The Ancients

<p>“Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” Ramesses II reigned as Egypt's unchallenged champion for more than sixty years. But within decades the dynasty of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh had fallen apart. </p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to chart how the reign of Ramesses the Great descended into slow collapse. From monumental building projects that once proclaimed eternal power to the advent of instability to the looming threat of the Sea Peoples, discover how Egypt’s New Kingdom began to fracture under the weight of its own success. This is the dramatic final chapter in the story of the House of Ramesses.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p>The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000750306707" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0gp5AwwInxD4Vy48eSyADD?si=SzgzQGgYTMeeGnG562uyrw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>The Legend of Osiris: King of the Dead</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000671448891" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1q92LrdijcGsjKsjOCBcXe?si=HoBPdJLWSSS3E64Ign861w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>As friendships fracture and old alliances break, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy chronicle the epic downfall of Alexander the Great. </p><br><p>Alexander’s relentless campaigns from Bactria to Babylon push his empire, army and inner circle to breaking point, hear the battles, betrayals and decisions that hastened a legendary conqueror’s tragic end.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Romans and India with William Dalrymple</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-romans-and-india-with-william-dalrymple/id1520403988?i=1000668187744" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0RSacQ0ngYW2YjrE2UMeVF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Successors of Alexander the Great</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/successors-of-alexander-the-great/id1520403988?i=1000709565712" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6uYXQErL0yRrA2UWU5rRKT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The name of Ramesses the Great is etched deeper into Egypt than almost any other ruler. Colossal statues moulded in his image tower over the Nile. Reliefs of his victories are carved into countless temple walls. But were did Ramesses II come from? And how was this legend of Egyptian history born?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to uncover the rise of the House of Ramesses and the century of crisis that paved the way for Egypt’s most famous pharaoh. From dynastic turmoil and religious upheaval to military revival and monumental propaganda, discover how Ramesses II seized his moment and shaped a legacy that has endured for over 3,000 years. Was he Egypt’s greatest ruler or its greatest architect of reputation?</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><br><p><strong>The Great Sphinx</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000651217482" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2U53yQ5x2NpwvXO0VO7bkz?si=bc199d1ce6cf4dfa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Pyramids of Giza</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000648106778" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ZV9Zf8yVJuMVJZJo018h0?si=3fae6544fdc745a1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy continue the special series on Alexander the Great, delving into the epic sieges of Tyre and Gaza in 332 BC, and Alexander's triumphant campaign through Egypt. </p><br><p>They explore the strategic brilliance at the Battle of Gaugamela, the fall of Persepolis, and the eventual demise of Darius III. As Alexander's army pushes further east, tackling internal conspiracies and relentless combat, they traverse the formidable landscapes of Bactria and Afghanistan, capturing Alexander's the blend of military genius, relentless ambition, and the complex legacy of one of history's most formidable commanders.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Ancient Amazon</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-ancient-amazon/id1520403988?i=1000675800605" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5YxnzfGa4x4Z8l4JE6Uwmh" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Walls of Babylon</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-walls-of-babylon/id1520403988?i=1000648927929" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XBGgXjkgKO7ha1EKrCi1Z" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the depths of ancient Jericho, beneath layers of earth dating back 10,000 years, archaeologists uncovered something extraordinary: human skulls cast in plaster, their faces carefully reconstructed and their eyes set with shells. Who were these haunting figures meant to represent?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Raven Todd DaSilva to explore the mysterious plastered skulls of Jericho. Dating to the Neolithic period, these striking objects reveal complex beliefs about memory, identity and the dead in some of the world’s earliest farming communities. How were they made? What did they mean? And why did this unusual practice spread across the Levant? Join us to dive into one of prehistory’s most compelling archaeological discoveries.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><br><p><strong>Jericho:</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000640448833" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0R7M5aJ9E3TJjWBIRs5AZV?si=e64e921b53104c41" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>Origins of the Inuit:</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000674021700" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/47CqFOJgHT8YfZXIjenwyk?si=_q3r47b_RraVK4Xs3LbtCw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In spring 334 BC, a young Macedonian king sets out to conquer the Persian Empire.</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy explore Alexander the Great’s early campaigns, from the daring crossing into Asia to incredible victories. They discuss Alexander's strategic genius, respect toward Persian royalty, and how these triumphs forged his path to legend.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Persians</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gh/podcast/the-persians/id1520403988?i=1000649998099" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><br><p><strong>King Midas</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/king-midas/id1520403988?i=1000611669744" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1lvx4539JhbpJxlsc2siAS?si=O5x5rexfTB-mwkWZOn1U-Q&nd=1&dlsi=b9e211c1fc55408a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>More than 5,000 years ago, a revolutionary script emerged in the fertile lands of Mesopotamia that would transform how people counted, governed, worshipped and told stories. This was cuneiform, the world’s earliest known writing system.