In the summer of 1518, a woman named Frau Troffea stepped into the streets of Strasbourg and began to dance. She didn't stop for days. Within weeks, dozens of others had joined her — and the city of Strasbourg found itself in the grip of one of the strangest, most inexplicable events in recorded history.

Host Shawn Spainhour guides you through the full story: the medieval world of famine, plague, and religious terror that made this outbreak possible; how city officials and physicians tried — and failed — to stop it; and the leading theories historians still debate today, from ergotism to mass psychogenic illness.

Strange Epochs tells true stories from history's stranger corners. Each episode is written for deep listening — slow, atmospheric, and immersive. Whether you're behind the wheel, unwinding after a long day, or settling in for ...