European Review of History Podcast

In this episode, Dr Ruby Rutter and Dr Lewis Ryder speak with playwright, academic, and “accidental historian” Dr Stephen Hornby — National Playwright in Residence to LGBT+ History Month. Hornby specialises in transforming archival fragments, absences, and queer histories into compelling stage and screen narratives.Across the conversation he explains how drama can both illuminate and disrupt the historical record, especially when sources are scant or shaped by silence. He discusses the dilemmas of authenticity, the ethics of representing marginalised pasts, and the creative potential of purposeful anachronism. Drawing on projects from Manchester drag-ball raids to Burnley’s 1971 public coming-out meeting and the BBC’s first documentary on male homosexuality, Hornby shows how performance can open up alternative ways of “doing” history.Find out more about Stephen's work here:Instagram: @inkbrewproductionsLinkedin: linkedin.com/in/dr-stephen-m-hornbyRead the journal here:https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cerh20/currentFollow the journal here:Bluesky: @EuroReviewHistThreads:@EuroReviewHistoryInstagram: @euroreviewhistoryBlog: www.euroreviewhistory.comThe views expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Taylor & Francis. We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this podcast is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee that it is error-free. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this podcast, please contact us directly.

In this episode, Ruby is joined by Hélène Maloigne—archaeologist, historian, and cultural-heritage scholar—to explore how cinema has shaped our collective imagination of archaeology. From Indiana Jones and Lara Croft to National Treasure and Jumanji, screen archaeologists have become some of popular culture’s most enduring—and misleading—adventurers.Hélène, whose work spans ancient West Asia, the history of archaeology, and its entanglements with colonialism and popular media, lifts the curtain on why the rugged, puzzle-cracking hero bears little resemblance to real, collaborative fieldwork. Together, Ruby and Hélène trace how on-screen myths—deciphered scripts, secret chambers, lone geniuses—feed conspiracy thinking, from crystal skulls to “ancient aliens,” and how these stories erase local knowledge while propping up the white-saviour trope.They delve into questions of representation and responsibility: who “discovers” the past, who gets to keep it, and how museums and mandates turned objects into imperial trophies. The conversation ranges from interwar publicity machines (BBC radio talks, newspaper exclusives) to today’s debates on restitution and the ethics of displaying human remains—asking what we gain from spectacle versus respectful stewardship.The episode also contrasts British small-screen gentleness—Detectorists, The Dig—with global counter-portrayals, including Jackie Chan’s professor-hero (The Myth, Kung Fu Yoga, The Legend), where cooperation and repatriation take centre stage. Along the way, Hélène spotlights overlooked women in the field and the invisible labour that makes archaeology possible.Whether you’re a film buff, museum-goer, or historian, this conversation reveals how the cinematic archaeologist tells us as much about modern power, empire, and entertainment as it does about the ancient world.Find out more about Hélène's work here:Bluesky: @hmaloigne.bsky.socialRead the journal here:https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cerh20/currentFollow the journal here:Bluesky: @EuroReviewHistThreads:@EuroReviewHistoryInstagram: @euroreviewhistoryBlog: www.euroreviewhistory.comThe views expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Taylor & Francis. We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this podcast is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee that it is error-free. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this podcast, please contact us directly.

In this episode, Ruby is joined by Dr Katie Turner, Independent Scholar and Public Historian, to explore how cinema has shaped our collective imagination of the biblical past. From Ben Hur to The Passion of the Christ, “Jesus films” have been among the most enduring — and contentious — examples of history on screen.Katie, whose research spans Second Temple Judaism, the New Testament, and their reception in art, drama, and film, lifts the curtain on how filmmakers have reimagined sacred stories for modern audiences. Together, Ruby and Katie discuss why depictions of Jesus and the ancient world so often reflect theology, orientalism, and cultural bias more than historical evidence — and how filmic conventions have turned Jesus into one of cinema’s most recognisable (and reinterpreted) figures.They delve into questions of authenticity and audience expectation, from casting and costume design to the use of European landscapes as stand-ins for the ancient Near East. Katie explains why efforts to “correct” popular portrayals can sometimes backfire, creating an “anti-authenticity effect” in viewers accustomed to centuries of artistic tradition.The conversation also explores non-Western portrayals, subversive reimaginings such as Life of Brian and Jesus Christ Superstar, and the enduring cultural power of these films as both entertainment and theology.Whether you’re a film buff, theologian, or historian, this episode reveals how the cinematic Jesus tells us as much about our own world as it does about the ancient one.Find out more about Katie's work here:Bluesky: @katieturnerphd.comWebsite: https://www.katieturnerphd.com/aboutPodcast: https://www.godsandmoviemakers.com/Read the journal here:https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cerh20/currentFollow the journal here:Bluesky: @EuroReviewHistThreads:@EuroReviewHistoryInstagram: @euroreviewhistoryBlog: www.euroreviewhistory.comThe views expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Taylor & Francis. We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this podcast is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee that it is error-free. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this podcast, please contact us directly.

