Time Traveller's Guide to Ancient History

Dive deep into the heart of ancient Crete as we explore the legendary Palace of Minos at Knossos. From sprawling labyrinths to mythical minotaurs, discover how Sir Arthur Evans' excavations unveiled a world where fact meets fantasy. Journey through multi-storeyed marvels, ancient sports, and the OG plumbing systems. Unravel quirky tales from the tiles and see how the Minoan legacy resonates in...

Dive into the passionate tales of ancient lovers that shaped legends and defied empires. From Antony and Cleopatra's empire-shaking affair to Hero and Leander's tragic devotion, explore how love in the ancient world was as exhilarating and perilous as it is today. Discover the timeless truths about romance, longing, and the barriers that lovers faced, reminding us that the essence of love...

The Vestal Virgins were an elite order of priestesses who tended the sacred flames in the Temple of Vesta in ancient Rome. Selected as children from noble families, they took vows of chastity and lived in seclusion, performing rituals and prayers. Their presence brought good omens, yet breaking their vows resulted in being buried alive. Though their lifestyle was restricted, Vestals enjoyed status...

Dive into the enigmatic world of Göbekli Tepe, an ancient temple predating Stonehenge by thousands of years. Located in modern-day Turkey, this Neolithic marvel challenges our understanding of early human civilisation. Explore its intricate carvings, revel in tales of prehistoric pranks and celebrations, and draw parallels between the unity and creativity of our ancestors and our modern world. Dis...

Dive into the captivating world of the Minoans, an ancient civilization from the island of Crete that laid the groundwork for legends like the Minotaur. Explore the architectural wonders of the Palace of Knossos, get dazzled by the vibrant Minoan art, sail the Mediterranean with their maritime exploits, and decode the mysterious scripts that leave historians scratching their heads. From thrilling...

The 2000 film Gladiator portrays Roman emperor Commodus as a power-hungry patricide. But while the real Commodus was an egotistical and flawed ruler, he was not the unhinged psychopath shown in the movie. He ruled successfully for over a decade and did not kill his father Marcus Aurelius, who likely died from natural causes. Though Commodus enjoyed fighting as a gladiator and indulged his megaloma...

Alexander the Great conquered the mighty Persian Empire and territories all the way to India in just over 10 years. His military genius and political prowess allowed him to spread Greek culture widely across the Near East and Asia. This podcast explores Alexander's epic journey and the enduring legacy of his brief but larger than life conquests that still echo through history. This podcast was...

Join our time-travelling host as he explores ancient medical practices from bloodletting to trepanation. We visit mystical Egyptian healers, China's pioneering surgeons, Ayurvedic medicine in India, and Greek physicians like Hippocrates. We also uncover wild historical anecdotes, like the Egyptian doctor who pioneered sutures and the Chinese anesthetist who perfected magical sleeping potions....

This episode transports us back in time to ancient Egypt, exploring the vibrant daily life of this historical civilization. We start in Memphis, where bustling markets offer goods like pottery and papyrus scrolls, and the smells of freshly baked bread fill the air. We learn that bread, made from emmer wheat and barley, was a dietary staple. The journey continues to the rural Nile shores, where we...

In this episode of "Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History", we're time-hopping to the epic saga of Ancient Greece and exploring the tale of Paris and Helen, the teenage lovebirds whose story sparked a decade-long war. We’re giving the lowdown on the divine beauty contest that started it all, the drama that rivals a high-school soap opera, and the climactic Trojan War that brought...

In this thrilling episode of 'The Time Travelers Guide to Ancient History', we take a journey back to the cradle of Western civilization - ancient Greece, in a special edition called 'Greek MythBusters: Decoding the Legends of Ancient Gods'. Discover the captivating world of Zeus, Athena, Hercules, and their divine counterparts, as we unravel the origins, purposes, and the impact o...

Unleash your inner warrior as we teleport to Sparta, the ultimate boot camp of ancient times! Join us as we navigate through a society that valued strength, discipline, and simplicity above all. Discover the harsh initiation rites for newborns, the intense education of the agoge, and the relentless discipline that forged unbeatable warriors. Listen to the epic tale of the Battle of Thermopylae, wh...

