient Greeks and Romans lived out an enlightened, carefree bisexual paradise. In this explosive episode of the History Rage Podcast, where historical myths are debunked, host Paul Bavill sits down with historian, linguist, and author Harry Tanner to tear down everything you think you know...

Think history is a neat, upward march of progress? Think again. We love to tell ourselves a cozy story about human history: we started as innocent hunter-gatherers in perfect harmony with nature, invented farming, and smoothly leveled up all the way to modern civilization. But Patrick Wyman—historian, author, and creator of the smash-hit Tides of History podcast—is here to tell us that standard te...

Forget Henry VIII: It is Time to Reignite the Power of the Six Queens Are you ready to stop defining these six extraordinary Tudor women by the man they married? In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill welcomes back Tracy Borman, Chief Historian of Historic Royal Palaces. Together, they shatter the centuries-old "six wives" narrative to focus on the individual achievements, pol...

Have you ever noticed that the JFK assassination is the only event in history where absolutely everyone feels entitled to an aggressive opinion? 🤬 The rich, human narrative of Dealey Plaza has been completely hijacked by toxic internet debates and dogmatic conspiracy culture. But what if everything we've been arguing over misses the point entirely? 🕵️‍♂️ In this episode, author Martin Fitzgerald...

Did the Tudors really invent medieval fake news, or did the Yorkists get there first? When we think of historical spin, Tudor propaganda usually takes centre stage. But host Paul Bavill sits down live at the Gloucester History Festival with acclaimed medieval historian and author Nathen Amin ( House of Beaufort , Son of Prophecy ) to completely shatter this dynastic myth. In this fiery live sessio...

Unlock the hidden secrets of your ancestors because history didn't just happen, it happened to families. Are you tired of dry, dusty history books that only talk about prime ministers and battlefield generals? It is time to smash the myth that genealogy is just an isolated, second-rate hobby for tracking pedigree charts. In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with professional...

Was the Special Air Service truly built solely by David Stirling and rogue, unmanageable mavericks? Think you know the full origin story of the Special Air Service? The popular myth paints the WWII SAS as a rogues' gallery of unmanageable, rule-breaking mavericks who single-handedly reshaped special warfare before quietly vanishing at the end of the conflict. But this narrative ignores the quiet l...

Why the "Roman Land Power" Myth is a Massive Historic Lie There is a stubborn myth floating around popular culture and older history books that the Romans hated the sea, were terrible at sailing, and let their navy rot the second a war ended. But according to ancient historian and nautical archaeologist Dr. Stephen DeCasien, that is complete history rage material. In this episode of History Rage ,...

Were 2 million unpaid British civilians really just doddery, helpless old men? Think Private Godfrey and Corporal Jones speak for the Home Guard? Think again! Captain Mannering's platoon gets a complete reality check in this fiery episode of History Rage . Join host Paul Bavill as he chats with author and historian Sinclair McKay to shatter the sitcom myths and restore dignity to Britain's WWII ci...

The Abdication Crisis Demolished In 1936, King Edward VIII gave up the British throne for the woman he loved—or so the story goes. But was the abdication of Edward VIII really the ultimate modern fairy tale, or a carefully orchestrated establishment takedown? Journalist and author Sian Evans joins host Paul Bavill on History Rage to shatter the classic fig leaf surrounding Wallis Simpson and the c...

Vampires, bloodbaths, and historical smear campaigns: why the legends you know are dead wrong. Think you know the story of Elizabeth Báthory, the "Blood Countess" who bathed in the blood of virgins to stay forever young? Think again. In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with former professor and author Shelley Puhak to tear down four centuries of myth and reveal the real wom...

Was King Arthur real? or are we looking at history all wrong? If you think finding a 6th-century tomb solves the Arthurian legend, think again. Medievalist, artist, and author Dr. Amy Jeffs (author of Arthur: A New Life ) joins host Paul Bavill to dismantle the obsession with "smoking gun" popular history. From giant-descended queens to shape-shifting wizards, the true power of King Arthur lies no...

