I've got a great podcast recommendation for you. As a history fan, I reckon you'll love

Echoes of History, the podcast from Ubisoft, the people behind the famous video game series

Assassin's Creed. Through storytellers and historians, this podcast unravels epic mythologies

and relives the most important times of our history. To celebrate the launch of Assassin's

Creed Mirage, Ubisoft presents a new season of Echoes of History dedicated to the setting

of the new game, 9th century Baghdad. In season 2, figures of Baghdad, you'll discover

the stories of the extraordinary people who held influence over the Abbasid Caliphate.

Whether they were scientists, philosophers, merchants, or artists, they all led rich lives

in the city of peace. So if you're a fan of the game, or just want to be immersed in

the history of the Islamic Golden Age, I recommend you listen to Echoes of History now,

wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever wondered why one of Ruan Cathedral's

towers is called the Tower of Butter? Or what animals have faced trials in courts for?

Or even how the Black Country got its name? Well, you can find the answers to questions

like these and hundreds more in our new book, The History Hit Misscellanie. It's the perfect

present for any history fan. It's available to buy now from your favourite bookshop or

by visiting historyhit.com forward slash book.

Hello, I'm Dr Cat Jamon and welcome to today's episode of The Gone Medieval Podcasts

from History Hit. Making sacrifices to the gods is a common feature of many religions

both past and present. Sometimes these are symbolic and other times actual physical offerings.

Throughout history, certain societies even made a habit of making the ultimate sacrifice

that's of giving up human lives for the sake of their gods. But were these horrific acts

of murder in the way that we might think of them from a 23rd century perspective? And

...