
History Is Sexy
History is Sexy is a podcast presented by historian Dr Emma Southon and writer Janina Matthewson answering listener questions about history. What did the Romans do for us? Where did marrying for love come from? What was world war one all about? Produced and edited by Oliver Kealey. Theme music by Ketsa.
Latest episodes

Aug 29, 2018 • 1h 25min
Episode #16 - How Did Britain Collapse When The Romans Left?
Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/historyissexy
This week, Emma and Janina are joined by guest James Harland to discuss what exactly happened after the Romans abandoned Britain. Was it an apocalyptic event, or was it all a bit more complicated than that?

Aug 16, 2018 • 1h 21min
Episode # 15 - Quick Questions II
How did people wipe their bums a thousand years ago? How many messengers actually did get killed? Who was the first Barry?
It's another quick questions!

Aug 3, 2018 • 1h 15min
Episode #14 - Why Did Christianity "Win"?
Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/historyissexy
This time, Dr Emma and Janina examine a question close to the good doctor's heart, how did Christianity grow from such humble beginnings to become a dominant force in the world? How do religions spread? What did Christianity do differently?
Featuring:
Grumpy Jesus! 🙍♂️🕊️
Grumpy Paul! 👴
Constantine, The Chrissy Teigen of Rome! 👑 ♻️
NZ national anthem performed by Hayley Westenra.

Jul 18, 2018 • 58min
Episode #13 - Did The Nazis Really Go Looking For The Lance of Longinus?
Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/historyissexy
This week, Emma and Janina take a deep dive into the bizarre world of Nazi pseudoscience and occultism. Did they really go all Indiana Jones and look for powerful holy relics?
Featuring:
Golden people who reproduce like flowers! 👨🌸
Operation Barbarossa - What were they thinking?!❄️💀
Flying saucers! Death rays! Anti-gravity machines! 👽🔫

Jul 4, 2018 • 1h 7min
Episode #12 - Who Are Your Favourite Everyday Heroes?
Join Emma and Janina as they examine the stories of some real life, honest to goodness heroes you may never have heard of.
Courage, bravery, grit, virtue, and general goodness, these fine people have got them in spades!
Featuring:
Daring diplomats! 👨⚖️
Superlative spies! 🕵️♀️
Fearless fashionistas! ✂️
Courageous cosmonauts! 👩🚀

Jun 20, 2018 • 1h 17min
Episode #11 - Who Is The Most Powerful Person In History?
This week, Emma and Janina tackle a particularly difficult question: Who is the most powerful person in history?
Featuring:
Enormous turbans! 👳♂️
Brutal conquest! ⚔️
A distinct lack of amusement! 👑
Chinese revolutionary history! 🇨🇳

Jun 7, 2018 • 1h 16min
Episode #10 - How Has Music Changed Over History? - Feat. Dr Anna Scott!
This week, Emma and Janina are joined by our first ever guest, Dr Anna Scott, as they attempt to unravel the mysteries of the history of music!
Featuring: Bone flutes (or wolf bites?)🦴🐺
Why are harpsichords so rubbish? 🎹
What's the least cool instrument?🤓
Mystical chanting and visions 🧞♀️
and much more!
More from Anna: https://challengingperformance.com/interviews-recordings/anna-scott/
Synaulia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJLXyBzMci0
Musica Romana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC4KqvAhqFA
"Le Jeu De Robin Et Marion" by Adam de le Halle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCIx07t14jw
Hildegard of Bingen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei88J4lERbk
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-hildegard-von-bingen/

May 24, 2018 • 1h 30min
Episode #9 - Quick Questions
Emma and Janina answer a whole bunch of questions - like how bad did aristocratic inbreeding really get? Who had the sexiest facial hair of the American Civil War? And what's the weirdest shit people have pulled to appear attractive?
Links!
Sexy beards https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-had-best-civil-war-facial-hair-180951965/
http://americancivilwarbeards.tumblr.com/
Roman bread: http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/pompeii_and_herculaneum/pompeii_live/live_event/bread_recipe.aspx
Early communion: The Didache https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/media/articles/didacheontheeucharistteachingofthetwelveapostles/
Justin Martyr (paragraphs 65-66) http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm

May 10, 2018 • 58min
Episode #8 - Did Women Really Dress as Men to Join the Army?
Join Emma and Janina as they attempt to unravel one of history's tricky questions: "Are the stories you hear of women dressing up to be soldiers true, and if so how did they get away with it?"
Sources:
Catherine Baker: https://twitter.com/richmondbridge/status/983619848973553664?s=09
Mark Stoyle. 2018.‘Give mee a Souldier's Coat’: Female Cross‐Dressing during the English Civil War. History 103 (354) pp. 5-26.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-229X.12542
Catherine Baker. 2018. Montrous Regiment. History Today. https://www.historytoday.com/catherine-baker/monstrous-regiment
Cheryl Morgan. 2018. How Not To Erase Trans History. http://www.historymatters.group.shef.ac.uk/erase-trans-history/
Julie Wheelwright. 1990. Amazons and Military Maids: Women Who Dressed as Men in Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness
DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike. 2002. They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the American Civil War
Fraser Easton. 2003, Gender's Two Bodies: Women Warriors, Female Husbands and Plebeian Life. Past and Present 108, pp. 131-174. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3600742
Jing Yin, 2011. Popular Culture and Public Imaginary: Disney vs. Chinese Stories of Mulan. Javnost - The Public: Journal of the European Institute for Communication and Culture 18 (10), pp. 53-74.
Peter Boag. 2011.Re-Dressing America’s Frontier Past.
Lila Guadêncio, nd. The Pillars of Mimicry: Performativity and 'Realness' in Hua Mulan
http://www.academia.edu/24696528/The_Pillars_of_Mimicry_Performativity_and_Realness_in_Hua_Mulan

Apr 25, 2018 • 1h 25min
Episode #7 - When In Rome, What Did The Romans Do?
This week our question is: "When In Rome, What Did The Romans Do?"
Join Emma and Janina as they take a closer look into the daily lives of Roman citizens, both at work and play.
Featuring:
Sad lions! 🦁
Seneca complaining about everything! 👴
Would you want to be buried with your colleagues? ☠️
Roman comedy! 🎤
Checking out your friends equipment in the bath! 🛀