The Ancients
By 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.
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Latest episode
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Ice Age America
A group of hunter-gatherers encounter diverse habitats full of creatures they’ve never seen before. A land of opportunity, but also danger.Join host Tristan Hughes and expert Dr David Meltzer as they delve into t… -
Emperor Macrinus: Usurper of Rome
Denzel Washington stars as Emperor Macrinus in the epic new movie Gladiator II, but who exactly was this shadowy ruler of Rome?Join Tristan Hughes as he sits down with Dr Alex Imrie and Matilda Brown to explore t… -
Caracalla & Geta: The Real Emperors of Gladiator II
The new Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator II features two of Rome's most villainous emperors - the brothers Caracalla and Geta.And in today's episode of The Ancients were delving into the real history of these sche… -
The Minotaur
Half man and half bull, the Minotaur is one of the most famous, and scariest, monsters of Greek mythology.The story goes that it was trapped in a great labyrinth beneath Knossos on the island of Crete and feasted… -
The Ancient Amazon
Today, we often see the Amazon basin as an endless expanse of trees and rainforest. But 2,000 years ago, at the same time that great cities like Rome, Athens and Alexandria were at their height, this massive area of South America was home to… -
Prehistoric Japan
From the arrival of the first humans reaching the Japanese archipelago some 50,000 years ago to the enduring Jomon culture, Japan has a fascinating prehistory. This is discovered in the rich archaeological record that includes stone circles,… -
Dead Sea Scrolls: The Copper Scroll
When they were discovered in the Qumran Caves in the mid-20th century, the Dead Sea Scrolls revolutionised our understanding of biblical history. But one particular scroll was different. It was not written on parchment or papyrus like the ot… -
Pyrrhus: Warlord of Ancient Greece
It’s 279 BC. On a large plain in Southern Italy near the town of Asculum, a famous Greek warlord likened to Alexander the Great faces down the legions of the Roman Republic. His name was Pyrrhus of Epirus. And the victory that he won at Ascu… -
Origins of the Inuit
In this instalment of The Ancients we're going north of the Arctic circle to uncover the incredible story of the Thule Inuit. Expanding out from present day Alaska east across North America all the way to Greenland more than 1,000 years ago,… -
Ptolemy I: The First Greek Pharaoh
In the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death his former generals carved out their own kingdoms in the chaos that was the Wars of the Successors. Arguably the most successful of those successors Ptolemy is today's subject, the general who …