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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.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
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 https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 672 - Origins of Constantinople
Why did Emperor Constantine abandon Rome to build a spectacular new capital from scratch? In the year 312 a bloody civil war and a miraculous heavenly vision changed the Roman world forever.
Tristan Hughes and Professor Judith Herrin uncover the epic origins of Constantinople. Discover how Constantine ruthlessly eliminated his imperial rivals, harnessed the strategic power of the Bosphorus, and erected a glittering metropolis that outshone the failing West.
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Ravenna and the Fall of Rome
Decline & Fall of the Ancient World
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 22 Oct 2026 - 58min - 671 - The Ninth Legion: Did They Disappear?
It's one of history’s most compelling cold cases. What happened to the Ninth Legion, a crack unit of 5,000 Roman soldiers who vanished from the historical record without a trace?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Roman historian Dr Simon Elliott to investigate the fate of the legion that helped conquer Britain. Was the Ninth wiped out in a bloody defeat on Rome’s northern frontier, or did it meet its end thousands of miles away in the East? Sifting through the surviving Roman records, can Tristan and Simon finally uncover what really happened to Rome’s most famous missing legion?
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The Roman Secret Service
Julius Caesar’s Invasions of Britain
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Robin McConnell. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 18 Oct 2026 - 1h 09min - 670 - Viking Origins: The Nordic Iron Age
Two thousand years ago, centuries before the Vikings, there was another Scandinavia. An Iron Age world.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Marianne Hem Eriksen to uncover the deep roots of the seafaring North, journeying through a forgotten world of elite halls, Roman encounters, and ancient burial rites.
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Iron Age Britain
Iron Age Ireland
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Produced and edited by Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 15 Oct 2026 - 1h 07min - 669 - Caratacus: King of the Britons
Before Boudicca, another British leader brought the Roman war machine to a grinding halt. Meet Caratacus; the cunning King of the Britons who spent seven years outmaneuvering the empire.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Miles Russell to uncover the forgotten story of this charismatic guerrilla fighter. From leading fierce resistance in Wales to his betrayal, capture, and a life-saving speech in Rome, Caratacus was Britain’s ultimate escape artist.
MORE
Who Was The Real King Arthur?
The Roman Invasion of Britain
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Natasha Hughes. The studio manager is Hanif Hussain, the producer is Robin McConnell, the video producer is McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 11 Oct 2026 - 1h 06min - 668 - Ancient Antarctica
The frozen continent of Antarctica was once a land of forests, rivers and thriving ecosystems. And millions of years before humans ever existed it was home to a whole host of ancient creatures, from the first sharks to the earliest marsupials.
Tristan Hughes is joined by paleontologist Professor John Long to uncover what the trilobite and dinosaur fossils buried beneath the ice reveal about this lost world and what they can reveal about Antarctica’s role in the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.
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Megalodon
The First Sharks
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 08 Oct 2026 - 57min - 667 - Prehistoric Penguins
When the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, one remarkable avian survivor traded the skies for the sea. Tristan Hughes and paleontologist Dr Steve Brusatte explore how prehistoric penguins emerged on ancient Zealandia, lost their flight and grew into colossal apex predators. But how did these giant ocean rulers eventually shrank to conquer the frozen continent of Antarctica?
MORE
Terror Birds
Dinosaurs: The Last Days
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! WatchHERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 04 Oct 2026 - 40min - 666 - Life and Death in Ancient Babylon
Babylon was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. But what was life really like for the people who lived there? Behind its magnificent temples and royal palaces lay a city of crowded streets, disease, danger and everyday struggles.
Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show and Babylonian extraordinaire Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to uncover the realities of life in Hammurabi's Babylon. Drawing on the remarkable texts left behind by its people, they explore everything from marriage and childbirth to taverns, rubbish-filled streets and the strange demons believed to haunt the home. What did it mean to walk the streets of Mesopotamia's most famous ancient city?
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The Fall of Babylon
The Tower of Babel
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. Producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early ad-free podcasts and exclusive subscriber-only episodes every fortnight. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 01 Oct 2026 - 54min - 665 - The Gospels: Are They Historical?
How much can we really know about the historical Jesus? The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have shaped Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, but they were written decades after the events they describe. So how should we treat them as historical sources?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Helen Bond to examine where the Gospels came from, who wrote them and how closely they reflect the world of first-century Judea. Were they based on eyewitness testimony and earlier traditions? And what do their stories reveal about the life of Jesus of Nazareth?
MORE
The Pharisees
Rise of Christianity
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Matthew Wilson. The producers are Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 27 Sep 2026 - 1h 03min - 664 - Maya Hieroglyphs Decoded
Forget everything you thought you knew about the ancient Maya. Cracking their mysterious hieroglyphs didn't just reveal boring calendars, it exposed a cutthroat, Game of Thrones-style world of rival superpowers, Tikal and Calakmul.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor David Stuart to uncover tales of powerful female warlords, dark pilgrimages to the underworld, and the secret jungle "whiteboard" of an ancient mathematician.
MORE
The Maya Collapse
The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight.
The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 - 48min - 663 - Human Sacrifice in Ancient Britain
WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence from the start.
When we picture human sacrifice in ancient Britain, the iconic, flaming Wicker Man often comes to mind. But how much of this is Roman propaganda, and what does the actual archaeology reveal? Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Dr. Miles Russell to separate popular myth from gruesome reality. From perfectly preserved bog bodies in the north to mysterious grain pit burials down south, who were these victims and why did they die?
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio & video editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Robin McConnell. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! WatchHERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 20 Sep 2026 - 1h 01min - 662 - Ice Age America: The Clovis Culture
Before the mammoths disappeared, people hunted them across Ice Age America. Armed with distinctive stone spear points, the mysterious Clovis culture left behind traces of a world filled with giant beasts and landscapes now lost to time.
Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Dr Madeline Mackie to explore the latest discoveries surrounding America’s prehistoric history. Who were these remarkable hunter-gatherers? How did they hunt some of the largest animals ever to walk the continent? And what mysteries still surround one of the most fascinating cultures of Ice Age America?
