The Ancients

Ice Age Australia

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Giant kangaroos. Killer wombats. Carnivorous lions. These beasts once roamed the barren landscape of Ice Age Australia - a vast supercontinent stretch...

Hieroglyphs

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Woolly Mammoths

02 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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—...

The Chinese Zodiac

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Kingdom of Kush

26 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Beyond the ancient Nile’s fertile banks lay a civilisation that rivalled Egypt in power and prestige—the Kingdom of Kush. This ancient empire, cen...

Babylon's Epic of Creation

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Franks

19 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 bat...

The Roman Invasion of Britain

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Sargon of Akkad

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 enigmati...

Rome's Crisis of the Third Century

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Atlantis

05 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 re...

Who Was the Real King Arthur?

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Emperor Constantine

29 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did Constantine the Great conquer his rivals and shape the Roman Empire?Tristan Hughes discusses the dramatic rise of Roman Emperor Constantine I ...

Tomb of King Herod

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did Herod really order the massacre of thousands of infants? Tristan Hughes revisits the scandalous and captivating story of the discovery of King Her...

Druids

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Aligning with the winter solstice of 2024, Tristan Hughes and Professor Ronald Hutton delve into the ancient Druids of Britain and France.They discuss...

The Birth of Money

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 mone...

The Thracians

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

They were ancient masters of cavalry, creators of dazzling treasures, and the ancestors of the legendary Spartacus, but who exactly were the Thracians...

The Wise Men

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Hanukkah & the Maccabees

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 o...

Origins of the Wheel

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 First South Americans

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The prehistoric archaeology of South America is fascinating and constantly developing.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Tom Dillehay to discuss how earl...

Fall of the Etruscans

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 f...

Tower of Babel

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Ice Age America

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Emperor Macrinus: Usurper of Rome

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Caracalla & Geta: The Real Emperors of Gladiator II

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 Minotaur

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 grea...

The Ancient Amazon

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

Prehistoric Japan

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 pr...

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 revolutionised our understanding of biblical history. But ...

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 likened to Alexander the Great faces down the legio...

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 story of the Thule Inuit. Expanding out from prese...

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 in the chaos that was the Wars of the Successors. ...

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 in fact chariot racing! For centuries the Romans we...

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 Nabateans and before Petra was even created. King H...

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 installation of The Ancients exploration of the Gods ...

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 Achaemenid superstar, ruling the Achaemenid Persian Empire...

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 legends from Egyptian mythology.Tristan Hughes is...

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 is burning. Thousands of Roman soldiers have brea...

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 passed between thousands of followers and down through ...

Tyrannosaurus Rex

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

67 million years ago the most famous meat-eating dinosaur prowled the earth - the Tyrannosaurus Rex. At it's full size, this prehistoric apex predator...

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 imagination. He is said to have voyaged across th...

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 Britain was beginning to fade. Franks, Saxons and Ro...

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 ear in Egypt for millennia. They were painted on te...

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 15,000 men were massacred at Teutoburg Forest, makin...

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 sailors navigated the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to bri...

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 defeats of the Roman army when an alliance of Germanic ...

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 ‘lost city,’ hidden from western eyes in a va...

The Sirens

25 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The word 'Sirens' conjures up many images, possibly of beautiful mermaid-like creatures luring sailors to their watery deaths. These ancient Greek myt...

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 of the world's oldest beverages, with a history tha...

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 same in ancient times. They were pets. They were pe...

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 today, more than 2,000 years old. The Parthenon. A tem...

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 Mediterranean world. It rose to prominence in the late Bron...

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 the throne as a teenager, he dressed up as Hercule...

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 place in Paris right now. But how did it all begin?I...

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 home, Hestia was incredibly important in almost e...

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 cities like Tikal, Palenque, Copan and Calakmul, th...

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 pleasure of the crowd were the celebrities of thei...

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 the inhabitable world. But what evidence do we have...

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 Teotihuacán, and given its name by the Aztecs, th...

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 greatest legacies - it's web-like network of roads and r...

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, warfare, famine, earthquakes, plague - all had c...

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. Kings reigning over great Bronze age powers like Ne...

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, Mark Antony, Pompey, Brutus and the Gracchi broth...

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 important for Islam, Judaism and Christianity and the acro...

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 kings like Saul, David and Solomon, the kingdom supp...

Heracles

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tristan Hughes continues the Greek Gods and Goddesses series with today’s deity; the most popular mythical hero of them all: Heracles, or Hercules. ...

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 Bible. This special box that held the sacred 10 Com...

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 word ‘Celt’ refers to the people of Iron Age Bri...

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 instantly recognisable episodes like the parting ...

The Parthians

09 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Parthians were heavyweights of ancient Mesopotamia. Hailing from what is now modern day Iran, they charged onto the scene by destroying the Seleuc...

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 to the Old Testament's narrative. There was only on...

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 triumph over Caesar’s assassins at Phillipi in ...

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 Richard Burton. His story is intertwined with some of...

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 length of northern Britain, dividing the empire betwe...

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 legendary. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, and starr...

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 with theatre, mysterious cults and even, on one occa...

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 has gained a legacy as this incredibly evil figure...

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 of Egypt’s controversial pharaoh queen. But did ...

Nineveh

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nineveh was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia. Situated on the eastern bank of the River Tigris, it rivalled cities like Babylon and Pers...

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 the Middle East with the western world. The passage...

The Roman Auxiliary

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Auxiliaries were some of the most important troops in the all-conquering Roman Army. Unlike legionaries, their more heavily-armoured and widely famed ...

The Beaker People

27 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Beaker People were a Bronze Age culture that revolutionised prehistoric Britain. They were responsible for introducing Bronze Age technology into ...

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 Mediterranean. It was a great hub of learning and...

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. Perhaps most famous as Phoebus, the God of the Sun, he...

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 the fall of the Western Roman Empire. They were a ...

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 looting of goods from age old historical sites...

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 plains of Iberia in small groups, they spread across th...

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 Amanda Podany from California State Polytechni...

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 length and 20 meters high, the huge limestone statue d...

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 famous for condemning Jesus of Nazareth to death by cru...

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 Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Caesar Augustu...

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 hunter-gatherers who had adapted to cold climates...

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? And who built it and why? Today, Tristan Hughes ...

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 of Greek mythology - she is the patron of the wilde...

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 mysterious Hanging Gardens. But few Babylonian monuments w...

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 thousands of years. Throughout ancient history, wine w...

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 4500 years ago at the same time as Stonehenge, the ...

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. By defeating the Persian Sassanid Empire in 270 AD...

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, named for the abundant silver discovered in their tom...