Today, we have two superb History podcasts. As I hypothesized in my recent Forbes article, History podcasts are more popular than ever. Perhaps it's because the present in the U.S. is so alien and divorced from traditional American values, or perhaps it's because the current powers are attempting to rewrite history to meet their political agenda.
These two podcasts both belong to small, boutique podcast networks that have a specific premise and appeal to a highly targeted audience.
The American West podcast has been developed by long-time western author Dan Flores. The Ancients is another brilliant History show by a network that focuses exclusively on history.
The American West
Long-time western author Dan Flores presents a big picture history of an American West listeners have most likely never encountered. Covering a vast time span in a western America whose landscapes and wild animals drew people from around the world, this podcast tells a new story of our most fascinating region.
Flores is a terrific audio guide to the history of the American West. The podcast, which began in April 2025, started with an episode about a major expedition that has history has neglected.
Despite Lewis and Clark’s singular fame, Thomas Jefferson never intended
their expedition to be the sole U.S. scientific exploration into the
country’s new Louisiana Purchase. Just as compelling to him was a second
major expedition into the southern reaches of Louisiana, for which he
chose two leaders – Thomas Freeman and Peter Custis – who had a similar
opportunity to become famous early American explorers into the West.
Dispatched up the Red River of the South in 1806 with a bigger party and
twice the congressional appropriation of Lewis and Clark, Freeman and
Custis suffered a very different fate, one that assigned them to the
dustbin of American history and made Jefferson’s “Grand Expedition” a
forgotten western story.
One of my favorite shows was the episode on the buffalo. As Flores says, "America’s national mammal possesses a troubling story in western history. For a century, writers have presented the fate of the buffalo as brought down by a federal conspiracy that plotted the animal’s demise to undermine Native cultures. With an animal this important to American and western history, understanding the more realistic and accurate version of its 19th and 20th century story seems a critical step as we figure out how to go forward in returning America’s most iconic mammal to the modern West."
If you are a fan of U.S. History, check out The American West. Finally, the show is sponsored by Velvet Buck, a bold California red blend designed for outdoor, "field-to-table" pairing with game meats like venison, duck, and salmon. Launching in August 2025, it is an official partner of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), with proceeds supporting public land conservation.
I love a podcast sponsor that is closely linked to the podcast genre, and is committed to the Public Good.
The Ancients Podcast
History Hit podcasts are a popular network of history-focused audio shows founded by historian Dan Snow, offering a wide range of expert-led, in-depth, and engaging historical content. Featuring shows like Dan Snow's History Hit, The Ancients, and Gone Medieval, these podcasts, which you can listen to on Spotify, deliver interviews with historians and explore diverse topics.
The show explores distant human history, and examines specific themes, figures, and events in antiquity, such as Alexander the Great, gladiators, and ancient civilizations.
The show is closing in on almost 700 episodes. An example of the show is a recent episode about Rome's Empire. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Jeremy Armstrong to explore the origins of Rome’s empire. From the conquest of rival cities and the trauma of invasion to the development of Roman warfare, politics, and identity, this episode reveals how these early crises set the stage for Rome’s rise to dominance along the Tiber and beyond.
Another episode of note delves into this important question: What can ancient DNA tell us about the first Homo sapiens to arrive in Arabia over 50,000 years ago?
In the show, host Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Pierre Zalloua to delve into the groundbreaking advances in ancient DNA research that illuminate the complex journeys of these early human populations.
They discuss the challenges of extracting ancient DNA in harsh desert environments, the role of climate in human migration, and the archeological evidence of early human presence which show continuous population movements over millennia.
Tristan Hughes is a brilliant host, and the show's lush sound design enhances the trips back into history.
The Ancients has scholarly intentions, but is readily accessible to all of us, regardless of education level. If you love ancient history (and let's face it, who doesn't?) this show is for you.
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If you're interested in history, and not just facts, dates, and names, these two podcasts are for you. They don't just explain what happened but why, and how.
Check out the Best Independent Podcasts of 2026
For more podcast reporting, check out Ear Worthy on Forbes magazine.
Frank Racioppi’s Books (fiction & nonfiction) can be found here.
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