The Ancients

The Origins of Rome's Empire

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 fac...

The First Arabians

18 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

How to Survive on Hadrian’s Wall

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Medea

11 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Fall of Sparta

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did Sparta, the most feared military state in ancient Greece, fall from grace in a single generation?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hugh...

Rise of Christianity

04 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did a persecuted minority religion rise to be embraced and enforced by mighty Roman Emperors?Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Peter Heather t...

The First Life on Earth

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 e...

The Ice Age

28 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 hum...

The Minoan Labyrinth

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey immerses players in the mythology of Ancient Greece. In particular, they can walk in the footsteps of Theseus through the L...

Emperor Diocletian and the Great Persecution

21 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did a humble Balkan soldier ascend to the heights of Roman power?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Gwynn to explore the tumultuous reign of Em...

Paestum: Ancient Greeks in Italy

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes visits his favourite ancient site in Italy; Paestum, an ancient site renowned for its impressive Greek temples dedicated to Poseidon, A...

Stegosaurus: Titan of the Jurassic

14 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 tha...

Rise of King Herod

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Gre...

The Ten Commandments

07 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Origins of Chocolate

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Cameron McNeil, Mesoamerican archaeologist, to explore cacao, in ancient Mesoamerican societies like the Maya, Aztecs,...

The Khmer Empire: Angkor Wat

30 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Indian culture shape the wonders of Southeast Asia?Tristan Hughes is joined by William Dalrymple to explore the fascinating first millennium A...

The World's Oldest Letters

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do the world’s first letters reveal about life in the Bronze Age?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Amanda Podany to uncover the remarkable written...

Emperor Tiberius: Monster or Misunderstood?

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

*WARNING: This podcast contains adult themes and discussion of paedophilia*A brilliant general. A brooding autocrat. A recluse surrounded by scandal. ...

Zoroastrianism

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 livi...

Decline & Fall of the Ancient World

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes invites Matt Lewis, host The Ancients's sister podcast Gone Medieval, for a lively debate with about the blurred boundary between the a...

Roman Toilets

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

They built roads, aqueducts, and bathhouses but what about toilets?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Hannah Platts, to uncover the surprisingly fascinati...

The Ancients Recommends: History Daily

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today in this bonus episode Tristan introduces us to History Daily podcast, where host Lindsay Graham takes us back in time to explore a momentous eve...

Antony and Cleopatra

09 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 C...

Proto-Vikings: The Nordic Bronze Age

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who were the Vikings' ancient ancestors? In this episode Tristan Hughes explores the fascinating maritime culture, sophisticated trade networks and so...

Fall of Babylon

02 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Origins of Yoga

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Warrior, Cobra, Downward Dog. If you do Yoga today, those are poses you’re surely aware of. But where and when did Yoga originate?In this episode of...

Boudica's Tribe: How the Iceni Survived the Romans

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 an...

Bog Bodies

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What lurks under the surface of the dense black peat pits strewn across northern Europe? Bog bodies, naturally mummified humans, have fascinated arche...

Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, f...

The Sons of Attila the Hun

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 empir...

Rise of Islam

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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.In this e...

The First Hawaiians

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes goes on an exploration of Hawaii's earliest settlers, guided by the insights of Dr. Patrick Kirch, a leading expert on Hawaiian archeol...

Gladiators: A Day in the Life

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 da...

Origins of Mythology

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 beyon...

The First Pharaohs

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 re...

Inanna: Mesopotamian Sex Goddess

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, fertil...

The Picts: Rulers of the North

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes journeys up to windswept Scotland to uncover the secrets of the Picts — fierce warriors, skilled artisans, enemies of Rome and rulers...

The Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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% o...

541 AD: The Worst Year in History

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Was this the worst year in human history? Bubonic plague sweeps across the Mediterranean. The sun vanishes behind volcanic ash. Crops fail, famine bit...

Fall of the Sumerians

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes continues our special series on Great Disasters, journeying back to ancient Mesopotamia with Dr Paul Collins to explore the fall of the...

The Minoan Eruption: Bronze Age Cataclysm

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More than 3,500 years ago, a massive volcanic eruption devastated Thera - modern day Santorini - engulfing the Bronze Age world in ash and fire. Entir...

How Greece Shaped Rome

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins join Tristan in this episode all about Greece and Rome - the two greatest civilisations of classical antiqu...

The Sumerians

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 in...

The Sea Peoples

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes sits down with Professor Eric Cline to explore the enigmatic Sea Peoples, often blamed for the catastrophic Bronze Age collapse over 3,...

Origins of Homo Sapiens

24 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 o...

Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 scho...