MORE:
Ice Age America
The First Americans
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Thu, 17 Sep 2026 - 57min - 661 - The First Punic War
How did the Romans ambush a massive Carthaginian fleet from behind a Sicilian island to win one of history's fiercest sea battles? For over 20 years, Rome and Carthage fought a brutal war for supremacy over Sicily. Tristan Hughes is joined by Carthage expert Dr. Eve MacDonald to explore the epic First Punic War; a conflict defined by titanic naval clashes, lethal boarding bridges, war elephants...sacred chickens!
MORE
Rise of Hannibal
How To Survive in Carthage
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Natasha Hughes. The producers are Joseph Knight & McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! WatchHERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes, including our recent 'After Ancients' interview with Dr. Eve MacDonald.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 13 Sep 2026 - 1h 01min - 660 - Iron Age Ireland
How much of Iron Age Ireland is myth, and how much is archaeological reality? At the monumental Hill of Tara, sacred kings ruled over a landscape steeped in ancient ritual and ancestral memory.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. John Waddell, author of The Celtic World, to explore the truth to be found through the mist and beneath the hills. We hear about legendary rulers like Queen Medb, epic cattle raids, massive ceremonial feasts, and lawless, roaming war bands.
MORE
Iron Age Britain
Origins of the Celts
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 10 Sep 2026 - 52min - 659 - Human Origins: Did We Begin in Africa?
The story of human origins is often imagined as a simple journey from Africa, but is the truth actually much messier? Tristan Hughes and leading palaeoanthropologist Prof. Chris Stringer dismantle the traditional narrative, discussing how recent breakthroughs in fossils and ancient DNA reveal a complex, shifting history of multiple migrations and cross-breeding to uncover where we truly come from.
MORE
The First Britons with Prof. Chris Stringer
Rise of Humans
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The studio manager is Hanif Hussain. The producers are Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
The Ancients is now on YouTube! WatchHERE
Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes.
PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 06 Sep 2026 - 58min - 658 - Egypt's Lost Cities
What happens when an entire city disappears? Beneath the sands and wetlands of Egypt lie the remains of forgotten cities that once stood at the heart of one of the ancient world’s greatest civilisations.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Egyptologist Chris Naunton to uncover the story of Egypt’s lost cities. From the rediscovery of Tanis, the mysterious city immortalised by Indiana Jones, to ancient capitals like Memphis and Amarna, they explore what caused these cities to vanish. And how many more are still waiting to be found?
MORE
The Silver Pharaohs
Alexandria: The Sunken City
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 03 Sep 2026 - 59min - 657 - Roman Emperor Augustus and His Trusted General
Augustus was Rome's first Emperor. But who made his empire possible? Behind the throne stood Marcus Agrippa, the brilliant general whose victories secured the Roman world yet whose name was consciously erased from the record by his erstwhile great friend.
In this very special episode Tristan Hughes is joined by bestselling author Robert Harris to uncover the remarkable life of Agrippa. How did a man from relative obscurity become Augustus’s most trusted ally? What role did he play in the victory at Actium and the birth of the Roman Empire? And why did this extraordinary figure disappear from Rome’s public memory?
MORE
How Slavery Built the Roman Empire
Young Caesar v Mark Antony
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Natasha Hughes. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 30 Aug 2026 - 57min - 656 - The Vandals
The Vandals have gone down in history as the barbarians who helped bring down the Western Roman Empire. Their name became synonymous with violence and destruction, but who were they really?
In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Andy Merrills to uncover the real story of the Vandals. From their migration across Europe to the conquest of Carthage, they explore how the Vandals emerged as a formidable power at the heart of Rome’s final crisis; what archaeology reveals about their rule, and whether the Vandals were really as destructive as their reputation suggests.
MORE
The Goths:
The Franks:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 27 Aug 2026 - 50min - 655 - Terror Birds
What kind of predator needs no teeth to terrify its prey? The terror birds were enormous flightless hunters that ruled South America for millions of years, standing metres tall and built for a life of pursuit and slaughter.
In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by palaeontologist Dr Steve Brusatte to explore the world of the phorusrhacids. What were these extraordinary birds really like? How did they dominate an isolated South America after the extinction of the dinosaurs? And what ultimately brought their predatory reign to an end?
MORE
Tyrannosaurs Rex
The Rise of Mammals
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 23 Aug 2026 - 45min - 654 - The Maya Ballgame
A rubber ball. A stone court. And a sport where the stakes could be life and death.
For more than 2,000 years, Mesoamerican peoples played a remarkable ballgame that became far more than entertainment; across the Maya world, it became a spectacle and a ceremony with religion, politics and power at it's heart.
Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Ed Barnhart to uncover the oldest sporting tradition in the ancient Americas. Together they discover how the Maya ballgame was played, why it became so important, and whether the most chilling aspect of its reputation was actually true: did the losers really face sacrifice?
MORE
Chichén Itzá
The Maya Collapse
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Produced and edited by Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, plus early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 20 Aug 2026 - 1h 07min - 653 - How Slavery Built the Roman Empire
Was the Roman Empire really made by conquest? Or was it powered by something much darker?
For centuries, millions of enslaved people sacrificed their lives and their labour on the altar of Roman progress, an integral cog in the grinding imperial machine. And so today on The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Emma Southon, author of Servus: How Slavery Made The Roman World to bring their overlooked stories back into the limelight. From the mines and farms to the households of the imperial elite, they discover how slavery was woven into the fabric of the Roman society and ask what life was really like for enslaved Romans.
MORE
Spartacus:
Zenobia: Queen of Palmyra:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Producer is Joseph Knight. Edited by Natasha Hughes. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 - 1h 07min - 652 - Romulus & Remus
The story of Romulus and Remus is one of the most famous myths from the ancient world. But the Romans believed the founding of their city stretched far beyond the tale of the twin brothers. Heroes, kings and exiles all played a part in Rome's legendary beginnings.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Jeremy Armstrong to explore the myths behind the founding of Rome. Why did the Romans link their origins to figures like Aeneas and Romulus? What do these stories reveal about Roman identity? And could there be any historical truth behind the legends of Rome's earliest days?
MORE
Origins of Rome's Empire
The Kings of Rome
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts and subscriber-only episodes. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 - 59min - 651 - Shapur I: Rome's Greatest Enemy?
