Rephonic
Artwork for Past Lives

Past Lives

Patrick Wyman
Slavery
History
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Roman Empire
Social Death
Serfdom
Assyria
Clovis People
Xinjiang
Mamluk Empire
Ottoman Empire
Congo
Bangladesh
Mississippi
America
Amarna
Ancient Egypt
Akhenaten
Shang Dynasty
Ancient Greece

History is built by people like you, and Past Lives is here to bring their stories to life. Every week, we’ll focus on the lived experiences of real people in the past, from the Stone Age to the near-present. Peasants, laborers, artisans, merchants, soldiers, and the enslaved are far too often overlooked in favor of kings, generals, and politicians; not here. On Past Lives, we keep the focus where... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes40Founded9 months ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

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Artwork for Past Lives

Latest Episodes

Bog bodies - the age-old remains of people who were submerged in bogs - are an eerie sight. Soft tissue remains, often to an even greater extent than mummies, bringing us face to face with people who died thousands of years ago.

Become a member now ... more

Over more than two centuries, the rulers of Bronze Age China's Shang Dynasty sacrificed at least 13,000 people. Who were they? Where had they come from, and what were their lives like? Thanks to new studies, we can finally take our focus off the Shan... more

What can we learn from the past? Professor James Romm, celebrated classicist and prolific author, joins me to discuss his new book Since You're Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays. We chat about eternal wisdom, dad advice, and whether anci... more

More than 3,000 years ago, a queen was buried in the city of Anyang, China. Hundreds of bone, jade, and bronze artifacts were buried with her, and so were sixteen human sacrifices. This was Fu Hao, a priestess, queen mother, and general, and her tomb... more

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Recent Guests

James Romm
James H. Ottaway Professor of Classics at Bard College; author and scholar of the ancient world
Bard College
Episode: Interview: James Romm - Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays
Thomas Asbridge
Dr. Thomas Asbridge, reader in history at Queen Mary University of London, author of The Black Death, A Global History
Queen Mary University of London
Episode: Interview: Professor Thomas Asbridge on the Black Death
Shannon Chakraborty
Award-winning New York Times bestselling author
Daevabad Trilogy / The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi / The Tapestry of Fate
Episode: Interview: Shannon Chakraborty and Historical Fantasy
Tim Haines
Screenwriter, producer, and director known for Walking with Dinosaurs/beasts/monsters and Primeval
NBCUniversal (Surviving Earth)
Episode: Interview: Producer, Writer, and Director Tim Haines on Surviving Earth and Bringing the Distant Past to Life
Craig Fehrman
Journalist, historian, and author
This Vast Enterprise (Author)
Episode: The Corps of Discovery Wasn't Just Lewis and Clark: Interview with Craig Fehrman

Host

Patrick Wyman
Host of Past Lives; historian and storyteller focused on lived experiences of people across history.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 282 ratings
  • Interesting. I would like the narrative to be slower. Very rushed and difficult to immerse in the past lives.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    me!
    a month ago
  • Very cool idea for a podcast. I'd recommend talking a bit slower though! The speech feels quite rushed

    Podcast Addict
    3
    dlamdesu
    a month ago
  • Great source of more Wyman

    The high standard of history podcasting we all associate with Patrick Wyman, but in a great format: quick episodes that still manage to do a deep dive on under-appreciated topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cbees5000
    United States2 months ago
  • Bringing a more complete narrative to History

    Patrick continues his amazing podcast work with _Past Lives_, looking at people like you and me and their experiences during the times they lived. By drawing sociological views of their surroundings and fleeting glimpses of people in records, Patrick brings unique views of past lives to us in an enjoyable podcast format. Each episode brings these people together into a broader subject arc that is satisfying to experience from beginning to end.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeffrey Marraccini
    United States4 months ago
  • Great dive into Social History

    Great start to what promises to be an interesting series.

    The first season takes up the “throughline” of slavery in human history, a fraught topic that Wyman handles ably. I look forward to future themes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Late great JC
    Canada5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

A fresh look at slavery and everyday lives that challenges traditional hero-focused history.
Polished storytelling that makes history feel intimate and human.
Excellent synthesis of research and narrative, with attention to evidence.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#104
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#139
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#164
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#137
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#186
Argentina/History
Apple Podcasts
#192
Hong Kong/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Interview: James Romm - Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays
Q: What do you hope readers take from Since You're Mortal?
He wants readers to feel a sense of connection to the past, to recognize that ancient people faced the same essential concerns as we do, and to see modern life reflected in the moral and practical questions raised by the quotations in Stobaeus's compilation.
Interview: James Romm - Since You’re Mortal: Life Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays
Q: So what initially drew your interest to the ancient world?
Romm describes being drawn first to myths and Homeric tales and gradually shifting to history as a living discipline; the myths sparked curiosity, and through time he found a deep engagement with historical contexts behind those myths.
Interview: Shannon Chakraborty and Historical Fantasy
Q: What inspires you when thinking about parallel worlds or source worlds?
Historically grounded curiosity; the idea that past worlds are living systems with their own logic, which can be explored through meticulous world-building and engagement with primary sources.
Interview: Producer, Writer, and Director Tim Haines on Surviving Earth and Bringing the Distant Past to Life
Q: Your background was in science journalism. How did you pivot to making a full TV series, and how do you balance accuracy with storytelling?
He explains starting with a research-heavy approach, using natural history storytelling channels, and then crafting characters and ecosystems around the evidence to create a compelling, emotionally resonant series while respecting scientific reliability.
Interview: Producer, Writer, and Director Tim Haines on Surviving Earth and Bringing the Distant Past to Life
Q: How did you get into making documentary series?
Tim describes an early passion sparked by Jurassic Park and a move from science journalism into storytelling, realizing technology could animate real-looking dinosaurs and drive engaging narratives, which led to Walking with Dinosaurs and beyond.

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 Past Lives

What is Past Lives about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history podcast that centers the lived experiences of ordinary people across time, from ancient to near-present, using biography, social history, and archaeology to illuminate how everyday lives shaped the past. Episodes compare personal narratives with larger historical themes, often tackling difficult topics like slavery, migration, and everyday resilience, all with careful sourcing and vivid storytelling. Notably, it blends rigorous research with human-centric storytelling, making complex eras accessible and engaging for listeners who enjoy deep-dive history told through individual lives.

Where can I find podcast stats for Past Lives?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Past Lives. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Past Lives and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Past Lives get?

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What are the audience demographics for Past Lives?

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How many subscribers and views does Past Lives have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Past Lives has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Past Lives?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Past Lives:

1. Tides of History
2. The Ancients
3. We're Not So Different
4. Fall of Civilizations Podcast
5. The History of Byzantium

How many episodes of Past Lives are there?

Past Lives launched 9 months ago and published 40 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Past Lives?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Past Lives?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Past Lives from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Past Lives?

Recent guests on Past Lives include:

1. James Romm
2. Thomas Asbridge
3. Shannon Chakraborty
4. Tim Haines
5. Craig Fehrman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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