Tides of History Podcast By Wondery / Patrick Wyman cover art

Tides of History

Tides of History

By: Wondery / Patrick Wyman
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About this listen

Everywhere around us are echoes of the past. Those echoes define the boundaries of states and countries, how we pray and how we fight. They determine what money we spend and how we earn it at work, what language we speak and how we raise our children. From Wondery, host Patrick Wyman, PhD (“Fall Of Rome”) helps us understand our world and how it got to be the way it is.

Listen to Tides of History on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to bonus episodes available exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/tides-of-history/ now.

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Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Who was Thomas More? Interview with Dr. Joanne Paul
    Jun 26 2025

    Thomas More is one of the most fascinating figures of the 16th century: saint, persecutor of Protestants, government official, martyr. But who was he, really? Dr. Joanne Paul has written a wonderful new biography of More, entitled Thomas More: A Life, which explores his origins and the world that shaped him. She joins Tides to discuss More, how the tumultuous England of his youth shaped him, and why he became one of the most enduring figures of the Tudor period.

    Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoD

    Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory

    Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    45 mins
  • Listen Now: Liberty Lost
    Jun 23 2025

    In Evangelical homes across the United States, sex outside of marriage is a sin against God. So, when Abbi becomes pregnant at 16, her devout parents hide her away at the Liberty Godparent Home, a little-known facility for pregnant teens on the campus of Liberty University. The Home says it helps girls decide what comes next – whether that’s parenting their babies or placing them for adoption. But inside the facility, the girls hear a different message: God wants their babies to go to more “deserving” Christian couples. Some girls will find the strength to fight back. Others will have no choice but to give in. And some, like Abbi, will turn their grief into resistance – and take a stand against the system before more mothers lose their children to adoptions they never wanted.

    From Wondery, host and reporter T. J. Raphael tells a startling true story of young love, coercion, and defiance – and the dangerous resurgence of maternity homes in post-Roe America.


    Listen to Liberty Lost: Wondery.fm/LibertyLost_

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    6 mins
  • Rome Enters the Hellenistic World
    Jun 19 2025

    For most of its history, the Roman Republic had little to do with the Greek East. That changed at the end of the third century BC. As the war against Hannibal reached its conclusion, momentous things were happening in the eastern Mediterranean, as the system of great powers that had defined the Hellenistic world for a century collapsed almost overnight. Now, Rome would have to make a decision about what to do, and the consequences changed the political map for the next thousand years or more.

    Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoD

    Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory


    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Show more Show less
    40 mins
All stars
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Tides of History is well researched, well written, and well said. Great mix of facts and philosophy and story telling.

Excellent history lessons!

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Patrick manages to summarize a lot of research and knowledge from the big movements and moments in History and puts it into the daily lives of people at the time. And this applies for both Tides of History and his other podcast Fall of Rome. Maybe some knowledge of political and broad history may help enjoy even further, but I presume even not knowing much, after listening to his podcasts you can almost "touch" how people experienced the events he is describing. And for me this makes you understand better the bigger changes we get to know from traditional teachings of history, This goes from understanding how the Goth community that entered the late roman empire were actually formed and composed, to how people, including scientists for instance, would experience the printing press revolution and help them propel a scientific revolution that eluded the Romans, for instance (that final part is my assumption anyway). Thanks, Patrick!

Top class. History lived by people in their times.

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As good as the history of Rome podcast. Very detailed history that covers interesting topics

Extremely well done history

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