Our Fake History

The Pisan scientist Galileo Galilei has been remembered as the "father of modern science." The discoveries he made with his telescope led to a completely new understanding of Earth's place in the cosmos. The theory first put forward by the Polish mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus, that the Earth revolved around the Sun, was affirmed by Galileo. The works published by Galileo expounding on these findings eventually led to him accused of heresy by the Roman Catholic Church. Galileo has gone down as a "martyr of science", but is that really accurate? Has the father of modern science become a modern myth? Tune-in and find out how togas at the brothel, swinging lamps, and someone called "the wrangler" all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you know that the Amazons once waged war on Atlantis? According to the ancient historian Diodorus of Sicily, the Amazons conquered Atlantis while carving out an empire in Northern Africa. This may have all been pure legend, but Diodorus, like most ancient historians, believed that the Amazons had been an historical people. Other historians believed that the Amazons eventually interbred with the nomadic Scythians were slowly integrated into their society on the Eurasian steppe. In fact, one modern author believes that archaeological evidence has demonstrated that female warriors were quite common among the Scythians. Could these Scythian warrior-women have been the "Historical Amazons". How seriously should we take this hypothesis? Tune-in and find out lovestruck Greeks, comic book nerds, and a brigade of young hunks all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the conquistador Francisco Orellana was attacked by a band of female warriors deep in the heart of South America, he thought immediately of the Amazons of Greek mythology. His encounter with this group would end up inspiring the name for the river he was navigating: the Amazon. The original Amazons were said to be society of ferocious female warriors who lived at the edge of the known world. In myth the Amazons tangled with many of greatest Greek heroes. Their all-female society stood in stark contrast to the deeply patriarchal ancient Greek city states. Were these fearsome women just a product of the ancient Greek imagination, or is there some truth to their story? Tune-in and find out how improvised brigantines, casual kidnappings, and the most slept-on epic battle in Greek myth all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this OFH throwback episode Sebastian is throwing you back to Episode #61 - What's the Problem with Socrates? Socrates has been celebrated as the “father of western philosophy”. This is particularly remarkable when you consider the fact that we know almost nothing about him for sure. What we consider “Socratic Philosophy” is what has been reported to us by his students. Should we trust what they are telling us about him? Tune in and find out how ancient fart jokes, free lunch, and a wrestler-turned-playwright-turned-philosopher all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this "throwback episode" we look back at episode #96. In the 1930’s a famous California history professor thought he had discovered a long lost historical treasure. It was a brass plate apparently inscribed by the famous English adventurer Sir. Francis Drake. The plate was heralded as an amazing discovery, but it was actually an elaborate hoax orchestrated by an irreverent secret society. The group behind the hoax is known as E Clampus Vitus and it may be America’s weirdest secret society. Tune in a find out how tin-can medallions, “widders”, and a Grand Noble Humbug all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this SUPER SIZED season finale Sebastian explores the many myths and misconceptions about the city of Toronto. In his attempt to get a deeper understanding of the city he has called home, our host embarks on a series of probing conversations with a handful of Toronto storytellers. Author and feature writer Katie Daubs, Toronto educator Bryan Tran, Toronto Star investigative journalist Brendan Kennedy, local music legend Dave Bidini, and Governor General's Literary Award finalist Liselle Sambury all pop by to share their thoughts on the city of Toronto. Tune-in and find out how a fly killing contest, a hot copy of Rush Hour 2, and something called the "Roller Boat" all play a role in the story. To get your copy of Missing Millionaire by Katie Daubs follow this link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/561290/the-missing-millionaire-by-katie-daubs/9780771025174 To get your copy of Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury follow this link: https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Blood-Like-Magic/Liselle-Sambury/Blood-Like-Magic/9781534465299 Check out the West End Phoenix here: https://www.westendphoenix.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the stories of saints' lives written in the medieval era Attila the Hun was often used as a stock villain. He was called the "Scourge of God" and was understood as a blunt instrument used by God to punish the impious and test the resolve of martyrs. But, Attila certainly did not see himself as the tool of a Christian God that he did not worship. These medieval hagiographies presented Attila as one of history's most brutal monsters, but is that reasonable? Attila was an ambitious conqueror who sacked and looted his way across Europe, but does that make him all that different from the Caesars? Tune-in and find out how a psalm reading severed head, a marriage proposal, and 11,000 martyred maidens all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Huns were not a literate culture, which means their version of history was never written down. As a result we rely on sources written by outsiders to trace the rise of the Hunnic empire and the career of King Attila. This means that the record is patchy, incomplete, and deeply affected by the anti-Hun prejudices of the authors. But despite that, there are still a number of remarkable stories that have survived in the historical record that help us get a more nuanced picture of Attila the Hun. The man had a truly ferocious reputation and yet he could also be gracious, merciful, and patient. Attila was certainly no stranger to violence, but he was also no mindless brute. Does he deserve to be cast as one of history's great villains? Tune-in and find out how Australian propaganda, a scheming palace eunuch, and 50lb bag of gold all play a role in the story.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Attila the Hun has been saddled with a truly terrible historical reputation. In many parts of the world his name is synonymous with barbarism. But, despite the fact that Attila the Hun has excellent name recognition for an ancient historical figure, the details of his life remain obscure to most. Like most conquerors, opinions on Attila swing widely depending on which side of those conquests your ancestors happened to be on. Was Attila a bloodthirsty sadist or a noble nation builder? Can you be both? Tune-in and find out how German dragon slayers, an ancient refugee crisis, and meat warmed between a man's thighs all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the last year the global conversation around the fate of the Benin Bronzes has shifted dramatically. In April of 2021 the German government announced that the vast majority of Benin Bronzes kept in German museums will be returned to Nigeria. This announcement was followed by a rash of other institutions making pledges to return objects that had been plundered from the Kingdom of Benin. Most recently, in March of 2022, America's Smithsonian institute pledged to return it's entire collection of Benin Bronzes. However, the one institution that has yet to commit to returning it's plundered artefacts is the British Museum, which holds the world's largest collection of Benin Bronzes. This is especially painful given Britain's role in the destruction of the Kingdom of Benin. How exactly did the the death of one British official result in the destruction of a 1000 year old city and the wholesale looting of Benin's heritage? Tune-in and find out how Maxim guns, turn of the century rockets, and one magical warrior all play a role in the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.