History Rage

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. It is a living, flexible oral tradition shaped by who is telling the story, why they are telling it, and which voices—especially those of women—are written into or out of the narrative.

Together, Emily and Paul explore how figures like Penelope, Cassandra, Helen, Briseis, and Andromache offer richer, more complex insights into the ancient world than any rigid timeline ever could. They unpack the ancient concept of Xenia (guest-friendship), the tragedy of divine curses, and why asking "why was this myth told this way?" is far more powerful than chasing a "canon" that never existed.

Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights

The Myth of the "Correct" Myth: Why searching for the "real" Achilles or Helen misses the core purpose of fluid, evolving oral storytelling.
The Silencing of Women: How Telemachus’s rebuke of Penelope in Book 1 of the Odyssey marks one of the earliest Western literary examples of silencing female speech—and how female writers resist it.
The Real Meaning of Xenia: Why host-guest relationships act as the social glue of ancient Greece, and how both the suitors and Odysseus himself violate these sacred rules.
Agency and Curses: The tragic dimensions of Cassandra’s truth-telling curse, Helen’s balance of agency and divine intervention, and how Briseis evolved from Homer to Shakespeare.

Featured Guest: Dr. Emily Hauser
Dr. Emily Hauser is a classicist, academic, and author of Mythica: A New History of Homer's World Through the Women Written Out of It.

Book: Buy Emily's book Mythica at the official History Rage Bookshop:
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781804992791

Gloucester History Festival: Emily is speaking live at the festival on Thursday, 17th September at 6:00 PM. The Gloucester History Festival runs from 12th – 20th September. Get your tickets here:
https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

Related History Rage Episodes
Continue exploring Ancient Greece, historical myths, and classical voices with these recommended episodes:

Episode 257: Natalie Haynes rages that Greek myth is a lot less male-centric than we think.
Episode 305: Adrian Goldsworthy rages that Ancient Greece is not all poets and philosophers.

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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 how tangled the reality truly was. Parliament itself was divided, loyalties shifted constantly, and ordinary people weren’t passive followers—they made choices, took sides, and shaped events in ways that still surprise historians today.

We explore why religion mattered—but not always in the way you think—how political factions splintered into ever more radical movements, and why the execution of Charles I was never inevitable. What began as disputes over authority spiralled into debates about sovereignty, representation, and the limits of monarchy—arguments that would echo through centuries of political thought.

Jonathan also challenges the comforting idea of clear heroes and villains. The English Civil Wars were morally grey, filled with figures whose decisions reshaped the kingdom in unpredictable ways. The result is a conflict far more complicated—and far more fascinating—than the schoolbook version.
Whether you're new to the period or already fascinated by 17th-century politics, this episode will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the Civil Wars.

About the Guest
Jonathan Healey is a social historian of early modern England and author of The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England. His work focuses on the lives, politics, and ideas that transformed Britain during the revolutionary decades of the 17th century.

Follow Jonathan Healey:
Bluesky: @JonathanHealey

Buy the Book:
The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England
History Rage Bookshop:
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781526621696

Listen Next
If this episode sparks your interest in 17th-century conflict, you might also enjoy:
Episode 35 – Kirstine MacKenzie on why it’s really the War of Three Kingdoms
Episode 102 – Mark Turnbull’s defence of Charles I

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History isn’t simple—and that’s exactly why it’s worth raging about.
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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 endless war, the reality was far richer, more complex, and endlessly fascinating.

While Western crusaders captured only a handful of cities, massive nomadic powers like the Seljuk Turks forged vast empires stretching from Central Asia across Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Far from a permanent warzone, the medieval Middle East served as the global crossroads for trade, culture, and technology. From knightly rivalries turning into unexpected friendships to shared siege catapult designs, international currency trading, and mobile artisans crossing borders, Dr Morton reveals why the Crusades were merely one small piece of a much grander Eurasian mosaic.

Guest Information & Book

Guest: Dr Nicholas Morton (Associate Professor of History, Nottingham Trent University)
University Profile: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/arts-humanities/nicholas-morton
New Book: The Crusader Storm
Buy the Book: Support the podcast and pick up your copy from the History Rage Bookshop at https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781399818728
Live Event: Dr Nicholas Morton is speaking at the Gloucester History Festival (running 12th–20th September) on Thursday, 17th September at 12:00 PM. Book tickets now at https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

Recommended Episodes Mentioned

Episode 214: Dr Nicholas Morton rages that the Mongols are a civilization, not a rabble.
Episode 267: Rory McClellan rages that the Hospitallers are way more important than the Templars.

