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

Oct 8, 2020 · 27 min
Septimius Severus in Scotland
Dan Snow talks to Simon Elliott about Septimius Severus, the first Hammer of the Scots, about his Northern Campaigns, and the true story of this savage 3rd century invasion of Scotland.
Oct 4, 2020 · 55 min
Nero the Antichrist?
The Emperor Nero is one of antiquity's most infamous figures, having a particularly hostile relationship with the Christians. But did the early Christians associate Nero with the Antichrist mentioned in the New Testament? Joining me to sort the fa...
Oct 1, 2020 · 43 min
Agrippa: Rome's Forgotten Hero
There are few men in Roman history that can claim to have been as influential as Marcus Agrippa. The right-hand man of Octavian / Augustus, his career is dotted with powerful positions. And yet, what was arguably so remarkable about his life was his st...
Sep 27, 2020 · 33 min
The Polynesians: Ancient Mariners of the Pacific
The ancient Polynesians remain the greatest seafarers in history. Already by the time of the legendary founding of Rome on 21 April 753 BC, Polynesian voyagers had crossed huge parts of the Pacific Ocean and settled on isolated islands such as Tonga an...
Sep 24, 2020 · 37 min
The Battle of Salamis
We've had the Battle of Thermopylae with the brilliant Paul Cartledge; we've had the Battle of Artemisium with the great Owen Rees. And I'm delighted to say that we are today fulfilling the 2,499 Persian War 'trilogy' with the ...
Sep 20, 2020 · 49 min
The Rise of Constantine
The Emperor Constantine I, better known as Constantine the Great, is one of the most significant emperors in Roman history. His later Christian biographers lauded him as an icon, the man who set in motion Rome's dramatic transformation into a prim...
Sep 17, 2020 · 54 min
Jason and the Golden Fleece
This week's episode from the History Hit archive features the brilliant Tom Holland telling the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, an epic story of honour, adventure, dangerous women and a golden fleece. Told with wit, verve and passion, this magica...
Sep 13, 2020 · 34 min
Alexander the Great: Through Persian Eyes
Conqueror. Destroyer. Convert. Legendary king. It's fair to say that Alexander the Great's relationship with ancient Persia was complicated. Despite conquering the Persian Empire, Alexander admired and adopted many aspects of Persian culture....
Sep 11, 2020 · 25 min
The Roman Forum
Another one from the History Hit archive! The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum (Italian: Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the ...
Sep 6, 2020 · 46 min
The Vestal Virgins
Priestesses of Vesta, Goddess of hearth, home and family, the College of Vestal Virgins were Rome’s only full-time priesthood. They numbered only six and were selected from noble Roman families at an early age, between six and 10 years old. They would ...
Sep 4, 2020 · 42 min
Pax Romana
Time for a delve into the History Hit ancient history archives! In this podcast Dan Snow sits down with the brilliant Adrian Goldsworthy to ask the big questions surrounding the success of Imperial Rome. Why did the Roman Empire last so long? What were...
Aug 28, 2020 · 46 min
Kingdom of Kush
Along the banks of the River Nile, directly south of ancient Egypt and hundreds of miles away from the Mediterranean, there was a flourishing kingdom. The Kingdom of Kush. The Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Nabataeans, Libyans, Romans, and not...
Aug 23, 2020 · 52 min
Battle of Artemisium
Around this time 2,499 years ago the famous Battle of Thermopylae was raging. But it is important to remember that this clash was not happening on its own. At the same time, to the east of Leonidas' defence, another battle was underway at sea betw...
Aug 20, 2020 · 58 min
Battle of Thermopylae
2,499 years ago the Persian 'Great King' Xerxes launched history's largest amphibious invasion of Europe before D-Day. Accompanied by a huge army and navy he crossed the Hellespont (modern day Dardanelles), intent on punishing the city-s...
Aug 16, 2020 · 52 min
War Elephants
Move over Hannibal. More over Carthage. This podcast is all about a much BIGGER elephant power in antiquity. A power that, at its height, stretched from modern day Bulgaria to the Hindu Kush: the Seleucid Empire. Existing for almost 250 years, througho...
Aug 13, 2020 · 59 min
'Killing for the Roman Republic'
In 281/280 BC, the Hellenistic King Pyrrhus ventured to southern Italy to aid the Italiote-Greek city of Tarentum against a rising power based in central Italy. This enemy was the Romans. Over the next 150 years this civilisation would rise to become t...
Aug 9, 2020 · 48 min
Combat Trauma
From the 2000 historical blockbuster 'Gladiator' to the Total War series, brutal hand to hand warfare is something we commonly associate with antiquity. But do we have any ancient cases of psychological injury as a direct result of military s...
Aug 2, 2020 · 33 min
Stone Circles
From Cornwall to Orkney, stone circles are scattered throughout the length and breadth of the British Isles. Their history stretches more than 2 millennia, varying from the earlier huge stone circles such as Castlerigg, Avebury and the Ring of Brodgar ...
Jul 26, 2020 · 56 min
Agrippina the Younger
Agrippina the Younger (AD 15 - 59) was one of the most prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Born during a time of radical political change in the Roman Empire, she had a very powerful pedigree. Great granddaughter of Augustus. Niece ...
Jul 19, 2020 · 58 min
Horse Archery
The horse archer was one of the most feared warriors of antiquity. Triumphing mobility and fluidity, these swift skirmishers came to epitomise a feared ‘eastern’ style of warfare. Renowned historical weapons expert and avid horse archer Mike Loades joi...