Was Atlantis really an Ice Age super advanced civilisation? Or was the Atlantis described by Plato really a confused account of the ancient Minoans? We dip into conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and a world of legendary bull. Leave us a review or get in touch at ⁠ctdeapod.com⁠.

Who were the Minoans of Crete? Were they really Europe's first civilisation? Ed travels to the Palace of Knossos for CTDEA On The Road to find out if it was the real home of the Minotaur or if the Greek myths were a load of old bull. Check out ctdeapod.com and follow us @ctdeapod on Facebook or X. Please leave us a review wherever you listen.…

Ed & Phil watch the 1964 Christmas classic Zulu starring Michael Caine. Does it hold up in 2024, did Caine ever say "Stop chucking those bloody spears at me?" and more importantly - is it historically accurate? Please leave us a review or donate at our website: ctdeapod.com.

How did a cow-obsessed pastoralists go from 1500 people to a fighting force that could defeat the British Empire? Who were the Zulus, why were they called the Black Spartans and why were they so into cow poetry? Follow us at @ctdeapod on Facebook and Twitter. Or leave a donation at ctdeapod.com.

Past Phil and Ed sat down to watch the movie Edge of the World, featuring James Brooke, the Raj of Sarawak (S03 E05). In real life, James Brooke was a towering pillock, but can Jonathan Rhys Myers do him justice? No. Check out our orginal episode on the Raj of Sarawak: S03 E05 Raj of Sarawak - Countries That Don't Exist Anymore | Podcast on Spotify…

When the sons of Louis the Pious separated the Holy Roman Empire into three, everybody thought it would be temporary. But it wasn't. But why did Middle Francia look so weird? And was it the most important kingdom in European history? Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com where you can donate to the show. Follow us @CTDEAp…

This week we profile poet turned dictator Gabriele D'annunzio and his rowdy, partying state The Endeavour of Fiume. But was he the father of fascism or just a very naughty boy? Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com where you can donate to the show. Follow us @CTDEApod on X and Facebook and never miss another update.…

You might know that Alexander the Great invaded India, but did you know that Greek colonists and founded their very own Athens in Afghanistan? Find out about the Ancient Greeks of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Plus is melon oil as good as olive oil? Spoilers: no.Check out our website: ctdeapod.com where you can read articles, get in touch or don…

It's the long-awaited series 5 of Countries That Don't Exist Anymore! Ed & Phil head to sub-Saharan West Africa to check out the glittering Medieval empire of Wagadou (AKA the Ghana Empire). Did a 7-headed python god really rain gold? Did the fun-hating Almoravids end it all? We examine on the myths and mysteries of Wagadou!Contact us at ctdeapod@g…

We discuss Prey, the latest movie in the Predator franchise very unexpectedly set in 18th century Comancheria. (Never would have predicted that one.) In this movie we follow Naru, a Comanche hunter who takes on an alien visitor...and our preconceptions. Oh yeah! We give our verdict, talk historical accuracy and wonder whether Jordan Peterson would …

We return to Comancheria to follow the Comanche as they take on first the Texas Rangers and then the US Army. And we follow the story of the charismatic Quanah Parker - half Texan, half Comanche - as he leads the last stand of the Quahadi band. Warning: mild language. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com o…

Who were the finest light cavalry in the world in the early nineteenth century? Who were the toughest and most brutal of the "Plains Indians"? Whose very name meant "man who wants to kill me all the time"? Meet the Comanche and their prairie empire of Comancheria. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at…

Phil & Ed chat through their favourite countries in the show so far: Alt Clut Sarawak Bavarian Soviet Republic Aksum Taiping Inca Empire What's yours? Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.…

We have a very informal fireside chat with comedian and writer Mike Shephard about Alt Clut, British identity and the underwhelming lives of Medieval saints. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.…

Don't miss the greatest hits of Countries That Don't Exist Anymore, the giant platinum mega hit edition. Coming soon to Patreon! New regular episode of next Thursday. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com and read the history games article.Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and F…

What was the last great Brythonic kingdom of the Old North? Alt Clut, the Kingdom of the Rock. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod.Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com.Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

Imagine forming own country...but it only lasting a day? In 1939, this is was the Ruthenians of Czechoslovakia did to defend themselves against Hungarian aggression. These days, they're part of Ukraine and having to fend off yet another tyrant. But looking back, who was Avgustyn Voloshyn? What was the Sic? And why did their governor work out of a m…