Few rulers humbled Rome quite like Shapur I. A King of Kings, he rebuilt the Sasanian Persian Empire, defeated Roman armies and captured Emperor Valerian in one of antiquity's most remarkable military triumphs.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Eve MacDonald to explore the rise of Shapur the Great. Why did he find so much success against the ancient Roman behemoth? How did he help forge a new Persian superpower on the Empire’s eastern frontier? And is he worthy to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Hannibal, Boudicca, and Spartacus in the Roman villain hall of fame?
MORE
Persia Reborn: Rise of the Sassanians
Edges of Empire: The Sassanian Frontiers
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. Video producer is McKenna Fernandez, channel manager is Vilde Osknes.The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 09 Aug 2026 - 58min - 650 - Scotland's First Warriors
Three thousand years ago, prehistoric Scotland was a landscape of rival communities, raids and warfare. Bands of warriors fought for power and territory leaving behind extraordinary weapons that reveal a more violent side to Scotland’s ancient past.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Matthew Knight, Senior Curator of Prehistory at the National Museum of Scotland, to explore Scotland’s first warriors. Who were these Bronze Age fighters? What did their weapons reveal about their status and identity? And how did warfare shape life in prehistoric Scotland?
MORE
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. Video Editor is Matthew Wilson. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, plus early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 06 Aug 2026 - 56min - 649 - The Catiline Conspiracy
In 63 BC, Rome faced a conspiracy that threatened to tear the Roman Republic apart. At its centre stood two figures: Marcus Tullius Cicero, the grand old orator of Rome and Lucius Sergius Catilina, accused of plotting violence, rebellion and the overthrow of Rome’s political order. But was the danger as great as Cicero claimed?
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Catharine Edwards to uncover the truth behind the Catiline Conspiracy. Did Cicero save the Roman Republic in his finest hour, or did he exaggerate the threat to destroy a political rival? Join us to discover the story behind one of ancient Rome’s most notorious political crises.
ORATOR by Catharine Edwards is published in hardback, eBook and audio by Hutchinson Heinemann, 23rd July.
MORE:
Cicero
Battle of Mutina: Cicero's Fight for the Roman Republic
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Astall. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 02 Aug 2026 - 1h 04min - 648 - Alexander the Great's Mad Scientist
WARNING: graphic descriptions of violence and warfare
Meet Diades, Alexander the Great’s overlooked military engineer, the man who made the impossible siege of Tyre happen.
Tristan Hughes and Professor Edmund Richardson retell the thrilling, brutal, brilliant story of invention, ambition, and ancient warfare at its most extreme.
In 332 BC, he turned a coastal blockade into a 1km causeway, then faced fire ships, molten sand, and a city that refused to yield.
MORE
Alexander the Great | Rise to Power
Tyre: The Jewel of Phoenicia
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Astall. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 30 Jul 2026 - 1h 12min - 647 - Hollywood’s Odyssey: The Historians' Verdict
Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film Odyssey brings Homer’s epic roaring back to life and Tristan Hughes and Dr. Emily Hauser are here to unpack every storm, monster and star-making turn. From the brilliance of the adaptation to the ancient story beneath it, Tristan and Emily bring their expert historical knowledge to challenge what Nolan keeps, what he changes, and why Odysseus still captivates us after 2,500 years.
MORE
Zeus
Cassandra: Priestess of Troy
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - tickets are selling fast, last few available here.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. The editor is Natasha Hughes. Studio manager is Hanif Hussain. The video producer is McKenna Fernandez, producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 26 Jul 2026 - 1h 10min - 646 - The First New Zealanders
What if the first New Zealanders crossed an ocean, landed in a brand-new world, and built a whole society in just a few generations?
Tristan Hughes and Dr Richard Walter tell the story of East Polynesian voyagers who reached Aotearoa around the late 1200s, bringing canoes, knowledge, and ambition from Hawaiki to a vast, forested island world.
From the moa-rich site of Wairau Bar to archeological evidence of exquisite stone tools, ornaments, and fishhooks, Tristan and Richard discuss how these settlers adapted fast, explored far, and laid the foundations for Māori life in New Zealand.
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The First Hawaiians
Ancient Polynesia: Pioneers of the Pacific
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - final tickets are available here.
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 23 Jul 2026 - 56min - 645 - Odyssey | Sea of Monsters & Slaughter of the Suitors
When Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca, his homecoming turns into a ruthless reckoning. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Emily Hauser dive into the shocking climax of Homer’s Odyssey, where hospitality, vengeance and survival collide in a blood-soaked finale.
What drives Odysseus to unleash such fury, and what does the massacre reveal about power, justice and ancient heroism?
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - final tickets are available here.
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. The editor is Natasha Hughes. The video producer is McKenna Fernandez, producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Watch Tristan Hughes and Dan Snow retrace the Odyssey in Greece in a new documentary on History Hit TV! Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts and exclusive subscriber episodes. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 19 Jul 2026 - 1h 08min - 644 - Caral: Oldest City in the Americas?
Long before the age of the Inca and Maya, a remarkable city once flourished on the coast of modern Peru. Founded more than five thousand years ago, the sacred city of Caral is home to monumental pyramids, lavish temples and one of the world's earliest urban societies.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Jason Nesbitt to uncover the story of this remarkable Mesoamerican settlement. How did this ancient city emerge in the arid Supe Valley? What do its pyramids and plazas reveal about life 5,000 years ago? And is Caral truly the oldest city in the Americas?
See photos of the Sacred City of Caral-Supe here
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The Ancient Amazon
Ancient Americas: The Moche
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 16 Jul 2026 - 57min - 643 - Odyssey | Cyclops, Circe and Calypso
What if the world’s most famous homecoming was really a nightmare of monsters, gods, and one very stubborn king trying to get back to Ithaca?
In our new series Tristan Hughes and classicist Dr. Emily Hauser dive into Homer’s Odyssey, an epic of shipwrecks, sorcery, giants and divine meddling, where Odysseus is never quite sure whether the next shore will save him or destroy him.
They trace his journey from the ruins of Troy to Calypso’s island, the Phaeacians, Circe, the Cyclops, and even the Underworld, asking what kind of hero Odysseus really is, and why his story has lasted for more than 2,500 years.
