Aspects of History

That word mission might make you think of Robert De Niro or Jeremy Irons in Jesuit robes clambering up the Iguazu Falls in deepest South America, but, lagging as they might have been and forgotten as their efforts may be, there was a Protestant expansion too, a clear will to propagate the Gospel to the world, that challenges those preconceptions. 

This week on the podcast, Professor Alec Ryrie joins ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss his new book, The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion, published by Yale University Press. From Lapland to the Caribbean and across Asia and Africa, we discuss how a now global religion attempted to convert the nations, sometimes falteringly, some successfully, and examine the motivations, approaches and instances where religion, colonialism and empire become intertwined.

Episode Links

The World’s Reformation: How Protestantism Became a Global Religion⁠

Alec Ryrie Links

Alec ⁠⁠online⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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The medieval period is rife with kingmakers, but what about the dynasty-maker who also served as head of the church? In his excellent new study of Thomas Arundel, the master of medieval studies, Dr Chris Given-Wilson, Emeritus Professor at St Andrews, tells Nathen Amin all about the remarkable figure who served as Chancellor and Archbishop before helping change the path of English politics forever.

Episode Links

Chris Given-Wilson Links:

University of St Andrews Profile at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/people/cjg2/⁠

Nathen Amin Links:

Website: www.nathenamin.com

Substack: https://nathenamin.substack.com/

Aspects of History Links:

Website: www.aspectsofhistory.com

Email: [email protected]

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Economic turmoil of the 1930s and the need to create a new
post-war fiscal order after 1945 were the challenges faced by Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry Truman. Their vision, and the policies by which they enacted it, underpinned recovery, global cooperation, and long-term stability.

 

Joining  ⁠Phil Craig for this episode of the Aspects of History⁠ podcast, historian and Chalke History Festival supremo, James Holland offers his thoughts on those leaders of the free world who contributed so much to both Europe and North America in the 21st century. His latest book, The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West⁠ examines international responsibility, and the enduring impact of political leadership, considering the stark contrast between past and present economic strategy.

Episode Links

The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World
War II Order in the West

James Holland Links

James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠We Have Ways

James ⁠online⁠

James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

James on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack

Chalke History Festival Links

Full line-up and tickets online

Phil Links

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Rumours whispered in the forum, graffiti scrawled on walls, and scandalous tales passed between senator and citizen - the Roman emperor was as much a manifestation of gossip as of power. But how far can we trust these tales, and what do they reveal about the imperial system itself?

Joining Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠, on the podcast today is Caillan Davenport, professor and historian, whose study, Behind Caesar’s Back, offers a bold, fresh approach to imperial Rome. Moving beyond traditional biographies, his sweeping study reconstructs the “oral world” of the Roman Empire, sharing insight into political talk, public opinion and the delicate relationship between ruler and ruled.

Episode Links

Behind Caesar's Back: Rumor, Gossip, and the Making of the Roman Emperors

Caillan Davenport Links

Caillan ⁠online⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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In a warring world of thousands of city-states, where honour, prestige, and survival were constantly at stake, two names would rise above the rest – Athens and Sparta. Though once allied together against the Persians, the powers would end up locked in a rivalry, the Peloponnesian War.

In this episode of the podcast, Adrian Goldsworthy joins ⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss his latest book, ⁠Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece⁠. His stimulating account runs from its mythic origins to the Peloponnesian War, exploring their contrasting identities and ideologies – militaristic Sparta as a conquering elite and democratic Athens as an autochthonous society – and quite how these shaped their politics and ambitions. Our conversation also considers the challenges of sources like Herodotus and Thucydides, the fragile alliances of the Persian Wars, and what descent into this enduring conflict reveals about power, warfare, and strategy.

Episode Links

Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece

Adrian Goldsworthy Links

Adrian ⁠⁠online⁠⁠

Adrian on Twitter/X

Adrian on YouTube

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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