Podcast · 23 episodes
Life Lessons from History
by History Extra · English
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
Wait for the wheel of fortune to turn your wayMedieval ways of understanding time and patience, and how that mindset can reduce modern anxiety.27 Sep 2026 · 41 min
Be more confident, like a WW2 secret agentHow to build confidence and resilience by deliberately putting yourself into challenging, uncomfortable situations, drawing lessons from WWII British SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents’…20 Sep 2026 · 23 min
Never give up, even in the face of terrible oddsLife Lessons from History (History Extra) episode arguing that 17th-century people didn’t “give up” when ill; instead they stayed proactive, sought multiple opinions, and tried many remedies (“carpet…13 Sep 2026 · 30 min
All episodes
Wait for the wheel of fortune to turn your wayMedieval ways of understanding time and patience, and how that mindset can reduce modern anxiety.27 Sep 2026 · 41 min · 20 chapters
Be more confident, like a WW2 secret agentHow to build confidence and resilience by deliberately putting yourself into challenging, uncomfortable situations, drawing lessons from WWII British SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents’…20 Sep 2026 · 23 min · 12 chapters
Never give up, even in the face of terrible oddsLife Lessons from History (History Extra) episode arguing that 17th-century people didn’t “give up” when ill; instead they stayed proactive, sought multiple opinions, and tried many remedies (“carpet…13 Sep 2026 · 30 min · 17 chapters
Argue like a medieval Irish monkHow to argue/disagree respectfully using advice from early medieval Irish monastic “wisdom literature,” contrasting humility, listening, and truth-seeking with pride, anger, jeering, and falsehood…6 Sep 2026 · 36 min · 19 chapters
Always look on the gloomy side of lifeA “gloom-preparation” life lesson from Sophocles: “the truly happy man ought to never leave home,” interpreted as mental fortitude—if you anticipate downturns, you can enjoy good times more.30 Aug 2026 · 26 min · 11 chapters
Go for a walk to free your mindWalking as a mental and physical “superpower,” rooted in Britain’s footpath history.23 Aug 2026 · 40 min · 20 chapters
Master the Medieval Art of Knowing YourselfLife Lessons from History episode arguing that the “seven deadly sins” are medieval tools for self-examination and ongoing self-knowledge, not just prohibitions.16 Aug 2026 · 35 min · 20 chapters
Let’s talk about death more honestlyLet’s Talk About Death More Honestly8 Mar 2026 · 43 min · 19 chapters
Seek out silence, like a TudorA podcast exploring how historical insights can help us live better today, focusing on advice from historians and archaeologists.1 Mar 2026 · 21 min · 10 chapters
Build your own stone circleDr. Susan Greeney, Archaeologist at the University of Exeter22 Feb 2026 · 26 min · 12 chapters
Love learning like ÆthelstanProfessor David Woodman, biographer of King Æthelstan15 Feb 2026 · 16 min · 6 chapters
Be wary of labour-saving devicesProfessor Emma Griffin, Historian of the Industrial Revolution8 Feb 2026 · 37 min · 15 chapters
Hug a tree like a medieval paganThe podcast explores how historical insights can inform and improve contemporary life, featuring historians and archaeologists who provide life lessons drawn from their studies.1 Feb 2026 · 23 min · 7 chapters
Love your neighbour, like an ancient RomanThe podcast explores how ancient civilizations can provide valuable life lessons that improve our modern lives, focusing on insights from historians and archaeologists.25 Jan 2026 · 35 min · 12 chapters
Find wonder in the world around youAnglo-Saxon (Old English) riddles in the Exeter Book and the “life lesson” of finding wonder in ordinary things; how riddling trains attention, craft appreciation, and mindfulness in a tech-heavy…18 Jan 2026 · 34 min · 16 chapters
Paint a pot like an ancient EtruscanLife Lessons from History episode proposing that the ancient Etruscans’ key lesson is “be yourself and don’t be afraid to make mistakes,” supported by how they made art, traded, and represented…11 Jan 2026 · 44 min · 19 chapters
Live locally, live sustainablySustainability lessons from the medieval period, arguing for local production/transport of necessities and “reuse, repair, recycling, reduction,” plus how medieval communities managed resources under…4 Jan 2026 · 38 min · 15 chapters
Don’t worry, be BabylonianHow ancient Assyrians and Babylonians (in modern-day Iraq) managed anxiety and catastrophizing, using temple lamentations, delegated “worry time,” prayers/rituals, and detailed expressions of…28 Dec 2025 · 21 min · 10 chapters
Get personal with your poo, like a samuraiEdo-period Japan’s waste management—water supply, reuse, and “night soil” collection—used as a sustainability lesson for today.21 Dec 2025 · 29 min · 10 chapters
Tudor sleep lessonsEarly modern (16th–17th century) sleep in England/British Isles, including Tudor-era “sleep lessons”: the six non-natural things (especially sleeping/waking), bedroom setups, cooling practices,…14 Dec 2025 · 39 min · 22 chapters
Let a little magic into your lifeLife Lessons from History episode arguing that living in a “disenchanted” modern world is an advantage: people can enjoy supernatural belief as personal comfort or play without fear, persecution, or…7 Dec 2025 · 30 min · 15 chapters
Procrastinate like Elizabeth ILife Lessons from History episode arguing that Elizabeth I’s “procrastination” (delaying decisions to resist pressure and gain time) helped her maintain power and navigate major crises, especially…30 Nov 2025 · 30 min · 15 chapters
Introducing Life Lessons from HistoryThe episode introduces a new History Extra podcast series, “Life Lessons from History,” hosted by Dave Musgrove, where he invites a historian guest to propose a life lesson drawn from history that…23 Nov 2025 · 1 min