Druids
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Aligning with the winter solstice of 2024, Tristan Hughes and Professor Ronald Hutton delve into the...
The Birth of Money
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Gold has shaped human history for several millennia. But how and when did it first turn into currenc...
The Thracians
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
They were ancient masters of cavalry, creators of dazzling treasures, and the ancestors of the legen...
The Wise Men
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The Three Wise Men were kings, magicians, more than three, on camels, walking across deserts and the...
Hanukkah & the Maccabees
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
It's perhaps the best known Jewish festival of the year, but what exactly are Hanukkah's origins, an...
Origins of the Wheel
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
It is one of the most pivotal inventions in human history - the wheel.New research suggests that the...
The First South Americans
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The prehistoric archaeology of South America is fascinating and constantly developing.Tristan Hughes...
Fall of the Etruscans
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Before Rome came the Etruscans - they were the dominant culture in ancient Italy in the centuries be...
Tower of Babel
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The Tower of Babel story is iconic. Featured in the Book of Genesis, it explains how different langu...
Ice Age America
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
A group of hunter-gatherers encounter diverse habitats full of creatures they’ve never seen before...
Emperor Macrinus: Usurper of Rome
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Denzel Washington stars as Emperor Macrinus in the epic new movie Gladiator II, but who exactly was ...
Caracalla & Geta: The Real Emperors of Gladiator II
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
The new Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator II features two of Rome's most villainous emperors - the bro...
The Minotaur
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Half man and half bull, the Minotaur is one of the most famous, and scariest, monsters of Greek myth...
The Ancient Amazon
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
Today, we often see the Amazon basin as an endless expanse of trees and rainforest. But 2,000 years ...
Prehistoric Japan
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset
From the arrival of the first humans reaching the Japanese archipelago some 50,000 years ago to the ...
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Copper Scroll
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When they were discovered in the Qumran Caves in the mid-20th century, the Dead Sea Scrolls revoluti...
Pyrrhus: Warlord of Ancient Greece
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 279 BC. On a large plain in Southern Italy near the town of Asculum, a famous Greek warlord l...
Origins of the Inuit
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this instalment of The Ancients we're going north of the Arctic circle to uncover the incredible ...
Ptolemy I: The First Greek Pharaoh
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death his former generals carved out their own kingdoms ...
The Circus Maximus
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What was the most popular sporting spectacle in ancient Rome? Gladiator bouts? Beast hunts? It was i...
The Edomites
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Edomites are in the Old Testament, an ancient people who lived around Petra, Jordan before the N...
Anubis and the Underworld
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tristan Hughes and his guest Dr. Joyce Tyldesley OBE are heading to the Underworld for the final ins...
Darius the Great, Persian King of Kings
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most famous and recognisable Persian kings of antiquity, Darius the Great was an Achaemen...
The Legend of Osiris, King of the Dead
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Osiris and how he became King of the Dead is a gruesome tale and one of the most famous...
The Fall of Carthage
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 146 BC. Fire rises high over the North African coast. The once-thriving port city of Carthage...
Isis and the Goddesses of Egypt
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Isis, Hathor, Sekhmet and Bastet were adored and honoured in Ancient Egypt, with their stories passe...
Tyrannosaurus Rex
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
67 million years ago the most famous meat-eating dinosaur prowled the earth - the Tyrannosaurus Rex....
Ra and the Sun Gods
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Of all the Egyptian Gods it is Ra, the God of the Sun, who is perhaps most well known in the popular...
The Fall of Roman Britain
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 5th century AD, after almost four centuries of iron-fisted Roman rule, the empire in Br...
Origins of the Egyptian Gods
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The legends of Ra and Hathor, of Osiris and Isis, of Anubis and Set have been passed from mouth to e...
Massacre at Teutoburg Forest
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
2000 years ago, in the year 9 AD, a Roman Army walked into a trap deep in wilds of Germania. Over 15...
The Romans and India with William Dalrymple
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ancient India was the single greatest trading partner of the Roman Empire. For centuries, Indian sai...
