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History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged
World War II
Civil War
Barbary Wars
American Revolution
United States
Ottoman Empire
Cold War
Slavery
Soviet Union
Climate Change
Vietnam War
War Of 1812
Siege Of Leningrad
Alexander the Great
George Washington
Great Depression
Western Roman Empire
Prohibition
Thomas More
Alaric

For history lovers who listen to podcasts, History Unplugged is the most comprehensive show of its kind. It's the only show that dedicates episodes to both interviewing experts and answering questions from its audience. First, it features a call-in show where you can ask our resident historian (Scott Rank, PhD) absolutely anything (What was it like to be a Turkish sultan with four wives and twelve... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1123Founded9 years ago
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HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for History Unplugged Podcast

Latest Episodes

Rome seemed fundamentally opposed to Christianity in the first century. After all, the empire fed Christians to lions, taxed their communities, and crucified their followers, making Rome look like the natural enemy of everything the new faith stood f... more

The first punctuation mark was a triangular symbol pressed into clay somewhere in Mesopotamia. Spaces between words were unknown for millennia, until a group of Irish monks pioneered them in the eighth century. Flash forward 1200 years, and in 1905,... more

Late at night in his palace at Aachen, Charlemagne had a dream. A mysterious figure approached him carrying a sword engraved with four Germanic words: raht, radoleiba, nasg, and enti. The meaning seemed immediately clear to the emperor, who fancied h... more

On December 7, 43 BCE, a sixty-three-year-old man was carried in a litter down a woodland path near the Italian coast, fleeing soldiers who had been sent to kill him. When they caught up, he ordered his attendants to set down the litter, put his head... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Florence Hazrat
Author of On the Mark, From Periods to Interrobangs, How Punctuation Remade the World
Author
Episode: 5,000 Years of Punctuation: Why It Terrified Roman Scholars and Started a Russian Revolution
James Palmer
Author of Charlemagne's Dream, The Rise and Fall of the Carolingian Empire
Editor and Historian, author
Episode: Charlemagne Dreamed of a Sword With Four Words on It and They Predicted Exactly How His Dynasty Would Fall
Catharine Edwards
Author of Cicero's Tongue, The Life of Rome's Greatest Orator and the End of the Republic
Author/Scholar
Episode: Cicero—Rome’s Greatest Orator—Saved the Capital From Insurrection, But Couldn’t Save the Republic From Collapse
Jared Diamond
Author of Guns, Germs, and Steel; author of Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings
Charles/Harvard-affiliated author (as discussed)
Episode: Do Napoleons or Hitlers Really Matter? Whether Leaders Make History or Their Societies Make Them
Richard Lim
Author of Refusing a Crown
Author
Episode: Washington’s Most Revolutionary Moment Was Surrendering Absolute Power
James Scott
Author of Empire of Ashes, Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War
Author
Episode: Japan's Military Refused to Surrender Even After Two Atomic Bombs and a Coup Nearly Succeeded
James Ellman
Author of Patton Reconsidered: General George S. Patton Jr. as a Wartime Commander
Independent author / Historian
Episode: Is Patton America’s Most Overrated General?
Keith Melton
Author of The Assassination of Leon Trotsky, Espionage, Scandal, and the Crime of the Century
Co-author of the book with Nigel West
Episode: Stalin’s Ordered Killing of Trotsky Created the Playbook for Modern Political Assassination
Nigel West
Author of The Venona Secret and co-author of The Assassination of Leon Trotsky book
Co-author of the book with Keith Melton
Episode: Stalin’s Ordered Killing of Trotsky Created the Playbook for Modern Political Assassination

Host

Scott Rank
Host of History Unplugged; resident historian who guides discussions and explores big questions in history.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 5.1k ratings
  • I was a 5+ year listener…

    until the advertisements swarmed the episodes. Hope Scott lives well, but this podcast is now dung!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Jeremiah ben Jonah
    United States18 days ago
  • Fantastic

    I love this podcast. I love history and have learned so much. I have researched areas covered because I want to learn more.

