The Ancients
A podcast for all ancient history fans! The Ancients is dedicated to discussing our distant past. Featuring interviews with historians and archaeologists, each episode covers a specific theme from antiquity. From Neolithic Britain to the Fall of Rome. Hosted by Tristan Hughes.
New episodes every Sunday and Thursday.
From History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.
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Episodes (95)
How Greece Shaped Rome
Professor Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins join Tristan in this episode all about Greece and Rome - the two greatest civilisations of classical antiquity.How did the Romans borrow, adapt, and...
The Sumerians
More than 5,000 years ago, in what is today southern Iraq, one of the world’s first civilisations emerged. A civilisation often credited with the invention of writing, the wheel and cities. The...
The Sea Peoples
Tristan Hughes sits down with Professor Eric Cline to explore the enigmatic Sea Peoples, often blamed for the catastrophic Bronze Age collapse over 3,000 years ago.Together they explore surviving...
Origins of Homo Sapiens
Where do we come from? The origins of modern humans stretch back hundreds of thousands of years, and new discoveries are reshaping how we understand our species’ story. In this episode, recorded...
Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria
Known as the 'King of the World' and the last great king of Assyria, Ashurbanipal bestrode the ancient Mesopotamian world as a warrior but also a scholar, ruling the great Assyrian empire at the...
The White Huns
The Huns weren’t just Attila’s warriors in Europe — in Central Asia, the White Huns built the most powerful Hunnic empire, ruling for a century and dominating the ancient Silk Roads.While the European...
Roman Aqueducts
How did Roman aqueducts help build an empire? They’re some of the most iconic structures from the ancient world — feats of engineering that transformed cities. But how exactly did Roman aqueducts...
How to Survive in Carthage
From towering tenements to Punic porridge — step into the streets of ancient Carthage.In this immersive episode of The Ancients, Tristan travels back to 210 BC to explore daily life in the heart of...
The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations
Iconic monumental stone heads, the intriguing Lord of Las Limas, the enigmatic 'were-jaguar' figures, so much survives from the ancient Olmec civilisation.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Jillian...
Livia: Empress of Rome
Powerful, cunning, uncompromising, even murderous (allegedly)... meet Rome’s first empress and one of ancient history’s ultimate power players.Livia Drusilla has long been cast as the bloodthirsty...
Siberian Ice Mummies
In this special episode of the Ancients, released just hours after the embargo on new research was lifted, Tristan Hughes discusses the fascinating discovery of ancient Siberian ice mummies and their...
Fall of Roman London
Why was London transformed from a bustling Roman metropolis into a ghost town by the fifth century?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Dominic Perring to explore the rich archaeological findings that...
Irish Mythology
Epic heroes, sacred rivers & ancient gods – this is Irish mythology as you’ve never heard it. From Newgrange to the Hill of Tara, Ireland’s myths are rooted firmly in its prehistoric past.In today's...
Megalodon
As part of our week of Sharks on the Ancients, today we tell the story of Megalodon, the largest living marine animal, ever.Does this colossal prehistoric shark still lurk beneath the waves? Tristan...
The First Sharks
Long before the first dinosaurs, the first trees or even the formation of the rings of Saturn, our planet's oceans were ruled by prehistoric sharks.Across two special episodes of The Ancients this...
The Queen of Sheba
A figure of wealth, wisdom, and global fascination - how did the Queen of Sheba become one of history’s most enduring royal icons?In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Jillian Stinchcomb to...
Doggerland: The North Sea Atlantis?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Rachel Bynoe who has literally dived into the enigmatic world of Doggerland, a prehistoric landmass now submerged beneath the North Sea.They discuss how archaeological...
Hannibal's March on Rome
It was perhaps Hannibal’s greatest gamble — after years of victories, not least his famed trek across the snow-capped Alps, could he strike at Rome itself?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan...
Plato's Republic
Today we journey into the creation of Plato's Republic. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. James Romm to discover how Plato's encounters with the tyrant-ruled city of Syracuse and its rulers, Dionysius...
The Apocryphal Gospels
If you've heard of the mysterious and often controversial Apocryphal Gospels, you may have been told that they weren't important, or useful; that they 'didn't make the cut' to be included in the...
Seahenge
As a 4,000-year-old timber circle uncovered on a Norfolk beach, Seahenge is one of Britain’s most remarkable prehistoric finds. Discovered in 1998, it drew quick comparison as a 'Stonehenge by the...
Rise of Nero
Before he became one of Rome’s most infamous tyrants, Nero was a golden boy - young, talented, and full of promise.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by bestselling author Conn...
Pirates of the Mediterranean
As Rome rose to power, pirates seized the seas - wreaking havoc from Spain to Syria and challenging Roman dominance in the ancient Mediterranean.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is...