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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 incredible, highly dangerous escape network that saved thousands of Allied troops following the September 1943 armistice.

Key Takeaways & Historical Myths Debunked

The Myth of "Italian Cowardice": Karen dismantles the long-standing stereotype that Italian forces simply ran away or lacked courage. She highlights the severe logistical handicaps, poor leadership, obsolete equipment, and disease that crippled Italian troops in North Africa.
Bravery on the Eastern Front: Over 200,000 Italians were sent to Stalingrad, fighting in brutal conditions alongside German forces, often receiving recognition for their courage despite inadequate equipment like faulty red devil grenades.
The Scale of the Italian POW Network: Italy held roughly 80,000 Allied prisoners of war from across the British Empire. The Italian-run camps were remarkably secure, with almost no successful escapes prior to the 1943 armistice.
The "Stay Put" Order & The 1943 Armistice: Following Mussolini's fall, Allied High Command ("Whitehall") issued controversial orders for POWs to stay inside the camps. Despite this, around 50,000 men escaped, with roughly 10,000 staying on the run for extended periods.
Italian Civilian Selflessness: Thousands of ordinary, impoverished Italian civilians risked (and lost) their lives, homes, and freedom to feed and shelter Allied escapers from German occupiers.
The Role of the Church & Vatican: Figures like Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty organized complex escape lines in Rome, hiding fugitives with support from both local clergy and wealthy citizens.
A-Force & Bold Escape Operations: Special Allied units like "A-Force" operated behind enemy lines—sometimes marching down occupied roads in full British battle dress—to recover POWs via beach extractions like Operation Darlington 2.

Guest Information & Featured Book

Guest: Karen Farrington (Writer, journalist, and WWII author)
Book: The Great Italian Breakout

Support the Podcast: Please use the link in these show notes to buy the book via the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781837733736! Ordering through this link helps support the show with a small commission and supports independent bookshops.

Social Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen.farrington.9237
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/karenfarrington.bsky.social

Related Episodes & Further Reading

History Rage Ep. 169: James Holland on why Italy was not a soft target.
History Rage Ep. 211: Keith Lowe on the liberation of Naples.
Organization Highlight: The Monte San Martino Trust (representing the history of escaped POWs in Italy).

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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 fired.

Drawing on her book Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire, Laura reveals a world full of missed opportunities, fragile alliances, political infighting, and last-minute efforts that nearly changed history. Rather than a slow collapse caused by decadence, the Byzantine story is one of diplomacy, survival, and desperate attempts to rally Western support that very nearly worked.

At the heart of this story are two remarkable figures—Cardinal Johannes Bessarion and Isidore of Kiev—who risked everything to secure military aid from Western Europe. Their mission to unite the Orthodox and Catholic Churches was intended to bring the crusading forces that might have saved Constantinople. Incredibly, Ottoman commanders themselves nearly abandoned the siege before a final breakthrough changed the course of history forever.

This episode explores the deeper causes behind the fall of Byzantium, including Western complacency, internal European conflicts, and the dangerous assumption that great cities could never truly fall. It’s a powerful reminder that history isn’t predetermined—it's shaped by decisions, timing, and human choices.

In This Episode, We Discuss:
Why the fall of Constantinople was not historically inevitable
How Western Europe failed to support Byzantium when it mattered most
The political and religious tensions between Orthodox and Catholic Churches
The role of crusades in late medieval diplomacy
How the Ottomans engineered one of history’s most remarkable sieges
What Byzantium’s fall teaches us about modern geopolitical complacency

About the Guest
Laura Bolick is an art historian and researcher specialising in late medieval Byzantium and Renaissance intellectual culture. Her work focuses on the cultural survival of Byzantium and the figures who fought to preserve its legacy.

Book: Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire
Buy from the History Rage Bookshop:
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398122192
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Follow Laura Bolick
Check your preferred bookseller for Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire
Look out for talks, articles, and appearances connected to Byzantine and Renaissance history

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Why This Episode Matters
History often looks inevitable in hindsight—but as this episode reveals, the fall of Byzantium was anything but certain. From near-abandoned sieges to failed crusades and shifting alliances, the fate of Constantinople hung on fragile moments and human decisions. Understanding those moments doesn’t just reshape medieval history—it challenges how we think about the future.
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