Half-Arsed History

Half-Arsed History

Riley Knight

Episodes 695
Avg. Duration 36m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.8 (277)
Since Jul 2018
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
77%
Hosting
feeds.acast.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.html


Welcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Twice a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.


Get in touch: [email protected]

Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistory

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistory

Buy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.com


If you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of the 350+ episodes to start with, here are some suggestions:

Episode 139: The History of the Toilet - https://sptfy.com/PK3J • https://apple.co/3Giftt3

Episode 75: The Great Emu War - https://sptfy.com/PK3K • https://apple.co/4jKCvr7

Episode 197: The History of Nuclear Weapons - https://sptfy.com/PK3L • https://apple.co/4jygYlc

Episode 233: The 1930 FIFA World Cup - https://sptfy.com/PK3M • https://apple.co/4iltL9P

Episode 106: The First Circumnavigation - https://sptfy.com/PK3N • https://apple.co/4jewsLj


Half-Arsed History acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the unceded Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) Land on which the podcast is written and recorded, and pays respect to First Nations Elders past, present, and emerging. Indigenous sovereignty was never ceded. This continent always was, and always will be, Aboriginal Land.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Recent Episodes

Week 24: The 1955 Le Mans Disaster

Jun 12, 2026 36m

This week in history we’ve got the reason the Taj Mahal was built, we’ve got the debut of the world’s first bike, we’ve got the delivery of the Statue of Liberty - and we’ve got the story of the most…

Episode 415: The History of the FIFA World Cup - Part 1

Jun 11, 2026 51m

In this week's episode, get across the early history of the FIFA Men's World Cup, from its forerunners and precursors to its early emergence and development.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Week 23: The Treaty of Tordesillas

Jun 03, 2026 27m

This week in history we’ve got an unlucky French astronomer, an absurd religious festival, and a riotous baseball game where beer was ten cents a cup - and we’ve got the history of a treaty that…

Episode 414: The Hindenburg Disaster

May 31, 2026 57m

In this week's episode, learn all about the Hindenburg Disaster, when a German rigid airship went up in flames in Lakehurst, USA - and the very significant long-term impact of this catastrophe. …

Week 22: The Disappearance of Maurice Wilson

May 27, 2026 30m

This week in history we’ve got French heroes burning and Byzantine cities falling, we’ve got the birthdays of singers and spies and activists - that’s all actually just one person - and we’ve got the…

Episode 413: J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings

May 24, 2026 58m

In this week's episode, meet J.R.R. Tolkien, the immensely influential fantasy author whose works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, revolutionised the fantasy genre and made it what it is today.…

Week 21: Pepsi Number Fever

May 20, 2026 31m

This week in history we’ve got assassinations and defenestrations and the release of a hugely popular global franchise, we’ve got the birthdays of palaeontologists and queens and jazz musicians, and…

Episode 412: The Seven Voyages of Zheng He

May 17, 2026 1h 3m

In this week's episode, get to know the famed Chinese admiral Zheng He, who led seven voyages at the head of a huge treasure fleet for the glory of Ming China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Week 20: The Fall of Acre

May 13, 2026 33m

This week in history we’ve got the test of the first-ever vaccine, and the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, we’ve got the birthdays of artists and political leaders and walking disasters, and…

Episode 411: The True Story of Pocahontas

May 10, 2026 52m

In this week's episode, meet Pocahontas, the famous Indigenous American woman, and uncover the truth of her story - or as much of it as we know, at any rate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Update: I'm Really Sick So Episodes Will Be Delayed

May 06, 2026 1m

Just got back from an overseas trip and I'm absolutely cooked, there is going to be some delays in getting the next few episodes out. Sorry about this everyone Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Week 19: The Assassination of Spencer Perceval

May 06, 2026 36m

This week in history we’ve got the theft of the crown jewels and of a Confederate steamboat, we’ve got the birthdays of nurses and composers and artists, and we’ve got the story of the only British…

Episode 410: John Harrison’s Marine Chronometer

May 02, 2026 1h

In this week's episode, get to know John Harrison, and understand how his pioneering marine chronometers finally solved the famous longitude problem and ushered in a new age of navigation at sea. …

Week 18: George Psalmanazar and the Formosa Hoax

Apr 29, 2026 36m

This week in history we’ve got the union of crowns, the beginning of a revolution, and an aeronautical disaster, we’ve got the birthdays of political philosophers, and we’ve got the tale of one of…

Episode 409: The Donner Party

Apr 26, 2026 1h 4m

In this week's episode, hear the gruesome tale of the Donner Party, when a group of westward migrants became trapped in snow on the Sierra Nevada, forced to horrifying and desperate lengths in order…

Week 17: The Battle of Clontarf

Apr 22, 2026 32m

This week in history we’ve got famous mutinies, huge canals, and wartime invasions, we’ve got the birthdays of writers of philosophy and plays and novels, and we’ve got something of a watershed…

Episode 408: The 1973 Oil Crisis

Apr 19, 2026 59m

In this week's episode, explore the lasting consequences of the 1973 Oil Crisis, and compare it with the current energy crisis the world is experiencing today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…

Week 16: The Death of the Red Baron

Apr 15, 2026 38m

This week in history we’ve got several important or at least interesting chapters in Australian history, we’ve got the birthdays of actors and queens and… someone else… and we’ve got the downfall of…

Episode 407: The Avignon Papacy

Apr 12, 2026 54m

In this week's episode, learn all about the Avignon Papacy, to understand why and how the US recently invoked it as a threat against the Vatican. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…

Week 15: The Invention of Cornflakes

Apr 08, 2026 34m

This week in history we’ve got maritime disasters caused by iceberg and by toilet, we’ve got the death of a president and the birth of a mother of kings, and we’ve got the invention of a bland…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Half-Arsed History have?

Half-Arsed History has published 695 episodes since July 2018.

Is Half-Arsed History still active?

Half-Arsed History is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 36m.

How do I contact Half-Arsed History for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Half-Arsed History, including email and social media links.

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