Villains and Virgins History Podcast
Recent Episodes
Henry VIII: The Accidental King
You may think you know all about Henry VIII, but the version of his life that gets passed around focuses on an obese maniac who married and divorced or beheaded quite a number of women. There is much more...
Black Amazons: EP 4 The True History of the Dora Milaje
This episode uncovers the forgotten history of some of the most badass women you’ve never heard of. The Kingdom of Dahomey in West Africa had all female army units who consistently fought better and more courageously than the men....
Amazons: EP 3- Shirin and other stories
We know the Greek legends of the Amazons, but because the warrior women were real the Greeks were not the only ones telling stories about them. In this episode we uncover legends of women fighters from the Caucasus, and...
Amazons: Ep 2– Horse Tribes
The legends of the Amazons are based on real women who could ride, hunt, shoot bows, and fight. In this episode we uncover the fascinating archaeological evidence on the horse tribes of the steppe and the women warriors who...
Amazons: Episode 1- The Legend
Stories of badass warrior women continue to fascinate us today, as they did the ancient Greeks. In Greek stories the Amazons were a tribe of all female warriors who were formidable in combat and fascinating for their bravery, athleticism,...
Warrior Queen: EP 3- Boudica’s Revenge
After suffering horrifying violence and theft at the hands of the Romans, Boudica decides enough is enough. This is the story of a woman who led a rebellion against Roman occupation, preferring to risk death in battle rather than...
Warrior Queen: Episode 2- Rebels and Romans
What happened when the Romans invaded Britain? What did life under occupation look like for the native tribes? In this episode we cover the Roman policies and projects that changed the face of Britain. A Celtic queen starts an...
Warrior Queen
What was Britain like before the Romans made contact? The world of the Celts, with its wild blue Northerners, Druids, and sacrifices is painted here, setting the stage for one of the most astonishing female figures in British history....
War Games of the Steppe
Many fierce warrior tribes have emerged from the Eurasian Steppe, from the Huns to the Mongols and many others. What made these people such effective fighters? Learn about Mongolian wrestling, archery, and the most dangerous game on Earth. In...
Attila the Hun- Episode 4: Blood on the Plains
In this final episode of our series, Attila takes a massive army and storms through western Europe to the gates of Orleans, in France. The epic Battle of the Catalaunian Plains unfolds over two days, as old allies become...
Attila the Hun- Episode 3: Attila and the Princess
In this episode we learn about Hunnish women and marriage practices. A sex scandal breaks out in the Western Imperial Court, leading to pregnancy and execution. A Roman princess makes a shocking proposal to Attila that threatens to destabilize...
Attila the Hun- Episode 2: The Emperor and the Barbarian
In this episode we see an imperial princess kidnapped, and an attempt to steal the Western Imperial throne goes wrong. The Huns become famous for extortion and impalement. An assassination plot backfires horribly.
Attila the Hun- Death from the Steppe
Attila the Hun still looms in our memory, though less and less is remembered about the man himself and the fierce people he led. This episode introduces the Huns of history, paints the world they inhabited, and sets the...
The Great Schism- Episode 4: The Rupture
After a century of scandal, a new Pope takes over in Rome. Leo IX has sweeping plans for reform, and then gets taken prisoner by Norman warriors. Meanwhile church controversies brew over everything from beards to communion bread until...
The Great Schism- Episode 3: Game of Thrones in the Vatican
A teenaged boy inherits the Papacy and the keys to Rome, and begins a career of wild partying. John XII plays power games with dangerous military leaders, and attempts to backstab the most powerful warrior in Europe. The House...
The Great Schism- Episode 2: House of Theophylact
Historians have called this period the “pornocracy”. Find out why in this episode, when the powerful and ambitious women of the House of Theophylact take over Rome and control the Papacy. Sex, murder, blindings and treachery, it’s a wild...
The Great Schism: Episode 1- Emperors and Popes
In 1054 an event occurred that split the Christian world. It has never recovered. In this mini series, we dive into the world before the Great Schism, to understand the forces that created the institutions of the Church and...
4: Salem Witch Trials –Trial and Terror
“Devil’s marks would often be found ‘in their secretest parts, and therefore require diligent and careful search'”. The witch trials in Salem involved strip searching and inspecting the bodies of accused women for any detail that could be used...
3. Salem Witch Trials- The Panic Begins
“What is the name of your demon lover?” “How many years have you been a witch?” These were the types of questions hurled at people accused of witchcraft in a small town in New England. A group of young...
Henry VIII: EP 2- Queen of Scandal
The woman who is blamed for turning Henry VIII from a most Catholic king into the one who separated Tudor England from the Catholic Church was a dark eyed stunner named Anne Boleyn. This is the story of how...