The Ancients

History Hit
  • 4.7 (2.4K)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Ancients
HISTORY HIT

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A podcast for all ancient history fans! The Ancients is dedicated to discussing our distant past. Featuring interviews with historians and archaeologists, each episode covers a specific theme from antiquity. From Neolithic Britain to the Fall of Rome. Hosted by Tristan Hughes.  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.  

  1. End of Ice Age Britain

    2 DAYS AGO

    End of Ice Age Britain

    As Ice Age Britain thawed, temperatures surged, sea levels rose, and humans and animals faced a fight for survival. But this shift was anything but simple. In this final episode of our Ice Age miniseries, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Danielle Schreve to uncover the turbulent end of the last Ice Age in Britain. Discover how mammals like Siberian lemmings and Saiga antelope roamed this icy landscape, how the Younger Dryas cold snap 13,000 years ago reshaped Britain's prehistoric environment, and how early humans adapted to survive it. With echoes for today’s climate challenges, this is a story of resilience on the fringes of the Ice Age world. Presented 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 Sounds 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://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

    49 min
  2. The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon

    5 DAYS AGO

    The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon

    490 BC. On the plains of Marathon, Athens faced down a mighty army of the Persian Empire - the superpower of the time It was an underdog clash that would echo throughout history. But how did it all begin? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes kicks off an epic two-parter on the Persian Wars with experts Dr Roel Konijnendijk and Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones. From the rise of the Persian Empire to the Ionian Revolt and the showdown at Marathon, uncover how this legendary clash became a turning point Greece, Persia and the wider ancient world. Presented 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 Sounds. 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://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

    58 min
  3. The Last Neanderthals

    FEB 16

    The Last Neanderthals

    For hundreds of thousands of years Neanderthals have roamed the lands of what is today Europe and western Asia. But how did they survive, and what caused their decline? Tristan Hughes delves into the fate of the last Neanderthals and continues our Ice Age mini-series with Professor Chris Stringer from the Natural History Museum. They explore how Neanderthals thrived across diverse climates and investigate the intriguing story of Neanderthals' eventual decline alongside the arrival of Homosapiens 60,000 years ago. Professor Stringer also shares the fascinating evidence of interbreeding that has left traces of Neanderthal DNA in modern humans and groundbreaking insights from recent archaeological and DNA research, that shed light on why Neanderthals went extinct. Presented by Tristan Hughes. The audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds 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://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

    54 min
  4. Ancient Cave Art

    FEB 14 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Ancient Cave Art

    In this month's episode made especially for subscribers, The Ancients embarks on a breathtaking journey into the depths of human creativity—exploring some of the most extraordinary ancient cave art ever discovered. From the stunning murals of Lascaux to the world’s earliest known hand stencils in Indonesia, we uncover the mysteries behind humanity’s first artistic expressions. Tristan Hughes dives into four groundbreaking discoveries with leading experts in the field. Learn how Ice Age hunter-gatherers crafted mesmerising animal depictions, uncover the surprising artistry of early humans in Asia, and witness how Scotland’s oldest rock carvings are reshaping our understanding of prehistoric Europe. Presented 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 Sounds The Ancients is a History Hit podcast. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

    2h 31m
  5. The Scythians

    FEB 13

    The Scythians

    Known as the barbarians of the north, the Scythians were expert horsemen that roamed the great steppe of Eurasia more than 2,000 years ago. But how much do we know about them? In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Owen Rees to explore this infamous nomadic culture who wore trousers, wielded bows and arrows and boasted Amazon-like warrior women who may even have fought in battle. Along the way Owen explains the fascinating story of the Scythian settlement of Bilsk - a great hulking Iron-Age mega-town fortified with miles and miles of winding walls on the edge of the Great Steppe in southern Ukraine. Presented 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 Sounds 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://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

    51 min
  6. Ice Age Australia

    FEB 9

    Ice Age Australia

    Giant kangaroos. Killer wombats. Carnivorous lions. These beasts once roamed the barren landscape of Ice Age Australia - a vast supercontinent stretching from Papua New Guinea to Tasmania. Continuing our Ice Age miniseries, host of The Ancients Tristan Hughes heads down under to uncover this lost world. Joined by palaeontologist Prof. Larisa DeSantis, he explores how these creatures survived both the challenges of a harsh climate and the arrival of humans 60,000 years ago, and discovers why Australia’s mammalian giants ultimately vanished. Presented 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 Sounds 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://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

    59 min
  7. Hieroglyphs

    FEB 6

    Hieroglyphs

    From twisted flax to one-legged ibises, Egyptian hieroglyphs offer a window into the heart of ancient Egypt. But how did this script really work? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes speaks with Egyptologist Hugo Cook to decode the symbols that adorned temples, tombs, and papyrus scrolls found up and down the Nile. Together they uncover how hieroglyphs recorded everything from poetry to peace treaties, the meanings behind their intricate designs, and why the ancient Egyptians believed they held power beyond words. Presented 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 Sounds 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/6FFT7MK

    53 min
  8. Woolly Mammoths

    FEB 2

    Woolly Mammoths

    Towering over 11 feet tall and weighing 6 tonnes, the Woolly Mammoth ruled the Ice Age. But how did these mighty beasts thrive for over 100,000 years—and why did they disappear? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes kicks off a brand-new Ice Age miniseries with two leading experts. Professor Adrian Lister from the Natural History Museum explores the mammoth’s origins, evolution and adaptation to the harsh Ice Age climate. Then, Professor David Meltzer reveals the story of mammoths in North America, their encounters with early humans, and the astonishing discovery that some still roamed the Arctic just 4,000 years ago. 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/6FFT7MK All music courtesy of Epidemic Sound

    1h 4m
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A podcast for all ancient history fans! The Ancients is dedicated to discussing our distant past. Featuring interviews with historians and archaeologists, each episode covers a specific theme from antiquity. From Neolithic Britain to the Fall of Rome. Hosted by Tristan Hughes.  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.  

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