Best Peloponnesian Podcasts (2025)

1
The Peloponnesian War 15:27

30d ago15:27

15:27

In the 5th century BC, the Greek world found itself in the middle of one of its greatest wars. This wasn’t one of their existential conflicts against the Persians; this was a war of Greeks against Greeks. An alliance of city-states led by Athens fought a coalition led by Sparta for control of the Greek world. Over nearly 30 years, the two city-stat…

1
The History of Cookbooks 14:53

1h ago14:53

14:53

Today, cookbooks are ubiquitous. Go to any bookstore and you can find dozens, if not hundreds, of different cookbooks. Search online, and you can find tens of thousands of websites that provide recipes. The story of cookbooks is fascinating because it mirrors the entire evolution of human civilization. Not just how we cook and prepare food, but als…

1
The Lost Legion 13:21

15h ago13:21

13:21

One of the most legendary legions in the history of the Roman military was the Legio IX (nonam) Hispana, or the Ninth Spanish Legion. They served under Pompey the Great and later with Julius Caesar in Gaul. They later served Augustus and were pivotal in the conquest of Britain under Emperor Claudius. Then at some point, they simply disappeared. The…

1
The War of 1812 (Encore) 16:02

1d ago16:02

16:02

After the American War of Independence, Britain recognized the United States, but it didn’t necessarily make them close allies. Each country had its own agendas, and a generation later, they were butting heads again over a host of issues. The result was another war, but unlike the Revolutionary War, everyone claimed victory, and no one really won a…

1
Questions and Answers: Volume 33 17:26

3d ago17:26

17:26

The month of August was named in honor of the emperor Augustus Caesar by the Roman Senate. Originally called Sextilis, the sixth month in the early Roman calendar, it was renamed in 8 BC to recognize Augustus’s achievements, particularly his victories and consolidation of power. According to Roman tradition, the month was chosen because several of …

1
The Witness Protection Program 14:27

4d ago14:27

14:27

In 1970, the United States passed the Organized Crime Control Act, which established the Witness Security Program or WITSEC. Since being enacted, WITSEC has had thousands of witnesses and family members enter the program, none of whom, to date, have been killed under their protection. The program is a key weapon in the fight against organized crime…

1
Canned Food 15:40

5d ago15:40

15:40

For centuries, food preservation was a significant challenge for humanity. Even if you were successful in hunting or gathering food, if you could not preserve it, it would be difficult to keep enough for survival. One of the most important advancements in human history was the development of canning, allowing for food to be preserved for significan…

1
The Year 1850 16:28

6d ago16:28

16:28

The year 1850 was the mid-point of the 19th century, one of the most transformative centuries in human history. The first half of the 19th century saw wars, revolutions, and rapid technical and social changes. In fact, there was arguably more technical and social change in the world during those fifty years than there had been in the last thousand …

1
Captain Cook 14:25

7d ago14:25

14:25

Captain James Cook was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy whose three major voyages of exploration between 1768 and 1779 greatly expanded European knowledge of the Pacific region. His detailed maps, scientific observations, and interactions with indigenous peoples left a profound impact on geography, ethnogra…

1
Zoroastrianism 15:27

8d ago15:27

15:27

Sometime between the 7th century and 13th century BC, a man was born in Eastern Persia who had a revolutionary idea. He claimed that there wasn’t a multiple gods, but rather just one god. He established a religion which, at various times, was one of the most followed in the world. Thousands of years later, it still has adherents, although only a fr…

1
Qin Shi Huang: China’s First Emperor (Encore) 14:09

9d ago14:09

14:09

In 259 BC, a boy named Ying Zheng was born in the state of Qin in modern-day China. He was born into the royal family of the kingdom and ascended to the throne at the age of 13. For most people, becoming king would be the pinnacle of their achievements. However, this was not to be the case with the King of Qin. He would go on to achieve a status th…

1
Madagascar 16:05

10d ago16:05

16:05

Located off the Southeastern coast of Africa is the island nation of Madagascar. It is a massive island nation known for its beautiful and diverse wildlife. Madagascar is a unique country, both in its history and geography, housing many unique species that are not found anywhere else in the world. Despite the nation's abundance of resources, it fac…

