Legacy

Original Legacy Productions

Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan tell the wild stories of some of the most extraordinary men and women ever to have lived – and ask whether they have the rep they deserve. Should Nina Simone’s role in the civil rights movement be more celebrated than it is? When you find out what Picasso got up to in his studio, can you still admire his art? Was Napoleon a hero or a tyrant - or both? (And, while we’re at it, was he even short?) Legacy is the show that looks at big lives from the perspective of now – and doesn’t always like what it sees.

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171 episodes
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Episodes171

Newest first

March 17 · 45 min
Great Environmental Shocks in History | Darkness at Noon - The Justinianic Plague | 2
A sudden, catastrophic dimming of the sun in 536 AD triggered the coldest decade in two millennia, launching a "volcanic winter" that saw harvests fail from Ireland to China. Peter and Afua explore this environmental shock that directly facilitated the first global pandemic of Yersinia pestis, shattering the imperial ambitions of Rome and Persia while paving the way for the explosive rise of Buddhism and Norse mythology. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March 12 · 54 min
Great Environmental Shocks in History | The Remaking of the Ancient World | 1
Afua and Peter launch their new series on environmental catastrophes by revealing how a massive volcanic eruption in Alaska—10,000 kilometers away—secretly orchestrated the downfall of Cleopatra and the birth of the Roman Empire. They trace the "butterfly effect" from Julius Caesar’s bloody assassination and "bling" obsession to the failure of the Nile floods, proving that the ancient world was reshaped by climate chaos as much as by political intrigue. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March 10 · 34 min
Iran | Feat. Christopher de Bellaigue | On The Eve Of Confrontation | 3
Iranian history is defined by a fierce sense of exceptionalism rooted in geography, language, and a unique intellectual enlightenment that Western narratives often ignore. This deep-seated identity now fuels an explosive youth rebellion that increasingly prioritizes personal freedom over national sovereignty, setting the stage for a violent final showdown with a millenarian regime that is prepared to kill to survive. Guest Christopher de Bellaigue is a distinguished historian and journalist whose work, including The Islamic Enlightenment, provides an intimate look at the reformers and thinkers who shaped the Middle East's long-standing struggle for modern constitutionalism. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March 5 · 35 min
Iran | Feat. Kim Ghattas | The Legacies Of 1979 | 2
Afua and Peter explore the seismic shift of 1979, tracing how a single revolutionary year transformed Iran from a U.S.-allied monarchy into a militarised theocracy determined to export its "Black Wave" across the Middle East. They analyse the regime's enduring "besieged mentality"—forged by a decade of war and perceived Western betrayals—and the defiant courage of a younger generation now dancing in the face of brutal suppression. They are joined by Emmy Award-winning journalist and author Kim Ghattas, whose deep reporting on the Saudi-Iran rivalry reveals how the echoes of 1979 continue to drive the proxies and power plays of 2026. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March 3 · 44 min
Iran | Feat. Ali Ansari | Seen From The Inside And Out | 1
Afua and Peter dive into the historical psyche of Iran, exploring how a civilization with deep imperial memories navigates a modern reality of global interference and internal revolution. They unpick the "dual structure" of Iranian politics, where a sense of cultural superiority clashes with a narrative of Western betrayal that spans from the 19th century to the 1979 revolution. They are joined by Professor Ali Ansari, a renowned historian from the University of St Andrews, who provides rare insight into the Supreme Leader's absolute authority and the Ponzi scheme currently threatening to implode the Iranian economy. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 26 · 46 min
Ernest Hemingway | One True Sentence | 2
Afua and Peter track Ernest Hemingway’s spiral from the peak of his Nobel success into a dark cycle of alcoholism and untreated head trauma. They explore how the 20th century’s "Alpha" icon eventually collapsed under the weight of his own performance, leading to a tragic end that mirrored his father’s suicide. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 24 · 42 min
Ernest Hemingway | The Lost Generation | 1
Afua and Peter track Ernest Hemingway’s path from a suburban Chicago childhood spent hunting and boxing to the bloody front lines of Italy. They show how a brutal war injury and his newsroom grind birthed the "iceberg theory," revealing a man who hunted Nazis and survived plane crashes but often treated his own life like his best piece of fiction. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: peterfrankopan.substack.com afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 19 · 42 min
Gertrude Stein | Oozing Cubism | 2
In this second installment, Peter and Afua examine Stein's boldest move: ghostwriting her partner’s "autobiography" to claim the global stardom she felt she deserved. They confront the darkest corners of her history, including her bitter public feuds and her controversial survival as a Jewish woman during the Nazi occupation of France. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 17 · 47 min
Gertrude Stein | It Takes A Lot Of Time To Be A Genius | 1
Peter and Afua discuss the life of Gertrude Stein, an influential figure in the Parisian art and literature scene. They explore her relationships with artists like Picasso and her complex personality. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 12 · 44 min
This is Samurai | The Samurai Take Control | 2
