For most of human history, we were not alone. Human evolution was shaped by multiple human species living side by side, from Neanderthals in Europe to Denisovans in Asia, before all but one disappeared. Tristan Hughes is joined by Ella Al-Shamahi to explore the story of the early humans who once shared our world. How did these different species evolve? Did they compete or coexist? And what do the latest discoveries reveal about the tangled story of human evolution and the survival of Homo sapien...
May 17, 2026•42 min•Ep. 662
Rome vs Alexander. It's a counterfactual of suitably epic proportions, fit for movie theatres and sprawling strategy video games. What would've happen had the great Macedonian general not perished in Babylon and advanced on an emerging Roman Republic? Tristan Hughes is joined by Roman historian and friend of the show Steele Brand to ask - what would’ve happened had Alexander invaded Italy? They explore the work of Roman historian Livy, who wrote about this very scenario - would Rome have had eno...
May 14, 2026•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 661
Armageddon is more than just a biblical prophecy hailing the end of days. It is a real place: Megiddo, an ancient city that for thousands of years stood at the crossroads of empires, trade routes and wars in the ancient Near East. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show Eric Cline to uncover the true story of the real Armageddon. Why did Megiddo become associated with the world’s final battle? What made this city so strategically important for millennia? F...
May 10, 2026•59 min•Ep. 660
How did ancient China plunge into 261 years of chaos, and how did that turmoil forge an empire? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Andrew Seth Meyer to explore the Warring States period, from collapsing Zhou power and ruthless coups to mass armies, crossbows, and battlefield slaughter. They trace the rise of Confucian ideas, the seven great states, and the brutal climb of Qin toward China’s first emperor To find out more about Andrew's new book To Rule All Under Heaven, head to his website: h...
May 07, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 659
The first ever outbreak of 'plague' - Yersinia Pestis, the most feared disease in human history - was long thought to be the Plague of Justinian in 541 AD. But new studies of ancient DNA have revealed traces of Yesinia Pestis dating back more than 5,000 years. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Laura Spinney to explore the origins of prehistoric plague. How did this pestilence emerge to blight the Neolithic world? Where did it come from? And could it have triggered a St...
May 03, 2026•49 min•Ep. 658
Near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital commercial chokepoints, lies an ancient trade route that powered civilisation 4,000 years ago: the Persian Gulf - where goods and ideas flowed between the great cities of Mesopotamia, Arabia and beyond to the far flung cities of the Indus Valley and the Indian subcontinent. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Steffen Laursen and Dr Lloyd Weeks to uncover the story of this Bronze Age superhighway. How did this n...
Apr 30, 2026•59 min•Ep. 657
In 79 AD, life in Pompeii unfolded beneath the shadow of a tremoring Mount Vesuvius. Streets bustled, businesses thrived, and merchants built fortunes, unaware disaster was hours away. But what happened when that disaster struck? How did these ordinary Roman citizens seek to survive last days of Pompeii? In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Jessica Venner to uncover the final moments before and during the eruption. From the famous fish sauce trade to the chaos of a...
Apr 26, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 656
What if the first technology was just a stone? Tristan Hughes and Dr. Emma Finestone, - Curator and the Robert J. and Linnet E. Fritz Endowed Chair of Humans Origins at Cleveland Museum of Natural History - travel back over 3 million years to Africa, where early hominins began shaping stone tools that transformed survival, diet, and behaviour. From the earliest finds to the widespread tool making industry in northern Tanzania, they explore who made these tools, how they worked, and why they matt...
Apr 23, 2026•46 min•Ep. 654
A legend of the great Greek city of Athens, Themistocles rose from obscurity to save ancient Greece and helped shape one of the greatest naval powers in history. Yet his story ends in exile, condemned as a traitor and serving the very empire he once defeated: Persia. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Michael Scott to explore the extraordinary life of Themistocles. Together Tristan and Michael delve into the political intrigue of early Athenian democracy, charting Them...
Apr 19, 2026•54 min•Ep. 653
What made the Hittites one of the great Bronze Age powers, and how did their empire survive on war, diplomacy and faith? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Elena Devecchi to uncover ancient royal intrigue, lavish festivals, the 'Thousand God', and the world’s oldest known peace treaty. From Hattusha’s immense lion gates to secret archives and sacking Babylon, it’s a dramatic deep dive into an empire that once stretched as far as Troy. MORE The Bronze Collapse Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify...
