The Ancients

The Bronze Age Mediterranean was a world of immense wealth, it's ships laden with goods sailing between powerful kingdoms. But those same sea lanes were stalked by pirates...so who were these armed raiders who descended on merchant ships and coastal settlements, stealing precious cargo, taking captives and leaving destruction in their wake?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Jorrit Kelder, expert on the Bronze Age Aegean to investigate. How dangerous were these ancient pirates? How widespread were their raids? And could their exploits have helped inspire some of the ancient world's greatest legends, from Odysseus to the Trojan War?MOREMycenae: Cradle of the Bronze AgeListen on AppleListen on Spotify Pirates of the Mediterranean Listen on Apple Listen Spotify The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Video editor is Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

How do thousands of massive, two-meter-tall stone jars end up scattered across the remote mountains of Laos? And more importantly, what were they used for?Deep in a landscape still shadowed by unexploded bombs, the Plain of Jars remains one of Earth's greatest archaeological puzzles. Tristan Hughes joins archaeologists Charlie Cooper and Dr. Nick Skopal to unearth groundbreaking new discoveries, ancient human remains, and the startling truth behind this megalithic mystery.MOREThe Bronze Age CollapseListen on AppleListen on SpotifyBronze Age Burials at Stone HengeListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

How do you celebrate the New Year in ancient Rome? With an assassination and a bloody free-for-all for the imperial throne, of course.Following the murder of the gladiator emperor Commodus on New Year’s Eve 192, a chaotic succession battle erupted. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Simon Elliott unpack the infamous Year of the Five Emperors; a riotous drama where mad, honourable, and ruthless men seize and lose the world’s greatest empire.MORECommodus: The Gladiator EmperorListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Rise of Julius CaesarListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREPresented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Robin McConnell and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

What if the catastrophic Bronze Age collapse had never happened? What if civilisations like the Mycenaeans and the Hittites survived to rewrite history?As we launch an exclusive new format for our subscribers: What If? Tristan Hughes is joined by a very special guest—the one and only Dan Snow—for a fun, fascinating counterfactual conversation. From immortal kings to the true identity of the Sea Peoples, Dan and Tristan go down some serious historical rabbit holes as they war game a completely different ancient world.Send us your requests for our 'What If?' series by emailing: theancients@historyhit.comThe Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE history? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early ad-free podcasts and exclusive subscriber-only episodes every fortnight. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

What was it like to share Britain with Neanderthals and cave hyenas 40,000 years ago?Tristan Hughes ventures deep underground to Kents Cavern, a glittering labyrinth affectionately known as Britain’s first home. He's joined by archaeological scientist Dr. Helen Fewlass on a live, groundbreaking excavation. Together they discover how cutting-edge science and ancient stone tools are rewriting the story of the first Homo sapiens.MORE:Britain's First DogListen on AppleListen on SpotifyIce Age Britain: Finding the First Homo sapiensListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.The Arrival project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the PI only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Council. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

They built the great fortresses of the Bronze Age, developed a mysterious writing system and, according to Homer, led the Greek assault on Troy. But how much of the legend is rooted in reality? Was Agamemnon a real Mycenaean king?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Steve Kershaw to explore the world of the Mycenaeans. Who were these formidable Bronze Age Greeks, and what do their extraordinary palaces, tombs and undeciphered history reveal about the civilisation behind the legends?MOREThe Trojan WarListen on AppleListen on SpotifyBronze Age Cataclysm: The Minoan EruptionListen on AppleListen on Spotify The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREPresented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

How do you make a giant stone statue walk? On one of the most isolated islands on Earth, the people of Rapa Nui carved AND moved the extraordinary Moai, colossal faces hewn from soft volcanic rock that still inspire wonder today.Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof. Terry Hunt to uncover the story of Easter Island. How did its first settlers build a thriving society in such a remote and resource-limited environment? And what ingenious techniques allowed them to disperse these monumental statues across the island?MOREThe First New ZealandersListen on AppleListen on Spotify The First HawaiiansListen on Apple Listen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Hittites usually dominate the story of the Bronze Age. But Syria was home to some of the region's most powerful cities and kingdoms and helped forge the ancient Mediterranean world.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Amanda Podany to uncover this lost cradle of cities, from the wealthy trading hub of Ebla to the royal intrigues of Mari and the rise of the mysterious Mitanni. How did these cities and kingdoms build their wealth and forge alliances with distant rulers and what can their remarkable archives reveal about the trials and tribulations of everyday life in the Bronze Age Near East?MOREThe Bronze Age Brotherhood of KingsListen on AppleListen on Spotify Hammurabi: Rise of the BabyloniansListen on AppleListen on Spotify The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREPresented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

What was it like to live as an Ice Age caveman? Join Tristan Hughes and producer Joseph for our monthly exclusive subscriber-only Q&A as they take a journey deep underground to Kents Cavern to explore Britain's oldest human remains and 5000-year old Scottish sewer systems. Also find out which ancient leaders give Tristan the ick!The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aliza Dams. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.