Lost tombs buried beneath desert sands, enchanting hieroglyphs, mysterious mummies, great rulers and kingdoms- Egypt has it all. Since antiquity, tourists have ventured to Egypt to see for themselves the great remnants of its ancient civilisation. Archaeologists have since found graffiti from Ancient Greek scholars and 18th century French explorers in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings.But what is it about Ancient Egypt that captures us in childhood and adulthood, more so than any other period in history? Well, Dan joins Dr Campbell Price, curator of Egypt and Sudan at the Manchester Museum, to get to the bottom of it. They tell the stories of their own obsession with Egypt, which pharaohs they think are overrated and the impact mass documentary-making is having on archaeological discoveries in places like Saqqara and Luxor.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with original documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here...
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The Battle of Taranto
Dan visits the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, in Somerset, England to gain a unique insight into the Battle of Taranto. He talks to Lt. Simon Wilson, the Royal Navy’s lead Swordfish pilot, views some extraordinary documents and takes a flight in a Swordfish bi-plane.
The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, launching a small number of obsolescent biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (R87) in the Mediterranean Sea.
Further information
Royal Navy Historical Flight
Recommended reading: The War in a Stringbag
The companion short film which Dan presents is entitled ‘Taranto 75‘ you really don’t want to miss it!
Episode photos are available at historyhitpodcast.com/taranto75
Presented by Dan Snow @thehistoryguy
Produced by Dan Morelle @danmorelle
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