The title of Caesar has echoed down the ages as the pinnacle of absolute power and perhaps even tyranny. A single man at the head of a nation or empire with untouchable power. But how powerful were they really and why are they seen as an example to follow when many of the men who became Caesar met a bloody end? Dan is joined by the legendary classicist Mary Beard to explore the history of the first twelve Caesars. They discuss how these autocratic rulers have been portrayed throughout history, how the Roman Empire was really ruled and how their legacy still lives with us today.
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Twelve Caesars with Mary Beard

History! The most exciting and important things that have ever happened on the planet. Powerful kings, warrior queens, nomads, empires and expeditions. Historian Dan Snow and his expert guests bring all these stories to life and more in a daily dose of history. Join Dan as he digs into the past to make sense of the headlines and get up close to the biggest discoveries being made around the world today, as they happen.
If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at&nbsp;ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!

History

Society & Culture

Please note that this episode contains explicit language.
On the 29th of May, 1944, less than a week before D-Day, General George S. Patton gave a rip-roaring speech to the First US Army Group. He spoke of the indomitable American spirit and the fear that his men would inspire in their enemies. He'd given this expletive-riddled address dozens of times, and American GIs loved him for it. But this time, there was a catch; the army he was addressing did not actually exist.
Dan is joined by Taylor Downing, a historian, writer and author of 'The Army That Never Was: D-Day and the Great Deception'. Taylor takes us through this remarkable deception operation, without which D-Day may have gone very differently.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
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D-Day: The Deception that Made it Possible

Dan and military historian Stephen Fischer record a moment by moment play of the dramatic and bloody first crucial hour and a half of D-day, as it happened. They breakdown the assaults across the Normandy Beaches including Sword, Omaha and Gold, where over one hundred thousand British, American and Canadian troops landed under a barrage of German fire in an attempt to turn the tide of the war against the Nazis.
Stephen's latest book is called 'Sword Beach'.
Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
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D-Day: The Land Invasion

In the second episode of our D-Day series, we look to the skies. In the build-up to Operation Overlord, thousands of Allied pilots in heavy bombers and fighter planes ground down the Luftwaffe and destroyed vital infrastructure. On D-Day itself, they supported their comrades on the ground and at sea in roles ranging from reconnaissance to close air support and dropped elite airborne units behind enemy lines.
To talk us through all of that aerial action, Dan is joined by James Daly, a historian, museum curator and author of 'Proposed Airborne Assaults During Operation Overlord'.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW - sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/.
We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
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D-Day: The Air Invasion

This is the often forgotten chapter of the D-Day story.
To begin our series for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, we turn to the massive naval operations that made it all happen. On D-Day itself, 7,000 ships and 195,000 sailors undertook the gargantuan challenge of ferrying men, weapons and supplies ashore to begin the liberation of Europe. But that was just on the 6th of June - it was preceded by years of bitter warfare at sea, without which Operation Overlord could never have happened.
Dan is joined by naval historian Nick Hewitt, author of 'Normandy: The Sailors' Story', who explains why Allied sailors were the bedrock for Operation Overlord. Whether it be through intelligence gathering, naval bombardment or sinking German U-boats, actions at sea were absolutely vital in paving the way for D-Day.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW - sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/.
We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
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D-Day: The Sea Invasion

This is the story of a bloody mutiny aboard the Boston-based schooner, the Rising Sun. The ship had been on a routine smuggling voyage before it was violently seized by three opportunistic crew members. They had their sights set on the lucrative cargo she carried, but below decks, the Rising Sun hid an even more sinister secret; 15 terrified enslaved people, held in the ship's hold as the mutiny raged overhead.
Dan is joined by Jared Ross Hardesty, a professor of history at Western Washington University and the author of ‘Mutiny on the Rising Sun: A Tragic Tale of Slavery, Smuggling, and Chocolate’. Jared takes us through this rebellion at sea from beginning to end and sheds light on the shady worlds of smuggling and slavery in 18th century colonial America.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW - sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/.
We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Twelve Caesars with Mary Beard

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