Malta is 'one of the most important pieces of real estate on Earth' - Dan Snow

Malta's strategic role at the crossroads of the Mediterranean makes it impossible to ignore in any serious study of history, according to British-Canadian historian and podcaster Dan Snow.

Snow, who hosts the popular History Hit podcast, spoke to Times of Malta ahead of a live podcast recording at the Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana on Wednesday evening, organised by VisitMalta. The podcast, which has been running for over 10 years, averages around three million listens every month.

He was joined on stage by Maltese historians Liam Gauci, Manuel Buttigieg, and Keith Gatt to discuss a range of artefacts spanning 5,000 years of history, including obsidian fragments, a Knights-era hunting pistol, a glass goblet from a Napoelonic-era ship, and the George Cross.

Snow pointed out that Malta’s size belied its role throughout history.  

“It might be a small place, but it has been at the centre of things for millennia. Part of that is down to geography, of course – it is amazing that Malta sits almost exactly between the Strait of Gibraltar and what is now the Suez Canal, and obviously it sits between North Africa and the Italian peninsula and Sicily," he said.  

“It’s a literal crossroads, so if you’re Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Islamic, the crusading knights, Ottoman, French or British, and you’re seeking to dominate that Mediterranean space, you’ve got to dominate Malta. It’s one of the most important pieces of real estate on Earth. You can’t study history and not talk about Malta.” 

The historian also noted that Valletta is "one of the most remarkable planned cities on earth".

Asked why tourists should consider Malta as more than just a sun-and-sea destination, Snow said he was amazed that some people viewed it as such. 

Dan Snow at Fort St Angelo during his visit to Malta in partnership with Visit Malta. Photo: Dan Snow/Instagram

“It’s clearly one of the great historical places, full of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Valletta is one of the most remarkable planned cities on earth – Renaissance but with Baroque upgrades. It just happens that Malta is also a great place to go if you just want to chill out by the beach and eat great food and drink great wine,” he said. 

Snow has covered Malta twice on his podcast, with episodes on the Great Siege and Malta’s role during World War II. He said there are several other periods he would like to explore further. 

"There’s such an interesting pre-historic history here. Who were those people? How did they get here? How did those trading networks start? What kind of boats were they sailing? The Napoleonic history is fascinating as well. I love that period – the British and French battling it out for Malta.”