1
Roman Gods and Goddesses 15:36

11d ago15:36

15:36

Like many ancient civilizations, the Romans had a vast pantheon of gods. Unlike other civilizations, the Romans were very flexible in where their gods came from. In particular, they adopted many of their gods from the Greek pantheon. It wasn’t just a matter of copying them. They would often rename the gods and alter their mythology to align with Ro…

1
The Murder of Kitty Genovese 14:50

13d ago14:50

14:50

On March 13, 1964, at 2:30 am, a woman named Kitty Genovese was returning home from work. As she arrived outside her apartment, a man approached her with a knife. Genovese ran towards her apartment but was stabbed and killed. The murder itself is not what made this event noteworthy. It is known for the number of witnesses who heard the attack but d…

1
The AK-47 16:15

14d ago16:15

16:15

In 1946, a former Soviet tank mechanic who had formal training in engineering or manufacturing submitted a design for a new gun in a competition. His design was selected, and it became the new rifle for the Soviet military. However, it didn’t just become a weapon for the Soviet Union; the design spread and within decades was being used all around t…

1
The Lisbon Regicide 14:56

15d ago14:56

14:56

On February 1, 1908, the political fortunes of Portugal changed forever. The royal family was returning to Lisbon, traveling in an open horse-drawn carriage. While they were traveling, in broad daylight, and in front of dozens of witnesses, two radicals gunned down both the king and the heir apparent, throwing the Portuguese monarchy into chaos. Th…

1
Holy Relics 14:56

16d ago14:56

14:56

Some of the most venerated objects in many different religions are holy relics. Relics offer a tangible connection to significant figures in various religious traditions, and they are often highly prized and sought after. In the Middle Ages, relics became a big business, and if a church had the right relics, it could boost a local economy. It becam…

1
Air Conditioning (Encore) 14:21

17d ago14:21

14:21

One of the biggest problems that humanity has faced for thousands of years is heat. Excessive heat made it difficult to work in the middle of the day. Heat was especially problematic in the tropics, where a shockingly large percentage of humanity lived. As cities became more developed, excess heat, all year round, became a limiting factor in how ta…

1
The Sinking of the Mignonette and Justified Cannibalism 16:08

18d ago16:08

16:08

On May 19, 1884, a small yacht containing four men set sail from England to Australia. On July 5th, the ship was hit by a massive wave and capsized. The crew escaped the shipwreck on a lifeboat, but was left in a horrible situation. They were hundreds of miles from land, with no fresh water, and a single pound of turnips for food. Three weeks later…

1
The Battle of Cajamarca (Encore) 13:30

19d ago13:30

13:30

Some of the most important battles in history, the ones that changed the course of civilizations, are often very small battles. In 1532, a battle, really just a skirmish, took place, which completely changed the future paths of Peru, Spain, and the entire continent of South America. Despite the importance of this battle, few people have ever even h…

1
Australian Wildlife 15:57

20d ago15:57

15:57

Australia is unique among the countries in the world. It is a continent, a country, and an island all wrapped up into one. Australia is also home to some of the most bizarre species in the world, most notably its large number of marsupials, which comprise 70% of all marsupial species worldwide. Why do Australia’s animals differ so significantly fro…

1
Costa Rica 14:34

21d ago14:34

14:34

Located in the heart of Central America is the Republic of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is situated between Panama and Nicaragua and shares a similar colonial history with other countries in Central America. However, over the last 100 years, it has taken a radically different path. A path that has allowed the country to avoid most of the problems that ha…

1
Wilhelm Canaris: Working Against the Nazis From the Inside 15:40

22d ago15:40

15:40

Throughout World War II, Nazi Germany was a formidable force due to its military strength and success. A large reason for this success was its intelligence network. What most people don’t know is that the Nazi head of military intelligence was actively working against Adolf Hitler. Through a series of active and passive measures, he went from a loy…

1
The Storming of the Bastille 14:31

23d ago14:31

14:31

On July 14, 1789, in Paris, France, one of the most iconic events of the French Revolution took place. Thousands of French citizens stormed a prison to liberate the weapons from its armory and to free any political prisoners who were held within. It is considered to be the start of the revolution and the beginning of the end of the French monarchy.…

