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Artwork for Past Lives

Past Lives

Patrick Wyman
Slavery
History
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Roman Empire
Social Death
Serfdom
Assyria
Clovis People
Mamluk Empire
Ottoman Empire
Congo
Bangladesh
Mississippi
America
Marcus Virgilius Eurysaces
Crixus
Renaissance
Moll
Beringia
Military Slavery

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes30Founded7 months ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

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Artwork for Past Lives

Latest Episodes

Nearly 4,000 years ago, a young woman was buried in the sands of the Tarim Basin in western China. When her coffin was opened just a few decades ago, her face was almost perfectly preserved. We know her as the Princess of Xiaohe, but what was her wor... more

Tim Haines (Walking with Dinosaurs, Primeval) joins me to discuss making high-quality documentaries about the distant past in the lead-up to the premiere of his new series on mass extinctions, Surviving Earth, which debuts June 10th on Peacock.

Beco... more

While Xinjiang - in the extreme west of present-day China - is today a tightly controlled and repressed periphery, but for most of the past 4,000 years, it has been the crossroads at the heart of Eurasia. Practically every important technological and... more

New York Times bestselling author Craig Fehrman joins us to discuss his wonderful new book, This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis and Clark. We talk about the Corps of Discovery beyond the two captains, the richness of the sources we have to u... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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 259 ratings
  • 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 Statesa month 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
    Canada3 months ago
  • Fabulous as always

    I am so pleased to see a new series of excellent podcasts from Patrick

    the stories are really fresh and engaging. These are stories that need to be told - as horrible as they are - it’s part of our history from forever

    We need to remember this history especially watching current history unfolding all around us .

    There is still slavery in many parts of the world today just as there is still war

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    zpic
    United States3 months ago
  • Consistently excellent and deeply relevant

    I am a huge Tides of History fan, but the first season of this was even better. I was a little worried that this series was going to be too gimmicky to sustain itself. In fact, Wyman blends narrative and discussion of the historiography to give a compelling, detailed, and haunting glimpse into the practice of enslavement.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IdeasManPhD
    United States3 months ago
  • An incredible new podcast from an incredible podcast host. Patrick is one of the best in the business, and I have learned so much about history from him over the years. I'm beyond excited to see what this new show brings to the table - and what Patrick can do with a fully independent podcast!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Drysword
    3 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
#129
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#140
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#140
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#135
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#79
Chile/History
Apple Podcasts
#95
Belgium/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
The Corps of Discovery Wasn't Just Lewis and Clark: Interview with Craig Fehrman
Q: What role did archival digging play in your storytelling?
Archival digging uncovered new details about lesser-known figures like John Ordway and brought to light previously overlooked perspectives, which helped create a richer, more textured tapestry of the expedition.
The Corps of Discovery Wasn't Just Lewis and Clark: Interview with Craig Fehrman
Q: How did you handle sensitive topics like slavery and Sacajawea's status?
I relied on a mix of journals, slave narratives, and Indigenous sources to present these figures with nuance, emphasizing agency where possible while acknowledging the broader systems that constrained them.
The Corps of Discovery Wasn't Just Lewis and Clark: Interview with Craig Fehrman
Q: What inspired the rotating perspective structure in your book?
The structure came from a desire to make the narrative more dynamic and to illuminate how different people experienced the same events, showing how contingency and diverse backgrounds shaped decisions and outcomes.

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.

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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. Revolutions
4. In Our Time
5. The History of Byzantium

How many episodes of Past Lives are there?

Past Lives launched 7 months ago and published 30 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?

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What guests have appeared on Past Lives?

Recent guests on Past Lives include:

1. Tim Haines
2. 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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