Britain’s terrifying Cold War survival plans were far more serious than imagined. Was Cold War civil defence genuinely useful — or simply political theatre designed to comfort a frightened population? In this explosive episode of History Rage, emergency planning historian Dr. Nathan Hazlehurst dismantles decades of myths surrounding Britain’s nuclear preparedness. From Protect and Survive and regi...

Think we’ve exhausted Tudor history? Think again — what are we missing? Are the Tudors really overdone, or are we simply telling the same stories over and over again? Dr Joanne Paul joins Paul Bavill for a counter-rage against the idea that historians should stop studying the Tudors. From the English Reformation and the Break with Rome to poverty, politics, women, immigrants, people of colour and...

Why Caen’s ‘slow’ liberation actually won the Battle of Normandy. Historian and battlefield guide Ben Mayne joins https://historyrage.com to dismantle one of the most persistent myths of the Second World War: that the British and Canadians were “too slow” to break out from Caen after D-Day. Drawing on years of battlefield research, veterans’ testimonies and deep study of Operation Charnwood, Ben a...

Jane Austen wasn’t polite—she was sharp, savage, and brilliantly misunderstood For generations, Jane Austen has been portrayed as a quiet, genteel figure—an almost saintly observer of polite Regency society. But what if that image is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by Austen expert and What The Austen podcast host Izzy Meakin to dismantle one of liter...

Are you sure there is a single, "real" version of Achilles, Helen, or the Odyssey? In this episode, classicist and author Emily Hauser (creator of Mythica ) joins Paul Bavill to dismantle one of the biggest misconceptions in classical literature: the search for a single, definitive "truth" behind ancient myth. From Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey to modern cinematic interpretations, myth was never meant...

The English Civil Wars were far messier than King versus Parliament The English Civil Wars are often reduced to a simple clash: King versus Parliament, Cavaliers versus Roundheads, tyranny versus democracy. But as historian Jonathan Healey reveals, that tidy narrative collapses the moment you look closer. In this episode of History Rage , Jonathan dismantles the myths surrounding the mid-17th cent...

Think the Crusades were the defining conflict of the medieval Middle East? Think again. In this opening special for the Gloucester History Festival, host Paul Bavill welcomes back Associate Professor of History at Nottingham Trent University, Dr Nicholas Morton, to tear down one of history’s most persistent misconceptions. While popular memory draws a neat line down the Middle East dividing Crusad...

Were Italian soldiers really cowards in World War Two? Think again! In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by author, former journalist, and WWII enthusiast Karen Farrington to challenge the widespread myth of "Italian cowardice" during the Second World War. Together, they dive deep into the overlooked history of Italian soldiers, the harsh realities of the Allied prisoner-of...

The Byzantine Empire didn’t have to fall—history simply chose differently. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 is often presented as the inevitable end of a decaying empire—but what if that narrative is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage , historian and author Laura Bolick dismantles one of history’s most persistent myths: that the Byzantine Empire was doomed long before the Ottoman...

Think the First World War was just the Western Front and incompetent Eastern armies? Think again! In this explosive episode of History Rage , First World War historian, Trustee of the Great War Group, and Ring of Fire co-author Nicolai Eberholst tears down the persistent myths surrounding the Russian and Austro-Hungarian armies. Nicolai breaks down why dismissing these powers as "bad armies" or us...

Was the legendary B-17 really brilliant—or dangerously overrated wartime myth? The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War—but what if its reputation doesn’t match reality? In this explosive episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill welcomes aviation historian and YouTube creator Will Carver to challenge one of the biggest myths of Allied air power. Known f...

The battle that built Arthur’s legend may never have mattered Was the Battle of Badon really the decisive moment that saved Britain from the Anglo-Saxons — or has history given it far more importance than it deserves? In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by leading early medieval historian Professor Nick Higham to challenge one of the most persistent myths in British histor...

Forget what you think you know about medieval holy wars. Move over, Richard the Lionheart—the most action-packed, technologically wild campaign happened in the land of the pyramids, and it’s time to stop ignoring it! In this live episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill sits down with public historian, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and author Thomas Smith to rescue the Fifth Crusade fr...