Apr 16, 2026•59 min•Ep. 652
Tristan Hughes is joined by Ella Al-Shamahi, paleoanthropologist and presenter of the hit BBC series Human , to explore what interactions between early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals may have been like, from communication and cultural exchange to interbreeding and the possibility of hybrid children navigating belonging. They discuss how new research is challenging “primitive” stereotypes to reveal how Neanderthals were complex beings who used pigments, pierced shells, talons, feathers, and create...
Apr 12, 2026•59 min•Ep. 651
How did Roman silver travel from Egypt to China across monsoon seas, pirate waters, and bustling ports? Tristan Hughes is joined by legendary archaeologist Sir Barry Cunliffe for a dramatic journey through the Indian Ocean, where Roman glass, pepper, and silk linked two ancient superpowers. From Sri Lanka to the Malacca Strait, they reveal a dazzling world of traders, middlemen and maritime adventure. More Origins of the Silk Road Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Great Wall of China Listen ...
Apr 09, 2026•59 min•Ep. 650
**Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence, including suicide** What really happened to Judas Iscariot? From shifting accounts in the Gospels to the 30 pieces of silver, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Paul Middleton to trace the stories that made Judas Christianity’s most infamous villain. Along the way, they explore the kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane, the conflicting accounts of Judas’s death, and the long debate over whether he was a historical figure or a later...
Apr 05, 2026•56 min•Ep. 649
Fifteen thousand years ago, as the Ice Age loosened its grip on Northern Europe, humans returned to the previously inhospitable British Isles. But they did not come alone. Among their number was a companion once thought to be an impossibility: Britain's earliest known dog. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes Dr. Selina Brace and Dr. William Marsh from the Natural History Museum to explore groundbreaking new research from Gough’s Cave that is reshaping our understanding of humans and ...
Apr 02, 2026•50 min•Ep. 648
What did it take to become a Roman centurion? To command, to punish and to lead from the very front of Rome’s armies? In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Ben Kane to uncover the reality behind one of the most iconic ranks of the ancient world. From the brutal discipline of life on campaign to the prestige and pressure of command, discover how centurions became the backbone of the Roman military. How were they chosen? What kept their soldiers in line? And why were the...
Mar 29, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 647
What happens when a defensive alliance slowly turns into an empire? Tristan Hughes and Professor Polly Low explore the Delian League, the so‑called “ancient NATO”, from its Persian War origins to Athenian domination. Discover tribute, revolt, contested sources and how a league of allies became Athens’ hard-edged maritime empire. MORE The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Parthenon: Wonder of Athens Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Presented by T...
Mar 26, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 646
In 480 BC, at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, a vastly outnumbered Greek force prepares to face the advancing army of the Persian king Xerxes. At its head stands Leonidas, king of Sparta, ready to make a final stand that will become one of the most famous moments in ancient history. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Andrew Bayliss to peel back the myth and uncover the real story of Leonidas. Tracing Leonidas's origins amid the turbulent politics of Sparta’s Agiad d...
Mar 22, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 645
What if Julius Caesar had survived the Ides of March? This episode explores his last known plans — vast eastern campaigns, sweeping reforms, and his visions for Rome’s future. Could he have rivalled Alexander the Great, crowned himself king, or reshaped the Republic forever? Discover history’s greatest “what if.” MORE The Rise of Julius Caesar Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Cleopatra Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. The producer is Jo...
Mar 19, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 644
What drove Herodotus to write the first great story of history? Tristan Hughes speaks with Dr. Roel Konijnendijk to uncover the world of Herodotus of Halicarnassus - the traveler, investigator, and storyteller behind The Histories. From Persian kings to Greek heroes, they explore his methods, digressions, and the quest to explain why empires rose, wars raged, and memory became history. MORE Homer Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon Listen...
Mar 15, 2026•48 min•Ep. 643
Three thousand years ago, Phoenician ships sailed west across the Mediterranean, their holds packed with pottery, wine and enslaved people to trade. Passing beyond the fabled Pillars of Heracles, they were pushing at the familiar limits of the ancient world. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Josephine Quinn, to explore the story of the Phoenicians. From the bustling sea ports of Tyre and Sidon to the founding of famous settlements like Carthage, discover how...
