Skip to content
Beforecast
PodcastHistoryPhilosophyEnglish

Beforecast

NewThey found an ancient Necropolis beneath the Vatican | Beforecast Episode 10 with Ada PalmerNovember 11, 2026 · 36 min
Episodes
10
Released
weekly
Latest episode
Nov 11, 2026

About the podcast

Ada Palmer deep dives into history and more. Long-form, serious but playful comparison of past and present.

Episodes 10

  1. They found an ancient Necropolis beneath the Vatican | Beforecast Episode 10 with Ada Palmer

    36 minSeason 1 · Episode 10

    Historian Ada Palmer discusses the captivating story of the Catacombs beneath the Vatican, and the discovery of the bones of St. Peter Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli, the …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer discusses the captivating story of the Catacombs beneath the Vatican, and the discovery of the bones of St. Peter Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli, the Renaissance, and beyond! All ideas are welcome :)

  2. Getting Rid of a Tyrant Isn't Enough | Beforecast Episode 9 with Ada Palmer

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 9

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the Tyrants of the Renaissance, how they expanded and grew their powers, and what we can learn from them today. Thanks for watching! We have …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the Tyrants of the Renaissance, how they expanded and grew their powers, and what we can learn from them today.

    Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli, the Renaissance, and beyond! All ideas are welcome :)

  3. The Massacres that MADE Machiavelli | Beforecast Episode 8 with Ada Palmer

    1 h 10 minSeason 1 · Episode 8

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Machiavelli's turbulent childhood, and the many tragedies that made him the man he became. Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Machiavelli's turbulent childhood, and the many tragedies that made him the man he became.

    Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli, the Renaissance, and beyond! All ideas are welcome :)

  4. The Machiavelli Book You've Never Read | Beforecast Episode 7 with Ada Palmer

    58 min

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss a lesser known work of Machiavelli, but one that's just as important to his legacy. Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss a lesser known work of Machiavelli, but one that's just as important to his legacy.

    Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli, the Renaissance, and beyond! All ideas are welcome :)

  5. What Makes Republics FALL? | Beforecast Episode 6 with Ada Palmer

    53 minSeason 1 · Episode 6

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the historical republics of the Renaissance, how they worked, and what makes a republic, historical OR modern, resist (or fail) against the …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the historical republics of the Renaissance, how they worked, and what makes a republic, historical OR modern, resist (or fail) against the attempts to overthrow them. Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli and the Renaissance, all ideas are welcome :) Links: PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/adapalmer Podcast RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/622815/rss

  6. We're all Machiavellian. We Just Don't Realize it. | Beforecast Episode 5 with Ada Palmer

    1 h 25 minSeason 1 · Episode 5

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the ethics of Machiavelli, how people perceived virtue in the Renaissance, and which of Machiavelli's thoughts still resonate today. Thanks …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the ethics of Machiavelli, how people perceived virtue in the Renaissance, and which of Machiavelli's thoughts still resonate today. Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli and the Renaissance, all ideas are welcome :) Links: PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/adapalmer Podcast RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/622815/rss

  7. Why did Machiavelli love this city so much?

    1 h 9 minSeason 1 · Episode 4

    Why did Machiavelli love this city so much? | Beforecast Episode 4 with Ada Palmer Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Why Niccolo Machiavelli, so often mischaracterized as …

    Show notes

    Why did Machiavelli love this city so much? | Beforecast Episode 4 with Ada Palmer

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Why Niccolo Machiavelli, so often mischaracterized as self-serving, dedicated his entire life to a single city. Why he loved it and refused to go elsewhere, even when leaving could have made him rich beyond his wildest dreams.

    Thanks for listening! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli and the Renaissance, all ideas are welcome :)

  8. What was life really like in Renaissance Florence? | Beforecast Episode 3 with Ada Palmer

    1 h 23 minSeason 1 · Episode 3

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the city of Florence at the time of Machiavelli's life, and how the almost-mythical city wasn't all it appears to be on the surface. Thanks …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss the city of Florence at the time of Machiavelli's life, and how the almost-mythical city wasn't all it appears to be on the surface.

    Thanks for watching! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli and the Renaissance, all ideas are welcome :)

    Links: PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/adapalmer

  9. Why Machiavelli's The Prince WASN'T written for us - Beforecast Episode 2 with Ada Palmer

    1 h 14 minSeason 1 · Episode 2

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Machiavelli, the mythical Renaissance figure whose true story is much different than public opinion would have you believe. In this episode …

    Show notes

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Machiavelli, the mythical Renaissance figure whose true story is much different than public opinion would have you believe.

    In this episode the two discuss a letter that Machiavelli wrote in exile about his "little book on Princes", and why it's so important to us today.

    Thanks for listening! We have so many topics to discuss on Machiavelli and the Renaissance, all ideas are welcome :)

  10. Machiavelli ISN'T who you think he is - Beforecast Episode #1 with Ada Palmer

    56 minSeason 1 · Episode 1

    Historian Ada Palmer and Journalist & Podcaster Adam Davidson discuss Machiavelli, the mythical Renaissance figure whose true story is much different than public opinion would have you believe.

Is this your podcast?

Confirm it with an entry in your feed: you get a code here, add it as podcast:txt to the channel of your feed, and we check it. Your podcast is then shown as “verified” on SoundNode.

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.