The Ancients

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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Last refreshed: June 14th, 2026 at 2:23 AM

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Episodes

The Cambrian Explosion: When Life Began?

This episode delves into the Cambrian Explosion, a pivotal period 538 million years ago when complex animal life rapidly emerged in Earth's oceans. Host Tristan Hughes and guest Henry Gee discuss the triggers behind this evolutionary burst, including ocean oxygenation and mineral influx from continental collisions. They explore key innovations like the evolution of the through gut, eyes, and hard parts, examining iconic fossils such as trilobites, the strange Ediacaran fauna, and the earliest known vertebrates like four-eyed fish from the Chengjiang fauna, highlighting how this event laid the foundation for modern animal groups.

Jun 14, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 671

The Pharisees

The Pharisees are one of the most familiar names in the ancient world, but are they also one of the most misunderstood? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Helen Bond to step back into first-century Judea, where the Pharisees were debating law, purity and resurrection under foreign rule. They look at how much power the Pharisees really had, their debates with Jesus in the Gospels, and how focussed they were on the idea of a 'messiah'. We're going on * TOUR* to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your t...

Jun 11, 2026•47 min•Ep. 670

The Rosetta Stone

The episode explores the Rosetta Stone, a priestly decree from 196 BC, detailing its composition, unknown origins, and the specific content honoring King Ptolemy V. It traces the stone's discovery by French soldiers in 1799, its journey to the British Museum, and the intense scholarly efforts, particularly by Thomas Young and Jean-François Champollion, to decode its three scripts. The discussion highlights the broader impact of this decipherment, revealing ancient Egypt's rich history and transforming our understanding of early civilizations.

Jun 07, 2026•45 min•Ep. 669

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