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, the early Inuit managed to survive and thrive in freezing cold conditions. But how exactly did they do so? What did they hunt? And how did they live? Tristan Hughes invites archeologist Raven Todd daSilva onto the podcast to explore the lifestyle of some of ...
Oct 24, 2024•46 min•Ep 480•Transcript available on Metacast 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 came from Alexander’s deathbed in Babylon to claim one of the richest jewels of Alexander’s empire. Tristan Hughes invites Dr Toby Wilkinson to discuss the man who took Egypt as his prize and laid the foundations for the last ancient dynasty of Egypt. Present...
Oct 20, 2024•47 min•Ep 479•Transcript available on Metacast What was the most popular sporting spectacle in ancient Rome? Gladiator bouts? Beast hunts? It was in fact chariot racing! For centuries the Romans were enraptured by the galloping of horses and the thill of the chase. And it all took place in perhaps Rome's greatest arena. A massive racetrack that could hold over 100,000 spectators - The Circus Maximus. In today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Matthew Nicholls to discover all there is to know about this famous ancient s...
Oct 17, 2024•40 min•Ep 477•Transcript available on Metacast The Edomites are in the Old Testament, an ancient people who lived around Petra, Jordan before the Nabateans and before Petra was even created. King Herod was a descendant of the Edomites, and perhaps most infamously they are remembered for supporting the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, rejoicing when he sacked Jerusalem in the 6th century BC. Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Dr Matthew Vincent, who has been excavating tombs in Petra, to discuss what is known about the Edomites as archa...
Oct 13, 2024•38 min•Ep 476•Transcript available on Metacast Tristan Hughes and his guest Dr. Joyce Tyldesley OBE are heading to the Underworld for the final installation of The Ancients exploration of the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. They encounter the infamous jackal-headed deity Anubis, analyse Egyptian archaeology and discuss the origins of mummification, the Book of the Dead and the weighing of hearts. Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Scriptwriter is Andrew Hulse. Voice...
Oct 10, 2024•48 min•Ep 475•Transcript available on Metacast One of the most famous and recognisable Persian kings of antiquity, Darius the Great was an Achaemenid superstar, ruling the Achaemenid Persian Empire some 2,500 years ago. His tale is preserved in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus; Darius’ story stretches from India to Ukraine and the Great Steppe. Reverend Professor Lloyd LLewellyn-Jones joins Tristan Hughes to discuss the rise, reign and fall of one of the most extraordinary Persian kings; Darius I, ‘Darius the Great’. Presented b...
Oct 06, 2024•50 min•Ep 474•Transcript available on Metacast The story of Osiris and how he became King of the Dead is a gruesome tale and one of the most famous legends from Egyptian mythology. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to explore the myth which culminates in a divine and bloody battle between the God of Chaos Set and Osiris’ son Horus. Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Scriptwriter is Andrew Hulse. Voice Actor is Menna Elbezawy. The Ancients is a History Hit pod...
Oct 03, 2024•46 min•Ep 473•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 146 BC. Fire rises high over the North African coast. The once-thriving port city of Carthage is burning. Thousands of Roman soldiers have breached the defences and swarmed into the city, intent on wiping this city from the face of the earth. This is the fall of Carthage. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Eve MacDonald to plot the steps that lead to the Romans ruthlessly crushing this ancient Mediterranean power, once and for all. In the infamous words of the Roman statesman Cato the Elder; ‘C...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr•Ep 472•Transcript available on Metacast Isis, Hathor, Sekhmet and Bastet were adored and honoured in Ancient Egypt, with their stories passed between thousands of followers and down through the generations through spoken word and painted hieroglyph. But there weren't simply maternal, wifely, caring deitites. They could also transform into deadly beasts and deliver horrific vengeance when crossed. Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist and Egyptologist Dr. Joyce Tyldesley to unravel the myths of these ancient Egyptian goddesses. Pre...
Sep 26, 2024•47 min•Ep 471•Transcript available on Metacast 67 million years ago the most famous meat-eating dinosaur prowled the earth - the Tyrannosaurus Rex. At it's full size, this prehistoric apex predator was taller than a double decker bus and weighed more than seven tonnes, whilst it's teeth were the size of bananas. But how much do we actually know about this so called 'King of the Dinosaurs'? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Steve Brusatte to explore the ins and outs of this most iconic of dinosaurs - from their t...
Sep 22, 2024•36 min•Ep 470•Transcript available on Metacast Of all the Egyptian Gods it is Ra, the God of the Sun, who is perhaps most well known in the popular imagination. He is said to have voyaged across the sky on his solar barge and then come nightfall descended into the underworld to battle all sorts of monstrous creatures. But Ra is a complicated character. He is often fused with other Egyptian gods and transformed into different solar deities entirely. So who really is he? And where do the tales about him come from? In today's episode of The Anc...