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Irving Finkel to uncover how cuneiform actually worked and how you would write it yourself. From humble beginnings as simple pictograms tracking beer and grain, to the wedge-shaped signs that recorded myths, laws and epic tales long before the Bible, this episode explores how cuneiform spread across Sumer, Babylon, Assyria and Persia — and why these clay tablets remain one of archaeology’s richest windows into the ancient world.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><br><p><strong>Noah's Ark and the Flood</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000657831861" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jGNMjqyIkvmpKjT532API?si=zYgP0yhpTtWZyzKGIWXUbA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>The World's Oldest Letters</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000738350099" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6a5mDAW5O22fM8sE9tkrUB?si=Y0OZfYcBTimMOOdgyZAXhA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>NEW SERIES! Journey through the early life of Alexander the Great, from his education under Aristotle to his first military experiences and rise to Macedonian kingship.</p><br><p>In this first episode, charting Alexander's incredible early life, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy explore Alexander's formative years, the Battles that built the world's most formidable military leader and the immediate challenges following his father's assassination.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Rise of Hannibal with Adrian Goldsworthy</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/rise-of-hannibal/id1520403988?i=1000639200380" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1lOiE8LbPlr1t8dcnH68XT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Darius the Great, Persian King of Kings</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/darius-the-great-persian-king-of-kings/id1520403988?i=1000671652676" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https:// https://open.spotify.com/episode/67RZ7yVB4vhyaUQIsYkYSa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Adam and Eve: parents of humanity, or characters in a Near Eastern myth about wisdom, mortality, and the limits of being human?</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes and Dr Dylan Johnson strip away the Sunday school varnish to re-examine the story of Adam and Eve, starting with the question: was there really an apple? They discuss the origins and multiple layers of the story, try and pinpoint where Eden might have been located, and trace the tale of lost immortality that echoes through the legends of Gilgamesh, Sumerian rivers, and the earliest biblical texts</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Moses & The Exodus</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/xk/podcast/moses-the-exodus/id1520403988?i=1000658678416" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple </a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ET1ixWEqsKpCkHqy2SvyK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Ark of The Covenant</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ark-of-the-covenant/id1520403988?i=1000659406495" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple </a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/74y1JdV8UmePJzD4TjvUK4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What do we know about the earliest Popes, and how did they shape the early Christian Church amidst persecution?</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Rosamond McKitterick to journey back to Imperial Rome to uncover the fascinating tales of the earliest Popes, focusing on St. Peter and his possible connection to Mark's gospel, Sylvester I during Constantine's reign, and Pope Leo I who confronted Atilla the Hun.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><strong>Jesus of Nazareth</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/me/podcast/jesus-of-nazareth/id1520403988?i=1000638303975" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qFWoLLNQFgL0FmBhUoKe2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Apocryphal Gospels</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-apocryphal-gospels/id1520403988?i=1000714801865" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LCjf3ih1Yujn2ubjBBu8u?si=76be941aa58447a7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p><br><p><br></p><p><strong>Audio for Uploader:</strong></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>He is one of the most famous rulers of the ancient world, remembered for leading a vast Persian invasion of Greece. Yet Xerxes the Great was far more than just a battlefield king.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to explore the life and reign of the Persias most revered king who ruled the largest empire the world had yet seen. From his royal upbringing and court politics to religion, monumental building projects and imperial power, this episode goes beyond Greek battle narratives to uncover who Xerxes really was — and how the Achaemenid empire functioned at the height of his power.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><br><p><strong>Darius the Great: Persian King of Kings</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000671652676" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/67RZ7yVB4vhyaUQIsYkYSa?si=152d12cd2a5a4a93" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000695929043" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jgBbWwNQQiK0Hj2v3E09I?si=d550a2059cbc4159" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>396 BC. The city of Veii lies in ruins, destroyed by Rome in a brutal act of early imperial expansion. Yet just six years later, Rome itself would face devastation at the hands of invading Gauls, a shock that would shape the city’s identity for generations.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Jeremy Armstrong to explore the origins of Rome’s empire. From the conquest of rival cities and the trauma of invasion to the development of Roman warfare, politics, and identity, this episode reveals how these early crises set the stage for Rome’s rise to dominance along the Tiber and beyond.</p><br><p><strong>MORE:</strong></p><br><p><strong>The Kings of Rome</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000593872119" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/60sJAHwbJtZYTKHlfRlZ2i?si=jvciSjyEQNqiwoeZyfdf6w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Origins of Rome:</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000570651959" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/26cmn3eQrPb0LQ7Jiu92cP?si=CSn4m9H5SQiUztvkAmppRw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What can ancient DNA tell us about the first homo sapiens to arrive in Arabia over 50,000 years ago? Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof. Pierre Zalloua to delve into the groundbreaking advances in ancient DNA research that illuminate the complex journeys of these early human populations. </p><br><p>They discuss the challenges of extracting ancient DNA in harsh desert environments, the role of climate in human migration, and the archeological evidence of early human presence which show continuous population movements over millennia.