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PODCAST

Absolute History

Absolute History

Welcome to Absolute History - the home of fun, shocking and curious tales from throughout history. From Tony Robinson"s Worst Jobs in History to Suzannah Lipscomb"s Hidden Killers, join us to learn about our history the entertaining way. Subscribe to the channel so you don"t miss out on our new documentaries every week! Sign up for History Hit and unlock hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with new releases every week and ad-free podcasts. Join world-renowned historians like Dan Snow,

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All Episodes

50:11

How A Medieval Steeplechase Risked His Life Everyday...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/06

This week we take a close look at the worst rural jobs and remember those who risked their necks to maintain the heart of rural life, shifted excrement to produce enduring images of the countryside and saved souls in the villages by eating bread. Tony experiences life as a shepherd boy, nettle harvester, reddle man, thresher, chaff-box boy, sedge cutter, sin eater, pole man, lead-white maker and featherier. Then he tackles the most arduous job of all, that of the steeplejack when he climbs the

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48:49

A Dying Man Agrees To Be Mummified Using Ancient...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/05

In a world-first experiment, British cab driver Alan Bilis—diagnosed with terminal cancer—volunteers his body to solve a 3,000-year-old mystery: the "secret art" of mummification. For years, historians believed the Egyptians used simple dry salt to preserve their Pharaohs, but Dr. Stephen Buckley and Dr. Jo Fletcher have a radical new theory.💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 👉 https://bit.ly/3qTE0NR📺 You can now become a History Hit member right here on

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60:29

How New Electricals Made The Edwardian Home A...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/05

The dawn of the 20th century and the reign of a new king ushered in an era of fresh inventions and innovations that transformed the way we lived. Electricity, refrigeration and a whole host of different materials promised to make life at home brighter, easier and more convenient. But a lack of understanding of the potential hazards meant that they frequently led to terrible accidents, horrendous injuries and even death.Dr Suzannah Lipscomb takes us back to an age when asbestos socks and radioactive

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45:11

The Backbreaking Daily Labor Of Housework Before...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/04

In 1950, the average British woman spent her life in a kitchen virtually unchanged from her grandmother's era—hauling coal, scrubbing laundry by hand, and shopping every single day to prevent food from rotting in the larder. By 1959, that same room was a "Technical Wonderland."💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 👉 https://bit.ly/3qTE0NR📺 You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every

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48:26

The 7-Year-Olds Who Would Tame Wild Hawks As Their...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/03

Tony Robinson continues his look at The Worst Jobs in History with a rundown on the worst royal jobs. As Tony takes on the work traditionally done at court we learn of the miserable lot of food tasters, whipping boys, falconers, and laundry women who beat Elizabethan laundry with paddles similar to cricket bats.Tony has a go at knitting chain mail; marvelling at the intricacies and tedium of fashioning one link, let alone a suit which used 200,000. Then there was the lance-makers' task of carving

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43:50

The Mysterious Rock And The 17th Century French Plot...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/03

Before the US declared its independence, its destiny hung in the balance with the vast lands of America up for grabs to anyone willing to stake a claim. Called to examine a possibly ancient land claim, Scott Wolter is drawn into an epic quest to prove whether French fur traders were actually here on a secret mission to steal pre-Columbian land claims placed at a much earlier time. The key to this whole mystery could lie in tracking down a long-lost artifact, allegedly found with strange carvings

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60:22

Why Did These Strange 1950s Inventions Kill So Many...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/02

Dr Suzannah Lipscomb looks at the hidden dangers of the British post-war home. In the 1950s, people embraced modern design for the first time after years of austerity and self-denial. The modern home featured moulded plywood furniture, fibreglass, plastics and polyester - materials and technologies that were developed during World War II.It's like Netflix for history... Sign up to History Hit to start watching now https://bit.ly/45CPh5uThis channel is part of the Little Dot Studios Network. Any

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51:26

Why Was Prince Harry The "Wild Child" Of The Royals?

Absolute History ·

2026/06/01

This documentary highlights the early, turbulent years of Prince Harry—from his "spare" status and academic struggles at Eton to his infamous scandals and the "fiery Spencer temper" he inherited from Diana’s side.💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 👉 https://bit.ly/3qTE0NR📺 You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world

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50:58

Why Building A Lighthouse Took So Many Lives | Worst...

Absolute History ·

2026/06/01

Among the thankless tasks tackled by Tony this week are the work of the midshipman, lighthouse keeper, stoker and trimmer, the men of Britains first navy who survived on minimal rations, and the men who wore sacks on their heads on the luxury liners. Finally he experiences the dangerous occupation of the Victorian lifeboat man. It's like Netflix for history... Sign up to History Hit to start watching now https://bit.ly/45CPh5uThis channel is part of the Little Dot Studios Network. Any queries please

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30:32

The Bombing Raid That Almost Wiped London Off The Map

Absolute History ·

2026/05/31

In this film, we walk the modern streets of London to uncover the scars of a night that should have broken the nation's morale. From the "grimy-faced heroes" of the Auxiliary Fire Service—many of whom were taxi drivers towing pumps with rope—to the frantic struggle to save St Paul’s Cathedral under direct orders from Winston Churchill, we explore the courage that kept the city standing.💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 👉 https://bit.ly/3qTE0NR📺 You can

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40:09

Inside The Hidden History Of Britain's Best-Preserved...

