Plagues & Disasters
When the world fell apart — fire, water, and pestilence.
Listen to This Collection
Pompeii Destroyed
Mount Vesuvius erupts and buries an entire Roman city under 20 feet of ash in hours. We can still see the people frozen mid-step.
The Plague of Justinian
Bubonic plague hits Constantinople and kills 25-50 million people across the empire. The first pandemic on this scale in recorded history.
The Black Death
A plague riding on rats and fleas wipes out a third of Europe in four years. People paint dancing skeletons everywhere.
The Great Fire of London
A bakery fire spreads for four days and burns down 13,000 houses and 87 churches. Silver lining: kills off the plague rats too.
The Irish Potato Famine
A potato disease wipes out the food of an entire country. A million Irish die, a million flee. Britain ships food out the whole time.
The Titanic Sinks
The 'unsinkable' ship hits an iceberg on its maiden voyage. Not enough lifeboats. 1,500 people die in the freezing North Atlantic.
The Spanish Flu
A virus rides the troopships home and kills 50 million people in two years. More than the war that just ended.
The Stock Market Crashes
On Black Tuesday, the market loses billions in a single day. Bankers jump out of windows. The world plunges into the Great Depression.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Two atomic bombs vaporize two Japanese cities in three days. Over 200,000 people die. Japan surrenders. The nuclear age begins.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
A virus from a market in Wuhan locks down the entire planet. Millions die. The world learns the word 'unprecedented' the hard way.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stories are in the Plagues & Disasters collection?
The Plagues & Disasters collection includes 10 stories: Pompeii Destroyed, The Plague of Justinian, The Black Death, The Great Fire of London, The Irish Potato Famine, and 5 more. All available as immersive audio on History Tea.
Can I listen to Plagues & Disasters stories for free?
Yes! All 10 stories in the Plagues & Disasters collection are completely free to listen to on the History Tea app. Download on iOS and start listening today.
What time periods does Plagues & Disasters cover?
The Plagues & Disasters collection spans 79 CE, 541 CE, 1347 CE, 1666 CE and more. Each story is a fresh, cinematic retelling with immersive narration.
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