The Ancients

Roughly 40,000 years ago, Ice Age Britain was undergoing a transformation.  The first modern humans, Homo sapiens, were arriving and beginning to settle in the British Isles. Their evolutionary predecessors, the Neanderthals, were on their way to extinction. Until now we have known very little about this period. But that might be about to change with the discovery of a new centre of Stone Age...

Lucius Cornellius Sulla Felix is one of the most important Roman statesmen of antiquity. An inspiration to figures such as Julius Caesar, Sulla rose to prominence during the late second and early first centuries BC, and was a military man turned dictator after his brutal victory over Marius and Cinna at the Battle of the Colline Gate. Today, Tristan is joined by Dr Alex Petkas to discuss what the...

The Sasanians are renowned as one of Rome's most feared enemies. Founded in third century Persia by an Iranian noble called Ardashir, their dynasty oversaw the growth of a mighty empire that brought down the Parthians and survived into the early Middle Ages. But how did one family oversee the rebirth of Persia as a Mesopotamian heavyweight? In this episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined...

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of storytelling in history. It begins with the tale of Gilgamesh’s friendship with the wild man Enkidu. But after Enkidu is killed, King Gilgamesh embarks on a journey into his distant past in search for immortality.  In this episode of the Ancients, the second part of our series on the Epic of Gilgamesh, Dr Sophus Helle returns to sp...

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of storytelling from history. Written in ancient Mesopotamia over three thousand years ago, this epic poem recounts the fabled tale of King Gilgamesh of Uruk and the forging of his friendship with Enkidu, a wild man sent by the Gods to keep Gilgamesh on the right path. In this episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Sophus...

For millennia dogs have been undoubtedly man’s best friend. But when did humans first start keeping dogs as pets? The fascinating story of how ancient hunter gatherers first domesticated our now beloved canines is the subject of today’s episode and takes us right back into the depths of the Ice Age. Tristan is joined in this episode by archeologist Dr Angela Perri to chat about how the wild w...

Famed as the herald of the Greek gods, Hermes is the ‘jack of all trades’ when it comes to the pantheon of Mount Olympus. Known for his trademark winged sandals and snake encircled sceptre, he is the god of both thieves and shepherds. But how did he earn those titles? In this episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes continues our Gods and Goddesses series with Christopher Bungard to chat all things...

This is everything you need to know about the famed conqueror Alexander the Great. Alongside Dan Snow, host of Dan Snow's History Hit, Tristan and Dan follow Alexander on a whistle-stop tour from his life in Macedonia to his epic battles with the Persians and eventually, to his death in Babylon. Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned...

Lascaux Cave is an Ice Age wonder. Its walls and ceilings are adorned with stunning depictions of bison, aurochs and deer painted by hunter-gatherers 20,000 years ago using all kinds of pigments from red ochre to violet. They are, quite simply some of the most beautiful examples of Palaeolithic artwork ever discovered. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof. Paul Pettitt...

Marcus Tullius Cicero is one of the most famous orators in ancient history, and a central figure during the final years of the Roman Republic. To explore his life and career, Tristan is joined by Dr Henriette van der Blom from the University of Birmingham. Together they explore Cicero's rise to power, how his speeches shaped public opinion, his relationships with the likes of Julius Caesar, and of...

The Bronze Age Collapse was one of the most cataclysmic events in human history. Over just a few decades, civilisations across the Mediterranean from Greece and Egypt to Mesopotamia and Babylon abruptly deteriorated, bringing an end to one epoch and birthing another. But what exactly happened? And what caused these powerful and interconnected civilisations to come crashing down simultaneously?&nbs...

Over 10,000 years ago, many believe Ireland was a place where hunter-gatherers roamed. A place where the earliest human communities exchanged prizes of the hunt and crafted primitive tools to aid their survival. But what if their interactions with each other were more sophisticated? What if hunter-gatherer is a misnomer? In the episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes speaks to Professor Graeme War...

