Episodes
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When I say "Byzantine Empire", you say "The what empire?" But if I said "The Empire which is like the Aldi version of the Roman Empire" you say "Oooooh, like the Roman Empire but with random stuff in it that is vaguely familiar".
Sadly, much of Byzantine history is overlooked in popular culture and thus many of you likely know very little about it. A great shame. So, to break this bleak cycle of ignorance, I've engaged some help! Join me and special guest, the host of the Anthology of Heroes Podcast, the electric Elliot Gates, as we chat over the gist of the Roman Empire 2.0 - The Byzantines. Check out the Anthology of Heroes here anthologyofheroespodcast.com
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by special guest Elliot Gates, and the Modern Gistory theme music was written and recorded by Ella Dwyer. -
In 1939, Germany, growing a little tired of peace, decided to head to Poland to start a little bit of neighbourhood mischief. I imagine you know the rest of that story. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Japan too was looking for a good time and started its search in China before it quickly kicked on all over the Pacific. This episode is all about that 'kick on' which went on to become known as the War in the Pacific.
Join me and special guest, the host of the History Files Podcast (formerly HSC History Podcast), the indefatigable Blake Hamilton, as we island hop and toredo our way across the Pacific during the Second World War.
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by special guest Blake Hamilton, and the Modern Gistory theme music was written and recorded by Ella Dwyer. -
Missing episodes?
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By far the longest episode we've done yet! I considered cutting it shorter but, as it turns out (and at no great surprise), there's nothing about Napoleon Bonaparte's life that is uninteresting enough to be cut!
One of the most recognisable names (and outfits) of all history, I was not brave enough to take on the gist of Napoleon Bonaparte alone. So I'm joined, all the way from the Emerald Isle, by the brilliant (soon to be Doctor) Arron Keegan! So, stick around and join us as we blow the top of Europe's worst kept secret - Napoleon Bonaparte!
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by special guest Arron Keegan, and the Modern Gistory theme music was written and recorded by Ella Dwyer. -
The name 'Taliban' rings a lot of different bells in a lot of different pitches for a lot of different people. But for Rahila Abdul-Hadi, it rings more than a bell - it shatters it.
Join me and special guest, student, author, and refugee, Rahila Abdul-Hadi, as we talk over her family's experience with the Taliban along with her journey from Pakistan to Australia as a refugee. Her journey is a powerful one and a story well worth listening to. So tune in as Rahila explains all the reasons for why the Taliban can get screwed!
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, featured special guest Rahila Abdul-Hadi, and the Modern Gistory theme music was written and recorded by Ella Dwyer. -
For many Australians, the term 'Wars of the Roses' sounds more like a segment from Better Homes & Gardens than it does actual history. But not only is it 'actual history', it's actually some damn cool history! So damn cool that author George R.R. Martin took inpiration from it for his masterwork - Game of Thrones.
I'm flying solo in this episode. Well, kind of, I introduce a new segment in this episode called 'Modern Gistory Cold Calls' (which I never revisit in the series) so a special mention goes to my friend Constance. So join me, as I fly solo (mostly) through this episode, to dish you the gist on one of the most blood thirsty and family shattering rollicks of the late Middle Ages that became known as the Wars of the Roses.
This episode was researched and produced by Chris Parker and the Modern Gistory theme music was written and recorded by Ella Dwyer.
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In this final episode of the season, join me and special guest Nate Denham, as we machete our way through the jungles of Mesoamerica to provide you with the gist of the Aztecs and their war against Spanish weapons and diseases. A conflict almost as challenging as two Aussies found pronouncing traditional names and places correctly. We did try though.
Together we chew over the long-term impact that Aztec culture has had on modern cuisine and nationhood along with the short-term impact Hernan Cortes and his pals had on the Aztec way of life and together, discuss the question of 'who are the baddies in tragic story of the Spanish and Aztecs?'
To see the visuals for this episode or to join the conversation, follow Modern Gistory on Instagram @modern_gistory.
