The Ancients

An ancient clay artefact that dates back to the 6th century BCE, the Cyrus Cylinder is often considered one of the most important documents in history. Covered in Akkadian inscriptions that provide invaluable insight into the reign of Cyrus the Great - it focuses on Cyrus's conquering of Babylon and attempts of religious restoration. So where was this irreplaceable object found, and what else does it tell us about Cyrus the Great?In this bonus episode of our Babylon mini-series, Tristan welcomes Dr Irving Finkel from the British Museum, to help decode this incredible object. Looking at the religious messages, the description of Cyrus himself, and what it tells us about Babylon - what can we learn about the Achaemenid Empire and it's political legacy?Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Voice Over performed by Toby Ricketts.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

A legendary, ancient architectural wonder, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon are one of the most famed wonders of the Ancient world. Described as being a luscious green space - likened to distant mountains, and fed by the Euphrates river, it's hard to know what was fact and what was fiction. So were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon actually real? And is there any archaeological evidence proving so?In the next episode of our Babylon miniseries, Tristan is joined by Professor Grant Frame, and welcomes back Dr Stephanie Dalley, to delve into this mysterious ancient creation. Looking at the archaeology of ancient-Iraq, the geographic landscape on which the Gardens were built, and examining the socio-political history of ancient Babylon - is it possible that these gardens might have actually existed? And if not, what is this fantastical myth based on?If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

An ancient, colossal site in Northeastern Louisiana, Poverty Point is a mystery amongst archaeologist and anthropologists a like. Dating back nearly 4 millennia, Poverty Point is renowned for it's massive earthworks, with gigantic concentric circles, complex mounds, and towering ridges - it's a site to behold. But who exactly built Poverty Point, and more importantly - why?In this episode Tristan welcomes Poverty Point's Park Manager, Mark Brink, to the podcast to help decipher some of the mystery surrounding this Prehistoric site. Looking at the incredible earthworks, examining the recent archaeology, and delving in Prehistoric American society - what do we actually know about Poverty Point?If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store