1
The Greatest Comebacks of All Time 14:42

24d ago14:42

14:42

More often than not, in competitive sports, when a team or player has a significant lead, the outcome is often just a formality. While that is usually the case, it isn’t always the case. On rare occasions, sometimes very rare occasions, a huge lead does not guarantee victory. A team that is down can beat the odds and come from behind to win. In the…

1
The Fundamental Forces of Nature 15:25

25d ago15:25

15:25

Everything in the universe, from galaxies to the atoms in your body, is driven by just a few fundamental forces. It took centuries for physicists to identify these forces, but once identified, they believed that some of these forces were merely different manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon. Once they realized this, some physicists felt…

1
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident (Encore) 14:31

26d ago14:31

14:31

In August of 1964, an event occurred off the waters of North Vietnam that would have repercussions that would echo in US foreign policy for decades. Two alleged confrontations between US Navy vessels and North Vietnamese ships set off a chain of events that resulted in a dramatic escalation in the United States’ involvement in Vietnam and a subsequ…

1
The Haitian Revolution 18:35

27d ago18:35

18:35

Between 1791 and 1804, the only successful slave rebellion in human history occurred. The revolution was an insurrection of enslaved Africans against French colonial rule in the Caribbean colony of Saint-Dominge. The success of the revolution led to the establishment of a free state known as Haiti. Yet, despite achieving their freedom, the aftermat…

1
Fabergé Eggs 15:17

28d ago15:17

15:17

In 1885, the Russian Tsar Alexander III commissioned an Easter gift for his wife. It was a rather unusual gift. He asked one of the finest goldsmiths in the country to create a jeweled egg. However, it wasn’t just to be an expensive bauble. Inside the egg was to be another exquisite surprise. This began a tradition that would last for over 30 years…

1
Transistors 15:39

29d ago15:39

15:39

One of the most important inventions of the 20th century was the transistor. Prior to the transistor, electronic devices were large and bulky and dependent on vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes were large, fragile, power-hungry, and prone to failure. The transistor not only replaced the vacuum tube in many applications but also enabled the miniaturization …

1
Madame la Guillotine 15:29

1M ago15:29

15:29

The Guillotine has become infamous for being the main weapon utilized during the Reign of Terror and a modern symbol of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. It has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people since its invention in April of 1792. Of all the ways to execute people, why did they create an elaborate contrap…

1
LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes (Encore) 14:48

1M ago14:48

14:48

One of the most important inventions in human history was artificial lighting. With the electric lightbulb, the night could be illuminated, allowing people to extend the productive hours in a day and to work in places that were otherwise difficult or impossible. While the incandescent bulb was a breakthrough, it wasn’t actually very efficient. It w…

1
The Chinese Communist Revolution 15:08

1M ago15:08

15:08

The 19th Century wasn’t a good one for China. It was marked by the nation being taken advantage of by foreign powers and the signing of lopsided treaties. The 20th Century started out promising, but eventually devolved into a series of warlords and a civil war between two major forces for control of the country, on top of the Japanese occupation of…

1
Michigan vs Ohio 15:56

1M ago15:56

15:56

Michigan and Ohio are two states renowned for their intense rivalry. When you think of the rivalry between the two states, you may automatically think of the rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State on the football field. However, their rivalry extends far beyond that. In 1835 and 1836, the two states came close to going to war ove…

1
Questions and Answers: Volume 32 16:33

1M ago16:33

16:33

The months of the year are named after Roman god, and some are named after their placement in the year. However, the first month to be named after an actual person was the month of July, which was named after Julius Caesar. What is surprising isn’t that the name of the month has stuck for over 2000 years, it's that more rulers didn’t try to name mo…

1
Fifth Anniversary Episode 14:01

1M ago14:01

14:01

Five years ago today, I published the first episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Since then, I’ve published over 1,800 episodes, written close to 3,000,000 words, and had my podcast episodes downloaded almost 50,000,000 times. In the process of doing all of that, I’ve learned a lot about this show and this audience and where it fits in the bigge…

1
Marcus Licinius Crassus 14:35

1M ago14:35

14:35

Marcus Licinius Crassus was the richest man in the Roman Republic. His wealth bought him power and influence, but it couldn’t buy him everything. His massive wealth couldn’t give him the respect and authority that came from victory on the battlefield. His desperate attempt to achieve this glory led to his spectacular demise and ultimately the fall …

