The Ancients

The Sahara: Traders and Travellers

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Episode notes

Stretching across from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, Northern Africa is dominated by the Sahara Desert. The largest hot desert in the world, it's an indomitable force. So how did Ancient Communities manage to traverse it, and who were the people organising and participating in such a feat?

In this episode, Tristan welcomes Sir Barry Cunliffe to the podcast, to talk about his new work on the history of the Sahara and those who lived there. Looking at how different communities and cultures tackled the sandy dunes, from Carthaginians and Egyptians, through to the seafaring travellers recorded by ancient authors - what do we know about the Sahara, and what can learn from the ancient civilisations who used to live there?

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