Ahead of the release of Christopher Nolan's new epic film, get across the story and all the key characters and plot lines, including rich historical context.
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The Iliad
Homer
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Natasha Hughes. The producer is Joseph Knight. Video producer is McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 12 Jul 2026 - 1h 04min - 642 - Egypt's Book of the Dead
For over a thousand years, the Book of the Dead guided ancient Egyptians through the afterlife. Filled with powerful spells these remarkable texts were designed to help the dead overcome the dangers of the underworld and reach eternal life in the company of Osiris, God of the Dead.
Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Yekaterina Barbash to explore the fascinating history of the Book of the Dead. Why was it so important to ancient Egyptian burial beliefs? How were these extraordinary papyri made? And what can one of the finest surviving examples reveal about death, magic and the afterlife in ancient Egypt?
MORE
Hieroglyphs
Treasures of Tutankhamun
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 09 Jul 2026 - 50min - 641 - The Trojan War
The story of Achilles, Odysseus and the siege of Troy has captivated audiences for millennia, but behind the legends lies a deeper mystery. Was this epic war a myth, a memory of a real Bronze Age conflict, or something in between?
Today Tristan Hughes is joined by Eric Cline to explore the reality behind Homer’s greatest tale. From the legendary heroes of The Iliad to the ruins of Troy, discover what archaeology and ancient texts reveal about the Trojan War, and whether the story of Helen, Paris and the fall of Troy truly has a historical foundation.
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Troy
The Bronze Age Collapse
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 05 Jul 2026 - 1h 09min - 640 - The Flood Myth
Thousands of years before the story of Noah and the Ark, people in ancient Mesopotamia were already telling tales of a devastating divine flood. Written into the Epic of Atrahasis, this ancient story describes a man chosen to survive catastrophe by building a great boat and preserving life from destruction.
Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Sophus Helle to explore this legend from ancient Babylonian folklore. What does the story of Atrahasis reveal about ancient Babylonian beliefs? How similar is it to the biblical account of Noah? And why did the memory of a great flood become one of humanity’s most enduring stories?
MORE
Epic of Gilgamesh: Rise of Enkidu
Babylon's Epic of Creation
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 02 Jul 2026 - 56min - 639 - Delphi: Centre of the Ancient World
For more than a thousand years, Delphi was considered a cultural centre of the ancient world. Every year a throng of pilgrims climbed the slopes of Mount Parnassus to seek the words of Apollo through the famous Oracle of Delphi.
Today Tristan Hughes is joined by Michael Scott to uncover Delphi's story, the sanctuary that shaped the ancient Mediterranean. How did the Pythia become the most famous oracle of antiquity? Why did rulers travel from across the Greek world to seek its guidance? And what can Delphi’s temples, monuments and Olympic-like festivals reveal about the power and influence of this extraordinary sacred site?
MORE
Athens vs Persia: The Legend of Themistocles
Keros: Bronze Age Mystery
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 28 Jun 2026 - 55min - 638 - Stonehenge with Ken Follett
What if the secrets of Stonehenge lie not just in the stones, but in the people who hauled them there?
Tristan Hughes sits down with best-selling novelist Ken Follett to uncover and imagine the lives of the Stone Age builders, the rival communities around Salisbury Plain, and the extraordinary teamwork needed to raise one of the most famous monuments in the world.
They reveal fascinating details about flint mines, giant Sarsen stones, ancient trade, communal festivals, and the breathtaking ingenuity behind moving and lifting blocks that weighed 25 tons or more.
MORE
The World of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 25 Jun 2026 - 46min - 637 - The Library of Alexandria
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 literature and made Alexandria one of the ancient world’s foremost centres of knowledge and culture. But when was it built? And where did all the books come from?
Tristan Hughes speaks to Dr. Islam Issa about the story behind one of histories greatest libraries. Together they explore why Alexandria’s reigning dynasty - the Ptolemies - were so obsessed with acquiring knowledge and uncover whether it really did burn down in a great fire.
MORE
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Ptolemy I: The First Greek Pharaoh
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 21 Jun 2026 - 42min - 636 - Boudica and the Iceni
In 60 AD Roman Britain was very nearly brought to the brink. Cities burned, authority crumbled, and for a brief moment one woman challenged the might of the Roman Empire. Her name was Boudica.
Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by novelist and historian Elodie Harper to explore the life and legend of Boudica, the Iceni queen responsible for such rebellious devastation. They discuss the brutal events that sparked her uprising, the role played by her daughters and their wider Iceni world, and how Roman power was shaken by her campaign, revealing a story of resistance, vengeance, and the limits of empire.
MORE
Boudica's Battle of Britain
Colchester: From Bronze Age to Boudica
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 18 Jun 2026 - 56min - 635 - The Cambrian Explosion: When Life Began?
538 million years ago, life on Earth changed forever. In an evolutionary burst known as the Cambrian Explosion, complex animals rapidly appeared in the oceans, laying the foundations for almost every major animal group alive today.
Tristan Hughes is joined by the mighty Henry Gee to explore biology’s 'Big Bang'. What triggered this extraordinary leap in evolutionary complexity? Why did creatures with eyes, shells and limbs emerge so suddenly in the fossil record? And what can the Cambrian Explosion reveal about the origins of animal life and the history of our planet?
MORE
Rise of Humans
The Age of Dinosaurs
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 14 Jun 2026 - 1h 00min - 634 - The Pharisees
The Pharisees are one of the most familiar names in the ancient world, but are they also one of the most misunderstood?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Helen Bond to step back into first-century Judea, where the Pharisees were debating law, purity and resurrection under foreign rule. They look at how much power the Pharisees really had, their debates with Jesus in the Gospels, and how focussed they were on the idea of a 'messiah'.
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
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John the Baptist
Pontius Pilate
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 11 Jun 2026 - 47min - 633 - The Rosetta Stone
In July 1799, French soldiers unearthed a stone that would transform our understanding of the ancient world. Discovered in a fort at Rashid, the Rosetta Stone became the key to deciphering Egypt’s long-lost hieroglyphs. Within two decades, scholars began unlocking its secrets. But what does it actually say? Tristan speaks with Dr Ilona Regulski to explore the stone, the script, and the race to decode it.