Absolute History ·

2026/05/31

Join American-born Viscountess Julie Montagu on an exclusive journey into the British countryside to tour the magnificent, historic gardens of Britain's elite stately homes. From the award-winning Italian sunken gardens at Mapperton House to the stunning 7,000-tulip festival at Constable Burton Hall and the 10-acre walled wonderland of Blair Castle, discover how centuries of aristocratic heritage, royal traditions, and architectural pageantry are preserved today. Meet the current custodians

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60:38

The Deadly Secrets Of The Tudor Home | Hidden Killers...

Absolute History ·

2026/05/30

Dr Suzannah Lipscomb takes us back to Tudor times, when the newly emergent middle classes had money for luxuries and early consumer goods, many of which contained hidden dangers.It's like Netflix for history... Sign up to History Hit to start watching now https://bit.ly/45CPh5uThis channel is part of the Little Dot Studios Network. Any queries please contact: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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108:51

What Did The First Europeans Actually Look Like?

Absolute History ·

2026/05/30

Who were the first Europeans, and what did they actually look like? In this feature-length documentary, cutting-edge genetic science and archaeology combine to rewrite thousands of years of human history.By extracting ancient DNA from skull bones buried deep within ancient tombs and ring forts, researchers are peeling back the millennia to uncover the truth about our ancestors—from dark-skinned, blue-eyed hunter-gatherers to the Neolithic farmers who erected Europe’s most magnificent megaliths

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108:49

New DNA Evidence Reveals Complex Evidence About The...

Absolute History ·

2026/05/30

Over a thousand years ago, Viking longships swept across Northern Europe, leaving a trail of destruction. But new scientific discoveries, tree-ring climate analysis, and ancient DNA extraction reveal a far more complex story. Follow the rise and fall of King Ivar’s ruthless dynasty as they established a global slave empire, built Western Europe’s first major trading cities, and clashed with Anglo-Saxon kings for the fate of England. Did these fearsome warriors actually save ancient societies from

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60:54

Château de Chambord: Da Vinci's "Impossible" Project

Absolute History ·

2026/05/30

This documentary unveils the monumental engineering and scandalous history behind the Château de Chambord, a structure so ambitious it was once deemed impossible. Commissioned by the young, visionary King Francis I and designed in collaboration with the legendary Leonardo da Vinci, this "stone giant" was built on a treacherous swamp using revolutionary 3D-like geometry, including its famous double-helix staircase. From hiding the Mona Lisa during WWII to bankrupting the French treasury, the video

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63:32

Lizzie Borden: The Chilling History Behind America's...

Absolute History ·

2026/05/29

Step back into August 1892 and unearth the chilling history behind one of America's most infamous true crime mysteries. Lizbeth: A Victorian Nightmare delves deep into the lingering legend, myth, and dark lore surrounding Lizzie Borden—the Fall River woman accused, tried, and ultimately acquitted in the gruesome hatchet murders of her father, Andrew, and stepmother, Abby.Was she a cold-blooded killer who got away with the ultimate crime, or a victim of sensationalized Victorian gossip trapped in a

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60:35

Who Were The Forgotten Queens Of Ancient Egypt? |...

Absolute History ·

2026/05/29

Historian, Joann Fletcher explores the hitherto downplayed role that women took in the running of state and, indeed, in shaping every aspect of life in Ancient Egypt. Perhaps unassumed by most, the ancient Egyptians were unique in their attitude to sexual equality with women holding the title of 'Pharaoh' no fewer than 18 times, while there were also female doctors, tutors, prime ministers and priestesses. Focusing on women of royalty such as Pharaoh Hatshepsut and Queen Nefertari, as well as women

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57:53

How A Vengeful Queen Almost Destroyed The Roman Empire

Absolute History ·

2026/05/29

The history of the Roman Empire is written in blood and conquest, but few chapters are as intense or shocking as the Celtic uprising led by Queen Boudica. In the first century, British society was thriving with advanced ironwork, vibrant clothing, and a culture that saw women warriors as equals to men. However, the arrival of Emperor Claudius and his ruthless legions changed everyday life forever.After the death of her husband, corrupt Roman officials seized Boudica's kingdom, subjected the queen to

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87:40

Vincenzo Peruggia: The Man Who Took The Mona Lisa

Absolute History ·

2026/05/28

In 1911, the world was rocked by the "unimaginable" news: the Mona Lisa had been stolen from the Louvre. For over two years, the masterpiece was truly gone, leaving the "greatest detectives in the world" clueless and leading to the interrogation of famous figures like Pablo Picasso. In this documentary, we retrace the footsteps of Vincenzo Peruggia, the house painter who walked out of the museum with Da Vinci’s treasure wrapped in his smock. Through exclusive interviews with Peruggia’s 84-year-old

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156:13

Uncensored Footage Of The Brutal Reality Of WWII In...

Absolute History ·

2026/05/28

From the surprise assault on Pearl Harbor to the catastrophic nuclear climax at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this comprehensive documentary reveals the brutal reality of World War II in the Pacific. Featuring enhanced color footage and rare footage shot by troops on the front lines, explore how American industrial power and tactical ingenuity overcame Imperial Japan's fierce resistance across Guadalcanal, Midway, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member

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