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Rise of Humans</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rise-of-humans/id1520403988?i=1000702067254" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vXxIXCruQh4w90EuawE6E" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>The Kingdom of Kush</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kingdom-of-kush/id1520403988?i=1000685294025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6QXTNyMH3Ov6UweDXEsf67" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Step into the daily lives of those stationed along Hadrian's Wall, from Roman soldiers to civilians. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Francis Macintosh are your guides to explore the routines, duties, and unique cultural identities that developed in this northern frontier of the Roman Empire. They discover how the wall itself was maintained, the role of local and foreign deities, and the significant impact Roman occupation had on the local population.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Roman Legionary</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/la/podcast/the-roman-legionary/id1520403988?i=1000627618850" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1NYMG6kR42oRGiVps0AH8S" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Roman Invasion of Britain</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-roman-invasion-of-britain/id1520403988?i=1000683490050" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1lTa6DyKYntcPdkRrvwCnc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Max Carrey, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>She helped Jason win the Golden Fleece, betrayed her own family, and became one of the most feared figures in Greek myth. Medea’s name has echoed through the ancient world for over two millennia, a byword for passion and revenge but was she really a villain?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by acclaimed classicist and bestselling author Natalie Haynes to unravel the full story of Medea. From her origins in distant Colchis on the edge of the Greek imagination to her unforgettable portrayal in Euripides’ tragedy, they explore how the ancient Greeks understood Medea, why her vengeance shocked audiences, and whether she was ever truly the villain of her own story?</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p>Jason and the Argonauts</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000704880934" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6il3hkqyMz0GBO9yMimVjE?si=35af596d56234eb2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Medusa</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1759820234?i=1000663557880" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fiiYYeKEfrgisMxDl4OBH?si=706143c4ee054963" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit to watch Natalie Haynes new two-part documentary Divine Fury - Demeter and Persephone. Natalie unravels the story of Persephone’s abduction and Demeter’s fierce response. Filmed across Athens, Eleusis and beyond, the film traces how the myth was transformed into the Eleusinian mysteries, one of the most profound and secretive experiences of the ancient world.</strong></p><p><strong>Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did Sparta, the most feared military state in ancient Greece, fall from grace in a single generation?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Roel Konijnendijk and Dr Owen Rees to chronicle Sparta's catastrophic collapse in the fourth century BC. Fresh from its victory over Athens in the year 404, Sparta stood unrivalled. Yet within decades, its power would be shattered, its authority broken, and its golden age over. From decisive battles against resurgent rivals Thebes and Corinth to over-ambitious kings and a defining clash with a warband of sacred lovers, it is a gripping story of sky-high stakes and two-faced duplicity; of brutal power struggles and the cut-throat scramble to become the hegemonic power of ancient Greece.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p>March of the 10,000</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000581747987" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6aPvyXQH2Sirm1I3hCmkbw?si=VmHPejN7TQ6g0IQpoVdatg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Sparta vs Athens: The Greek World War</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000638551005" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen to Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6rxzRVxuvd4Mr0pLvgWmOF?si=O3ugOTICR1eZiC68IMG2lw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen to Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did a persecuted minority religion rise to be embraced and enforced by mighty Roman Emperors?</p><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Peter Heather to chart the dramatic rise of Christianity, exploring how Emperors such as Constantine the Great were forced to hide their true religions and the suppression of paganism across the world.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Council of Nicea</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/kw/podcast/the-council-of-nicaea/id1520403988?i=1000708742054" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RSWEGkUcy00CFUAqRGhQs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Today we’re going back to the beginning – no Romans, Celts, Egyptians or Macedonians in sight. Billions of years of prehistory as we look at the emergence of life on Earth. From the rise of the earliest microscopic membranes to the arrival of the dinosaurs.</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Henry Gee to journey through several billion years of history; from the rise of the earliest microscopic membranes to the arrival of the dinosaurs.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Rise of Humans with Henry Gee</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/rise-of-humans/id1520403988?i=1000702067254&l=nb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1vXxIXCruQh4w90EuawE6E" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Jurassic America</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/rs/podcast/jurassic-america/id1520403988?i=1000700771214&l=hr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0W4Id2RpIYL3ZoUIPSnVcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Think of the Ice Age and tales of ferocious sabre-toothed tigers and giant megafauna likely spring to mind - but what do we know about prehistoric human culture 25,000 years ago and how people survived a perilous landscape of marauding Woolly Mammoths, bitterly cold temperatures and primitive Stone Age tools? </p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Cody Cassidy to look at how early cultures adapted to the extremes of the Last Glacial Period. Looking at the rapidly changing landscape, the cause of the big freeze and prehistoric hunting methods - do you have what it takes to survive the Ice Age? </p><br><p>This episode was first released in October 2023.