MORE
How Ancient Egypt Stayed Egyptian
The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, plus early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 07 Jun 2026 - 44min - 632 - Neanderthal Art
Fifty thousand years ago, Neanderthal artists in Ice Age Europe painted symbols and handprints deep inside caves, leaving behind some of the oldest known art on the continent. These discoveries are transforming how we understand our closest human relatives.
Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Genevieve von Petzinger to explore the fascinating story of Neanderthal art. What kinds of images did Neanderthals create? What did these markings mean? And how might their artistic traditions have influenced the first groups of Homo sapiens who later arrived in Europe?
MORE
Homo Sapiens v Neanderthals
Lascaux Cave: Ice Age Art
We're going on *TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your ticketshere.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week plus early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2026 - 1h 08min - 631 - Spartacus
In 73 BC, a gladiator escaped slavery and launched a rebellion that shook the Roman Republic to its core. His name was Spartacus, and his uprising became one of the greatest threats Rome had ever faced from within.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to explore the dramatic story of Spartacus and his slave revolt that swept across Italy. Together, they cover the breakout at Capua to the battles against Roman armies and discover how Spartacus transformed a small band of fugitives into a force capable of humiliating Rome. Was he fighting for freedom, revenge, or something more?
MORE
The Roman Centurion
How to Survive in Ancient Rome
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
We're going on *TOUR*to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets here.
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 31 May 2026 - 1h 16min - 630 - The Fall of Hadrian's Wall
When the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century AD, Hadrian’s Wall did not simply collapse into ruin. Its forts and ramparts endured, becoming strongholds for the communities who continued to live along this ancient frontier.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Rob Collins to explore the fascinating story of Hadrian’s Wall after the end of Roman rule. Who were the people who remained on the frontier? How did life change in post-Roman Britain? And what happened to the soldiers, families and settlements that had called the Wall home for generations?
MORE
The Fall of Roman Britain
Hadrian's Wall
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, plus early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 28 May 2026 - 1h 15min - 629 - Iron Age Britain
What if Iron Age Britain was never a land of barbarians at all, but a world of skilled farmers, powerful women, trade, ritual, and spectacle? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Tom Moore to reveal a far richer pre-Roman Britain, from roundhouses and hillforts to chariots, feasts, and buried offerings. Archaeology uncovers a society shaped by movement, identity, violence, and belief, where the Iron Age still echoes into Roman Britain and beyond.
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Druids
Before Rome: The Truth About Late Iron Age Britain
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 24 May 2026 - 59min - 628 - Prehistoric Greenland
What can a frozen island reveal about the people who thrived there for thousands of years? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Asta Mønsted to explore prehistoric Greenland through astonishing archaeology and living mythology, from permafrost-preserved homes, tools, and clothing to whale hunts, shamanic stories, and the world of the Thule Inuit. Along the way, they uncover how families survived the Arctic, honoured spirits, and built a rich culture in one of Earth’s harshest places.
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Ice Age America
Origins of the Inuit
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Hannah Feodorov. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, plus early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 21 May 2026 - 1h 08min - 627 - The Other Humans: Why We Survived?
For most of human history, we were not alone. Human evolution was shaped by multiple human species living side by side, from Neanderthals in Europe to Denisovans in Asia, before all but one disappeared.
Tristan Hughes is joined by Ella Al-Shamahi to explore the story of the early humans who once shared our world. How did these different species evolve? Did they compete or coexist? And what do the latest discoveries reveal about the tangled story of human evolution and the survival of Homo sapiens?
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Homo Sapiens v Neanderthals
Human Evolution: Dragon Man
The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 17 May 2026 - 42min - 626 - What If Alexander Fought Rome?
Rome vs Alexander. It's a counterfactual of suitably epic proportions, fit for movie theatres and sprawling strategy video games. What would've happen had the great Macedonian general not perished in Babylon and advanced on an emerging Roman Republic?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Roman historian and friend of the show Steele Brand to ask - what would’ve happened had Alexander invaded Italy? They explore the work of Roman historian Livy, who wrote about this very scenario - would Rome have had enough to resist the mighty legions of an undefeated Macedonia, even before it had really started to forge it's empire? From the sparkling phalanxes of Alexander’s Asian realm to the Rome’s countless mass of citizen soldiers, find out which of these titans of history achieves ancient world domination.
MORE
Alexander the Great: Lord of Asia
The Battle of Phillipi: Death of the Roman Republic
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. Producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 14 May 2026 - 1h 19min - 625 - The Real Armageddon
Armageddon is more than just a biblical prophecy hailing the end of days. It is a real place: Megiddo, an ancient city that for thousands of years stood at the crossroads of empires, trade routes and wars in the ancient Near East.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show Eric Cline to uncover the true story of the real Armageddon. Why did Megiddo become associated with the world’s final battle? What made this city so strategically important for millennia? From Bronze Age kingdoms to biblical tradition and modern archaeology, discover the remarkable history behind one of the most famous names in history and myth.
MORE
Bronze Age Collapse:
The Sea Peoples:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 10 May 2026 - 58min - 624 - Ancient China: The Warring States
How did ancient China plunge into 261 years of chaos, and how did that turmoil forge an empire?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Andrew Seth Meyer to explore the Warring States period, from collapsing Zhou power and ruthless coups to mass armies, crossbows, and battlefield slaughter. They trace the rise of Confucian ideas, the seven great states, and the brutal climb of Qin toward China’s first emperor
To find out more about Andrew's new book To Rule All Under Heaven,head to his website: https://www.andrewsethmeyer.com/
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The Romans and China
The Terracotta Army:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer and audio editor is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 07 May 2026 - 59min - 623 - The Prehistoric Plague
The first ever outbreak of 'plague' - Yersinia Pestis, the most feared disease in human history - was long thought to be the Plague of Justinian in 541 AD. But new studies of ancient DNA have revealed traces of Yesinia Pestis dating back more than 5,000 years.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Laura Spinney to explore the origins of prehistoric plague. How did this pestilence emerge to blight the Neolithic world? Where did it come from? And could it have triggered a Stone Age collapse which signalled the dawn of the Bronze Age in Europe? Discover how this deadly pathogen reshaped entire Stone Age societies, long before the advent of written history.