The Amazons
What makes the Amazons one of the most captivating myths in ancient Greek culture?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Braund, Emeritus Professor at the University of Exeter, to explore and celebrate...
The Kushan Empire
Embark on an epic journey with Tristan Hughes and acclaimed author William Dalrymple as they unravel the enigma of the Kushan Empire, the ancient superpower of Central Asia. Together they tell the...
Rise of the Minoans
Tristan Hughes journeys into the heart of one of history's most intriguing civilisations: the Minoans. With Professor Nicoletta Momigliano, he explores the origins and rise of these Bronze Age titans...
The Kingdom of Aksum
How is the unique narrative of the Ark of the Covenant deeply rooted in Ethiopian culture and tradition?Embark on a journey to the Kingdom of Aksum with host Tristan Hughes and archeologist Dil Singh...
Pompeii: The Buried City
Buried in ash, frozen in time—Pompeii offers one of the most extraordinary windows into everyday life in ancient Rome.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Gabriel...
Origins of Astronomy
Long before telescopes or space agencies, ancient Mesopotamians were decoding the secrets of the cosmos. Beneath skies unpolluted by modern light, they tracked the movements of planets, charted...
Successors of Alexander the Great
What happened after Alexander the Great died?On June 11, 323 BC, at just 32 years old, Alexander left an empire without a clear heir, sparking chaos among his generals. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Graham...
The Saxons
Saxon mercenaries, collapsing Roman order, and a new chapter for Britain. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Peter Heather to explore the mysterious Saxon migrations, their Germanic roots, and how they...
The Council of Nicaea
1700 years ago, the Roman Emperor Constantine called an unprecedented meeting of early Christian leaders from across the empire to settle a fierce dispute threatening to split the early Church. The...
The Last Roman Emperors
No grand battle. No final blaze of glory. In 476 AD, the Western Roman Empire collapsed not with a roar, but with a quiet abdication. A boy emperor - Romulus Augustulus - handed over the regalia of...
Did Plague Destroy the Roman Empire?
War, invasion, civil unrest… or plague? Could a series of deadly pandemics have helped bring down the mighty Roman Empire?In the third episode of our Fall of Rome mini-series, Tristan Hughes is joined...
Barbarian Invaders: The Sacks of Rome
How did the Huns, Goths, and Vandals help bring down the Roman Empire - and sack the city of Rome itself, not once but twice?In this second episode of our special series on the Fall of the Western...
The Fall of Rome: Origins
The Roman Empire, once an ancient powerhouse, experienced a dramatic fall from its golden age to eventual collapse. Tristan Hughes and guest Dr. David Gwynn launch our new Ancients mini-series on...
Prehistoric Ireland: Newgrange
An astonishing ancient tomb is Ireland's most famous prehistoric monument; Newgrange. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Muiris O’Sullivan, an expert on the many Stone Age monuments of Ireland, including...
Jason and the Argonauts
From clashing rocks to golden treasure, Jason and the Argonauts is the ultimate Greek mythological adventure. But what lies behind the legend? And why has it endured for millennia?In this episode,...
The Birth of Indo-European
From the steppes of prehistoric Eurasia to the languages we speak today, the story of Indo-European is one of ancient roots and global impact. But what exactly is Indo-European? Who spoke it? And how...
The Praetorian Guard: Rise to Power
From Gladiator to Rome Total War to I, Claudius, today the Cohortēs praetōriae are one of the most distinctive military units of Imperial Rome. It was their job to protect the Roman Emperor and his...
John the Baptist
From the wilderness of ancient Judea to the pages of the New Testament, John the Baptist is one of the most compelling and mysterious figures in biblical history. But who really was he? What was his...
Cassandra: Priestess of Troy
*This episode discusses sexual assault*Cursed by Apollo to always speak the truth but never be believed; what makes Cassandra's story so timeless and compelling?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Emily...
The Great Jewish Revolt
70 AD. Tens of thousands of Roman troops surround Jerusalem. What follows is one of the most brutal sieges in ancient history—and the dramatic climax of the Great Jewish Revolt.In this episode of The...
Rise of Humans
How did we go from ancient apes to the dominant species on Earth? The story of human evolution is one of survival, adaptation, and extinction - stretching back 7 million years.In this episode of The...
Herculaneum
In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius unleashed devastation on the Roman world, burying entire towns beneath volcanic ash. While Pompeii is world-famous, another extraordinary site met the same fate -...
The Nok Culture
In the heart of ancient Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its striking terracotta figurines, remains one of Africa’s...
Jurassic America
Tristan Hughes explores Ancient America's true age; how 19th-century fossil discoveries across North America revealed a history far older than previously believed, challenging the notion that the...
