History on Fire

During a visit to a church in Sicily, a priest offered Caravaggio “holy water”. Caravaggio asked the old priest what it was for. “It will cancel your venial sins, my son,” replied the priest. “Then it’s no use—Caravaggio commented—My sins are all mortal.”Giles Lambert about Caravaggio and his friends “They provoked the Papal police, hung around with the many Roman women of easy virtue, drank excessively and frightened the bourgeoisie.”He was the greatest artist of his age, and also an outlaw whose passion for hookers was only second to his propensity for ending up in jail. Caravaggio was equally talented with paint and canvas as he was with the sword and with the art of breaking out prison. With the same hand with which he painted the most amazing masterpieces of the Renaissance, he stabbed pimps and bludgeoned cops. His art was as scandalous as his life: he brought a lowbrow brand of violent realism and sexuality to the traditional religious subjects that were commissioned by the Church: imagine Quentin Tarantino painting scenes from the Bible. But the more the elite hated him, the more the common people adored him. No painter of his day—and probably ever—was able to have such a magnetic effect on masses of people.This first part of the tale features a plague killing most of Caravaggio’s family, attempts at theocracy in the Milan of the late 1500s, the Italian Robin Hood Marco di Sciarra, street life in Rome, “no hope-no fear”, the Cenci execution, and Caravaggio becoming a superstar of the Roman art scene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the poignant legacy of Crazy Horse and the intricate history of American Indian struggles. Explore philosophical insights from Nietzsche that resonate with Crazy Horse's life and the bittersweet victories of the Lakota. Facing escalating military pressures post-Custer's defeat, tensions among tribal leaders deepen, revealing complex dynamics of leadership. As Crazy Horse's story unfolds, witness the tragic betrayals and emotional impact left on his community, culminating in a nuanced understanding of his enduring legacy.

Delve into the life of Crazy Horse, a revered Lakota leader, as he rises from humble beginnings to a symbol of responsibility within his community. Discover the devastating impact of buffalo hunting on indigenous tribes and the ensuing plight to protect their lands. Follow Crazy Horse's tumultuous journey rife with personal loss, internal conflicts, and evolving leadership dynamics. The struggle against U.S. expansion culminates in gripping military encounters, showcasing the Lakota's fight to preserve their way of life amid profound change.

The podcast dives into the chaotic aftermath of the Sand Creek Massacre, spotlighting the alliances and leadership of the Lakota and Cheyenne tribes. It examines Crazy Horse's tactical brilliance and the challenges U.S. forces faced in tracking Indigenous warriors. A chilling tale reveals the grim fate of a naïve photographer on the frontier. The intense conflicts at Fort Phil Kearney showcase the brutal realities of warfare, while reflections on defeat highlight shifting military strategies and the complex dynamics of Native American resistance.

Delve into the complex life of Crazy Horse, a Lakota warrior whose quiet strength and resistance became legendary. Explore the spiritual journey of vision quests that shaped him, alongside the humor and depth of the Heoka in Lakota culture. Discover the impact of external conflicts, including the Mexican-American War, on the Lakota community. Unravel the tragic events surrounding the Sand Creek Massacre, highlighting the rich yet painful history of Native American struggles against U.S. forces.

On July 11, 1804, the vice-president of the United States (Aaron Burr) and the first Secretary of the Treasury (Alexander Hamilton) decided to settle their grievances by drawing their pistols and trying to shoot each other dead. This is the story of the events leading Burr and Hamilton to stop exchanging words and begin exchanging lead. Also, in this episode: the good old days when killing people in a duel was no obstacle to gaining high political office (just ask Andrew Jackson), Abraham Lincoln and his freakish long reach, when the Senate floor was washed in blood, Hamilton’s mom was “whoring with everyone”, Burr’s obsession for women, “Great souls have little use for small morals”, Thomas Jefferson and Vito Corleaone’s advice, Plan B: take over Mexico, when the President wanted to hang his former vice-president, a perfect plan to get Americans more interested in politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this second and last part of this two-part series, we find out why it is a very bad idea to get on the wrong side of Parysatis, one of the most ruthless queens of the ancient world. We will also run into betrayal, prophetic dreams, epic battles, Xenophon’s rise to leadership, heartbreaking moments, tribal guerrillas in the mountains, poisoned honey, athletic competitions, sweet revenge, and the planting of the seeds for Alexander the Great’s campaigns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary historian Will Durant has described the subject of this episode as “One of the great adventures in human history”. In the first part of this two-part series, we meet the main characters of our tale, when a band of over 10,000 Greek mercenaries agree to serve under the Persian prince Cyrus the Younger in a fratricidal civil war against Cyrus’ brother, King Artaxerxes II. This episode will also include a brief history of the Persian empire, tattooed, head-hunting + marijuana-consuming + sweat lodge-partaking tribal peoples, plagues, a cameo by Socrates, Machiavellian political games, the great battle of Cunaxa, and a eunuch worthy of Game of Thrones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode focuses on one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the late 20th century: the oldest, fully preserved human body ever found. The man emerged from the ice in the Alps over 5,000 years ago after his death. The more archaeologists discovered about him, the more haunting the mystery of his fate became. This is a tale of murder, Neolithic battles, the possibly European origins of acupuncture, the best mountain climber who ever lived, Brad Pitt’s tattoo, and one of the oldest cold cases ever. This is what history looks like when you have no written sources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most legendary characters in history comes to visit us in this episode: Spartacus was an auxiliary soldier in the Roman army, a deserter, an outlaw, a gladiator, and the leader of one of the greatest slave rebellions in history. Under his leadership, over 70,000 people defeated the Roman legions multiple times. This episode features mass crucifixions, Dionysian orgies, a master course in guerrilla warfare, walls built with corpses, the most brutal punishment in military history, pirates, and overambitious Romans losing their heads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices