In "Hardcore History" journalist and broadcaster Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", unorthodox way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras? This isn't academic history (and Carlin isn't a historian) but the podcast's unique blend of high drama, masterful narration and Twilight Zone-style twists has entertained millions of listeners.
What this show covers
ancient warfareAlexander the GreatAlexanderNature vs nurtureAncient historyPowerLeadershipMacedonrebellionsuccessionChristianizationSvein ForkbeardScandinaviaViking historyHarald Bluetooth
What listeners will find here
Alexander the Great through the lens of nature, nurture, and nepotism
This preview suggests a focused look at what made Alexander the Great such a formidable historical force. Based on the show notes, the episode frames his rise around three factors: nature, nurture, and nepotism.
A 20-year-old king takes command—and every border erupts
This preview, based only on the show notes, sets up Alexander’s rise to the throne and the immediate crises that follow. If you’re curious about how he secures power against Thracian, Triballian, Illyrian, and Theban threats, this episode looks like a fast-moving chapter in his early reign.
Viking sea kings, Christian crowns, and a brutal transition
This preview, based only on the show notes, points to a look at how 10th- and 11th-century Scandinavian rulers shifted from pagan Viking sea kings to Christian monarchs. It also suggests the episode questions whether conversion made their rule any gentler for neighboring lands.
A 21-year-old Alexander takes aim at history’s biggest empire
This preview, based only on the published show notes, sets up an episode about Alexander’s audacious move against the Persian Empire. It frames the campaign as a bid for immortality, with youth, ambition, and scale at the center.
Why the Battle of Issus may be ancient history’s most underrated showdown
This preview is based only on the episode’s published notes. It points to an in-person clash between Alexander and Persia’s Great King, with a focus on the Battle of Issus and why the show treats it as one of antiquity’s most important battles.
Episodes
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