MORE
Did Plague Destroy the Roman Empire?
The Birth of Indo-European
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Audio for Uploader:
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Sun, 03 May 2026 - 48min - 622 - The Persian Gulf
Near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital commercial chokepoints, lies an ancient trade route that powered civilisation 4,000 years ago: the Persian Gulf - where goods and ideas flowed between the great cities of Mesopotamia, Arabia and beyond to the far flung cities of the Indus Valley and the Indian subcontinent.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Steffen Laursen and Dr Lloyd Weeks to uncover the story of this Bronze Age superhighway. How did this narrow sea connect such distant civilisations? What kinds of goods travelled its waters, and who controlled these vital routes? From the thriving Bahraini port of Dilmun to the wider networks beyond the Gulf, discover how this region became a crossroads of trade, culture and power, and why it still matters so much today.
MORE
Ea Nasir and the World's Oldest Letters:
The Romans and India:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 30 Apr 2026 - 58min - 621 - The Last Days of Pompeii
In 79 AD, life in Pompeii unfolded beneath the shadow of a tremoring Mount Vesuvius. Streets bustled, businesses thrived, and merchants built fortunes, unaware disaster was hours away. But what happened when that disaster struck? How did these ordinary Roman citizens seek to survive last days of Pompeii?
In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Jessica Venner to uncover the final moments before and during the eruption. From the famous fish sauce trade to the chaos of ash and fire, discover how ordinary Pompeians experienced one of history’s most devastating disasters, and what their stories reveal about life and death in the Roman world.
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Pompeii: The Buried City
Sex Work in Pompeii
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 26 Apr 2026 - 1h 06min - 620 - The First Tools
What if the first technology was just a stone?
Tristan Hughes and Dr. Emma Finestone, - Curator and the Robert J. and Linnet E. Fritz Endowed Chair of Humans Origins at Cleveland Museum of Natural History - travel back over 3 million years to Africa, where early hominins began shaping stone tools that transformed survival, diet, and behaviour. From the earliest finds to the widespread tool making industry in northern Tanzania, they explore who made these tools, how they worked, and why they matter.
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Rise of Humans
Origins of the Wheel
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Hannah Feodorov. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 23 Apr 2026 - 46min - 619 - Athens vs Persia: The Legend of Themistocles
A legend of the great Greek city of Athens, Themistocles rose from obscurity to save ancient Greece and helped shape one of the greatest naval powers in history. Yet his story ends in exile, condemned as a traitor and serving the very empire he once defeated: Persia.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Michael Scott to explore the extraordinary life of Themistocles. Together Tristan and Michael delve into the political intrigue of early Athenian democracy, charting Themistocles’ dramatic rise and equally dramatic fall. How did he persuade Athens to invest in its fleet and defeat Persia's great navy? Why did his career end in disgrace? And how did this architect of Greek victory ultimately find himself in the service of the Persian Empire, the very enemy he swore to destroy?
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How to Party Like an Ancient Greek:
The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 19 Apr 2026 - 54min - 618 - The Hittites
What made the Hittites one of the great Bronze Age powers, and how did their empire survive on war, diplomacy and faith? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Elena Devecchi to uncover ancient royal intrigue, lavish festivals, the 'Thousand God', and the world’s oldest known peace treaty.
From Hattusha’s immense lion gates to secret archives and sacking Babylon, it’s a dramatic deep dive into an empire that once stretched as far as Troy.
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The Bronze Collapse
Tower of Babel
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 16 Apr 2026 - 58min - 617 - Homo Sapiens vs Neanderthals
Tristan Hughes is joined by Ella Al-Shamahi, paleoanthropologist and presenter of the hit BBC series Human, to explore what interactions between early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals may have been like, from communication and cultural exchange to interbreeding and the possibility of hybrid children navigating belonging.
They discuss how new research is challenging “primitive” stereotypes to reveal how Neanderthals were complex beings who used pigments, pierced shells, talons, feathers, and created cave handprints.
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The Last Neanderthals with Chris Stringer
Rise of Humans
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer is Joseph Knight. Edited & co-produced by Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 - 59min - 616 - The Romans and China
How did Roman silver travel from Egypt to China across monsoon seas, pirate waters, and bustling ports?
Tristan Hughes is joined by legendary archaeologist Sir Barry Cunliffe for a dramatic journey through the Indian Ocean, where Roman glass, pepper, and silk linked two ancient superpowers. From Sri Lanka to the Malacca Strait, they reveal a dazzling world of traders, middlemen and maritime adventure.
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Origins of the Silk Road
The Great Wall of China
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds to hear an exclusive chat between Tristan and Sir Barry Cunliffe, as well as see hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 09 Apr 2026 - 58min - 615 - Judas Iscariot
**Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence, including suicide**
What really happened to Judas Iscariot? From shifting accounts in the Gospels to the 30 pieces of silver, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Paul Middleton to trace the stories that made Judas Christianity’s most infamous villain.
Along the way, they explore the kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane, the conflicting accounts of Judas’s death, and the long debate over whether he was a historical figure or a later invention.
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Jesus of Nazareth
Pontius Pilate
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 05 Apr 2026 - 56min - 614 - Britain's First Dog
Fifteen thousand years ago, as the Ice Age loosened its grip on Northern Europe, humans returned to the previously inhospitable British Isles. But they did not come alone. Among their number was a companion once thought to be an impossibility: Britain's earliest known dog.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes Dr. Selina Brace and Dr. William Marsh from the Natural History Museum to explore groundbreaking new research from Gough’s Cave that is reshaping our understanding of humans and dogs in Ice Age Britain. Together they uncover the story of a remarkable discovery: ancient remains once believed to belong to a wolf, now identified as Britain’s oldest known domesticated dog. How did this dog live alongside prehistoric hunter-gatherers? And how is this discovery changing what we thought we knew about the arrival of dogs in Britain?
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The First Dogs:
End of the Ice Age Britain:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 02 Apr 2026 - 49min - 613 - The Roman Centurion
What did it take to become a Roman centurion? To command, to punish and to lead from the very front of Rome’s armies?
