History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories

Was the moon landing faked? Did Shakespeare actually pen his works? And were the pyramids really built by aliens? In History's Greatest Conspiracies, Rob Attar takes a deep dive into the theories in the company of expert historians to uncover if there's any truth behind the murky myths. History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. There you can find other feeds including History’s Greatest Cities and HistoryExtra LongReads. Find out more at historyextra.com/podcast. We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram or YouTube to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this podcast and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d.

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Episodes

The JFK assassination: Oswald’s second murder

In light of the recent announcement that President Trump has ordered the release of classified files surrounding JFK’s assassination, we’re bringing you three episodes delving into the case. In this third episode, recorded in April 2024, Rob Attar puts more listeners’ questions about the assassination to author and journalist Gerald Posner. Who did Lyndon Johnson think was behind the murder? Why do so many people believe in a conspiracy theory? And why is Lee Harvey Oswald’s other killing rarely...

Feb 11, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 9

The JFK assassination: 95% certain?

In light of the recent announcement that President Trump has ordered the release of classified files surrounding JFK’s assassination, we’re bringing you three episodes delving into the case. In this second episode, recorded in April 2024, Rob Attar rejoins the investigative journalist Gerald Posner to tackle your questions about the assassination and the web of intrigue that surrounds it. History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. For more fascina...

Feb 04, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Who killed JFK?

On 22 November 1963, President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder, but, over the past 60 years, millions of people have come to believe that Oswald was just a small cog in a wider plot to murder the president. In light of the recent announcement that President Trump has ordered the release of classified files surrounding JFK’s assassination, we’re re-releasing three episodes delving into the case. In this first episode, recorded ...

Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Introducing History's Greatest Scandals | New Podcast

Poisoned sweets. Criminal misdeeds. And a sex scandal involving… the prime-minister. Listen to HistoryExtra's new podcast History’s Greatest Scandals, delving into the murky underworld of The Victorians. Ellie Cawthorne and historian Professor Rosalind Crone take a journey through the backstreets of 19th-century Britain to explore the darker side of Victorian life. Sneaking into private parlours, descending into candlelit mines, frequenting grim workhouses and paying a visit to an unscrupulous c...

Jan 07, 2025•59 sec

Did aliens land at Roswell?

In July 1947, some unusual debris was discovered at Roswell Army Air Field in New Mexico. Was this the remains of a crashed military balloon, or something from much, much further away? Has the US government spent the past 75 years hiding proof of alien life from us all? In our series on history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, Dr David Clarke gives Rob Attar the lowdown about the Roswell Incident and considers how it relates to the long history of UFO sightings. History’s Greatest Conspira...

Dec 03, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 6

The lost civilisation of Atlantis

In the fifth episode of our series on history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we investigate the idea that a highly advanced civilisation existed many thousands of years ago, before being wiped out by a calamitous event. Rob Attar speaks to archaeologist Flint Dibble about the ancient Greek origins of the Atlantis legend and how it has been reimagined in more recent times, including in the Netflix series ‘Ancient Apocalypse’. History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories is produced by the team ...

Nov 26, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Who wrote Shakespeare’s plays?

Many people don’t believe that William Shakespeare was the real author of the plays attributed to him. But why? And could there be any truth behind the idea? In episode four of our new series on history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, Shakespeare expert Dr Paul Edmondson speaks to Rob Attar about the alternative candidates that have been put forward and considers whether this is a legitimate debate to be having. History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories is produced by the team behind BBC His...

Nov 19, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Did Anastasia escape her family’s murder?

In the third episode of our series on some of history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we examine the suggestion that one of Tsar Nicholas II’s daughters – Anastasia – survived the family’s murder by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Speaking with Rob Attar, historian Helen Rappaport explains why people believe that Anastasia escaped and what recent scientific and archaeological research has revealed about this tragic episode. History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories is produced by the team behind BBC...

Nov 12, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Did aliens build the pyramids?

Could Ancient Egypt’s most iconic monuments have been built with extraterrestrial assistance? In the second episode of our series on some of history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we delve into the idea that aliens helped built the pyramids. In conversation with Rob Attar, Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley explores the origins of the theory and explains what we know about how the pyramids really were constructed. History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories is produced by the team behind BBC Histor...

Nov 05, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Hitler’s escape to South America

Did Adolf Hitler really make it out of the bunker alive at the end of the Second World War? In the first episode of our series on some of history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we explore the idea that Hitler outlasted the downfall of the Third Reich in 1945 and began a new life overseas in South America. In conversation with Rob Attar, historian Professor Richard J Evans explains the origins of this theory and reveals why it continues to have adherents today. History’s Greatest Conspira...

Oct 29, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories

Oct 16, 2024•1 min