Tragic Endings
How the giants of history fell — beheadings, betrayals, and last words.
Listen to This Collection
Socrates Drinks the Hemlock
An old man asks too many questions in public. Athens votes to make him drink poison. He calmly does it while his students cry.
The Death of Alexander
He drops dead at 32 in Babylon. His generals immediately rip the empire to shreds fighting over the corpse.
The Ides of March
Julius Caesar walks into the Roman Senate and never walks out. His closest friends turn on him in the most famous political betrayal in history. 'Et tu, Brute?'
The Death of Cleopatra
She locks herself in her tomb with a basket of figs and an extremely angry snake. The last Pharaoh of Egypt picks her own ending.
Anne Boleyn Beheaded
She made a king break with Rome to marry her. Three years later he had her head cut off with a French sword for a fake adultery charge.
The Execution of Charles I
First time in history a European king is publicly tried, convicted, and executed by his own people. Even his enemies are shocked.
Marie Antoinette's Execution
The queen who probably never said 'let them eat cake' is paraded through Paris in a cart and beheaded. She apologizes to the executioner for stepping on his foot.
Napoleon at St. Helena
Britain dumps Napoleon on a tiny rock in the South Atlantic. He spends six years complaining about the weather and dies of stomach cancer (or arsenic).
Lincoln is Assassinated
Five days after Appomattox, an actor sneaks into the President's box at Ford's Theatre and shoots him in the head. The country never recovers.
The Tsar and His Family Are Shot
Nicholas II, his wife, four daughters, and son are taken to a basement in Yekaterinburg and executed. The Romanov dynasty ends after 304 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stories are in the Tragic Endings collection?
The Tragic Endings collection includes 10 stories: Socrates Drinks the Hemlock, The Death of Alexander, The Ides of March, The Death of Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn Beheaded, and 5 more. All available as immersive audio on History Tea.
Can I listen to Tragic Endings stories for free?
Yes! All 10 stories in the Tragic Endings collection are completely free to listen to on the History Tea app. Download on iOS and start listening today.
What time periods does Tragic Endings cover?
The Tragic Endings collection spans 399 BCE, 323 BCE, 44 BCE, 30 BCE and more. Each story is a fresh, cinematic retelling with immersive narration.
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