Ruby sits down with Maxime Durand, Historical Researcher and Production Coordinator at Ubisoft Montréal, to explore the fascinating intersection between history, gaming, and storytelling.As one of the key figures behind the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Maxime works to ensure the games’ richly detailed historical worlds — from Renaissance Italy to Revolutionary Paris — are as accurate and immersive as possible. In this episode, Ruby and Maxime discuss the delicate balance between creative license and historical authenticity, and how these digital reconstructions shape the way millions of players imagine and engage with the past.The conversation ranges from the practical challenges of recreating historical settings in an entertainment medium to the ethical and educational implications of letting players “experience” history through gameplay. Together, they consider how Assassin’s Creed and similar projects can act as powerful tools for public history, historical empathy, and cultural preservation.Whether you’re a historian, a gamer, or simply curious about how the past comes to life on screen, this episode offers a compelling glimpse behind the scenes of one of the world’s most historically ambitious video game series.Find out more about Maxime's work here:Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/maxime-durand-81380533Learn more about Assassin's Creed:https://www.ubisoft.com/en-gb/game/assassins-creedRead the journal here:https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cerh20/currentFollow the journal here:Bluesky: @EuroReviewHistThreads:@EuroReviewHistoryInstagram: @euroreviewhistoryBlog: www.euroreviewhistory.comThe views expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Taylor & Francis. We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this podcast is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee that it is error-free. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this podcast, please contact us directly.

In this lively opening episode of The European Review of History Podcast’s new series on History and Entertainment, Ruby is joined by Dr Oliver Coulson, Head of Operations and Conservation at the Norwich Historic Churches Trust. Together they explore how laughter, satire, and visual wit were woven into the fabric of medieval religious life.From the Venerable Bede — the eighth-century monk who slipped the first recorded joke in English history into his Ecclesiastical History — to the Lollards and the fox-filled manuscripts of the fifteenth century, Oliver reveals that medieval culture was far from dour or joyless. The conversation uncovers a rich and surprisingly funny world where manuscripts doubled as cartoons, morality plays poked fun at priests, and even heresy inspired a wry visual vocabulary.Along the way, Ruby and Oliver consider why modern audiences often imagine the Middle Ages as dark and humourless, and how rediscovering the period’s playfulness can bridge the gap between past and present.Whether you’re a medievalist, a history enthusiast, or simply someone who enjoys a good pun (Pope Gregory’s “Angli/Angeli” joke gets an honourable mention), this episode will make you see the Middle Ages in a whole new light.Connect with Oliver:Instagram: @omc_igFind out more about Norwich Historic Churches Trust:https://www.nhct-norwich.org/about/Read the journal here:https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cerh20/currentFollow the journal here:Bluesky: @EuroReviewHistThreads:@EuroReviewHistoryInstagram: @euroreviewhistoryBlog: www.euroreviewhistory.comThe views expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Taylor & Francis. We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this podcast is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee that it is error-free. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this podcast, please contact us directly.

In the final episode of our Digital Histories series, we are joined by Claire Miles - better known as ‘Hisdoryan’ to her online followers. Claire is a history content creator, specialising in Welsh history and we discuss how blogging and digital media is shaping the way history is accessed and enjoyed. Connect with Claire:Hisdoryan blog: https://hisdoryan.co.uk/Twitter: @HisdoryanThreads: @HisdoryanInstagram: @HisdoryanRead the journal here:https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cerh20/currentFollow the journal here:Twitter: @EuroReviewHistThreads:@EuroReviewHistoryInstagram: @euroreviewhistoryBlog: www.euroreviewhistory.comThe views expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Taylor & Francis. We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this podcast is accurate and up-to-date, but cannot guarantee that it is error-free. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in this podcast, please contact us directly.