    He is a great interviewer because he knows so much. He never gets in the guest’s way and keeps everything on track. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ms Aires Sky
    United States24 days ago
  • I like the show but

    Every couple shows there’s some crazy author, why waste our time? The “dying languages lady” is a fool and I will never get my 20 minutes of my life back. Today some nobody is tearing down a historic person, not a review of history with things that are unflattering but just a laundry list of negative comments without any history. We deserve better. Please try harder.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Future-is-bright
    United Statesa month ago
  • I like the show but

    Every couple shows there’s some crazy author, why waste our time? The “dying languages lady” is a fool and I will never get my 20 minutes of my life back. I sadly listen that long before asking why this good show would waste my time with this guest. Please try harder.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Future-is-bright
    United States2 months ago
  • Excellent show

    I have listened to perhaps a hundred episodes of this podcast. It's informative with good, knowledgeable guests. The host is solid, and he has a great sense of curiosity, which comes across to the listener.

    There are some reviews that reference ads. First, I skip the ads. Second, I'm always amused when people aren't shy to broadcast their own ignorance of a particular topic. Many have no understanding of bulk advertising and the rotation of ad packages. But why do reviewers hold the host respo... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BWPnovelist
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality content with diverse historical topics; some episodes draw polarized reactions.
Listeners praise depth and scholarly rigor; some critique guest selections or ad frequency.
Audience notes thoughtful guests and strong host curiosity, though pacing and ads spark mixed reactions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#68
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#117
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#217
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#145
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#102
Japan/History
Apple Podcasts
#108
Indonesia/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Cicero—Rome’s Greatest Orator—Saved the Capital From Insurrection, But Couldn’t Save the Republic From Collapse
Q: Why is Cicero's 63 BCE speech so impactful in the context of Rome's crisis?
The speech is impactful because it elevates rhetoric to a core political tool that can mobilize the Senate and save the Republic from imminent collapse, even as it exposes the fragility of institutions when faced with aggressive factionalism.
Charlemagne Dreamed of a Sword With Four Words on It and They Predicted Exactly How His Dynasty Would Fall
Q: How did Charlemagne view his relationship with the Papacy, and what happened at his coronation?
Charlemagne positioned himself as a defender of the church and used his power to safeguard the pope, while the coronation underscored a partnership with Rome that also asserted imperial legitimacy in the West; the papacy sought protection, and Charlemagne leveraged this to expand his political and religious authority.
Charlemagne Dreamed of a Sword With Four Words on It and They Predicted Exactly How His Dynasty Would Fall
Q: Tell us about the dream and its significance for Charlemagne and his empire.
The dream is used to symbolize an ideal trajectory for the dynasty, predicting multiple ages and testing the ruler's ability to balance conquest with moral leadership; it becomes a tool to analyze how Charlemagne's successors struggled to live up to heroic standards while managing a sprawling, diverse realm.
Japan's Military Refused to Surrender Even After Two Atomic Bombs and a Coup Nearly Succeeded
Q: Why was Kyoto considered as a potential target for the atomic bombs, and why was it ultimately not chosen?
Kyoto was viewed as a cultural and political jewel whose destruction could have a devastating psychological and political impact, but concerns about damaging postwar relations and the risk of driving Japan into the Soviet sphere led to reconsideration, with Stimson arguing for a more strategic choice.
Japan's Military Refused to Surrender Even After Two Atomic Bombs and a Coup Nearly Succeeded
Q: What made the March 1945 inflection point in Japan so critical to the decision to move toward total war?
By March 1945, Japan faced extreme material shortages, urban bombardment campaigns, and internal political pressures; the leadership faced a convergence of factors that pushed toward mobilizing the home front and accepting hard choices as the war threatened to collapse without decisive action.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About History Unplugged Podcast

What is History Unplugged Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

- A history-focused show that pairs long-form interviews with bestselling authors and expert analysis with a frequent emphasis on political power, empires, and cultural change across eras. Topics span ancient to modern, including data history, war, espionage, language endangerment, and economic policy, often tying historical events to contemporary issues. The format also features a resident historian guiding deep dives, with a reputation for rigorous research, clear storytelling, and a willingness to challenge myths and simplifications.

- Notable strengths include a broad range of high-profile guests, strong scholarly context, and episodes that connect big historical narratives to everyday relevance, making it useful for listeners who want... more

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Which podcasts are similar to History Unplugged Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with History Unplugged Podcast:

1. Key Battles of American History
2. American History Hit
3. History That Doesn't Suck
4. This American President
5. American History Tellers

How many episodes of History Unplugged Podcast are there?

History Unplugged Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 1123 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on History Unplugged Podcast?

Recent guests on History Unplugged Podcast include:

1. Florence Hazrat
2. James Palmer
3. Catharine Edwards
4. Jared Diamond
5. Richard Lim
6. James Scott
7. James Ellman
8. Keith Melton

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