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Vindolanda Unearthed
Situated roughly one mile south of Hadrian’s Wall is one of the great jewels of Roman and early medieval archaeology: Vindolanda. Over the past 50 years, annual excavations at this site have revealed incredible amounts of new information. Information… -
The Menka Ruins: Village of the Breadfruit Goddess
It is one of the most remote ancient sites in the world. Situated on the isolated Micronesian island of Kosrae are the ruins of an ancient religious centre called Menka, also known as the Village of the Breadfruit Goddess. From temples to monumental … -
Alexander the Great Mania? Caracalla's Macedonian Phalanx
Alexander the Great and Caracalla. One often considered among the most successful military commanders of all time, the other, one of the worst emperors of Ancient Rome. So is it possible that the latter modelled himself and his army on the former. In… -
The Legacy of the Minoans
Minoan Crete has kept people captivated for millennia, appearing in countless modern cultural practices till this very day. But who are the Minoans? In this episode, Tristan travels down to Oxford to talk to Professor Nico Momigliano, a leading exper… -
The Rise of the Praetorian Guard
From Gladiator to Rome Total War to Star Wars, today the Praetorians are one of the most distinctive military units of Imperial Rome. It was their job to protect the Roman Emperor and his household, a task for which they hold a somewhat ‘chequered’ r… -
Ancient Globalisation? Life and Death at Ai Khanum
For decades the discovery of Ai Khanum, ‘the City of Lady Moon’, in Eastern Afghanistan has fascinated archaeologists and historians alike: from its ‘Greek’ theatre and gymnasium to the literary fragments preserved in the palatial complex to the ever… -
The First Astronomers
For thousands of years indigenous Australians, the longest living culture on Earth, have been fascinated by the stars. In this episode Kamilaroi man and ANU astrophysics graduate Peter Swanton shines a light on the great depth of knowledge indigenous… -
Glasgow's Roman Remains & the Building of Hadrian's Wall
In the second century Ad, the Antonine Wall was built as the northwestern border of the Roman Empire. It had long been known that the wall ran through Bearsden, a town a short journey from Glasgow. But in the 1970s archaeologists, among them David Br… -
Sexual Fantasies from the Greco-Roman World
Was Ancient Rome truly as sexually liberated as we think? How did the Greeks feel about nude statues? And how did these ideas vary across the Ancient Mediterranean? In this episode, Alastair Blanshard is back on The Ancients to compare our misconcept… -
Julia Mamaea, Alexander Severus & the Fall of the Severan Dynasty
Following two assassinations and two executions, the title of Roman Emperor fell to Alexander Severus. He was one of the youngest to ever hold this title, and he was to be the final emperor of the Severan Dynasty. But who was making the decisions? In…
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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