How did a warrior class born to serve end up ruling Japan for seven centuries? When the Mongols twice tried to invade — and were twice destroyed by typhoons — what did that do to the samurai myth? And, when the Meiji government banned the wearing of swords in public in 1876, was that the end of the samurai — or just the beginning of something stranger? Peter and Afua trace the samurai from their seizure of power under the first shogun, through the Zen culture, the arrival of European firearms, and the Warring States chaos, to their abolition, their afterlife in the Second World War, and why the world can't stop romanticising them. 0:00 Minamoto Yoritomo becomes the first shogun in 1192 — and strips all real power from the imperial court 6:00 Zen Buddhism arrives and fits the samurai like a glove: discipline, impermanence, acceptance of death 9:00 The Mongol invasions of 1274 and 1281 — and the typhoons that became divine winds 14:00 The Ashikaga shogunate: weak political control, extraordinary cultural flourishing 18:00 The Warring States period — Japan descends into anarchy, and the samurai finally have their moment 20:00 Europeans arrive with matchlock guns — and personal martial prowess stops being enough 23:00 Christianity enters Japan and starts pulling apart the existing order 28:00 Commodore Perry's steam warships in 1853 — and the crisis that ends the samurai age 31:00 The Meiji Restoration abolishes the samurai: stipends cut, swords banned, a class erased 35:00 Bushido, kamikaze, and Seven Samurai — how a real warrior class became a global myth Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A;'s, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 10 · 38 min
This Is Samurai | The Rise Of Medieval Warlords | 1
Who were the samurai before the armour and the mythology? How did a class of provincial enforcers — hired muscle for a crumbling imperial court — become the most powerful force in Japanese history? And, when the Taira and Minamoto clans finally went to war in the 1180s, was this a clash of warrior honour — or just two gangs fighting for control of the state? Peter and Afua trace the samurai from their origins in Japan's fragmented early kingdoms, through the arrival of Buddhism, the collapse of imperial authority, and the emergence of the warrior class that would define a civilisation. 0:00 Japan before the samurai: competing clans, Shinto ritual, and a court that ruled through ceremony 8:00 Buddhism arrives as a diplomatic gift from Korea — and immediately splits the court 15:00 Prince Shotoku's vision: government as ethical practice, not coercion 18:30 The Taika reforms of 645 — Japan models itself on Tang China and builds its first bureaucracy 25:00 Why elegance wasn't enough: how the imperial court's fragility created a vacuum 27:00 The word "samurai" — what it means, where it comes from, and how armed men became a class 31:00 The Taira and Minamoto: two great warrior clans and the rivalry that would define Japan 35:00 The Genpei War, 1180–1185 — when the samurai stopped serving power and started wielding it 37:00 The drowning of child emperor Antoku and the moment Japan's future moved from palace to battlefield Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A;'s, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 5 · 30 min
Women and Healing | It's All On WitchTok | 3
From shamans and oracles to modern psychics and wellness gurus, humanity has always searched for answers beyond medicine. This episode traces how spiritual healing, prophecy and belief survived — and why they’re booming again today. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 3 · 35 min
Women and Healing | The Original Witch Hunt | 2
Women were humanity’s first doctors — midwives, herbalists and healers — until fear, religion and power turned care into a crime. This episode explores how women’s medical knowledge became witchcraft, and why healing women were systematically erased. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 29 · 43 min
Women and Healing | The Strange Story of the Penis Nest Trapped in a Tree | 1
Women were the world’s first doctors — mastering plants, childbirth, and healing — until their knowledge became a threat to rising male-dominated medicine and the Church. From ancient shamans to Egyptian surgeons to medieval witch trials and the infamous “penis nest” myth, this is the hidden history of women, power, and healing. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 27 · 35 min
The History of Wellness and Wellbeing | Shamans, Oracles and Gurus | 4
Why did ancient people believe illness came from spirits — and who had the power to cure it? Peter and Afua explore shamans, oracles, and sacred healing rituals that once shaped health, fate, and meaning. From Mesopotamian demon-healers to modern ayahuasca retreats and Instagram gurus, they ask what happens when ancient spiritual medicine returns in the modern world. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 22 · 45 min
The History of Wellness and Wellbeing | The Importance of Sleep and Exercise | 3
Afua makes the case that sleep is sacred — and modern “grind culture” is quietly wrecking us — as Peter and Afua explore how the ancients actually slept, dreamed, and interpreted the night. Then it’s the birth of exercise: from survival-strength and ritual dance to wrestling, hunting, and the gymnasium — and how movement became medicine (and status). Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 20 · 31 min
The History of Wellness and Wellbeing | The First Treatments and Cures | 2
Afua loses her voice, fixes it with an old-school red onion + honey remedy, and the pair dive into the ancient origins of cures: food, herbs, water, ritual and early “science.” From honey as the first superfood to purification, bathing, and who gets access to wellness, this episode asks what we’ve forgotten — and what we’ve commodified. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 15 · 38 min
The History of Wellness and Wellbeing | The Early Years | 1
New Year, new you — but where did the idea of “wellness” actually come from? Peter and Afua travel back 10,000 years to hunter-gatherers, early medicine, ancient diets, and the surprising origins of how humans learned to be “healthy”. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 13 · 37 min
Encore: Gorbachev | The Man Who Lost an Empire | 4
Under Gorbachev's leadership the once sprawling empire that was the Soviet Union collapses. Is this his true legacy? Or was it all inevitable? And with present day Russia looking to the past for glory, what lessons can we learn from history's last Soviet leader? Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast | BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social | TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
January 8 · 39 min
Encore: Gorbachev | Meltdown | 3
On a spring morning in 1986 one of the most catastrophic events in global history occurs - Chernobyl. It brings chaos to the environment, chaos to Europe and chaos to Mikhail Gorbachev's premiership. Will he survive this? Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast | BlueSky: @legacy-productions.bsky.social | TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.