The Ancients

How did Constantine the Great conquer his rivals and shape the Roman Empire?Tristan Hughes discusses the dramatic rise of Roman Emperor Constantine I with Professor David Potter. They discuss the scandalous tales and strategic manoeuvres that defined Constantine's ascent, including his brutal execution of his son Crispus and his wife Fausta, his significant victory at the Milvian Bridge, and his delicate balance between Christianity and Roman paganism. Together they uncover the personal dramas and political strategies that reshaped the Roman Empire and cemented Constantine's legacy.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MKTheme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sound

Did Herod really order the massacre of thousands of infants? Tristan Hughes revisits the scandalous and captivating story of the discovery of King Herod's Tomb.He's joined by Professor Jodi Magnus as they delve into the archaeological and literary significance of one of history's most infamous figures, King Herod. Together they explore the construction of Herodium, its symbolic connections to both Greek traditions and Judaic heritage and discuss the dark tales of Herod's rule, including his ruthless actions and the controversies surrounding his death.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MKTheme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sound

Aligning with the winter solstice of 2024, Tristan Hughes and Professor Ronald Hutton delve into the ancient Druids of Britain and France.They discuss how Julius Caesar encountered this feared enemy in his Roman conquest of Gaul, and Cicero had meetings with a Druid leader in Rome.From human sacrifice to the creation of Stone Henge, to battles with St. Patrick of Ireland, Tristan and Ronald consider the complex history and evolving perceptions of these enigmatic figures.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

What if the secrets to understanding prehistoric Britain were hidden in two windswept archipelagos at the edge of the world? In this subscriber-exclusive bonus episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes goes on a journey to Orkney and Shetland—two places where the mysteries of the Neolithic and Bronze Age come alive. He discovers how monumental excavations, like the Ness of Brodgar, revealed Orkney's role as a Stone Age powerhouse, finds out what intricate ancient geometric carvings and the secrets of Skara Brae reveal about life 5,000 years ago.Join Tristan Hughes to consider; could Orkney and Shetland be the heart of Prehistoric Britain?Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MKTheme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sound

Gold has shaped human history for several millennia. But how and when did it first turn into currency? And what can it tell us about the birth of money?In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes delves into the origins of money with TV producer, author and professor Alan Ereira. Together, they reveal the intertwined origins of commerce, trade, and coinage and journey through the history of ancient money - from the earliest use of gold by the Varna Culture 6,000 years ago, through to King Croesus's revolutionary minting of pure gold coins in Lydia and the first ever financial crash.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MKTheme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sound

They were ancient masters of cavalry, creators of dazzling treasures, and the ancestors of the legendary Spartacus, but who exactly were the Thracians?Join Tristan Hughes and Dr. Zosia Archibald in today's episode of The Ancients as they uncover the fascinating world of the Thracians, an extraordinary people that lived in the rugged mountains of eastern Europe. From their vital role in Greek mythology and Homer's epic poem The Iliad to archaeological wonders like the Panagyurishte Treasure and the bronze head of Seuthes III, they explore how this overlooked ancient culture shaped Eastern Europe from the Bronze Age to Roman times.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here:https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MKTheme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sound.

The Three Wise Men were kings, magicians, more than three, on camels, walking across deserts and the men who tricked Herod. How can they be all these things?Tristan Hughes is joined by Reverend Professor Lloyd Llewellyn Jones discuss the fascinating history and evolving narratives surrounding these characters from the Nativity story. Together they examine biblical accounts, historical context and artistic depictions of these iconic figures; from their origins in the Gospel of Matthew to their representation in medieval and Renaissance art. Discover how the story of The Wise Men has been interpreted and expanded upon over the centuries and become one of the most enduring Christmas tales.Presented by Tristan Hughes. The audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.

It's perhaps the best known Jewish festival of the year, but what exactly are Hanukkah's origins, and why was it first celebrated?On today's episode of the Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined once again by Dr Jodi Magness to answer these questions and unravel the holiday's complex history. On their journey they discover it emerged from an incredibly important event in ancient Judaean history - the Maccabean Revolt, over 2,000 years ago at a time when the successors of Alexander the Great ruled supreme. It is a gripping story of defiance, of Jewish civil war, and of resistance against the oppressive Seleucid Empire.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.All music from Epidemic SoundSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.

It is one of the most pivotal inventions in human history - the wheel.New research suggests that the wheel was first created by prehistoric miners in the Carpathian Mountains to transport copper. Tristan Hughes speaks to the team behind this fascinating theory; archaeologist Dr Richard Bulliet, and computational engineer Dr Kai James. They take a fascinating journey through ancient innovations and cutting-edge science to reveal when the wheel was first created and by who - questions that have fascinated historians for decades, if not centuries.Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer and audio editor is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.All music from Epidemic SoundsSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.