Battle of Teutoburg Forest: The Roman Invasion
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tristan Hughes travels to the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, one of the most epic defea...
Petra: Ancient Wonder of the World
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Despite being one of the most visited historic spots on the planet today, Petra was once a so-called...
The Sirens
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The word 'Sirens' conjures up many images, possibly of beautiful mermaid-like creatures luring sailo...
Origins of Beer
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world. But did you know that beer is also one o...
The First Cats
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cats! These much loved furry friends have brightened people’s lives for millenia. And it was the s...
The Parthenon: Wonder of Athens
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It is the most famous monument of ancient Greece. Its remains standing tall above modern Athens toda...
Mycenae: Cradle of Bronze Age Greece
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Overlooking the Argolid Plain in the eastern Peloponnese, Mycenae was once the envy of the Mediterra...
Commodus: The Gladiator Emperor
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Known as one of Rome's worst emperors, Commodus is famed for both his infamy and bravado. Ascending ...
Origins of the Olympics
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Olympics. It’s the most famous sporting event in the world, and the 33rd Olympiad is taking pl...
Hestia: Goddess of Hearth & Home
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As both the eldest and youngest child of the great titan Kronos, and the Greek goddess of hearth and...
The Maya Collapse
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Just over 1,000 years ago, the ancient Maya world in Mesoamerica was turned upside down. Prominent c...
The Roman Gladiator
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The ferocious, professional fighters who fought in great arenas all across the Roman Empire for the ...
Neanderthal Britain
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For more than 100,000 years, Neanderthals made their home in Ice Age Britain, right on the edge of t...
Pyramid of the Sun
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Pyramid of the Sun is ancient America’s Great Pyramid of Giza. Built in the legendary city of ...
Roman Roads
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do all roads lead to Rome? We find out in today's episode all about one of the Roman Empire's greate...
Birth of the Iron Age
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the end of the 12th century BC, and a once remarkable Near eastern world lay in ruin. Drought...
The Bronze Age Brotherhood of Kings
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
More than 3,000 years ago, a coalition of Bronze Age rulers existed across the Near Eastern world. K...
Domina: Women Who Shaped Rome
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The crisis of the Roman Republic is a period littered with iconic male power players. Julius Caesar,...
Temple Mount
29 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Temple Mount is one of the most sacred places in Jerusalem. A rocky outcrop that has become importan...
The Biblical Kingdom of Israel
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The story of the ancient kingdom of Israel is a central part of the Old Testament. Famous for its ki...
Heracles
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tristan Hughes continues the Greek Gods and Goddesses series with today’s deity; the most popular ...
The Ark of the Covenant
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most famous, yet mysterious, objects mentioned in the Hebrew B...
Origins of the Celts
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Celts are an ancient people shrouded in mystery and intrigue. In the minds of most people the wo...
Moses & The Exodus
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Moses and the Exodus is one of the oldest and most well known in history. It is full of...
The Parthians
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Parthians were heavyweights of ancient Mesopotamia. Hailing from what is now modern day Iran, th...
Noah's Ark and the Flood
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Ancients launches a new miniseries exploring the stories, people, objects and kingdoms central t...
The Fall of Mark Antony: From Caesar to Cleopatra
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After the death of his patron Julius Caesar, the Roman world was Mark Antony’s for the taking. His...
The Rise of Mark Antony
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Antony; the headstrong bad boy, a feared commander, lover and traitor memorably depicted by Ric...
Hadrian's Wall
25 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the most famous Roman frontier in the world. A massive c.13-foot high wall that spanned the len...
Spartacus: Life or Legend
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
‘I am Spartacus!’ In the field of epic film making, the 1960 historical drama ‘Spartacus’ is...
Dionysus: God of Wine
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dionysus. He's known as the party God of ancient Greece who you never wanted to cross. Associated wi...
Caligula
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Caligula. One of the most infamous Roman emperors of them all. He didn't rule Rome for long, but he ...
The Cleopatras: A Dynasty of Rule Breakers
11 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cleopatra. It is one of the most recognisable names in ancient history, made famous by the exploits ...
