24 Best History YouTube Channels (2024)
Have you ever wished you could time travel?
Well, grab your popcorn because these incredible history YouTube channels are the next best thing!
As someone who’s spent countless hours diving into historical content, I can tell you that YouTube has revolutionized how we experience the past. Did you know that educational history content on YouTube gets over 1 billion views monthly?
From cinematic battle recreations to fascinating deep dives into ancient civilizations, these channels are changing the game. Let me show you my absolute favourite list of best history YouTube channels that’ll make you fall in love with the past!
Which are the Best History YouTube channels?
Let’s dive deep into the list of history YouTube channels…
Table of Contents
Ancient History Powerhouses
When it comes to ancient history, these channels are absolute gems that bring the distant past to life in ways textbooks never could. Kings and Generals stand out with their phenomenal battle animations – imagine watching the Battle of Cannae unfold before your eyes, with detailed troop movements and tactical explanations that make you feel like you’re right there with Hannibal!
- Kings and Generals – Their battle animations are industry-leading, with detailed tactical breakdowns and strategic analysis that makes complex military history accessible. Their series on the Punic Wars is particularly outstanding.
- Historia Civilis – Don’t let the simple coloured squares fool you! This channel’s unique animation style perfectly captures the essence of Roman political intrigue and military campaigns. Their coverage of Caesar’s Civil War is masterful.
- Fall of Civilizations – Paul Cooper’s documentary-style deep dives are simply mesmerizing. Each feature-length episode explores how great civilizations collapsed, with atmospheric music and compelling narratives. The Easter Island episode is a must-watch.
- Ancient History Guy – Perfect for bite-sized history lessons that don’t sacrifice depth. His ability to explain complex historical events in 10-15 minutes while keeping you engaged is remarkable.
- Voices of the Past – This unique channel brings ancient texts to life through professional narration. Hearing actual ancient accounts, from Roman letters to Byzantine histories, offers an unparalleled connection to the past.
Medieval and Early Modern History Masters
The medieval period isn’t just knights and castles – though there’s plenty of that too! These channels excel at bringing the Middle Ages and Early Modern periods to vibrant life, dispelling myths while highlighting the fascinating realities of these eras.
- Time Team – Watch real archaeologists uncover history in real time! Their three-day digs across Britain have revealed countless medieval sites, with expert analysis and exciting discoveries in every episode. The combination of archaeology and history is simply unbeatable.
- Shadiversity – Shad’s enthusiasm for medieval architecture and warfare is infectious. His detailed breakdowns of castle designs and medieval weapons go far beyond basic explanations, offering expert analysis backed by historical sources.
- Absolute History – Their high-production-value documentaries cover everything from Tudor cooking to Victorian factories. The hands-on historical recreations are particularly fascinating.
- Metatron – Combining scholarly knowledge with practical demonstrations, this channel offers fascinating insights into medieval martial arts, arms, and armour. Their coverage of medieval Italian warfare and culture is exceptional, and the host’s multilingual expertise adds authentic perspectives on historical texts and sources.
- The Welsh Viking – Specialized in Norse and Celtic medieval history, this channel offers unique insights into Viking Age warfare, culture, and daily life. Their coverage of lesser-known aspects of Viking history and their influence on medieval Britain is particularly interesting.
Modern History and War Chronicles
The modern era offers some of the most dramatic and well-documented historical events, and these channels excel at bringing them to life with precision and respect for the subject matter.
- The Great War – Originally following World War I week by week as it happened 100 years ago, this channel offers unprecedented detail about the conflict. Their coverage of lesser-known fronts and aspects of the war is particularly valuable.
- Mark Felton Productions – Dr. Felton’s expertise in WWII history shines through in every video. He uncovers remarkable stories that even dedicated history buffs might not know, like the last German surrender in 1945 – which happened in September!
- Military History– Combines detailed research with clear explanations of military tactics, technology, and organization. Their analysis of tank warfare evolution is particularly fascinating.
- Simple History – Don’t let the simple animation style fool you – this channel packs serious historical content into easily digestible videos, perfect for getting a quick but accurate overview of events.
- Eastory – Their detailed map animations of Eastern Front battles are incredibly informative, showing troop movements and battle developments with precision and clarity.
Specialized History Niches
These channels prove that history isn’t just about wars and politics – it’s about everything that makes us human, from the clothes we wear to the food we eat.
- Prior Attire – Lucy’s expertise in historical fashion brings past centuries to life through clothing. Her hands-on demonstrations of how historical garments were worn and maintained are invaluable.
- Tasting History with Max Miller – Combines historical research with practical cooking demonstrations. Max recreates historical recipes while explaining their cultural context, making history delicious!
- Practical Engineering – Though not exclusively historical, their coverage of engineering history and development helps us understand how we built our modern world.
- Drachinifel – Naval history comes alive through detailed analysis of ships, battles, and maritime developments. Their multi-hour deep dives into famous naval battles are legendary among history fans.
Best Channels for History Students
Whether you’re studying for an exam or just want to learn systematically, these channels offer structured approaches to historical learning.
- Crash Course – John Green and other hosts break down complex historical topics into engaging, curriculum-aligned content. Their World History series is particularly well-structured for learners.
- YaleCourses – Experience full university-level history lectures from one of the world’s top institutions. Their Civil War and Roman History courses are particularly comprehensive.
- Khan Academy – Offers systematic coverage of historical topics with clear explanations and helpful visualizations. Perfect for building a strong foundation in historical understanding.
- History Matters – Specializes in quick, memorable explanations of specific historical events and concepts. Their humour makes complex topics stick in your memory.
- Extra Credits – Their animated historical narratives make even complex historical events accessible and entertaining while maintaining accuracy.
Production Quality and Entertainment
What sets these channels apart isn’t just their historical accuracy – it’s how they present their content. Here’s what makes them special:
- Animation Styles: From Kings and Generals’ detailed battle animations to Simple History’s charming illustrations, each channel has developed its own visual language. The best channels match their animation style to their content – simple graphics for complex explanations, and detailed animations for battle sequences.
- Storytelling Techniques: The most successful history channels understand that history is fundamentally about stories. Fall of Civilizations excels at building narrative tension, while Mark Felton Productions knows exactly how to structure revelations for maximum impact.
- Historical Accuracy: These channels maintain rigorous fact-checking processes. Many cite their sources directly in the video descriptions, and several are run by professional historians or researchers. They’re quick to issue corrections when needed and often engage in academic debates in their fields.
- Entertainment Value: The best channels find ways to make history entertaining without sacrificing accuracy. Tasting History adds humour to historical cooking, while Time Team builds suspense into their archaeological digs.
- Unique Formats: Some channels have innovated entirely new ways of presenting historical content. Historia Civilis turned Roman political history into a drama starring coloured squares, while The Great War’s real-time format created a new way to experience historical events.
Conclusion
Ready to embark on your historical journey?
These best history YouTube channels aren’t just about learning – they’re about experiencing history in ways our textbooks never could. Whether you’re a casual history buff or a serious student, there’s a perfect channel waiting for you.
Start with the ones that match your interests, and don’t forget to ring that notification bell to never miss an upload. History is happening – one video at a time!
👉Also read: 28 Best Yoga YouTube Channels
A seasoned blogger with over a decade of experience, Eric has been sharing his thoughts and ideas online for as long as he can remember. From tech tips to travel tales, he loves connecting with people through his words. Join Eric on this journey as he explores the digital world together.