This episode was lovingly produced by Chris Parker, researched by Nate Denham, and the Modern Gistory theme music written and recorded by the delightful Ella Dwyer.
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What do you get when you cross a Viking Warlord, a French Duke, and an Anglo-Saxon King? A furious orgy of gratuitous violence across the moistened hills of England - that's what. In this episode, join me and special guest, James Wealleans, as we travel back to 11th Century England to discuss William the Conquerer and his incredible conquest of England!
Through a ballistic barrage of banter and fact bombs, we dig through some of history's deeper questions surrounding the conquest of England; such as how many penises there are on the Bayeux Tapestry, the origins of the word 'moist', and just how smelly William I's funeral might have been.
This episode was lovingly produced by Chris Parker, extensively researched by James Wealleans, and the Modern Gistory theme music written and recorded by the delightful Ella Dwyer.
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If it wasn't for day drinking and RDOs, Australia's attempt at a revolution in the mid-Ninteenth Century might very well have succeeded. Tune in as special guest, Liam Holcombe, and I dig, pick, and pan our way through Australia's Eureka Stockade!
Through our unceremonious investigation of the Eureka rebellion, we inadvertantly uncover why modern Australians enjoy a lazy Sunday, don't mind a bit of cross-dressing at the pub, and think most politicians are d**kheads.
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by Liam Holcombe, with the Modern Gistory theme music written and recorded by Ella Dwyer.
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Are the Vikings overrated? Join me and special guest, Thomas Knauth, as we spit the gist of the bearded, brawling, boating, beer drinking, berserkers of Medieval Scandinavia!
Together we explore Viking culture, mythology, and their Contiki Tours abroad, while answering important questions such as 'Were the Vikings the ISIS of the Dark Ages?', 'How does one get afterlife insurance?' and 'To what extent was Charles Manson a Viking?'.
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by Thomas Knauth, with the Modern Gistory theme music written and recorded by Ella Dwyer.
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Whoever said "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" was probably wearing a toga, was probably a Roman man, and was probably looking at the charred remains of his town and masculinity, compliments of Boudicca and her Celtic warriors. In this episode, special guest Sallee Ryman and I, travel back to Ancient Britain to chuck spears into the legions of myth that surround Boudicca: The Warrior Queen.
Together we discuss who Boudicca was, how she was a pain in Rome's bum, why Roman men might not be the most reliable of sources, and how her image over the centuries has been taken, renovated, and used as a premium piece of propaganda for English queens and modern feminists alike.
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by Sallee Ryman, with the Modern Gistory theme music written and recorded by Ella Dwyer.
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What do umbrellas, Osama Bin Laden, NASA, and Bruce Springsteen have in common? Join me and special guest, Nate Denham, as we don our spy glasses, prime the missiles, and launch into the Cold War!
The Cold War Era has long captured the imagination of history nerds, film makers, politicians, and Arts students alike. With the gadgetry of James Bond, the soundtrack of Creedance Clearwater Revival, and settings ranging from the jungles of Vietnam and beaches of Cuba to the mountains of Afghanistan and streets of London; the Cold War was a complex and prolonged production. Despite being executively produced by the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR or Soviet Union), it was a budget catastrophe and tanked utterly at the box-office. This is perhaps why it remains one of the most hotly debated string of historical events to this day. And with Russia's recent invasion of the Ukraine, there has never been a better time to understand how the hell we all got here.
This episode was produced by Chris Parker, researched by Nate Denham, with the Modern Gistory theme music written and recorded by Ella Dwyer. -
Hello! Before we trudge any deeper into podcast territory, we just wanted to take a few minutes to explain who we are and what Modern Gistory is all about. Consider this episode an introduction of sorts. A prelude. An entree before the delicious main course of historical discussion, debates, rumours, rants, and banter that is Modern Gistory. There'll be special guests, quizzes, low budget voice acting, and much more to come! So stick around and stay excited! And to get involved, find us on (most) social media platforms. Welcome to Modern Gistory!
