History Rage

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 literary history&...

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 to be a static rulebook. I...

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 century conflicts and shows just h...

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 Crusaders and Islamic forces in ...

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-war camps in Italy, and the incre...

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 cannons f...

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 useless corpses is wrong, proving h...

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 for his sharp ana...

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 history. The popular nar...

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 from historical obscuri...

Was England’s greatest medieval villain actually a misunderstood power broker?

Thomas Arundel has long been cast as one of the great villains of English history — a persecutor, a political schemer, even the man blamed for burning heretics. But is that reputation deserved, or is it a product of centuries of misunderstanding?

In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by renowned medieval historian Chri...

Stop commercializing historical grief and ignoring the true scale of global warfare.

Recorded live at the Imperial War Museum Festival, host Paul Bavill sits down with two of History Rage’s favourite returning guests—Dr. Peter Caddick Adams and Alex Churchill—for an unfiltered, hilarious, and deeply insightful look at how we commemorate global conflicts.

From the tacky monetization of grief to the complete e...

Victorian England wasn’t calm and orderly—it was a powder keg with Ian Breckon

Victorian England is often remembered as a world of polite manners, strict morality, and orderly progress. But beneath the surface lay unrest, desperation, and rebellion. In this explosive episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by historian and novelist Ian Breckon to dismantle the myth of a peaceful Victorian society.

Draw...

Think you know the true story behind the birth of the SAS? Think again.

In this extraordinary live episode, recorded on location at the Imperial War Museum History Festival, host Paul Bavill fires up the blue touch paper with best-selling military historian and filmmaker Damien Lewis. Together, they take dead aim at the cheap Hollywood tropes and television distortions that have rewritten the legacy of Britain's most decorated w...

World War II in Asia began earlier—and was far darker.

When did World War II really begin in the Pacific? According to historian Jenny Chan, the answer isn’t 1941 and Pearl Harbor. It’s 1931—and the consequences reshaped Asia long before Europe went to war.

In this powerful and unflinching episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by Jenny Chan, historian, author, and co-founder of Pacific Atrocit...

Think you know Boudicca? Discover the forgotten women who fought beside her.

The story of Boudicca is etched into history, but what if the most powerful warrior queen was actually one of three? In this episode of History Rage, regular host Paul Bavill sits down with journalist and bestselling novelist Elodie Harper to shatter modern prejudices and Victorian myths surrounding Iron Age warrior women. If you’ve ever been told...

The forgotten woman behind today’s global conspiracy thinking

Conspiracy theories didn’t begin with the moon landing. They didn’t start with QAnon. And they certainly didn’t begin on Reddit.

In this explosive episode of History Rage, Professor James Crossland returns to uncover the origins of modern conspiracy culture — and the overlooked figure who helped shape it. Long before talk of the “dee...

Discover the truth behind history's most persistent and monstrous sexual slur.

Think you know how Russia’s greatest empress met her end? If you are still repeating the infamous stallion myth, you have fallen hook, line, and sinker for 18th-century wartime propaganda.

In this special episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with the brilliant Professor Kate Williams to completely dismantle the pervasive, malic...

What if everything you think you know about Ancient Greece is wrong?

In this episode of History Rage, bestselling historian Adrian Goldsworthy dismantles the comforting myth of a civilised, philosophical utopia. Forget marble statues and thoughtful men in cloaks — this is a world of bitter rivalries, brutal warfare, political volatility, and communities obsessed with proving they were the best.

Drawing on his latest book, A...