Nineveh
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nineveh was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia. Situated on the eastern bank of the Rive...
Origins of the Silk Road
04 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Silk Road was a pivotal ancient exchange network that connected the grassy steppes of Asia and t...
The Roman Auxiliary
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Auxiliaries were some of the most important troops in the all-conquering Roman Army. Unlike legionar...
The Beaker People
27 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Beaker People were a Bronze Age culture that revolutionised prehistoric Britain. They were respo...
The Library of Alexandria
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Library of Alexandria was one of the most important and most celebrated buildings of the ancient...
Apollo: God of the Sun
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Apollo, the favourite son of Zeus and twin brother of Artemis, was a Greek God with many faces. Perh...
The Goths
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Goths are renowned for many things, not least sacking Rome in 410 AD and helping to bring about ...
Looted Artefacts: Black Market of Archaeology
13 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered about the dark side of archeology? The illegal seizing of ancient artefacts? ...
The First Europeans
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Europe’s earliest known humans lived over 1.2 million years ago. After initially roaming the plain...
How to Survive in Babylonia
06 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Would you be able to survive in ancient Babylonia?In this episode, Tristan is joined once again by A...
The Great Sphinx
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Great Sphinx of Giza is one of the most iconic monuments from ancient history. 73 meters in leng...
Pontius Pilate
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Pontius Pilate was the Roman Prefect of Judea during the reign of Emperor Tiberius and is most famou...
The Pantheon
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Pantheon is one of the greatest Roman monuments still standing. First built as a pagan temple by...
Britain After the Ice Age: Star Carr
24 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over 13,000 years ago, Britain emerged from the ravages of the Ice Age as a changed land. Mesolithic...
Great Wall of China
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's one of the most iconic structures in the world: The Great Wall of China.But is it just one wall...
Artemis: Goddess of the Hunt
16 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Artemis is best known as the goddess of the Hunt. But she is far more than just the famed huntress o...
The Walls of Babylon
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The ancient metropolis of Babylon was famed for its wonders like the Tower of Babel and the mysterio...
The Origins of Wine
10 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. But its popularity dates back thou...
The Great Pyramid of Giza
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only ‘Wonder of the Ancient World’ still standing. Built over 4...
Zenobia: Queen of Palmyra
02 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Zenobia, queen of the glittering city state of Palmyra, was a titan of the third century Near-East. ...
The Silver Pharaohs
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Silver Pharaohs refers to a lesser-known set of ancient Egyptian rulers of the 21st Dynasty, nam...
Roman Special Forces
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Romans were renowned for their military prowess and skill. Their legions successfully conquered ...
Origins of Carthage
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Famed as one of Rome’s fiercest enemies, the city of Carthage was one of the jewels of the ancient...
Ice Age Britain: Finding the First Homo sapiens
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Roughly 40,000 years ago, Ice Age Britain was undergoing a transformation. The first modern hum...
Sulla
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lucius Cornellius Sulla Felix is one of the most important Roman statesmen of antiquity. An inspirat...
Persia Reborn: Rise of the Sasanians
11 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Sasanians are renowned as one of Rome's most feared enemies. Founded in third century Persia by ...
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Quest for Immortality
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of storytelling in history. It begins wit...
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Rise of Enkidu
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of storytelling from history. Written in ...
The First Dogs
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For millennia dogs have been undoubtedly man’s best friend. But when did humans first start keepin...
Hermes: Messenger of the Gods
28 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Famed as the herald of the Greek gods, Hermes is the ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to the p...
Alexander the Great
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is everything you need to know about the famed conqueror Alexander the Great. Alongside Dan Sno...
Lascaux Cave: Ice Age Art
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lascaux Cave is an Ice Age wonder. Its walls and ceilings are adorned with stunning depictions of bi...
Cicero
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marcus Tullius Cicero is one of the most famous orators in ancient history, and a central figure dur...
The Bronze Age Collapse
13 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Bronze Age Collapse was one of the most cataclysmic events in human history. Over just a few dec...
The First Irish
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over 10,000 years ago, many believe Ireland was a place where hunter-gatherers roamed. A place where...