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Ice Age Britain: Finding the First Homo sapiens</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ice-age-britain-finding-the-first-homo-sapiens/id1520403988?i=1000645618843" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4u19HuMXM6JlicPr8FGok3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Ice Age America</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/mm/podcast/ice-age-america/id1520403988?i=1000677472289" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KZruCMwpO7TakuiMs7DMp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p><em>Assassin’s Creed Odyssey </em>immerses players in the mythology of Ancient Greece. In particular, they can walk in the footsteps of Theseus through the Labyrinth and come face to face with the mythical Minotaur. Commonly associated with the maze-like Knossos palace on Crete, how much of the myth is rooted in reality? Prof Nicoletta Momigliano guides Tristan Hughes through the pathways between myth and reality of the Minoan Labyrinth.</p><br><p><strong>Echoes of History </strong>is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Listen to it <a href="https://podfollow.com/echoes-of-history/view" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p><br><p>Hosted by: Tristan Hughes</p><p>Edited by: Alex Jones and Aidan Lonergan</p><p>Produced by: Robin McConnell, Anne-Marie Luff</p><p>Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff</p><p>Production Manager: Beth Donaldson</p><p>Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett</p><br><p>Music:</p><p>Phoibe the Orphan by The Flight, Michael Georgiades</p><p>The Minotaur by The Flight</p><p>Barnabas by The Flight, Michael Georgiad<em>es</em></p><br><p>If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>here</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><br><p>Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>[email protected]</u></a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did a humble Balkan soldier ascend to the heights of Roman power?</p><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Gwynn to explore the tumultuous reign of Emperor Diocletian and the significant reforms that pulled the Roman Empire out of its third-century crisis, including the formation of the Tetrarchy to stabilise the empire. However, Diocletian's legacy is heavily marred by his notorious Great Persecution of Christians. Who was the real Diocletian?</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Rome's Crisis of the Third Century</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romes-crisis-of-the-third-century/id1520403988?i=1000682404706" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3VgvW43kHAxzSl43hWJiRZ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Emperor Constantine</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emperor-constantine/id1520403988?i=1000680696136" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7K9qDUO5PTg0e7gZlviB9S" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The story of ancient Italy is so much more than just Rome. In this special episode, we're shining a light on the extraordinary site of Paestum in southern Italy, home to some of the greatest ancient Greek temples from anywhere in the world.</p><br><p>Guided through Paestum's story with the site's director Dr Tiziana D'Angelo and Dr Kathryn Lomas, Tristan follows the story of Paestum from its Greek beginnings in c.600 BC all the way down to its eventual takeover by Rome more than 300 years later.</p><br><p>Tristan's new documentary, Paestum: A Tale of Three Cities, is out now.</p><p><a href="https://access.historyhit.com/videos/paestum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch on History Hit</a></p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Fall of the Etruscans</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fall-of-the-etruscans/id1520403988?i=1000678324725" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1rlinrjjxr8Sk0wZO57hry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Roman Roads</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/roman-roads/id1520403988?i=1000662049919" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/29idUM2fYpgzCEYZVYRAkH" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Few dinosaurs are as instantly recognisable as the plated titan Stegosaurus - it's the Jurassic giant with a brain the size of a walnut and a tail that could kill.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Susannah Maidment of London’s Natural History Museum to uncover the secrets of its incredible armour, explore the latest theories behind its bizarre anatomy, and journey back to the Jurassic World it dominated to understand how this unique giant truly lived and fought. Join us to dive into the latest research and discover the surprising truth behind one of prehistory’s most beloved dinosaurs.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p>Tyrannosaurus Rex</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000670171248" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3uxH3HHjSuEk0mHmjFU9k7?si=1dca54e4253a42c4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>The Rise of the Dinosaurs</p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000555060854" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kma3vBUzOoHk0KzRLSp5E?si=0c3e157598db4144" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>He’s the villain of the Nativity. An alleged killer of innocents, remembered as one of history’s great monsters. But the truth about Herod the Great is far more dramatic, far more complex, and far more shocking.</p><br><p>On today's special episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes asks: who was the real Herod behind the legend and the infamy? Joined by Professor Benedict Eckhardt, Dr Kimberly Tchaikovsky and Professor Helen Bond, he charts the gripping rise of one of antiquity’s most formidable and misunderstood rulers. From perilous beginnings to becoming Rome’s chosen King of Judea, Herod’s story blends Greek-style tragedy with ruthless Roman politics and features encounters with towering figures like Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Join us to step into the turbulent world of Roman Judea and discover how Herod defied the odds to seize his throne.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><br><p><strong>The Wise Men:</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000679904941" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/30JcS3z8gUODOvbR8k47mh?si=JG2RbFkLRdGfmwf0voQ9yA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Great Jewish Revolt:</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000702731647" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mlQHW3xI2HDTGv5PCiePt?si=z_36uqxgRMSQLpIG2pTpTw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Did Moses really receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, or is that just ancient legend? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Dylan Johnson to unpack how the Book of Exodus disagrees with Deuteronomy, what “do not take God’s name in vain” really meant, and how these commands blurred law and morality for ancient peoples.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Ark of the Covenant</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ark-of-the-covenant/id1520403988?i=1000659406495" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/74y1JdV8UmePJzD4TjvUK4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Moses & The Exodus</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/md/podcast/moses-the-exodus/id1520403988?i=1000658678416" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ET1ixWEqsKpCkHqy2SvyK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>:</strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Cameron McNeil, Mesoamerican archaeologist, to explore cacao, in ancient Mesoamerican societies like the Maya, Aztecs, and Olmecs. They discuss how was used as food, drink, currency, and in ritualistic practices, and learn about its journey from South America to becoming a highly valued commodity in Mesoamerica.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>Origins of Beer</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/origins-of-beer/id1520403988?i=1000666034832" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5lpvSrb89CDVeqZjn0z0jV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Pyramid of the Sun</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pyramid-of-the-sun/id1520403988?i=1000662581221" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5VqXfgDDeIAYB7P113yUCq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. The audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did Indian culture shape the wonders of Southeast Asia?</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by William Dalrymple to explore the fascinating first millennium AD, from vibrant trade dynamics with the Roman Empire to the establishment of powerful Indian trading guilds and the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism after Rome's decline. They dig in to the construction of the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat, the largest Hindu temple in the world which boasts a central area four times the size of Vatican City, with carvings depicting epic Hindu legends.</p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>@TheAncientsPodcast</u></strong></a></p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Romans and India with William Dalrymple</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-romans-and-india-with-william-dalrymple/id1520403988?i=1000668187744" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0RSacQ0ngYW2YjrE2UMeVF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Prehistoric Ireland: Newgrange</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/prehistoric-ireland-newgrange/id1520403988?i=1000704905645" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zcgcrW1h1pZpirb1hhmLV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What do the world’s first letters reveal about life in the Bronze Age?</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Amanda Podany to uncover the remarkable written culture of ancient Mesopotamia, when clay tablets carried messages across vast distances and a proto-postal system linked cities like Ur and Babylon. From royal correspondence and diplomatic negotiations to worried family notes and furious consumer complaints -including the iconic rant against the merchant Ea-Nasir for terrible copper - these texts offer a vivid, relatable window into everyday life 4,000 years ago. Step into the earliest age of writing and discover how humanity first learned to communicate across time and space.</p><br><p>Translations in this episode taken from A. Leo Oppenheim, <em>Letters from Mesopotamia</em> (1967) & J. M. Sasson, <em>From the Mari Archives</em> (2015).</p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>*WARNING: This podcast contains adult themes and discussion of paedophilia*</p><br><p>A brilliant general. A brooding autocrat. A recluse surrounded by scandal. Few Roman emperors divide opinion like Tiberius. But was he truly a monster, or the victim of centuries of salacious storytelling?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Daisy Dunn to uncover the real man behind the myths. From Tiberius’ early brilliance on campaign to his troubled and bloody reign in Rome, and finally his notorious withdrawal to Capri, they explore how much of this lurid legacy holds up. Was Tiberius an underrated statesman undone by grief and politics, or the twisted tyrant historians have claimed? Join us to dive into the truth behind Rome’s most tragic emperor.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><br><p><strong>Agrippa and Augustus: The Golden Age</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000498249287" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3V6WnCQoWb6LgI9CBoe5Tf?si=FUdT8ynVSKW7OTnSE6x2Og" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Rise of Nero</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000713615326" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2IZuj6FgyZz7asBk6B614f?si=kxeuodXgQmuOz3tUEg0I0g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>@TheAncientsPodcast</u></strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>A faith born in the distant prehistoric past, rooted in ancient Iranian texts over 4,000 years old, Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest living religions. and one that shaped empires.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Almut Hintze to explore the origins, beliefs, and enduring legacy of Zoroastrianism. From the teachings of the prophet Zarathustra and the central role of Ahura Mazda, to holy fire and its influence on the Achaemenid and Sasanian worlds, join us to discover how this ancient religion helped shape ancient empires and Persian identity for millennia</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><strong>The Wise Men</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000679904941" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen of Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/30JcS3z8gUODOvbR8k47mh?si=9NdGEaABS-C-AlGAXB_ePg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>Persia Reborn: Rise of the Sasanians</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000644788751" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gSKjbVzB2jstHXUJKDtUO?si=Cl2_WdJjSNWe-TTJUe5A4w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify </a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>:</p><p><a href="https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Tristan Hughes invites Matt Lewis, host <em>The Ancients's </em>sister podcast <em>Gone Medieval</em>, for a lively debate with about the blurred boundary between the ancient and medieval worlds. Can Tristan champion Roman Emperor Justinian as an Ancient? What about Charlemagne? Which period can lay claim to the worst year in history? And was there a single moment when people woke up and realised they'd entered a new era?