Yes, the topic this week is the number 40. Yes, it's episode 41. What can we say. We're historians, not mathematicians.
Obvious stupidity and working ourselves into a corner aside (genuinely, we - specifically Sam - are absolute idiots) we've got a cracker this week. Tom's started from the beginning, that is, 40AD. Which just happens to be when Agricola, Roman Governor of Britain and subject of the book with the imaginative title 'Agriocola' was born. We take a whirlwind trip through Tacitus' history of the apparently quite nice (but still quite murderous) Roman leader.
Next, Sam given an honourable mention to ancient Egypt and the Tessarakonteres (which means 40), the largest human-powered ship ever built. Just a shade smaller than Noah's Ark, it had 4,000 rowers and a total crew of nearly 10,000. And was utterly useless as anything except a fancy garden ornament.
After that, we head to Britain in the 1840s and railway mania, with some of the ridiculous stories of madness, rioting, stealing trains and literal locotmotive tugs of war that characterised Britain's Victorian transport fever.
Subscribe and listen to us! Apple Music // Podbean // Overcast // Stitcher // TuneIn // Spotify
Welcome to That Was Genius: Two blokes. A 12-hour time difference. An immature sense of humour. And 10,000 years of human civilisation. A weekly podcast looking at the weirder side of history.
Join Sam Datta-Paulin (he likes history and lives in Britain) and Tom Berry (he also likes history but lives in New Zealand), for a weekly reflection on the bold, the brilliant... And the downright strange.
From bizarre events and stories to equally odd inventions, barely a day goes by without something incredible (or incredibly stupid) happening around the world.
Knocker and Chisholm's Leather Emporium (Nurses week) - That Was Genius Episode 64
The Farting Poodle Chamber Orchestra (Pets week) - That Was Genius Episode 63
A Filthy Little Tip for the Barman (Travelers week) - That Was Genius Episode 62
Its Raining Nuns, Halleluja Its Raining Nuns (Pandemics week) - That Was Genius Episode 61
No One's Tougher Than the Biscuit Eaters (Sidekicks week) - That Was Genius Episode 60
Welcome to the Mile High Club (Daredevil week) - That Was Genius Episode 59
A Little Bit of Bump and Grind (Movement week) - That Was Genius Episode 58
Stealing Toilet Roll for the Revolution (Spies week) - That Was Genius Episode 57
I'm Never Googling That Again (Body Parts week) - That Was Genius Episode 56
A Flirty French Roly-Poly (Fitness week) - That Was Genius Episode 55
A Dirty Little Present From Your Crush (poetry week) - That Was Genius Episode 54
A Little Bit of Man Jerky - AKA Pepperami Leggy-ami (Serial Killers week) - That Was Genius Episode 53
Whizz, Pop, and Up We Go! (World First week) - That Was Genius Episode 52
Pants Down on The Good Ship Naturist (French week) - That Was Genius Episode 51
500 Tarts And One Sexy Roman Emperor (Laughter week) - That Was Genius Episode 50
Operation Fire Sausage (Genocide week) - That Was Genius Episode 49
An Englishman, an Irishman and a Frenchman Walk Into a Pub (Wars that didnt happen week) - That Was Genius Episode 48
That Was Genius - * Q&A Session!* Featuring Taps, Genocide and 90's Sitcoms. Happy 2020!
Sam meets QI creator John Lloyd - The Other Genius Episode 2
Buster the Prize Fighting Shrew (Shows week) - That Was Genius Episode 47
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
If You Give A Dad A Podcast
Cheeky Chops comedy podcast.
Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me!
Adam Carolla Show
Office Ladies