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Ben Kane to uncover the reality behind one of the most iconic ranks of the ancient world. From the brutal discipline of life on campaign to the prestige and pressure of command, discover how centurions became the backbone of the Roman military. How were they chosen? What kept their soldiers in line? And why were they so crucial to Rome’s success on battlefields across the empire?
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
MORE:
The Roman Legionary
The Roman Auxiliary
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Sun, 29 Mar 2026 - 1h 00min - 612 - The Delian League: Ancient NATO?
What happens when a defensive alliance slowly turns into an empire? Tristan Hughes and Professor Polly Low explore the Delian League, the so‑called “ancient NATO”, from its Persian War origins to Athenian domination. Discover tribute, revolt, contested sources and how a league of allies became Athens’ hard-edged maritime empire.
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The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis
The Parthenon: Wonder of Athens
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Artsall. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 26 Mar 2026 - 1h 05min - 611 - Leonidas: King of Sparta, Hero of Thermopylae
In 480 BC, at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, a vastly outnumbered Greek force prepares to face the advancing army of the Persian king Xerxes. At its head stands Leonidas, king of Sparta, ready to make a final stand that will become one of the most famous moments in ancient history.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Andrew Bayliss to peel back the myth and uncover the real story of Leonidas. Tracing Leonidas's origins amid the turbulent politics of Sparta’s Agiad dynasty to his denouement at the hot gates of Thermopylae, they explore Leonidas's journey to power, his dogged defiance against the Persians and what his story reveals about Spartan society, kingship and warfare at the height of the Greco-Persian Wars.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
MORE:
Xerxes the Great:
The Spartan Warrior:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Sun, 22 Mar 2026 - 1h 03min - 610 - What if the Ides of March Failed?
What if Julius Caesar had survived the Ides of March? This episode explores his last known plans — vast eastern campaigns, sweeping reforms, and his visions for Rome’s future. Could he have rivalled Alexander the Great, crowned himself king, or reshaped the Republic forever? Discover history’s greatest “what if.”
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The Rise of Julius Caesar
Cleopatra
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit to watch the new documentary RISE OF CAESAR; and see Adrian Goldsworthy, Dr. Simon Elliott, and Dr. Hannah Cornwell, Tristan Hughes, peel back the layers of the man, the myth, and the massive political ego that transformed the Western world forever.
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Thu, 19 Mar 2026 - 1h 03min - 609 - Herodotus: The Father of History
What drove Herodotus to write the first great story of history? Tristan Hughes speaks with Dr. Roel Konijnendijk to uncover the world of Herodotus of Halicarnassus - the traveler, investigator, and storyteller behind The Histories.
From Persian kings to Greek heroes, they explore his methods, digressions, and the quest to explain why empires rose, wars raged, and memory became history.
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Homer
The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 15 Mar 2026 - 48min - 608 - The Phoenicians
Three thousand years ago, Phoenician ships sailed west across the Mediterranean, their holds packed with pottery, wine and enslaved people to trade. Passing beyond the fabled Pillars of Heracles, they were pushing at the familiar limits of the ancient world.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Josephine Quinn, to explore the story of the Phoenicians. From the bustling sea ports of Tyre and Sidon to the founding of famous settlements like Carthage, discover how these remarkable seafarers built vast trading networks across the Mediterranean. Tristan and Josephine discuss who the Phoenicians really were, how their reputation as master mariners took shape, and the enduring legacies often linked to them, including the spread of the alphabet and their influence on the ancient world.
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Tyre: Jewel of Phoenicia
Origins of Carthage
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 12 Mar 2026 - 1h 03min - 607 - Bronze Age Star Map: The Nebra Sky Disk
In 1999, a mysterious bronze disc buried for millennia in central Europe transformed how we see the prehistoric world. The Nebra Sky Disk - forged 3,600 years ago - is the oldest known depiction of the night sky.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined, once again, by archaeologist Raven Todd DaSilva to uncover the remarkable story of this Bronze Age star map. Discovered in Germany in thrilling and illegal circumstances, this precious artefact reveals a sophisticated understanding of the heavens long before classical astronomy. Together, Tristan and Raven explore how ancient Europeans mapped the stars, what the disk’s symbols may represent, and why this extraordinary object continues to reshape our understanding of prehistoric science and belief.
MORE
The Skulls of Jericho:
The Bronze Age Collapse:
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 08 Mar 2026 - 50min - 606 - The Age of Dinosaurs with Henry Gee
Before Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, Earth was rebuilding from catastrophe. Out of the ashes of the Great Dying rose a new prehistoric world and with it came the age of the dinosaurs.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Henry Gee to explore the full sweep of dinosaur history, from their emergence on the supercontinent Pangaea to their 150-million-year dominance of the planet. Discover how early reptiles evolved into the giants of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, how ecosystems transformed around them, and why their reign finally came to a dramatic end.
MORE
Rise of Humans
Feathered Dinosaurs
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 - 1h 17min - 605 - Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty
“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.
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.
MORE
The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?
The Legend of Osiris: King of the Dead
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Sun, 01 Mar 2026 - 56min - 604 - Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia
As friendships fracture and old alliances break, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy chronicle the epic downfall of Alexander the Great.
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.
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The Romans and India with William Dalrymple
Successors of Alexander the Great
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 26 Feb 2026 - 1h 16min - 603 - The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?
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?
In this episode of The Ancients, 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?
MORE
The Great Sphinx
The Pyramids of Giza
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Sun, 22 Feb 2026 - 58min - 602 - The Fall of Persia | Alexander the Great
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.
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.
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The Ancient Amazon
The Walls of Babylon
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 19 Feb 2026 - 1h 13min - 601 - The Skulls of Jericho
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?
In this episode of The Ancients, 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.
MORE
Jericho:
Origins of the Inuit:
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Sun, 15 Feb 2026 - 53min - 600 - The Invasion of Persia | Alexander the Great
In spring 334 BC, a young Macedonian king sets out to conquer the Persian Empire.
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.
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The Persians
King Midas
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 12 Feb 2026 - 1h 04min - 599 - How to Write Cuneiform with Dr. Irving Finkel
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.
