Ancient Heroes

After a rare Arthurian manuscript was discovered hidden in an old book in the Cambridge University Library, a team of academics and librarians worked together to decipher and preserve the rare finding.

Which historical events and figures inspired Plato's greatest works? Historian James Romm visits to reveal the lesser-known aspects of the great philosopher's life that had an outsized impact on his immortal ideas.

Exploring the lesser known later years of Alexander's life and campaigns with historian Rachel Kousser.

We've all heard of the various half-man, half-animal inventions of Greek mythology. Classics professor Jeremy McInerney joins to discuss the deeper, often overlooked meaning behind the stories of these fantastical creatures.

Author Christopher Cosmos joins to talk about his new novel about the childhood of Alexander III of Macedon and his closest companion Hephaestion, as well as related topics.

Listen to me read the third chapter of my new novel The Heir of Achilles, now available on Amazon.

My reading of the second chapter of The Heir of Achilles, now available on Amazon.

Listen to me read the first chapter of The Heir of Achilles, now available on Amazon.

The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was a force from the 5th century to the 15th century AD. Historian Anthony Kaldellis comes on to talk all things Byzantium.

Historical fiction authors Ashlee Cowles and Danielle Stinson (known together as A.D. Rhine) come on the show to talk about their epic retelling of the Trojan War, the overlooked storylines and characters of the Iliad, Bronze Age history, and much more.

I talk about my upcoming book (now available for preorder on Kickstarter).

Historian Eckart Frahm joins to discuss the great Assyrian Empire, Babylon, the Epic of Gilgamesh, cuneiform, and more.

Bestselling thriller author J.F. Penn joins to talk about the mysterious lance that was allegedly used against Jesus during the crucifixion and its role in her latest novel.

English medievalist Anthony Bale joins to talk about the Middle Ages, from the top medieval travel destinations to the legends of King Arthur.

Most know of King Herod from the Bible. But who was he really and what was his kingdom of Judea like in the years leading up to the birth of Jesus? Historian Martin Goodman comes on to help answer these questions and more.

What was the Late Bronze Age Collapse? What happened to the grand civilizations of the time, including Egypt and Greece? Archaeologist and best selling author Eric Cline joins to discuss.

Classical and Biblical archaeologist Jodi Magness joins to talk about the history of Jerusalem, a sacred city in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We talk about the city's origins, its development into a major religious site, the lost Ark of the Covenant, and much more.

What is meant by human "prehistory" and how do we understand the story of our species? Historian Stefanos Geroulanos makes the case that modern ideas about human prehistory often say more about us than they do about our ancestors from the distant past.

My thoughts on the controversial new miniseries about the campaign of Alexander the Great.

Modern-day traveling bard Joe Goodkin joins to talk about Homer, Achilles, and the legendary war at the heart of Greek mythology. He also performs a few of his original songs inspired by the Iliad.

I rank these seven legendary structures from least impressive to most impressive.

Journalist and bestselling author Douglas Preston joins to discuss his first-hand investigations into some of archaeology's greatest mysteries.

What was the Lighthouse of Alexandria actually like? Why is it included in the list of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? We talk to scientist and scholar Michael Denis Higgins about the famous lighthouse and how it evolved over the centuries.

How did fossils inspire ancient Greek and Roman myth? Were the Amazons real? Historian and classical folklorist Adrienne Mayor joins me to answer these questions and many more.

The Elgin Marbles at the British Museum have long been a lightning rod for debate about whether museums are obligated to return artifacts that were taken from other parts of the world. I talk about the factors I would consider when trying to decide what the right answer is.