{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6467b7de03f4220011a934bd/68f7ba43dbf5027e491b69ab?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"273. Great Minds, Greater Vices: How Drugs Fuelled the Past with Sam Kelly","description":"<p>Discover how drugs shaped empires, creativity, and chaos throughout history.</p><p><br></p><p>From ancient battlefields to Victorian medicine cabinets, this week’s episode of <strong>History Rage</strong> dives into the surprising — and often shocking — role of substance use across the ages. Host <strong>Paul Bavill</strong> is joined by historian and writer <strong>Sam Kelly</strong> (<em>@humanhistoryondrugs</em>) for a deep, thought-provoking journey through how drugs influenced the world’s most famous figures, ideas, and empires.</p><p><br></p><p>Together, they uncover how <strong>Alexander the Great</strong>, <strong>Sigmund Freud</strong>, <strong>Queen Victoria</strong>, and even <strong>Pope Leo XIII</strong> all encountered (and indulged in) mind-altering substances — often with world-changing consequences. From Freud’s cocaine-fuelled psychology to the British Empire’s opium trade, from religious visions to artistic inspiration, Sam and Paul reveal the hidden highs and devastating lows that shaped history’s greatest moments.</p><p><br></p><p>You’ll learn how drugs were once tools of power and creativity, but also instruments of destruction. And, as Sam reminds us, it’s never a simple story — these substances weren’t inherently good or bad, but they were <em>always</em> influential.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’ve ever wondered what connects emperors, popes, poets, and programmers — or how LSD helped inspire modern computing — this is an episode you won’t want to miss.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>🎧 Episode Highlights</strong></p><ul><li>The Pope who publicly endorsed cocaine-infused wine 🍷</li><li>How opium funded the British Empire’s expansion into China 💰</li><li>Freud, Alexander the Great, and the deadly cost of indulgence ⚔️</li><li>The link between artistic creativity and chemical experimentation 🎨</li><li>Steve Jobs, LSD, and the psychedelic origins of the personal computer 💻</li><li>Why understanding substance use gives us a truer picture of history 🔍</li></ul><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>📚 About the Guest – Sam Kelly</strong></p><p>Sam Kelly is a historian, writer, and host of Human History on Drugs, where he explores the complex and often surprising intersections between humanity and its intoxicants. His work brings wit, nuance, and compassion to a subject too often oversimplified.</p><p>👉 Follow Sam on Instagram: @human_history_on_drugs</p><p>🎙️ Check out the TikTok Channel: @human_history_on_durgs </p><p><strong>________________________________________</strong></p><p><strong>💬 Connect with History Rage</strong></p><p>📱 Follow for more history myth-busting and expert rants:</p><p>Instagram: @historyrage</p><p>Twitter/X: @historyrage</p><p>TikTok: @historyrage</p><p>📧 Contact Paul Bavill: historyragepod@gmail.com</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>💥 Support History Rage</strong></p><p>Love what we do? Help keep <em>History Rage</em> independent:</p><p> 💰 Join us on Patreon for exclusive episodes, early access, and behind-the-scenes extras:</p><p> 👉 https://www.patreon.com/historyrage</p><p>🎧 Subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode — and leave us a rating or review to help more listeners discover the truth behind the myths.</p>","author_name":"Paul Bavill"}