Subject to Change

Feb 14 2025 84 ep. 67 mins 149
Subject to Change Podcast artwork

A lot of history episodes and a lot of film episodes. A few other subjects in between!

  History  TV & Film  Education
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Anton Howes on Salt (and on much, much more!)

Feb 14 2025 78 mins  
Anton Howes writes the brilliant Age of Invention substack. We were supposed to talk about the history of salt and its powerful impact on people and states. We certainly did talk about that but also a lot more! - history's efflorescences - Henry VIII's ruthless tax grabs - The feebleness of England (until suddenly . . .) - Rebel space colonies - The Spanish and English Armadas - Lo

Tiberius - a good emperor, a broken man

Jan 15 2025 76 mins  
In this episode Professor Ed Watts and I look at the brilliant career and sad life of the Emperor Tiberius. We try to understand how this most capable and intelligent man came to be seen by history as one of the most monstrous of the Roman emperors. In researching for the podcast I came across a really stirring defence of Tiberius in the shape of a monograph by Norman Douglas. On l

Christ's Samurai with Jonathan Clements - part 2

Dec 26 2024 58 mins  
This is part 2 of my podcast with Jonathan Clements on Japan's Christian century. In this episode we get on to the rebellion itself. Sensitive listeners may want to brace themselves! You can send a message to the show/feedback by clicking here. I can't reply so if you need one please include your email.

Christ's Samurai with Jonathan Clements - part 1

Dec 19 2024 58 mins  
A two part podcast on Japan's Christian century. Jonathan Clements wrote a brilliant book called Christ's Samurai about the Shimabara rebellion of 1638. We cover the story in two parts - this is part 1 and tells of the early successes and later disasters of the efforts to bring christianity to Japan. Part 2 will cover the story of the rebellion itself. You can send a message to the

In the Kingdom of Ice - with Hampton Sides

Dec 02 2024 55 mins  
Hampton Sides loves to tell stories of people fighting against impossible odds. The story of the Jeannette's voyage is right in that vein. His book is called In the Kingdom of Ice and the subtitle sums it up - the Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette. Look forward to hearing about US naval officer George de Long's polar expedition of 1879, including: a rich and ecce

Spring Heeled Jack - with Mike Dash

Nov 09 2024 56 mins  
Spring Heeled Jack was an uncatchable villain from Victorian times. His speciality was attacking young women, raking their faces and clothes with metal claws and sometimes breathing fire in their faces. We have good evidence for his existence with newspaper reports and police and courts involved. But the more historian Mike Dash peels away the layers the harder it becomes to be sur

Giles Milton on Nathaniel’s Nutmeg

Oct 07 2024 55 mins  
The 'spice wars' between the Dutch and the English in the 1600's were quite something. Giles Milton told the story in his remarkable book Nathaniel's Nutmeg. What I hadn't realised until reading this was how feeble and disorganised the English were compared to their competitors. And the Dutch in particular were as ruthless as they were capable. Visits to the court of Ivan the Terri

Rebel Island - Jonathan Clements on the history of Taiwan - part 2

Sep 12 2024 64 mins  
We are back with Jonathan Clements for part 2 of our podcast on the history of Taiwan. In this episode we start with the remarkable story of Taiwan's 50 years as a colony of Japan. And Jonathan then takes the story through the White Terror up to the current day. And to remind you: Rebel Island Jonathan's blog You can send a message to the show/feedback by clicking here. I can't rep

Rebel Island - Jonathan Clements on the history of Taiwan - part 1

Sep 10 2024 50 mins  
Jonathan Clements has written a number of histories of East Asia. His latest, Rebel Island, is a history of Taiwan from the earliest times up to today. If you have any interest in the history of the region this book is an absolute must read. And while it is a serious and meticulously researched history it is also genuinely gripping with 'Blimey! I didn't know that!' moments on ever

The 4th Crusade and the final fall of the Roman Empire - with Ed Watts

Aug 23 2024 84 mins  
Delighted to have Professor Ed Watts back on the show. This time he is talking about the 4th Crusade which turned into one of history's great catastrophes. People give many possible dates for the fall of the Roman Empire and Ed argues persuasively for 1204 when the crusade reaches its heartbreaking climax. You can send a message to the show/feedback by clicking here. I can't reply