Mar 12, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 641
In 1999, a mysterious bronze disc buried for millennia in central Europe transformed how we see the prehistoric world. The Nebra Sky Disk - forged 3,600 years ago - is the oldest known depiction of the night sky. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined, once again, by archaeologist Raven Todd DaSilva to uncover the remarkable story of this Bronze Age star map. Discovered in Germany in thrilling and illegal circumstances, this precious artefact reveals a sophisticated understan...
Mar 08, 2026•51 min•Ep. 640
Before Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, Earth was rebuilding from catastrophe. Out of the ashes of the Great Dying rose a new prehistoric world and with it came the age of the dinosaurs. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Henry Gee to explore the full sweep of dinosaur history, from their emergence on the supercontinent Pangaea to their 150-million-year dominance of the planet. Discover how early reptiles evolved into the giants of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, how eco...
Mar 05, 2026•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 639
“Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” Ramesses II reigned as Egypt's unchallenged champion for more than sixty years. But within decades the dynasty of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh had fallen apart. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to chart how the reign of Ramesses the Great descended into slow collapse. From monumental building projects that once proclaimed eternal power to the advent of instability to the looming threat of the Sea Peoples, discover how Egypt’s New Kingdom began...
Mar 01, 2026•57 min•Ep. 638
As friendships fracture and old alliances break, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy chronicle the epic downfall of Alexander the Great. Alexander’s relentless campaigns from Bactria to Babylon push his empire, army and inner circle to breaking point, hear the battles, betrayals and decisions that hastened a legendary conqueror’s tragic end. MORE The Romans and India with William Dalrymple Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Successors of Alexander the Great Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify ...
Feb 26, 2026•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 637
The name of Ramesses the Great is etched deeper into Egypt than almost any other ruler. Colossal statues moulded in his image tower over the Nile. Reliefs of his victories are carved into countless temple walls. But were did Ramesses II come from? And how was this legend of Egyptian history born? In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to uncover the rise of the House of Ramesses and the century of crisis that paved the way for Egypt’s most famous pharaoh....
Feb 22, 2026•58 min•Ep. 636
Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy continue the special series on Alexander the Great, delving into the epic sieges of Tyre and Gaza in 332 BC, and Alexander's triumphant campaign through Egypt. They explore the strategic brilliance at the Battle of Gaugamela, the fall of Persepolis, and the eventual demise of Darius III. As Alexander's army pushes further east, tackling internal conspiracies and relentless combat, they traverse the formidable landscapes of Bactria and Afghanistan, capturi...
Feb 19, 2026•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 635
In the depths of ancient Jericho, beneath layers of earth dating back 10,000 years, archaeologists uncovered something extraordinary: human skulls cast in plaster, their faces carefully reconstructed and their eyes set with shells. Who were these haunting figures meant to represent? In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Raven Todd DaSilva to explore the mysterious plastered skulls of Jericho. Dating to the Neolithic period, these striking objects reveal comp...
Feb 15, 2026•54 min•Ep. 634
In spring 334 BC, a young Macedonian king sets out to conquer the Persian Empire. Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy explore Alexander the Great’s early campaigns, from the daring crossing into Asia to incredible victories. They discuss Alexander's strategic genius, respect toward Persian royalty, and how these triumphs forged his path to legend. MORE The Persians Listen on Apple King Midas Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the p...
Feb 12, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 632
More than 5,000 years ago, a revolutionary script emerged in the fertile lands of Mesopotamia that would transform how people counted, governed, worshipped and told stories. This was cuneiform, the world’s earliest known writing system. In this episode of The Ancients , Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Irving Finkel to uncover how cuneiform actually worked and how you would write it yourself. From humble beginnings as simple pictograms tracking beer and grain, to the wedge-shaped signs that record...
Feb 08, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 631
NEW SERIES! Journey through the early life of Alexander the Great, from his education under Aristotle to his first military experiences and rise to Macedonian kingship. In this first episode, charting Alexander's incredible early life, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy explore Alexander's formative years, the Battles that built the world's most formidable military leader and the immediate challenges following his father's assassination. MORE The Rise of Hannibal with Adrian Goldsworthy Li...
Feb 05, 2026•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 630