In this episode of The Ancients, 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.
MORE
Noah's Ark and the Flood
The World's Oldest Letters
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 08 Feb 2026 - 1h 00min - 598 - Alexander the Great | Rise to Power
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.
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.
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The Rise of Hannibal with Adrian Goldsworthy
Darius the Great, Persian King of Kings
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 05 Feb 2026 - 1h 24min - 597 - Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve: parents of humanity, or characters in a Near Eastern myth about wisdom, mortality, and the limits of being human?
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
MORE
Moses & The Exodus
The Ark of The Covenant
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 01 Feb 2026 - 59min - 596 - The First Popes
What do we know about the earliest Popes, and how did they shape the early Christian Church amidst persecution?
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.
MORE
Jesus of Nazareth
The Apocryphal Gospels
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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Thu, 29 Jan 2026 - 56min - 595 - Xerxes the Great
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.
In this episode of The Ancients, 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.
MORE
Darius the Great: Persian King of Kings
The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 25 Jan 2026 - 55min - 594 - The Origins of Rome's Empire
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.
In this episode of The Ancients, 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.
MORE:
The Kings of Rome
The Origins of Rome:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 22 Jan 2026 - 58min - 593 - The First Arabians
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.
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.
MORE
The Rise of Humans
The Kingdom of Kush
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Sun, 18 Jan 2026 - 50min - 592 - How to Survive on Hadrian’s Wall
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.
MORE
The Roman Legionary
The Roman Invasion of Britain
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Max Carrey, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 15 Jan 2026 - 1h 10min - 591 - Medea: Maligned Sorceress or Heartless Murderer?
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?
In this episode of The Ancients, 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?
MORE
Jason and the Argonauts
Medusa
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
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.
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Sun, 11 Jan 2026 - 52min - 590 - Fall of Sparta
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 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.
MORE
March of the 10,000
Sparta vs Athens: The Greek World War
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 - 1h 14min - 589 - Rise of Christianity
How did a persecuted minority religion rise to be embraced and enforced by mighty Roman Emperors?
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.
MORE
Council of Nicea
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 04 Jan 2026 - 1h 07min - 588 - The First Life on Earth
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.
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.
MORE
Rise of Humans with Henry Gee
Jurassic America
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, 01 Jan 2026 - 1h 22min - 587 - The Ice Age
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?
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?
This episode was first released in October 2023.
MORE
Ice Age Britain: Finding the First Homo sapiens
Ice Age America
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 28 Dec 2025 - 32min - 586 - The Minoan Labyrinth
Assassin’s Creed Odysseyimmerses 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.
Echoes of Historyis a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Listen to it here.
Hosted by: Tristan Hughes
Edited by: Alex Jones and Aidan Lonergan
Produced by: Robin McConnell, Anne-Marie Luff
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett
Music:
Phoibe the Orphan by The Flight, Michael Georgiades
The Minotaur by The Flight
Barnabas by The Flight, Michael Georgiades
If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.
Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com
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Thu, 25 Dec 2025 - 42min - 585 - Emperor Diocletian and the Great Persecution
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 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?
MORE
Rome's Crisis of the Third Century
Emperor Constantine
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sun, 21 Dec 2025 - 57min - 584 - Paestum: Ancient Greeks in Italy
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.
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.
Tristan's new documentary, Paestum: A Tale of Three Cities, is out now.
MORE
Fall of the Etruscans
Roman Roads
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Thu, 18 Dec 2025 - 55min - 583 - Stegosaurus: Titan of the Jurassic
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.
In this episode of The Ancients, 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.
MORE
Tyrannosaurus Rex
The Rise of the Dinosaurs
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Sun, 14 Dec 2025 - 45min - 582 - Rise of King Herod
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.
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.
MORE
The Wise Men:
The Great Jewish Revolt:
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Thu, 11 Dec 2025 - 48min - 581 - The Ten Commandments
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.
MORE
The Ark of the Covenant
Moses & The Exodus
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Sun, 07 Dec 2025 - 56min - 580 - Origins of Chocolate
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.
MORE
Origins of Beer
Pyramid of the Sun
Presented by Tristan Hughes. The audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Thu, 04 Dec 2025 - 44min - 579 - The Khmer Empire: Angkor Wat
How did Indian culture shape the wonders of Southeast Asia?
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.
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
MORE
The Romans and India with William Dalrymple
Prehistoric Ireland: Newgrange
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Sun, 30 Nov 2025 - 37min - 578 - The World's Oldest Letters
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 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.
Translations in this episode taken from A. Leo Oppenheim, Letters from Mesopotamia (1967) & J. M. Sasson, From the Mari Archives (2015).
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Thu, 27 Nov 2025 - 55min - 577 - Emperor Tiberius: Monster or Misunderstood?
*WARNING: This podcast contains adult themes and discussion of paedophilia*
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?
In this episode of The Ancients, 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.
MORE
Agrippa and Augustus: The Golden Age
The Rise of Nero
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Sun, 23 Nov 2025 - 53min - 576 - Zoroastrianism
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.
In this episode of The Ancients, 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
MORE
The Wise Men
Persia Reborn: Rise of the Sasanians
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Thu, 20 Nov 2025 - 1h 00min - 575 - Decline & Fall of the Ancient World
Tristan Hughes invites Matt Lewis, host The Ancients'ssister podcast Gone Medieval, 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?
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel:@TheAncientsPodcast
MORE:
541 AD: The Worst Year in History
The Fall of Rome: Origins
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editors are Rob Weinberg and Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Sun, 16 Nov 2025 - 46min - 574 - Roman Toilets
They built roads, aqueducts, and bathhouses but what about toilets?
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.
MORE
Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds
The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.
Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up athttps://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
You can take part in our listener survey here:
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Thu, 13 Nov 2025 - 1h 03min - 573 - The Ancients Recommends: History Daily
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 event that happened ‘on this day’ in history.
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, History Daily is there to tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time.
A co-production from award-winning podcasters Airship and Noiser.
In this episode:
The Loch Ness Photograph: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.
The First Meteorite To Strike a Person: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.
Listen to History Daily here
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Tue, 11 Nov 2025 - 32min
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