The ancient city of Jericho is often thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the world. Made famous by the biblical tale of its conquest by Joshua, it is situated a stones throw from the western bank of the Jordan River. But did Jericho’s famous walls really come crashing down at the sound of Joshua’s trumpets? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan speaks to archeologist F...

This episode contains a reference to animal cruelty Would you be able to survive in ancient Rome? Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to discusses the realities of daily life in the Roman Empire. Together, they discuss everything from street life and chamber pots through to pick pockets and slavery. Spoiler alert: it was quite smelly and dangerous. If you enjoyed this episode, Ben Kane als...

Zeus, the chief deity in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of sky and thunder, and is king of all other gods and men. His tale is one of overthrowing fathers, eating babies and seducing women, both mortal and divine, by changing his own form. He's one of the most complex figures in history, and his story is one that's been retold throughout millennia. To try and make sense of it all, we're goin...

March 15th 44BC is perhaps the most notorious date in all of ancient history. On that fateful day, the Ides of March, 55-year-old Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of disaffected senators. In this episode, Tristan (with a little help from Dr Emma Southon and Dr Steele Brand) untangles fact from fiction, truth from myth, to take you back to that very afternoon in the he...

He was one of the greatest enemies the Romans ever faced. An excellent general and a larger-than-life figure, he led an army across the alps and dealt a series of crushing defeats upon the Romans on Italian soil. His achievements have become a thing of legend and his name has become immortalised. He was Hannibal Barca. Hannibal rests amongst antiquity's greatest generals, but how did he rise to be...

This episode contains graphic references to sex, infant mortality, and sexual assault. While Spartans are often thought of for their bloodthirsty and fear inspiring performance on the battlefield - their sex lives and relationships have also been immortalised in history. From the Spartan King Menelaus and his infamous wife Helen of Troy, through to adolescent same-sex relationships - Sparta truly...

Marked by shifting alliances, chaotic power struggles, and devastating consequences - the Peloponnesian War was a conflict for the ages. Fought between Athens and Sparta, along with their begrudging allies, the conflict changed the course of Ancient History as we know it. Lasting for nearly three decades, it ultimately ended Athenian supremacy - and ushered in an age of Spartan Hegemony on the mai...

Jesus of Nazareth is one of the most famous figures in history. Believed to be the Son of God in Christianity, he is the central figure in one of the world’s most dominant religions. Today, Tristan and Dr Helen Bond, a Professor of Christian Origins at the University of Edinburgh, discuss what the sources tell us of the real man. They delve into what they reveal about his life and teachings, the w...

One of the most famed classes of soldiers from antiquity, the Spartan warrior has been immortalised in media today. Characterised as super soldiers, formidable fighters who would rather perish than surrender - their reputation truly did proceed them. But how accurate is this image - and does it correlate with what the ancient sources actually tell us? In the second episode of our Sparta mini-serie...

Demeter is the Goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture in Ancient Greek mythology. Mother of Persephone, and daughter of Kronos and Rhea, Demeter is often overlooked in myth despite her immense power. Demeter's role gave insight into how the Ancient Greeks viewed not only the harvest and it's bounty - but their fear of devastating famines and a Mother's wrath. In this episode, Tristan welcomes back...

Considered one of Athens' biggest rivals, and known for their bloodthirsty and brutal nature - there's a reason the Spartans have been immortalised in history. With longstanding mythological origins, little is known about the early days of Sparta. From rumoured descendants of Heracles, through to the mythical lawmaker Lycurgus, it can be hard to separate fact and fiction. So what do we actually kn...

When you think of spies, images of suave men in suits sipping martinis tend to come to mind - not, well, the Romans. But espionage has been used throughout Rome's history, from it's enemies using intelligence gathering techniques against the empire, through to even the most pragmatic of Emperor's recruiting secret agents. But what do we actually know about the Roman Secret Service, and how was it...

Known for bringing about the fall of the Western Roman Empire - the Vandals have a reputation of violence, destruction, and conquering. Moving from Eastern Europe across Gaul, and eventually taking Carthage, their actions have been immortalised in Christian texts and Western Language. But what do we actually know about the Vandals, and how did their behaviour bring one of the most powerful empires...