The White Huns

17 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Roman Aqueducts

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Roman aqueducts help build an empire? They’re some of the most iconic structures from the ancient world — feats of engineering that transf...

How to Survive in Carthage

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From towering tenements to Punic porridge — step into the streets of ancient Carthage.In this immersive episode of The Ancients, Tristan travels bac...

The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Iconic monumental stone heads, the intriguing Lord of Las Limas, the enigmatic 'were-jaguar' figures, so much survives from the ancient Olmec civilisa...

Livia: Empress of Rome

03 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Powerful, cunning, uncompromising, even murderous (allegedly)... meet Rome’s first empress and one of ancient history’s ultimate power players.Liv...

Siberian Ice Mummies

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode of the Ancients, released just hours after the embargo on new research was lifted, Tristan Hughes discusses the fascinating di...

Fall of Roman London

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 e...

Irish Mythology

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 myth...

Megalodon

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 prehist...

The First Sharks

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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.Ac...

The Queen of Sheba

13 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, T...

Doggerland: The North Sea Atlantis?

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Rachel Bynoe who has literally dived into the enigmatic world of Doggerland, a prehistoric landmass now submerged bene...

Hannibal's March on Rome

06 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Rom...

Plato's Republic

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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-...

The Apocryphal Gospels

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Seahenge

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

Rise of Nero

22 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

Pirates of the Mediterranean

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Rome rose to power, pirates seized the seas - wreaking havoc from Spain to Syria and challenging Roman dominance in the ancient Mediterranean.In th...

The Amazons

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Kushan Empire

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Embark on an epic journey with Tristan Hughes and acclaimed author William Dalrymple as they unravel the enigma of the Kushan Empire, the ancient supe...

Rise of the Minoans

08 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes journeys into the heart of one of history's most intriguing civilisations: the Minoans. With Professor Nicoletta Momigliano, he explore...

The Kingdom of Aksum

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 wi...

Pompeii: The Buried City

01 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Ancient...

Origins of Astronomy

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Long before telescopes or space agencies, ancient Mesopotamians were decoding the secrets of the cosmos. Beneath skies unpolluted by modern light, the...

Successors of Alexander the Great

25 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

The Saxons

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Saxon mercenaries, collapsing Roman order, and a new chapter for Britain. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Peter Heather to explore the mysterious Saxon...

The Council of Nicaea

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

1700 years ago, the Roman Emperor Constantine called an unprecedented meeting of early Christian leaders from across the empire to settle a fierce dis...

The Last Roman Emperors

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 - ...

Did Plague Destroy the Roman Empire?

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ou...

Barbarian Invaders: The Sacks of Rome

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Fall of Rome: Origins

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Roman Empire, once an ancient powerhouse, experienced a dramatic fall from its golden age to eventual collapse. Tristan Hughes and guest Dr. ...

Prehistoric Ireland: Newgrange

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

An astonishing ancient tomb is Ireland's most famous prehistoric monument; Newgrange. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Muiris O’Sullivan, an expert on...

Jason and the Argonauts

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From clashing rocks to golden treasure, Jason and the Argonauts is the ultimate Greek mythological adventure. But what lies behind the legend? And why...

The Birth of Indo-European

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 wha...

The Praetorian Guard: Rise to Power

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

John the Baptist

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 bibli...

Cassandra: Priestess of Troy

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

*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 ...

The Great Jewish Revolt

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 clima...

Rise of Humans

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 - stretc...

Herculaneum

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius unleashed devastation on the Roman world, burying entire towns beneath volcanic ash. While Pompeii is world-famous, another e...

Prehistoric Nigeria: The Nok

30 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the heart of ancient Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its strik...

Jurassic America

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes explores Ancient America's true age; how 19th-century fossil discoveries across North America revealed a history far older than previou...

The Fall of Athens

23 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 hori...

The Iliad

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Rise of Julius Caesar

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Obelisks

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ancient Egyptian obelisks stand as towering symbols of power and engineering brilliance, scattered across the world. But how were they built and what ...

Sodom and Gomorrah

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What really happened to the damned cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Tristan Hughes and Dr. Dylan Johnson delve into the infamous biblical story to discov...

Göbekli Tepe: The First Temple?

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Long before Stonehenge, ancient builders in southeast Türkiye were creating some of the world’s first monumental stone structures. Their most famou...

Elektra: Revenge in Ancient Greece

02 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Few figures in Greek mythology embody vengeance like Elektra, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Betrayal, grief, and justice shaped her tragic f...

The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

End of Ice Age Britain

23 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 si...

The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 wo...

The Last Neanderthals

16 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 cau...

The Scythians

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 mu...