We're joined by historian, author and podcaster, Anirudh Kanisetti. He's a Deccan expert thanks to his brilliant book Lords of the Deccan. He talks us through historical video games, fashionable pineapples and why history is too often told from a Western perspective. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or…

This time, the Mughal Empire goes from ruling almost all of India to a suburb of Delhi. And they face new challenges from the always troublesome Deccan, the Persians and just about everyone else. Meanwhile the East India Company shows us capitalism at its best... i.e. asset stripping. All the while, there is much poking of eyes, strangling of mothe…

We travel to the Indian subcontinent to explore the mighty Mughal Empire. As the descendants of the Mongols, they created a mighty Islamic state which dazzled the world with illuminated tapestries, incredible buildings and a moralising parrot. Find out about Akbar the Great who ruled in splendour and Humayun the Lucky, who fell down some poorly lit…

We chat to one-time lost child and now bonafide Bonaparte expert, Everett Rummage - host of The Age of Napoleon podcast. We delve into the psychology of Bonaparte to ask if he could ever have been happy with exile on Elba, plus Everett gives us the sordid details of Bonaparte's spreadsheet love life. On CTDEA, we never shy away from the difficult q…

When Napoleon Bonaparte lost the battle of Paris he was punished - with his own country! Lasting less than a year, Bonaparte became the emperor of the Principality of Elba and its 12,000 inhabitants. But was Bony N really going to be happy on a small Mediterranean island, and why was he so obsessed with fish pranks? Find out right here! Support us …

We're dangerously close to the release of series 4! Expect more of everything CTDEA - more history, more jokes, more songs and more guests as we cover The Principality of Elba, the Mughal Empire and many more. Well, 4 actually.

Ben returns to CTDEA to discuss Jet Li blockbuster The Warlords about the crushing of the Taiping Rebellion (Series 2, episode 1). Is it historically accurate, is it a good movie and what's with all the flying bread rolls? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTD…

The CTDEA Team chat to friend Ben about citizenship, the Principality of Sealand and the pros and cons of life as a subject of Peppa Pig. Plus, Ed and Been try to answer questions so they can remain British citizens. Will they succeed or does deportation loom? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our…

Is the North Pole a country? And if not, who could claim it? In the first episode of our in-between series catch ups, Phil and Ed cover the North Pole, the history of Christmas and the man they call Santa Claus. Merry Saturnalia to all you CTDEAers! Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: c…

For our series 3 finale, comedian and CTDEA regular Mike Shephard joins us to chat about why high-tech ancient aliens built mud-brick Sumer...or they did they?Plus, Mike and Ed go head to head with an ancient cultures quiz.Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod.Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDE…

What has Sumer ever done for you? How about writing, wheeled vehicles, bureaucracy, the plough, urban civilisation, key Old Testament stories and mathematics? But it's not all bad. They also helped establish beer as an important way to fritter away your wages. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our…

The CTDEA Team watched 2003's The Last Samurai - based at the time of the Satsuma Rebellion and starring Tom "Xenu" Cruise as Nathan Algren - a re-imagining of the Republic of Ezo's Jules Brunet. Is The Last Samurai a realistic depiction of Japan in the late nineteenth century or is it a Nipponian Braveheart? We found out. Support us on Patreon at …

What happens when supporters of the Shogun try to set up their own American-style republic? Don't worry. We'll samurai-se it for you. So nippon down and join us for a tale of honour, bravery and way too much suicide. It's the Republic of Ezo. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod…

We're joined by anthropologist, travel writer and witty raconteur, Nigel Barley. We talk the life and times of Sir James Brooke, the oddities of empire and his excellent book, White Rajah. We also introduce Nigel to the other great shyster, L Ron Hubbard. Could there be a book in that? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ct…

What happens when a spoilt British brat decides to travel to Borneo and start his own kingdom? Why that would be the Raj of Sarawak. Follow James Brooke as he sets up a kingdom based on mood swings and hangs a crocodile for murder.

