Podcast episodes – The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP)

Earl Fontainelle

Booking Overview

This is an interview-led history and humanities show focused on Western esotericism, ancient and medieval religious thought, magic, and alchemy, with occasional external interviews featuring specialist scholars. Suitable pitches include historians of religion, classicists, Byzantine or East Roman studies experts, researchers of magic and alchemy, and authors with substantial scholarship in these areas; booking difficulty is medium because the subject matter is highly specialized and guests generally need recognized academic expertise.

Metrics

Episodes: 221

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10k-100k

Gender skew: Neutral

Location: USA

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

hello@shwep.net

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Host

Earl Fontainelle - Host and creator of a show exploring the history of Western esotericism and related religious and intellectual traditions.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium

Typical Credentials:

Academic or authorial expertise in the history of religion, Western esotericism, ancient or medieval intellectual history, Byzantine or East Roman studies, magic, or alchemy.

Required Achievements:

Peer-reviewed scholarship, Specialist books or articles, Recognized research expertise in ancient or medieval esotericism, religion, magic, or alchemy

Recent Guest Discussions

Alicia Walker - Everyday Magical Culture, Magical Objects, Materia Magica, And Learned And Non-specialist Magical Practices In The East Roman World.

Alicia Walker - Magical Practices And Objects In Everyday East Roman Life, Including The Relationship Between Esoteric Knowledge And Ordinary Material Culture.

Gerasimos Merianos - East Roman Alchemy, Laboratories And Workshops, Mathematical Approaches To Alchemical Knowledge, Secrecy, And Alchemical Politics.

Recent Topics

History, Esotericism, Alchemy, Magic, Religion

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

Podcast episodes – The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP)

Islām and Esotericism in the Eighth Century: The Umayyad Era and the Question of Islām as ‘Religion’

September 17, 2026

We discuss politico-religious developments among the Believers in the eighth century, setting the stage for a series of episodes exploring developments in esoteric Islām in the Umayyad period. We also discuss our evidence for how the Believers' movement became ‘Islām’ in the first place, also seemingly an Umayyad phenomenon.

Into the Archives with Alicia Walker

September 13, 2026

In this interview, Part II of our discussion of quotidian magical practices in the East-Roman world with Alicia Walker, we explore a wealth of materia magica, which is a fancy way of saying "magical things". Come for the alchemical enamel-ware, stay for the multipurpose magic ring.

Alicia Walker on Everyday Magical Culture in East Rome

August 25, 2026

In the previous episode we looked at learned, elaborate, elite magical practices and the books that enabled them in East Rome. In this episode we discuss the magical practices and objects with which normal, non-specialist Romans navigated their mediæval world. Alicia Walker is our guide in the territory where the esoteric becomes everyday.

Publicly listed emails

hello@shwep.net

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