Sep 19, 2024•46 min•Ep 469•Transcript available on Metacast In the early 5th century AD, after almost four centuries of iron-fisted Roman rule, the empire in Britain was beginning to fade. Franks, Saxons and Roman usurpers were running rampant. Britannia was on its last legs and in 410 AD, the Britons were told to ‘look to their own defences’. However the story of the fall of Roman Britain is far more complex than the traditional tale of swift Roman withdrawal. In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Rob Collins and Dr James Ge...
Sep 15, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep 468•Transcript available on Metacast The legends of Ra and Hathor, of Osiris and Isis, of Anubis and Set have been passed from mouth to ear in Egypt for millennia. They were painted on temple walls, etched on delicate papyrus and discovered at the heart of the pyramids. But who were the Gods of Egypt? How did their myths originate? And from where did the ancient Egyptians believe their Gods came from? On the Ancients this September and October - across five special episodes - join Tristan Hughes to delve into the meaning of these s...
Sep 12, 2024•46 min•Ep 466•Transcript available on Metacast 2000 years ago, in the year 9 AD, a Roman Army walked into a trap deep in wilds of Germania. Over 15,000 men were massacred at Teutoburg Forest, making it one of the bloodiest ambushes in history. But what happened next? Today's episode of the Ancients continues the terrifying story we began last week, as Tristan Hughes is joined by a host of leading experts to analyse the moves that played out on the battlefield, and the earth-shattering consequences that came after. Presented by Tristan ...
Sep 08, 2024•54 min•Ep 465•Transcript available on Metacast Ancient India was the single greatest trading partner of the Roman Empire. For centuries, Indian sailors navigated the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to bring goods, ideas and religious beliefs to the Greco-Roman ports based on the Egyptian coast. But how did this lucrative trade begin? And what sorts of goods passed along it? In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by William Dalrymple to explore 'The Golden Road' - one of the great trade routes of ancient history - and discover ...
Sep 05, 2024•48 min•Ep 464•Transcript available on Metacast Tristan Hughes travels to the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, one of the most epic defeats of the Roman army when an alliance of Germanic peoples ambushed three Roman legions. Across two episodes leading experts analyse every move leading up to those terrifying days in early September 9 AD, deep in the Teutoburg Forest. All stemming from the Roman Invasion of Germany. Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Mar...
Sep 01, 2024•41 min•Ep 463•Transcript available on Metacast Despite being one of the most visited historic spots on the planet today, Petra was once a so-called ‘lost city,’ hidden from western eyes in a vast desert landscape for hundreds of years. What is the story of this rose-red ancient city and its inhabitants? The powerful Nabataean civilisation who built Petra more than two thousand years ago, but remain a mystery to so many today. Who were their kings? Their gods and goddesses? And how were they able to turn an arid desert into a green oasis? In ...
Aug 29, 2024•45 min•Ep 462•Transcript available on Metacast The word 'Sirens' conjures up many images, possibly of beautiful mermaid-like creatures luring sailors to their watery deaths. These ancient Greek mythical creatures, linked to the Queen of the Underworld Persephone, feature in well known myths such as Jason and the Argonauts and Homer’s story of Odysseus - The Odyssey. But their popular modern portrayal as 'sexy maidens' does not originate from ancient Greece, that is a much later invention. Sarah Clegg joins Tristan Hughes to discuss the...
Aug 25, 2024•40 min•Ep 461•Transcript available on Metacast It's one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world. But did you know that beer is also one of the world's oldest beverages, with a history that stretches back more than 10,000 years. Beer was the beverage of choice for a whole host of ancient Bronze Age civilisations arrayed across Mesopotamia. But why did cities like Babylon and Uruk become the first great beer drinking cultures in history? And what traces of this love of alcohol did they leave behind? In this episode of The Ancients, T...
Aug 22, 2024•45 min•Ep 460•Transcript available on Metacast Cats! These much loved furry friends have brightened people’s lives for millenia. And it was the same in ancient times. They were pets. They were pest control against rats. They were even in some cases considered sacred. But how did they become the pet of choice for homes the world over? And why were they first domesticated? In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor James Serpell, an anthrozoologist from the University of Pennsylvania to delve into the origins of ...
