The Tower of Babel story is iconic. Featured in the Book of Genesis, it explains how different languages came to be across the world. But what are its origins? Join Tristan Hughes and Prof. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones in this special episode of The Ancients - recorded live at the London Podcast Festival - as they delve into the biblical roots of the myth and uncover the real archeological remains that inspired the fable. They explore how ancient ziggurats influenced depictions of the tower, discuss th...
Nov 24, 2024•48 min•Ep 490•Transcript available on Metacast 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 the Ice Age in North America, over 10,000 years ago, a land of saber toothed tigers, direwolves, woolly mammoths, mastodons. They discuss how ancient DNA is revolutionising our understanding of human displacement and extinction events and how these explorers adapted to their new world. P...
Nov 21, 2024•50 min•Ep 488•Transcript available on Metacast 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 the real story behind this lesser-known usurper of Rome, a North African-born knight who toppled the fratricidal tyrant Caracalla and took the throne for himself. Discover the dramatic and brutal events that shaped Macrinus' reign, including his conflict with the powerful women of the Se...
Nov 17, 2024•57 min•Ep 487•Transcript available on Metacast 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 scheming siblings. Their story is a blood-stained and chilling one. It stretches from their opulent upbringing to their tumultuous rivalry and culminates with a brutal murder in front of their very own mother in 211 AD. Joined by Alex Imrie, Tristan explores how much we really know about Ca...
Nov 14, 2024•55 min•Ep 486•Transcript available on Metacast 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 on human flesh until it was slain by the hero Theseus with the help of the princess Ariadne. But what exactly was the minotaur? What did the Ancients Greeks perceive it to be? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes talks to Caroline Lawrence to delve deep into this mythology, ...
Nov 10, 2024•51 min•Ep 485•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a huge range of landscapes, biodiversity and ancient Amazonian civilisations. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by author and journalist Laurence Blair - whose new book Patria: Lost Countries of South America is out today - to explore...
Nov 07, 2024•50 min•Ep 484•Transcript available on Metacast 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, intricate ceramics and evidence of the incredibly diverse hunter-gatherer lifestyle that was mastered. Join Tristan Hughes and archaeologist Dr. Simon Kaner to explore the incredible archaeological discoveries and the ongoing debates about Japan's ancient pa...
Nov 03, 2024•54 min•Ep 483•Transcript available on Metacast 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 other scrolls, but on metal - 99% copper and 1% tin. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes visits Jordan so see the this fascinating Copper Scroll in person, and then interviews Prof. Joan Taylor to unlock the mysteries contained within it - not least...
Oct 31, 2024•59 min•Ep 482•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Asculum would come to define his legacy. In this instalment of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Louis Rawlings to dive into the cauldron of political intrigue and backstabbing that followed the death of Alexander the Great and talk through the story ...
Oct 27, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep 481•Transcript available on Metacast 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 