</p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>@TheAncientsPodcast</u></strong></a></p><br><p><strong>MORE:</strong></p><p><strong>541 AD: The Worst Year in History</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000726283804" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ln46zSNNezRQlcFXYyVuV?si=L72LBZ3CQA2sylair4TdOw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p><strong>The Fall of Rome: Origins</strong></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ancients/id1520403988?i=1000705825783" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Apple</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BlPMrkjRg6uCDyW651r1U?si=jZd3fueFR22bffYRIOtguw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Listen on Spotify</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editors are Rob Weinberg and Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>They built roads, aqueducts, and bathhouses but what about toilets?</p><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Hannah Platts, to uncover the surprisingly fascinating world of Roman toilets, faeces and sewers. From communal latrines and ancient plumbing to what really happened with the “sponge on a stick,” discover what it was like to do your business in ancient Rome - smells, small talk, and all.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4TMwKYCJQpOS7hgGDNjAmz?si=3SYvXJm2SDuoBHG8Csf9og" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roman Aqueducts</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/29idUM2fYpgzCEYZVYRAkH?si=DtGEj_EwSM69KuCjUTNiXA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roman Roads</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Today in this bonus episode Tristan introduces us to <em>History Daily</em> podcast, where host Lindsay Graham takes us back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history.</p><br><p>Whether it’s to remember the tragedy of December 7th, 1941, the day “that will live in infamy,” or to celebrate that 20th day in July, 1969, when mankind reached the moon, <em>History Daily</em> is there to tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time.</p><br><p>A co-production from award-winning podcasters Airship and Noiser.</p><br><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><p><strong>The Loch Ness Photograph: </strong>April 21, 1934. The Daily Mail publishes an alleged photo of the Loch Ness Monster, sparking an international sensation around one of the world’s most enduring modern legends.</p><p><strong>The First Meteorite To Strike a Person: </strong>November 30, 1954. Alabama resident Ann Hodges becomes the first person struck by a meteorite, an event that will upend the 34-year-old’s life.</p><br><p>Listen to History Daily <a href="https://www.historydaily.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Rome. Egypt. Love. War. Over 2,000 years ago, the fates of two ancient worlds collided in one of history’s most legendary love stories: Antony and Cleopatra.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Daisy Dunn to uncover the truth behind the myth - from their first meeting at Tarsus to the political intrigue that scandalised Rome. It was an affair that ignited a civil war, forged an empire that lasted for an age and gave rise to one of world history's most dramatic and tragic deaths, so join us to discover how passion, ambition, and betrayal reshaped the ancient Mediterranean world.</p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>@TheAncientsPodcast</u></strong></a></p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0kI3w89qAY0cQn2tec0ucS?si=ulnT44L7RcmfQgjYW3z7SA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Cleopatras</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VnUtmGIVq588mRItlN3c0?si=UN8oEifWREmaFSQ-rHY-UQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Rise of Mark Antony</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Who were the Vikings' ancient ancestors? In this episode Tristan Hughes explores the fascinating maritime culture, sophisticated trade networks and social hierarchies of the Nordic Bronze Age c. 1800–700 BC. </p><br><p>Joined by Professor Johan Ling, they shed light on how proto-Viking societies of ancient Scandinavia imported essential metals, crafted stunning rock art using bronze tools and operated complex trade routes extending to Britain, Iberia and beyond. Enigmatic religious practices and the pivotal role played by elite kinship networks are brought to life through remarkable archaeological finds such as horned helmets and a golden sun chariot to reveal the remarkable complex societies that preceded the Viking Age.</p><br><p>MORE:</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dEddIFS5yfamKqVZd6xAE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>The Bronze Age Collapse</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Fd3i83dEOiEw6PXHc9pk5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Mycenae: Cradle of Bronze Age Greece</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The year is 539 BC. The greatest city of the ancient world has fallen. Babylon has opened it's gates to a new conqueror: the mighty Persian king Cyrus the Great.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined once again by friend of the show Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to uncover the dramatic fall of Babylon and the ascent of Persia’s Achaemenid empire. From the final decades of Babylonian rule to Cyrus’ blood-stained triumph and the city’s remarkable survival under a new regime, they discover how one of history’s most iconic capitals lost its crown - a seismic chapter in the tumultuous story of the Ancient Near East.</p><br><p><strong>Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheAncientsPodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>@TheAncientsPodcast</strong></a></p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XBGgXjkgKO7ha1EKrCi1Z?si=lJFgjM3ISdCdO-lIWyFPrA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Walls of Babylon</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Mu2t7PemMitCtmP2KvbkK?si=XSxpLFpmRsKARMRYk8FI6w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cyrus the Great</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Warrior, Cobra, Downward Dog. If you do Yoga today, those are poses you’re surely aware of. But where and when did Yoga originate?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Jim Mallinson to uncover the ancient roots of yoga - a tradition stretching back over 3,000 years. From the meditative practices of the Indus Valley Civilisation to the spiritual seekers of early India, they discover how yoga evolved from a path of divine discipline and self-realisation into one of the world’s most influential philosophies and practices.