The Fall of Athens
In 404 BC, Athens faced total defeat. Once the dominant power of the Greek world, their navy was shattered, their food supply cut off, and on the horizon an armada of Spartan ships signalled the...
The Iliad
A story of war, honour, and destiny, The Iliad is one of the greatest epics in history. Written by Homer and featuring legendary figures like Achilles, Hector, and Agamemnon, it captures the drama and...
Rise of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous figures. But before his legendary conquests and romance with Cleopatra, how did he rise to power?In this episode of The Ancients, host Tristan Hughes is...
Obelisks
Ancient Egyptian obelisks stand as towering symbols of power and engineering brilliance, scattered across the world. But how were they built and what purpose did they serve?In this episode of The...
Sodom and Gomorrah
What really happened to the damned cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Tristan Hughes and Dr. Dylan Johnson delve into the infamous biblical story to discover the context and supposed locations of these...
Göbekli Tepe: The First Temple?
Long before Stonehenge, ancient builders in southeast Türkiye were creating some of the world’s first monumental stone structures. Their most famous site? Göbekli Tepe.In this episode of The Ancients,...
Elektra: Revenge in Ancient Greece
Few figures in Greek mythology embody vengeance like Elektra, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Betrayal, grief, and justice shaped her tragic fate.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan...
The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis
In 486 BC, King Xerxes ascended the Persian throne, inheriting its vast and glittering world empire. But his ambition didn’t stop there - he sought revenge on Greece.In this episode of The Ancients,...
End of Ice Age Britain
As Ice Age Britain thawed, temperatures surged, sea levels rose, and humans and animals faced a fight for survival. But this shift was anything but simple.In this final episode of our Ice Age...
The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon
490 BC. On the plains of Marathon, Athens faced down a mighty army of the Persian Empire - the superpower of the time It was an underdog clash that would echo throughout history. But how did it all...
The Last Neanderthals
For hundreds of thousands of years Neanderthals have roamed the lands of what is today Europe and western Asia. But how did they survive, and what caused their decline?Tristan Hughes delves into the...
The Scythians
Known as the barbarians of the north, the Scythians were expert horsemen that roamed the great steppe of Eurasia more than 2,000 years ago. But how much do we know about them?In today's episode of The...
Ice Age Australia
Giant kangaroos. Killer wombats. Carnivorous lions. These beasts once roamed the barren landscape of Ice Age Australia - a vast supercontinent stretching from Papua New Guinea to Tasmania.Continuing...
Hieroglyphs
From twisted flax to one-legged ibises, Egyptian hieroglyphs offer a window into the heart of ancient Egypt. But how did this script really work?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes speaks...
Woolly Mammoths
Towering over 11 feet tall and weighing 6 tonnes, the Woolly Mammoth ruled the Ice Age. But how did these mighty beasts thrive for over 100,000 years—and why did they disappear?In this episode of The...
The Chinese Zodiac
The Year of the Snake is here! But how did a legendary tale of twelve animals shape Chinese astronomy and culture for over 3,000 years?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by...
The Kingdom of Kush
Beyond the ancient Nile’s fertile banks lay a civilisation that rivalled Egypt in power and prestige—the Kingdom of Kush. This ancient empire, centred in modern Sudan, once ruled Egypt, defied Rome,...
Babylon's Epic of Creation
The biblical story of creation is famous - but did you know an even older myth may have influenced it? Enter the Enuma Elish, Babylon’s own Epic of Creation.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan...
The Franks
How did the Franks rise to power in the fragmented Western Roman Empire?Tristan Hughes explores the dramatic story of the Franks, from their early battles against Romans and Burgundians to their...
The Roman Invasion of Britain
43 AD. A large Roman armada sails across the perilous English Channel intent on conquest. It is the dawn of one of the most seminal moments in Britain’s ancient history.In this episode of The...
Sargon of Akkad
Over 4,000 years ago, Sargon of Akkad carved his name into history by forging what many consider the world’s first empire. But who was this enigmatic warlord, and how did he transform from a man...
Rome's Crisis of the Third Century
What happens when emperors are murdered more often than they die of natural causes? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Gwynn to unravel the Crisis of the Third Century, a pivotal, turbulent era in...
Atlantis
The story of Atlantis is one of history's enduring legends. So what’s the actual, ancient tale of Atlantis? Where does it come from? Was Atlantis real? And if not, why has the name become a byword for...
Who Was the Real King Arthur?
Was King Arthur a real historical figure or merely a mythical hero?Tristan Hughes and Dr. Miles Russell delve into the myth and mystery of King Arthur, exploring the historical figures who may have...
