Marco Polo

07/31/22 • 61 min

In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo spent decades travelling the world. His adventures took him from his home in Venice as far east as the Yellow Sea, where he was a valued courtier of the legendary Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Later, in prison, he wrote the world’s first travel book. But how did his name become synonymous with adventure? What compelled him to stay away for so long? And why is his story still remembered almost eight centuries later?

This is a Short History of Marco Polo.

Written by Chris McDonald. With thanks to Denis Belliveau: author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In The Footsteps of Marco Polo.

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This is a Short History of Marco Polo.

Written by Chris McDonald. With thanks to Denis Belliveau: author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In The Footsteps of Marco Polo.

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The Spartans

In 480BC, the Spartans secured their place in history when 300 of their soldiers fought to the death against the mighty Persian army at Thermopylae. Their reputation for brutal decisiveness and simple living have been admired for thousands of years. But what about the darker side of Spartan ideology, a society that culled weak babies, forced children to fight, and enslaved its neighbours? Was Sparta really a utopia? Or was Aristotle right when he said that Spartans simply made men into machines?

This is a Short History of the Spartans.

Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dr Andrew Bayliss, Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Birmingham, UK, and author of The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction.

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As one of the great pioneers of air travel, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She pushed aviation technology to its limits, broke countless records, and became world-famous for her skill, bravery and determination. But what prompted her to dare to take to the skies despite the overwhelming risks? Who was the real person behind the legend? And what happened on her final fateful flight—an enduring mystery that has spawned countless conspiracy theories?

This is a Short History of Amelia Earhart.

Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Susan Butler, author of East to the Dawn, the Life of Amelia Earhart.

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