Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
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Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
Join sex historian Kate Lister on Betwixt the Sheets as she gets intimate with the stories that would make your history teacher blush.What were the Victorians really like behind closed (bedroom) doors? How did the Black Death favour women in medieval England? And what was Caesar like in the sack?&nb...
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358 episodi
History's Worst F*ckboys: Rasputin
Rasputin presented himself as a mystic healer, and preached that the only way to salvation was through sin — which sometimes, if rumour is to be belie...
Why Are We Scared Of Single Women?
Where did the idea of the bunny boiler come from?
In this episode we're exploring how single women got such a bad rap in popular culture. From M...
Who Was The Naughtiest Pope In History?
Sex, scandal and ... the Sacraments? Renaissance Rome wasn't for the faint hearted. And the Vatican? For some that was the source of the drama.
...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Emperor Nero
Where does Emperor Nero fit in the pantheon of history's worst f*ckboys?
Does he measure up against the likes of previous episodes on Charles II...
Queer Georgians
How did the Georgians discuss sexuality? And how, and why, did they regulate it? In this episode, Kate talks to Dr Anthony Delaney about his new book...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Raphael
The Renaissance is known for its heady combination of sex, art and exciting new ideas about the world.
Was Raphael, one of the superstar painter...
Alexander the Great's Mummy Issues: Olympias
They say behind every great man is a great woman. In this episode, we meet the woman behind Alexander the Great's success. From securing his status, t...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Charles II
Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!
In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to...
Shag, Marry, Kill: Roman Emperor Edition
Which would be better for a fling, which would you not touch with a barge pole, and which is marriage material? There's only one way to find out.
Origins of Virginity
From luring in unicorns to protecting the Roman Empire, myths have surrounded virginity for centuries. But is virginity itself a myth?
In this e...
How Hot Was Henry VIII?
With SIX wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful?
In this ep...
The Real Virgin Mary
Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?
What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? A...
How Wild Were The Last Days Of Rome?
As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?
That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by historian...
The Strangest Tudor & Stuart Aphrodisiacs
Forget oysters, have you tried eating sparrows with a side of phallic vegetables to stir your lust?!
Getting in the mood isn’t just a modern pre...
Did Henry VI Have A Sex Coach?
Henry VI didn't fit the medieval image of masculinity, or that much of a king, either.
Who gave sex education to someone of this stature? How di...
Who Were The Vestal Virgins?
What happened if a Vestal Virgin broke their pledge of virginity? How would a woman be chosen for the role? And were there any benefits to taking it?<...
Royal Sex: Cleopatra
Did Cleopatra have a bee-powered vibrator? Why did she marry both of her brothers? And how serious were her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark...
How Incestuous Were The Habsburgs?
People will do crazy things to keep hold of power.
The Habsburgs - one of the most powerful families in European history - were a prime example...
Royal Sex: Elizabeth I
Was Elizabeth I really a virgin? When we talk about queens being remembered for their sex lives, we absolutely have to mention the woman so often reme...
Victorian Sex Work Scandal: The Prince And The Telegraph Boys
In the summer of 1889, a London police officer stopped and searched a telegraph boy, suspecting him of stealing from the Post Office he worked for. Wh...
Royal Sex: Catherine the Great
Did Catherine the Great really die having sex with a horse? Was she involved in her husband's death? And were her lovers selected for political reason...
Sex Lives of the Roman Legion
As the Roman Empire grew, so did the importance of its army - the Roman Legion.
But what was life on the march like? What happened on the encamp...
Royal Sex: Marie Antoinette
Behind the wild accusations of extra-marital affairs and a lavish lifestyle, who was the real Marie Antoinette? Why did her marriage to King Louis XVI...
The Power of Medieval Gossip
People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip'...
Royal Sex: Queen Victoria
With NINE children, it can probably be assumed that Queen Victoria was no stranger to the sheets, but what do we actually know about her love (and sex...
Why Were Ancient Dicks So Small?
Have you ever been puzzled by proportions when looking at Ancient Greek statues? It can't just be us.
From quarrying the stone to chipping away...
Sex Work in Victorian London
What were the lives of women like who sold sex in the Victorian era? How did the law makers and moral crusaders of the time try to control it? How did...
The History of the C-section
Almost half of births in the UK are delivered via Cesarean section. But when was this operation first performed?
Kate Lister is joined by Hannah...
Sex Work in the Renaissance
Early Modern Italy birthed artistic giants like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, saw architectural marvels like Florence's dome and St. Peter's Bas...
Inside America's Famous Sex Study
How could recording people having sex be 'for science'? Same question for sleeping with your colleagues? Well, these were just two of the practices em...
Medieval Sex Work
Despite Christianity coming in hot and heavy in the medieval period, sex work was thriving.
In many places it was legal, even.
In this sec...
What Did Jane Austen Know About Sex?
She wrote some of the most enduring romances in literature. But what did Jane Austen really know about love ... and sex?
From longing looks and...
Sex Work in Ancient Rome
What did it look like inside a Roman brothel? Who was the sex worker involved in a murder plot to kill an Emperor? And why was the Pope getting sex wo...
Could You Survive Medieval Childbirth?
Childbirth isn't for the faint-hearted at the best of times, let alone in the medieval period.
What was a birthing room like at this time in hi...
The Truth About The Minotaur
Deep in an Ancient Greek labyrinth lurks the half bull half man monster: the Minotaur.
What did this wild myth about a woman having a baby with...
The Murderous Affairs of King James
Against the paranoid backdrop of the Scottish witch trials, a murder plot involving King James and some of his lovers took place.
To make matter...
Victorian Beauty Standards
Why did Victorians value pale skin so highly? And how were black bodies viewed by Victorian society?
In this episode Kate is joined by author an...
The Pill: Sexual Liberation?
At least 160 million people worldwide take some form of the contraceptive pill. So where did it come from? Who invented it and why? And how has it ch...
What Made You Ugly In Tudor Times?
Why did royalty have worse teeth than commoners? How would the Tudor court have smelt? And when even the Queen of England can be accused of being a wi...
The Dandy: Dressing in Defiance
He cuts a fine figure, walking down the street. Whether it's a bow tie and a sharp suit, perfectly curated clashing colours, or a moustache with every...