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Half-Arsed History

Author: Riley Knight

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© Riley Knight

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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: halfarsedhistory@gmail.com

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.

664 Episodes
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Episode 400: What Half-Arsed History Could Have Been

Episode 400: What Half-Arsed History Could Have Been

2026-02-2201:22:33

In this week's episode, get a taste of what this show might have sounded like if it had begun as a podcast of a different genre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 8: Three Presidents in One Hour

Week 8: Three Presidents in One Hour

2026-02-1937:37

This week in history we’ve got monuments, calendars, and the disastrous premiere of a popular opera, we’ve got the birthdays of astronomers and diarists and presidents, and we’ve got that time that Mexico got through three presidents in a single hour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 399: Nicolaus Copernicus and Copernican Heliocentrism

Episode 399: Nicolaus Copernicus and Copernican Heliocentrism

2026-02-1558:04

In this week's episode, get to know Nicolaus Copernicus, the 15th-century astronomer who brought about a historical paradigm shift with his radical proposal that the Sun, not the Earth, is at the centre of the solar system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 7: The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre

Week 7: The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre

2026-02-1242:55

This week in history we’ve got famous martyrdoms, global car races, and the discovery of former planets, we’ve got the birthdays of scientists and leaders and activists, and we’ve also got the story of an infamous Chicago bloodbath. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 398: The Foundation of Modern Singapore

Episode 398: The Foundation of Modern Singapore

2026-02-0801:00:39

In this week's episode, discover how, why, and perhaps most importantly where modern Singapore was founded, back in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 6: The Sack of Baghdad

Week 6: The Sack of Baghdad

2026-02-0536:01

This week in history we’ve got riots and treaties, we’ve got the discovery of the world’s biggest gold nugget, we’ve got the birthday of a famous Victorian author, and of course, the end of the Islamic Golden Age with the Sack of Baghdad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 397: Catherine the Great, the Enlightened Empress

Episode 397: Catherine the Great, the Enlightened Empress

2026-02-0101:17:55

In this week's episode, meet Catherine the Great, the empress who successfully ruled Russia for almost 35 years despite usurping a throne she had no claim to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 5: The Day the Music Died

Week 5: The Day the Music Died

2026-01-2941:11

This week in history we’ve got the execution of a famous traitor, a tale of revenge served cold, we’ve got the birthdays of conquerors and explorers and activists, and we’ve got the story behind the Day the Music Died. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 396: The Horrors of Sarah Island

Episode 396: The Horrors of Sarah Island

2026-01-2501:05:43

In this week's episode, become acquainted with Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, known as Sarah Island, which was one of the cruellest and most brutal convict settlements in Australia's history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 4: When Some Ships Sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson

Week 4: When Some Ships Sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson

2026-01-2241:52

This week in history: the publishing of Pride and Prejudice, the first-ever cans of beer, the birthdays of pirates, kings, and composers, and... that time some ships sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 395: The Raft of the Medusa

Episode 395: The Raft of the Medusa

2026-01-1854:34

In this week's episode, head the gruesome and tragic tale of the Raft of the Medusa, when almost 150 people were set adrift and abandoned on a rickety raft, resorting to murder and cannibalism to survive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 3: The Miracle on the Hudson

Week 3: The Miracle on the Hudson

2026-01-1540:06

This week in history: inaugurations, executions, and people drowning in hot molasses, the birthdays of famous founding fathers, and the Miracle on the Hudson, when a passenger plane was safely landed in the middle of a river. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 394: Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Great Engineer

Episode 394: Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Great Engineer

2026-01-1101:07:42

In this week's episode, meet Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous and immensely influential engineer, whose work encompassed bridges, tunnels, railways, ships, and much more besides. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 2: Caesar Crosses the Rubicon

Week 2: Caesar Crosses the Rubicon

2026-01-0834:49

This week in history: rioting sports fans in sixth-century Constantinople, the first-ever meeting of the UN General Assembly, the birthdays of famous musicians, and a pivotal moment in world history as Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 393: Operation Just Cause

Episode 393: Operation Just Cause

2026-01-0454:28

In this week's episode, get across the story of Operation Just Cause, when the US staged an invasion of Panama in 1989, capturing and airlifting its leader back to the US to face drug-related charges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 1: The Introduction of the Euro

Week 1: The Introduction of the Euro

2026-01-0140:04

This week in history: the establishment of calendars and international timekeeping systems, the federation of Australia, the birthdays of several prominent authors, and the introduction of the euro as a currency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Update: Half-Arsed History in 2026

Update: Half-Arsed History in 2026

2025-12-3101:05:03

Changes are coming to Half-Arsed History in 2026! Some positive, some negative - here is the TL;DL:• There will now only be two episodes released each week: the usual full-length episode and a new series called This Week in History, replacing QAH• I'm pulling back a little bit to try to bring my unsustainable workload back under control, reduce burnout, and find better balance• Half-Arsed History's second book is coming later in 2026, the manuscript is currently being written and edited• A brand-new Half-Arsed History card game is in the works, and you can be involved with playtesting and illustration • The show's merch will undergo a full and proper refresh later in the year - artists are encouraged to submit portfolios• A big goal for the show in 2026 is growth, so please tell your friends, enemies, and people about whom you feel largely ambivalent about Half-Arsed HistoryList of historical figures likely to appear in the card game: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KEsNw2oTfuXZOn-dU3-dtVhHJAvY0dt0DNbzhIVBbMY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 143: William McGonagall, History's Worst Poet

QAH Episode 143: William McGonagall, History's Worst Poet

2025-12-3131:44

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of William McGonagall, widely considered to be the worst English-language poet that history has ever seen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 392: Jean de Carrouges and the Last Duel

Episode 392: Jean de Carrouges and the Last Duel

2025-12-2853:39

In this episode, hear the tale of Jean de Carrouges, who fought a duel to the death to seek justice for his wife Marguerite.WARNING: this episode contains content that may be distressing and is not appropriate for younger listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 52: The Smartphone

Inventions Episode 52: The Smartphone

2025-12-2635:41

The smartphone is an invention that is currently bringing about a technological transformation of human civilisation - and an invitation to think about how other inventions from history have similarly impacted peoples' lives.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Comments (3)

LittleRoma

Learning through Austrlian political system while knitting an Irish Pub, such fun

Apr 20th
Reply

Samantha Varrone

Judge: Roll deception 9 y/o: Nat 20

Nov 23rd
Reply

MehdiMK

Awesome!

Aug 25th
Reply
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