</p><br><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/52mGOQenJdnN8NvYDDYsti?si=eNaeqOzwToWF0ajt0cXlcA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Origins of Buddhism</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Tsq1bluUZiphstsl1aePS?si=o430jlfORYegBn7fkZIuNw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Chinese Zodiac</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Join us for a special episode of The Ancients, recorded on-site in Norfolk, as we delve into the fascinating history of the Iceni tribe both before and after Boudica's famed revolt against the legions. </p><br><p>Tristan Hughes joins Professor William Bowden at the dig to hear about Iceni resistance, cultural continuity, and adaptation in the face of Roman conquest. Together they explore archaeological insights into the Iceni's daily lives, their treasured artefacts, and their complex relationship with Roman rule, sharing remarkable recent discoveries, offering a tangible connection to the past and piecing together a vivid narrative of a tribe that endured and evolved over centuries.</p><br><p><strong>See the finds made at the </strong><a href="https://caistorromanproject.org/what-we-do/#finds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Caistor Roman Project</strong> </a></p><br><p>[ACAST ONLY]</p><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1jiiHgM7dPMV2hgpCL0YBf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Boudica's Battle of Britain</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1lTa6DyKYntcPdkRrvwCnc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>The Roman Invasion of Britain</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What lurks under the surface of the dense black peat pits strewn across northern Europe? Bog bodies, naturally mummified humans, have fascinated archeologists for decades as they offer unique insights into ancient cultures.</p><br><p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Melanie Giles to examine how old these bodies are, how they're preserved and incredible examples including Tolland Man and Lindow Man. They discuss the myriad potential explanations for their deaths ranging from ritual sacrifice to accidental demise, as well as the importance of these bogs in prehistoric societies, including their resources and hazards, and their valuable role in modern ecological efforts.</p><br><p><a href="https://www.museumsilkeborg.dk/welcome-to-the-story-about-tollund-man" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">View the Tolland Man</a></p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3h431IBsszlEVcfUThij6B" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Siberian Ice Mummies</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6EDEArLo5e33uPLjpmzvT7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>The Beaker People</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>He's known as Rome’s philosopher-emperor and faced plague, rebellion and war in the East. Yet Marcus Aurelius ruled with a pen as much as a sword, finding peace in philosophy which still inspires the world today.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor William Stephens to uncover the life, legacy, and stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. From his rise to emperor at the height of Rome’s power to his struggles with plague, rebellion, and invasion, they unpack how this philosopher-king embodied the ideals of Stoicism while leading through crisis and ask what Marcus Aurelius’ <em>Meditations</em> can tell us about duty, resilience, and the mind of Rome’s most thoughtful ruler?</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nkbGeOTbzTlkvlmgstGMI?si=-PlqmKXkSDOWjq0ryGThww" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Commodus: The Gladiator Emperor</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0I9fUpjYLdzvN04lOwF6Ti?si=h3uXJF6hTwabmwbpr0bBcA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pax Romana</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>:</p><p><a href="https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The year is 453 AD. The most feared warlord in Europe - Attila the Hun - lies dead on his wedding night. But what happened next plunged his vast empire into bloody chaos.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Hyun Jin Kim to uncover the dramatic story of Attila’s heirs and the fall of the Huns. From bitter rivalries between Attila’s sons to the Gothic kings who rose to challenge them, discover how the mighty Hunnic Empire collapsed almost overnight — a saga of ambition, betrayal, and the violent unravelling of one of history’s most feared powers.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7y5w7yyVOqwYxvqHAAfthi?si=PtzE0HlhTs-pS6IKeq56pg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Attila the Hun: Scourge of God</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7urNQxKoWuDLdxs5WUlm0u?si=ChgT_T09TqWbPKw_xZ4svw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The White Huns</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the 7th century, a new empire rose from the sands of Arabia - united by faith, driven by conquest, and destined to change history forever.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Khododad Rezakhani to explore the emergence of Islam from the ashes of Rome and Persia’s great struggle for supremacy. Together they discover how the early Islamic polity took shape, why the Arab conquests were so swift and decisive, and how they reshaped the politics, culture, and religion of West Asia. From the fall of the Sasanians to the dawn of a new empire, this is the story of how Islam rose to dominate the world of late antiquity.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gSKjbVzB2jstHXUJKDtUO?si=de7E4A84SB6fXdaCPdGB_A" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Persia Reborn: Rise of the Sasanians</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6VObqk1D5t6P410f5g2F4r?si=o4PcHrbxQFCJkXAT_2tgqg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Edges of Empire: The Sasanian Frontiers</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Tristan Hughes goes on an exploration of Hawaii's earliest settlers, guided by the insights of Dr. Patrick Kirch, a leading expert on Hawaiian archeology. From the arrival of Polynesians around AD 1000, using sophisticated double-hull canoes, to their unique agricultural practices and the construction of monumental architecture, they delve into the impact of Polynesian settlers on Hawaii's pristine ecosystem, the use of petroglyphs, and the development of highly stratified societal structures shedding light on Hawaii's ancient past.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Lmi6v0tLbk6oMWnd74MHa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Polynesian Mythology</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/3g3FvUJkYbPhs1RFImydth" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>The First South Americans</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Colosseum packed with roaring crowds, the sand stained with sweat and blood. But today, you’re not watching - you’re fighting. Welcome to a day in the life of a Roman gladiator.