Dive deep into the dark, mysterious world of Rome's catacombs in this exciting episode of 'Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History'. Learn how the Romans turned a real estate problem into an opportunity, creating an intricate underground city of the dead. Hear about the daring escapes of early Christians, witness the silent storytelling of ancient frescoes, and discover the secrets th...

Get ready for a journey back to Ancient Rome in this episode of the 'Time Traveller's Guide to Ancient History'. We're crash landing into the raucous and wild Bacchanalia, parties thrown in honor of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and festivity. Discover how these feasts were not just about letting loose, but were also religious rituals, political events, and networking opportunitie...

In this episode of 'Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History', we teleport to ancient China to explore the Great Wall, a structure that's more than just a wall. We delve into the reasons behind its construction, the challenges faced during its building, and its effectiveness as a defense mechanism. We also pay tribute to the millions of workers who built it and the emperors who envisio...

In this episode of 'Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History', we're dialing back to Ancient Greece to chat about the Oracle of Delphi, the ancient world's divine hotline. From kings to commoners, anyone seeking advice from the gods would make a perilous journey to consult the Pythia, the Oracle herself. Discover the rituals, the riddles, and the repercussions of her prophecies tha...

Dive into the world of the Aztecs in this episode of 'Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History'. Discover how this innovative civilization built a grand city, Tenochtitlan, on a lake. From the creation of chinampas, or artificial islands, to the construction of towering temples, explore the engineering marvels of the Aztecs. Learn about the city's eventual downfall and how its legacy l...

Join us on a journey back in time to unravel the enigma that is Stonehenge in this week's episode of 'Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History.' Get a sense of what life was like in prehistoric times and explore various theories surrounding Stonehenge's purpose. Was it a burial ground, a healing site, a prehistoric concert venue, or a celestial observatory? Tune in to find out and...

Buckle up for a thrilling trip back to ancient Rome as we delve into the captivating story of the Colosseum, Rome's Theatre of Death. Discover the architectural marvel of this grand amphitheatre, hear about its chilling gladiatorial games and exotic beast fights, and learn what it truly signified in Roman society. This episode explores the Colosseum's complex legacy, celebrating its engine...

In this episode of "Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History", we journey to the golden age of India, the Mauryan Empire. We'll meet the empire's founding father Chandragupta Maurya and his wise advisor Chanakya, learn about the impressive military conquests, and get to know the empire's administrative prowess. We explore the transformative reign of Ashoka the Great, whose re...

Join us on a thrilling time-traveling adventure in this episode of the "Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History" as we navigate the sandy shores of the ancient Phoenician civilization. Dive deep into the history of the savvy Phoenician seafarers who revolutionized communication with the creation of the alphabet. Discover how this simple yet ingenious invention, born out of a need for ea...

Dive into the captivating world of the Persian Empire, the first true global superpower, in this engaging and humor-infused episode. Journey back 2500 years to explore the vast territories, innovative postal services, and unique approach to diversity of this remarkable civilization. Discover Zoroaster and the profound impact of Zoroastrianism, meet mighty kings like Cyrus the Great, and marvel at...

In this episode of "Time Travelers Guide to Ancient History", we're teleporting to the mysterious Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Picture an oasis in the desert, a lush, green, mountain-like structure filled with exotic plants, cascading water, and a story that's as elusive as Bigfoot. We delve into the tales of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who might have built this wonder to soothe his h...

In today's episode of "Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History", we delved into the captivating mystery of the Lost City of Atlantis. We traced its origins back to the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, who described a grand civilisation that sank overnight into the ocean due to divine punishment. Despite no conclusive archaeological evidence, the myth of Atlantis continues to ignite...

Dive into the epic tale of Hannibal Barca, the audacious Carthaginian commander who rampaged over the Alps and into Italy with a herd of battle-elephants. Discover why elephants were the tanks of the ancient world, how Hannibal managed such a mammoth feat, and the shockwaves it sent through the Roman Empire. All on this wild episode of "Time Travellers Guide to Ancient History". Brace yo...