The Ancients

History Hit

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.

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.

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645 episodes
Updated Sunday

Episodes645

Newest first

Jun 29, 2021 · 26 min
The Truth About Spartan Society
Sparta. Situated in the southern Peloponnese, this ancient Hellenic city-state has become ingrained in popular imagination as the home of unmatched Greek super soldiers, trained for war since youth and raised within a system unlike any other in the Cla...
Jun 27, 2021 · 53 min
Vindolanda: Jewel of Roman Britain
Situated roughly two miles south of Hadrian's Wall in the heart of the Northumberland countryside, Vindolanda is home to some of the most remarkable archaeology from Roman Britain. Its history spans several centuries; it is a must see site for any...
Jun 23, 2021 · 36 min
Artemis of Ephesus: The Great Mother Goddess
An incredibly popular goddess, characterised in statues of her by a vest of bee hives, or are they breasts … bull scrotums? In this episode Tristan speaks to Dr Carla Ionescu about the Ephesian Artemis, the great mother goddess. They discuss the argume...
Jun 22, 2021 · 49 min
Dirty Love: The Ancient Greek Novel
The novel, and in particular the romance genre, is at the heart of a billion dollar industry, but when did they originate? In this episode, Professor Tim Whitmarsh from the University of Cambridge takes us back to some of the world’s earliest fictional...
Jun 20, 2021 · 43 min
Ancient Brittany with Sir Barry Cunliffe
Stretching out from the north west of France, Brittany has long been as identifiable with the Atlantic Ocean as with its continental neighbours in Europe. Whilst Sir Barry Cunliffe’s research and archaeological interests have taken him far and wide ove...
Jun 17, 2021 · 29 min
Scotland's Earliest Animal Carvings: An Incredible New Discovery
Prehistoric animal carvings, thought to be up to 5,000 years old, have been discovered in Scotland for the very first time. The images, which include carvings of two red deer, were found by chance on an ancient burial site in Argyll, called Dunchraigai...
Jun 13, 2021 · 48 min
Berenike and the Red Sea Spice Route
Situated on the western coast of the Red Sea in antiquity were a series of thriving seaports, bringing in trade from as far as way as Sir Lanka. Key mercantile centres, where goods made in Iberia could theoretically have been sold alongside items craft...
Jun 10, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Nero: Taking to the Stage
In popular culture, Nero is thought of as the Emperor who played the fiddle as Rome burned to the ground. Whilst this might not be strictly factual, it does hint towards another side of this infamous character. For this episode, Dr Shushma Malik return...
Jun 6, 2021 · 54 min
Iron Age British and Roman Racing Chariots
How truthful are modern depictions of ancient chariots? In this second episode, Mike Loades explores the reality behind the scythed chariot shown in Boudica's Westminster statue. He then draws upon his experimental archaeology to discuss the truth...
Jun 3, 2021 · 29 min
Polynesian Mythology
From creation stories to voyager journeys, mythology and oral history are often key to our identities. In this episode Christina Thompson shines a light on some fascinating tales from Polynesian mythology and explains how these tales have been received...
May 30, 2021 · 53 min
The Golden Age of Chariots
Taxis to the front line or ancient tanks? Through archaeological remains and ancient depictions, we have some idea of what the ancient military vehicles of the ancient world looked like, but how were they ridden and what for? In this first of two conve...
May 26, 2021 · 52 min
Alexander the Great's First Persian Victory
If there had been a different outcome to the Battle of Granicus, we might never have heard about Alexander the Great. Taking place in 334 BC, this was his first major victory against the Persian Empire. In this episode, Tristan is joined by Adrian Gold...
May 22, 2021 · 31 min
Ancient Polynesia: Pioneers of the Pacific
Despite sporadic food sources and the dangers of the deep sea, the remote islands of the Pacific Ocean have been home to Polynesians for more than a millennium. But what was life like for the first people to venture between Hawaii, New Zealand and East...
May 19, 2021 · 53 min
The Truth About King Arthur
The legend of King Arthur has been reworked many times, but is there any historical truth behind the tales? Dr Miles Russell believes there is and in this podcast he highlights how elements of King Arthur’s story derive from five key ancient figures. F...
May 16, 2021 · 34 min
Olympia: The Golden Age
For hundreds of years in antiquity, the sanctuary at Olympia was one of the most important religious sites in the Greek World, home to stunning art and architecture commissioned by tyrants and city-states situated across the length and breadth of the M...
May 13, 2021 · 51 min
Ancient Afghanistan: The Land of a Thousand Cities
David Adams takes us through his explorations of the ancient region of Bactria, present day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
May 11, 2021 · 26 min
The Rise of Olympia
Forget the Games, ancient Olympia’s importance stretched much further than simply being the birthplace of its namesake sporting festival. Boasting hundreds of years of history, at its height this critical sanctuary was home to some of the most stunning...
May 9, 2021 · 25 min
How the Romans Treated Eye Infections
Nick Summerton explains the tools, practitioners and processes of Ancient Roman eye care.
May 6, 2021 · 45 min
How Corinth Became Christian
Amelia Brown takes us through the growth of Christianity through the lens of Ancient Corinth.
May 2, 2021 · 44 min
The Truth About The Huns
The Huns! The name of this ancient people triggers a multiplicity of responses and evokes a number of images (nearly all of them negative). They have been portrayed as a savage people, who contributed little to world history. But is this really the cas...