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History

Life Lessons from History

by History Extra
History
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About the show

How can the experience of the Babylonians and Assyrians ease our worries now? Can we look to a Tudor queen for advice on procrastination? How can we harness the ancient fear of faeries and witches to add a bit of enchantment to our lives today? What’s this all about? It’s a simple concept. I find a great historian or archaeologist and I ask them to propose a Life Lesson from History – some learning from their study of the past that will help us today to live better, happier, healthier, or more productive lives.

Latest episodes

  • Just get outside, the air is lovely

    October 4, 2026 · 25 min

    Just get outside and enjoy some fresh air. That was a simple pleasure that our medieval forebears embraced, and it’ll do wonders for us today. That’s the view of medievalist Katherine Harvey, talking on this episode of Life Lessons from…

  • Wait for the wheel of fortune to turn your way

    September 27, 2026 · 41 min

    Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t. That was the approach that many people in the Middle Ages took to life, because they had an understanding of time that was more cyclical than we tend to have today. You can channel this…

  • Be more confident, like a WW2 secret agent

    September 20, 2026 · 23 min

    Become a secret agent and throw yourself into life-or-death situations because if it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger. That’s not very helpful or practical advice for most of us, but if you do want to build your confidence…

  • Never give up, even in the face of terrible odds

    September 13, 2026 · 30 min

    If you don’t think you can carry on with something, take a moment to consider the resilience of 17th-century patients. Sick people in the 1600s were remarkably resilient, even when the chances of them recovering from illnesses were slim…

  • Argue like a medieval Irish monk

    September 6, 2026 · 36 min

    Medieval Irish monks knew how to disagree respectfully. That’s a skill that we sorely need these days, as social media nudges us into binary anger. According to medievalist Elizabeth Boyle, in conversation with David Musgrove, we can learn…

  • Always look on the gloomy side of life

    August 30, 2026 · 26 min

    According to Prof James Romm’s reading of the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosopher Sophocles, if you prepare well for gloom, you can enjoy the sunshine more readily. This episode of Life Lessons from History is all about mental…

  • Go for a walk to free your mind

    August 23, 2026 · 40 min

    What if the best way to solve a problem isn't to think harder, but simply to go for a walk? In this episode of Life Lessons from History, explorer and geographer Nicholas Crane joins Dave Musgrove to uncover the remarkable history of…

  • Master the Medieval Art of Knowing Yourself

    August 16, 2026 · 35 min

    The Seven Deadly Sins are often dismissed as a list of religious prohibitions, but medieval historian Peter Jones reveals they were originally something much more profound: a practical guide to self-knowledge. Drawing on centuries of…