Joining us on Countries That Don't Exist Anymore is historian, comedian, presenter and author Iszi Lawrence. We talk suffragettes, historical oddities and the life and times of Dido, Queen of Cathage. Can Iszi beat Phil in our one-on-one Carthage quiz? Yes, probably. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or…

In our final part of our Carthage epic, we meet Hannibal Barca as he runs rings around the Romans before going toe to toe with ultimate nemesis, Scipio - whose earliest claim to fame was that he was never barked at by a dog. But who will win? We also learn how to pay off war indemnities in a super quick time and why juicy fig jealousy can lead to t…

Who was the only power that the Romans were really afraid of? Join us for the first of a two parter on the EPIC North African powerhouse - Carthage. We'll find out why Dido didn't go down with her ship, why you shouldn't get a war elephant drunk and why Hamilcar "Flash" Barca was the ultimate PR man. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. C…

We sat down with Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast to talk about the Dublin Vikings in the context of Irish history and why you can't get a good pint of Guinness in many of the world's Irish pubs. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and …

When the Vikings set up Dublin as a raiding and trading station, little did anyone expect it to turn into a kingdom that lasted 300 years! Least of all the warring factions of Celtic Ireland. Load up your longboat with axes and craic, it's the Viking Kingdom of Dublin. Deadly! Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gm…

We asked you to ask us questions, and (some of) you sure did! Plus, Ed tests to see if Phil has been paying attention in the CTDEA Big Fat Quiz of the Year...and a half. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another …

To kick off series 3 of CTDEA, we travel to the steamy jungles of Brazil to check out the Quilombo dos Palmares - the state founded by runaway slaves that gave the King of Portugal sleepless nights - and Zumbi, its charismatic zombie king and Brazilian national hero.Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. Get in touc…

We're very nearly back! Stay tuned for series 3, where you'll hear about the Viking Kingdom of Dublin, Quilombo dos Palmares, Carthage, Sumer, the Raj of Sarawak and the Republic of Ezo! Plus great guests, songs, sketches and even more Phil than ever before!

Sebastian Major from Our Fake History drops into help us separate Spartan fact from what Spartan fiction. Check out Our Fake History here: https://ourfakehistory.com/ Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. Be sure to get in touch with questions and comments. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and give us a like on Faceb…

We talk to Derek from The Hellenistic Age Podcast about making his podcast, Sparta and the power of bristling hedgehog formations - aka the phalanx. Check out Derek's podcast here: https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/ Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. Be sure to get in touch with questions and comments.…

Who would literally get cheese or die trying? Who thought that walls were for wimps? Which crazed military society was the best place to be for an ancient Greek woman? It's surprising Sparta! Strap on your armour of inquiry and join our phalanx!

Actor and comedian Kieran Hodgson talks trains, David Tennant and the joys of reading obscure history on his Honeymoon.. Identify the revolutionary with Whose Is This Life? and try it yourself at: https://www.ctdeapod.com/post/bavarian-soviet-republic-quiz Enjoying the show? Reviews are a huge help, so please think about leaving us one.…

What's does a communist in lederhosen look like? What happens when you appoint a bank robber as police chief? And did Lenin really know where the missing key to the ministry toilet end up? Find out all about Germany's most whimsical revolution. Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. Be sure to get in touch with ques…

BBC comedy writer Mike Shephard returns for more musings on Willoughyland and beyond. What's a manboob? Who was England's first female novelist? Who founded Uzbekistan? These are just the things you'll pick up if you listen in. And don't forget to play along with our Who's that place named after quiz which you'll find on ctdeapod.com. Also remember…

Would you move to somewhere with eyeball eating worms, face eating jaguars and terrifying tropical diseases? What if there were nudey ladies? It worked on English colonists going to Willoughbyland in Guiana. But what happened to England's jungle colony? We find out. Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. Be sure to …

Aksum is of the greatest empires of all time, but why is it so little known about in the West? Would there have been Islam without Aksum's Christianity? Is the oldest complete and surviving Christian gospel in the world really Ethiopian? We talk to globetrotting archaeologist Dr Jacke Philips about her Aksum obsession and answer listener questions.…

It's the ancient and medieval African Empire that barely gets a look in the classroom - the mighty Ethiopian empire of Aksum. Why have a horse pull your golden chariot when an elephant will do just as well? Brush off your Ge'ez, sharpen your stelae and don't let that ark of the covenant melt your face off, it's Aksum time!…

We mine the brain of historical big hitter Professor Kathy Burke about the California Gold Rush and the Republic of Rough and Ready. Find out what it took to be a genuine 49er and why you probably wouldn't want to try it yourself.Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. You'll also be able to get in touch with questio…