Aug 18, 2024•37 min•Ep 459•Transcript available on Metacast It is the most famous monument of ancient Greece. Its remains standing tall above modern Athens today, more than 2,000 years old. The Parthenon. A temple, treasury, the residence of a powerful general after Alexander the Great’s death…and his courtesans, a church, a mosque, a gunpowder store, a tourist site. It’s safe to say that the Parthenon has had a pretty fascinating story over the past two and a half millennia. Not to mention the amazing art and architecture of the building that continues ...
Aug 15, 2024•59 min•Ep 457•Transcript available on Metacast Overlooking the Argolid Plain in the eastern Peloponnese, Mycenae was once the envy of the Mediterranean world. It rose to prominence in the late Bronze Age, centuries before the great Greek states of Athens, Sparta and Corinth, and is known as the birthplace of mythical bronze age figures such as Agammemnon, King of the Greeks. But how do know so much about it? What remains of this once glittering Greek citadel? In today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Jorrit Kelder to ...
Aug 11, 2024•52 min•Ep 456•Transcript available on Metacast Known as one of Rome's worst emperors, Commodus is famed for both his infamy and bravado. Ascending the throne as a teenager, he dressed up as Hercules, fought as a gladiator in the Colosseum, and renamed Rome after himself. But who was the real Commodus? And was he really as bad and megalomaniacal as some have claimed? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Alex Imrie to dive into the conspiracies, controversy and assassinations that made the reign of Commodus so chilli...
Aug 08, 2024•55 min•Ep 455•Transcript available on Metacast The Olympics. It’s the most famous sporting event in the world, and the 33rd Olympiad is taking place in Paris right now. But how did it all begin? It's a story that takes us back more than 2,000 years. Featuring mythological heroes like Heracles, ancient athletes that became celebrities and the great sanctuary of Olympia in western Greece, home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World In today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Judith Swaddling to delve into the o...
Aug 04, 2024•32 min•Ep 454•Transcript available on Metacast As both the eldest and youngest child of the great titan Kronos, and the Greek goddess of hearth and home, Hestia was incredibly important in almost every sphere of Greek daily life. But she is arguably one of the most overlooked deities in the Greek Pantheon. The question we're asking today is why. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined once again by the University of Bristol’s Dr Ellie Mackin-Roberts as they delve into the elusive, but fascinating figure of Hestia and uncove...
Aug 01, 2024•49 min•Ep 453•Transcript available on Metacast Just over 1,000 years ago, the ancient Maya world in Mesoamerica was turned upside down. Prominent cities like Tikal, Palenque, Copan and Calakmul, their great stone art and architecture left to be gradually reclaimed by the jungle. It's a time of decline known as the Maya Collapse. But what caused it? And did the entirety of Mayan civilisation really disappear? In today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by podcaster and author Paul Cooper to explore this historic, yet mysteriou...
Jul 28, 2024•43 min•Ep 452•Transcript available on Metacast The ferocious, professional fighters who fought in great arenas all across the Roman Empire for the pleasure of the crowd were the celebrities of their day. They were sex symbols and yet they also ranked amongst the lowest in Roman society. Today the gladiator is one of the great images of ancient Rome but who exactly were they and what do we know about them? Gladiator expert and historical consultant Alexander Mariotti joins Tristan Hughes to reveal the mind-blowing truth stories of these Roman...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep 451•Transcript available on Metacast For more than 100,000 years, Neanderthals made their home in Ice Age Britain, right on the edge of the inhabitable world. But what evidence do we have for this early species in what is today Britain? Dr Matthew Pope from UCL joins Tristan Hughes to discuss this fascinating period pre-history; Neanderthal Britain. What do we know about these people's lifestyles, how long were they here for and what ultimately happened to them? Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is...
Jul 21, 2024•48 min•Ep 450•Transcript available on Metacast The Pyramid of the Sun is ancient America’s Great Pyramid of Giza. Built in the legendary city of Teotihuacán, and given its name by the Aztecs, this magnificent step pyramid is another great wonder of the ancient world. But who built it? And what for? In today’s episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Annabeth Headrick, an expert on all things Teotihuacán to explore and uncover the mysteries that surround this massive Mesoamerican monument. Presented by Tristan Hughes. E...
Jul 18, 2024•48 min•Ep 448•Transcript available on Metacast Do all roads lead to Rome? We find out in today's episode all about one of the Roman Empire's greatest legacies - it's web-like network of roads and route-ways. From the famous Via Appia, the longest road in mainland Italy, to Watling Street, the road on which Boudica was defeated, Rome's roads left an indelible mark on the territories their centurions conquered. But what do we actually know about these ancient streets and pathways? What was road travel like back in Roman times? And most importa...
Jul 14, 2024•48 min•Ep 447•Transcript available on Metacast 