Emperor Constantine
How did Constantine the Great conquer his rivals and shape the Roman Empire?Tristan Hughes discusses the dramatic rise of Roman Emperor Constantine I with Professor David Potter. They discuss the...
Tomb of King Herod
Did Herod really order the massacre of thousands of infants? Tristan Hughes revisits the scandalous and captivating story of the discovery of King Herod's Tomb.He's joined by Professor Jodi Magnus as...
Druids
Aligning with the winter solstice of 2024, Tristan Hughes and Professor Ronald Hutton delve into the ancient Druids of Britain and France.They discuss how Julius Caesar encountered this feared enemy...
The Birth of Money
Gold has shaped human history for several millennia. But how and when did it first turn into currency? And what can it tell us about the birth of money?In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan...
The Thracians
They were ancient masters of cavalry, creators of dazzling treasures, and the ancestors of the legendary Spartacus, but who exactly were the Thracians?Join Tristan Hughes and Dr. Zosia Archibald in...
The Wise Men
The Three Wise Men were kings, magicians, more than three, on camels, walking across deserts and the men who tricked Herod. How can they be all these things?Tristan Hughes is joined by Reverend...
Hanukkah & the Maccabees
It's perhaps the best known Jewish festival of the year, but what exactly are Hanukkah's origins, and why was it first celebrated?On today's episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined once...
Origins of the Wheel
It is one of the most pivotal inventions in human history - the wheel.New research suggests that the wheel was first created by prehistoric miners in the Carpathian Mountains to transport copper....
The First South Americans
The prehistoric archaeology of South America is fascinating and constantly developing.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Tom Dillehay to discuss how early humans navigated their migration from North to...
Fall of the Etruscans
Before Rome came the Etruscans - they were the dominant culture in ancient Italy in the centuries before Rome's imperial expansion. But how did they fall?In this episode of the Ancients, Tristan...
Tower of Babel
The Tower of Babel story is iconic. Featured in the Book of Genesis, it explains how different languages came to be across the world. But what are its origins?Join Tristan Hughes and Prof. Lloyd...
Ice Age America
A group of hunter-gatherers encounter diverse habitats full of creatures they’ve never seen before. A land of opportunity, but also danger.Join host Tristan Hughes and expert Dr David Meltzer as they...
Emperor Macrinus: Usurper of Rome
Denzel Washington stars as Emperor Macrinus in the epic new movie Gladiator II, but who exactly was this shadowy ruler of Rome?Join Tristan Hughes as he sits down with Dr Alex Imrie and Matilda Brown...
Caracalla & Geta: The Real Emperors of Gladiator II
The new Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator II features two of Rome's most villainous emperors - the brothers Caracalla and Geta.And in today's episode of The Ancients were delving into the real history...
The Minotaur
Half man and half bull, the Minotaur is one of the most famous, and scariest, monsters of Greek mythology.The story goes that it was trapped in a great labyrinth beneath Knossos on the island of Crete...
The Ancient Amazon
Today, we often see the Amazon basin as an endless expanse of trees and rainforest. But 2,000 years ago, at the same time that great cities like Rome, Athens and Alexandria were at their height, this...
Prehistoric Japan
From the arrival of the first humans reaching the Japanese archipelago some 50,000 years ago to the enduring Jomon culture, Japan has a fascinating prehistory. This is discovered in the rich...
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Copper Scroll
When they were discovered in the Qumran Caves in the mid-20th century, the Dead Sea Scrolls revolutionised our understanding of biblical history. But one particular scroll was different. It was not...
Pyrrhus: Warlord of Ancient Greece
It’s 279 BC. On a large plain in Southern Italy near the town of Asculum, a famous Greek warlord likened to Alexander the Great faces down the legions of the Roman Republic. His name was Pyrrhus of...
Origins of the Inuit
In this instalment of The Ancients we're going north of the Arctic circle to uncover the incredible story of the Thule Inuit. Expanding out from present day Alaska east across North America all the...
Ptolemy I: The First Greek Pharaoh
In the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death his former generals carved out their own kingdoms in the chaos that was the Wars of the Successors. Arguably the most successful of those successors...
The Circus Maximus
What was the most popular sporting spectacle in ancient Rome? Gladiator bouts? Beast hunts? It was in fact chariot racing! For centuries the Romans were enraptured by the galloping of horses and the...
The Edomites
The Edomites are in the Old Testament, an ancient people who lived around Petra, Jordan before the Nabateans and before Petra was even created. King Herod was a descendant of the Edomites, and perhaps...
Anubis and the Underworld
Tristan Hughes and his guest Dr. Joyce Tyldesley OBE are heading to the Underworld for the final installation of The Ancients exploration of the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. They encounter the...
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