Fascinating People Fascinating Places

Roman Emperor Caligula raised an army and marched across Gaul with every intention of invading Great Britain. Having set sail, he neared the famous white cliffs of Dover before returning course and disembarking in France. Upon his return, two soldiers: Gaius and Lucius, are surprised to find themselves tasked with something other than battle.

This is an original production brought to you by Daniel Mainwaring's Fascinating People, Fascinating Places Podcast...

The depraved and sadistic Roman emperor was one of the most reviled figures of antiquity. Allegations of incest, murder, and more bizarrely the promotion of his beloved horse to consul still linger in popular culture today. But was he really the dera...

The depraved and sadistic Roman emperor was one of the most reviled figures of antiquity.

Allegations of incest, murder, and more bizarrely the promotion of his beloved horse to consul still linger in popular culture today. But was he really the deranged tyrant we learned about in history class or was there another side to him? In this episode, I will explore the truth of the man behind the legend...

With Germany divided, the GDR grapples with economic problems and unrest. The erection of the Berlin Wall draws US President John F Kennedy to Berlin, while the state represses the church, and embarks on a nationalized doping campaign to boost perfor...

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the world’s first global trade fair. Attendees included Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, and Karl Marx. But beyond the pomp and ceremony, there were fears of a violent insurrection. Critics implored the Queen to cancel...

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the world's first global trade fair. Attendees included Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, and Karl Marx. But beyond the pomp and ceremony, there were fears of a violent insurrection. Critics implored the Queen to cancel the event. In this episode, I explore the exhibition's founders, critics, highlights, and enduring legacy. Coming Sunday 26 September.

Music licensed under Creative Commons 3.0. Handel - Zadok the Priest 2 June 2013 archive...

As the Nazi regime was defeated, East Germans hoped for a brighter future. Political exiles such as Erich Honecker returned to Berlin and set about rebuilding the nation. But, the fragile alliance of World War II soon collapsed. The Western nations found themselves at odds with the Soviets and Germany was divided. In this episode, I explore the origins of communism in Germany, the rise and the fall of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany)...

In 1949, communist leaders formalized the division of a nation with the creation of the German Democratic Republic. In the West, this was portrayed as an opportunistic act by puppets of the Soviets who wished to impose their ideology on Eastern Europ...

In 1949, communist leaders formalized the division of a nation with the creation of the German Democratic Republic. In the West, this was portrayed as an opportunistic act by puppets of the Soviets who wished to impose their ideology on Eastern Europe. But the story of German communism began long before 1949. In this episode, I will examine the roots of the ideology. Its adherents, growth, and the factors that led to the creation of the totalitarian state widely known as East Germany...

With Germany divided, the GDR grapples with economic problems and unrest. The erection of the Berlin Wall draws US President John F Kennedy to Berlin, while the state represses the church, and embarks on a nationalized doping campaign to boost performance in sport. The arrival of Gorbachev signals the beginning of the end for Honecker and the Stasi...