</p><br><p>In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by historian and author Dr Harry Sidebottom to uncover the brutal reality behind Rome’s most iconic fighters. From their training regimes and daily routines to the myths of gladiatorial combat, discover what it really meant to step into the arena. Were these warriors condemned slaves or celebrities of the ancient world? And did they really salute the emperor with the famous words: <em>“We who are about to die salute you”</em>?</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6wlBwL1Tw7cpcd8Iy83v6K?si=74rjmQ7sQz2R7S7QAVktQw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Roman Gladiator</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5BzUjSeAFoiyKawbZ3I0dl?si=IHbBmzfLTMSlybaFYJ3xKw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Roman Beast Hunts</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tomos Delargy, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>From Cinderella to Beauty and the Beast, the roots of fairy tales stretch back thousands of years — to the dawn of Indo-European languages and beyond.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by author and journalist Laura Spinney to explore the origins of mythology. From the tales compiles by the Brothers Grimm to cutting-edge linguistic studies, they explore how ancient myths endure across cultures, and what they reveal about human societies stretching back tens of thousands of years.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OSBoNA7godfxbLZEn3VUp?si=EZ2NbPQQSCuWOEO7BMiFnQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Birth of Indo-European </a></p><br><p>With thanks to the authors of the Proto-Indo European reconstructions Riccardo Ginevra (Assistant Professor of Historical and General Linguistics, Catholic University of Milan) and Andrew Byrd (Associate Professor of Linguistics, University of Kentucky). Reconstructions performed by Phil Barnett (MA in Linguistics, University of Kentucky).</p><br><p>Click on the following links to listen to the full reconstructions on Youtube:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBGYC_UKM54" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Creation Myth</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1SXeSHY9p0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dragon-Slaying Myth</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Astall and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Unveiling the Enigmatic Story of Egypt's First Pharaohs, roughly 5,000 years ago. Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Aidan Dodson to discuss the renowned Scorpion King and early dynasties, the unifying figure of Narmer, as well as the evolution of early Egyptian tombs and traditions, providing a fascinating insight into the dawn of Egypt's earliest civilisations.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/421u5gVkgippbgpPttjE3O" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Origins of the Egyptian Gods</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ZV9Zf8yVJuMVJZJo018h0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>The Great Pyramid of Giza</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Kate Lister to take us on a journey through the fascinating history of Innana, an ancient goddess of love, war, fertility, and political power. They delve into her evolution from a humble agricultural deity to one of the most powerful and complex figures in ancient mythology, revered in Mesopotamia and beyond. This one goddess influenced millennia of religious and cultural history, possibly extending even to Persephone and the Virgin Mary.</p><br><p><strong>MORE</strong></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6BsalsqSLNqd5DGi5tPzo1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Persephone: Queen of the Underworld</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2k5CQDHXHmIRKCmu4kk9SB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Sex Work in Pompeii with Kate Lister</strong></a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Tristan Hughes journeys up to windswept Scotland to uncover the secrets of the Picts — fierce warriors, skilled artisans, enemies of Rome and rulers of the North.</p><br><p>In this special episode of The Ancients - recorded on site at East Lomond hill fort and National Museums Scotland - Tristan is joined by Professor Gordon Noble and Dr. Martin Goldberg explores how the Picts lived, fought, and thrived in Britain’s wildlands. From mysterious symbol stones and silver hoards to rare warrior artefacts, discover how archaeology is rewriting the story of Scotland's most famous warrior people.</p><br><p>Tristan's new TV documentary 'Enemies of Rome: In Search of the Picts' is out now on History Hit. To watch, sign up at <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></a>. </p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>It was the biggest mass extinction event in Earth’s history. 250 million years ago, a 252 million years ago, Earth faced its deadliest crisis. 97% of all life was wiped out in the Permian Extinction – a cataclysm so severe it’s known as The Great Dying.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, the fourth and final part of our <em>Great Disasters</em> miniseries, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Michael Benton to uncover the full story of this mass extinction. From the rich and bizarre world of Permian creatures to the apocalyptic events that triggered their downfall, discover how just 3% of life clung on and how their survival paved the way for the rise of the dinosaurs.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kma3vBUzOoHk0KzRLSp5E?si=puTmykIgS4m4qJvNVv2VKw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rise of the Dinosaurs</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kma3vBUzOoHk0KzRLSp5E?si=puTmykIgS4m4qJvNVv2VKw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Origins of Life of Earth</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Was this the worst year in human history? Bubonic plague sweeps across the Mediterranean. The sun vanishes behind volcanic ash. Crops fail, famine bites, and the Roman empire lurches towards collapse.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, the third in our special <em>Great Disasters</em> series, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Kyle Harper to uncover the perfect storm of catastrophe that struck the Roman world in the mid-6th century. From volcanic winters to the Justinianic Plague, we explore whether 541 AD marks the true end of antiquity and the dawn of the Middle Ages. Step into a year of chaos that reshaped empires, environments, and human survival.</p><br><p>MORE</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0K6AuikL1odBVrbMOZxwP8?si=1059e716847c4524" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Did Plague Destroy the Roman Empire?</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5RE0pOOGnA0rH5xUZVzpSZ?si=1275e90160424804" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Antonine Plague</a></p><br><p>Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds</p><p><em>The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>