1
Central Park (Encore) 14:42

1M ago14:42

14:42

In the 19th century, New York City was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. However, it was still a very young city, and as such, the city’s leaders were able to take a step back and plan what exactly they wanted the future of the city to be. What they decided was that the city needed a park. Not just any park, but a great park that took…

1
The Sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff 14:39

1M ago14:39

14:39

On the evening of January 30, 1945, the deadliest shipwreck in human history occurred. Most of you might be aware of the sinking of the Titanic or the Lusitania, yet you’ll have never heard of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff. With a death toll 4 to 6 times worse than the Titanic, the maritime disaster has been all but forgotten today. Why has history forgo…

1
Undersea Fiber Optic Cables 14:42

1M ago14:42

14:42

For many of you listening to the sound of my voice right now, the audio originated from a digital file that was transported across the globe at the speed of light on fiber-optic cables. The fiber optic cables, which crisscross the oceans, create a network that unites the entire globe. Almost all the telephone calls, text messages, web pages, stream…

1
The Republic of Ghana 15:44

1M ago15:44

15:44

Located in the heart of West Africa is the nation of Ghana. Ghana is a medium-sized country in terms of both population and area, but for West Africa, it has multiple distinctions and firsts which set it apart from the rest of the region. Its course since independence has taken it down a path that in some ways has been very similar to other African…

1
Napoleon's Invasion of Russia 14:48

1M ago14:48

14:48

There are many lessons we are supposed to know in life: pick up after yourself, never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and most importantly, don’t invade Russia in the winter. Known as one of the greatest military disasters in history, Napoleon’s invasion of Russia is often cited as a key factor in the emperor's eventual defeat. Al…

1
Innovative Sports Strategies 14:24

1M ago14:24

14:24

All sports are governed by a body of rules. Within those rules, there is usually a set of norms for how the game should be played. Most coaches will instruct their players to use similar techniques. However, every so often, someone comes along who totally rethinks how a game can be played. Using the same set of rules, they come up with a totally di…

1
The French Army Mutinies of 1917 13:13

1M ago13:13

13:13

In late May and early June of 1917, the French Army faced what could have been an extensive crisis. After three years of some of the most brutal conflict that the world had ever seen, many soldiers had had enough. Thousands of troops refused to obey orders and refused to go along with the suicidal attacks that were the hallmark of trench warfare. I…

1
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Encore) 14:22

1M ago14:22

14:22

In the Pacific Theater in World War II, the leader of the combined Japanese fleet was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Yamamoto was villanized as the arch-enemy of the American forces in the Pacific, and to be fair, he was their enemy. But there is actually much more to the story. Yamamoto was the loudest voice against going to war with the United States …

1
The Great Locomotive Chase 14:44

2M ago14:44

14:44

On April 12, 1862, one of the most daring and audacious events of the American Civil War took place. It wasn’t a major battle. It didn’t involve armies meeting each other on the field of battle. Instead, it was one of the first examples in military history of a raid designed to deny the enemy access to the most vital 19th-century technology: the ra…

1
Grass and Lawns 14:33

2M ago14:33

14:33

One of the most common types of plants in the world is grass. Grass is almost everywhere. An enormous part of the landmass on Earth is covered with grass. Grass isn’t just stuff in a field that cows eat, although that is part of it. Grasses also include some of the most economically important plants in the world. On many different levels, our civil…

1
The Russian Revolution 14:59

2M ago14:59

14:59

One of the most transformative events of the 20th century was the Russian Revolution. The Revolution was responsible for the downfall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of the Soviet Union. It also had reverberations that were felt all over the world by other revolutions that were inspired by the Russian Revolution. Learn about the Russian Revolu…

1
The History of Apples (Encore) 14:00

2M ago14:00

14:00

One of the most popular fruits in the world are apples. Apples are associated with the Garden of Eden, pleasing your teacher, and the story of Snow White. They play a role in Greek and Norse mythology, and they have lent their name to famous record and computer companies. However, apples are unlike almost every other fruit in that there are thousan…

1
Desalination 14:04

2M ago14:04

14:04

Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water… and the vast majority of it is useless for consumption or agriculture. This problem has been known for thousands of years, and for thousands of years, humans have recognized that it is possible to turn seawater into drinking water; it was just difficult to do so. In the last few decades,…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Peloponnesian Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide