Podcast Episodes

The White Huns

Episode 575

The Huns weren’t just Attila’s warriors in Europe — in Central Asia, the White Huns built the most powerful Hunnic empire, ruling for a century and dominating the ancient Silk Roads.

While the Europea…

Published on 1 month ago

Roman Aqueducts

Episode 573

How did Roman aqueducts help build an empire? They’re some of the most iconic structures from the ancient world — feats of engineering that transformed cities. But how exactly did Roman aqueducts wor…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

How to Survive in Carthage

Episode 572

From towering tenements to Punic porridge — step into the streets of ancient Carthage.

In this immersive episode of The Ancients, Tristan travels back to 210 BC to explore daily life in the heart of o…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

The Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican Civilisations

Episode 571

Iconic monumental stone heads, the intriguing Lord of Las Limas, the enigmatic 'were-jaguar' figures, so much survives from the ancient Olmec civilisation.

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Jillian Moll…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Livia: Empress of Rome

Episode 570

Powerful, cunning, uncompromising, even murderous (allegedly)... meet Rome’s first empress and one of ancient history’s ultimate power players.

Livia Drusilla has long been cast as the bloodthirsty ma…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Siberian Ice Mummies

Episode 569

In this special episode of the Ancients, released just hours after the embargo on new research was lifted, Tristan Hughes discusses the fascinating discovery of ancient Siberian ice mummies and their…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Fall of Roman London

Episode 568

Why was London transformed from a bustling Roman metropolis into a ghost town by the fifth century?

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Dominic Perring to explore the rich archaeological findings that reve…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Irish Mythology

Episode 567

Epic heroes, sacred rivers & ancient gods – this is Irish mythology as you’ve never heard it. From Newgrange to the Hill of Tara, Ireland’s myths are rooted firmly in its prehistoric past.

In today's …

Published on 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Megalodon

Episode 566

As part of our week of Sharks on the Ancients, today we tell the story of Megalodon, the largest living marine animal, ever.

Does this colossal prehistoric shark still lurk beneath the waves? Tristan …

Published on 2 months ago

The First Sharks

Episode 565

Long before the first dinosaurs, the first trees or even the formation of the rings of Saturn, our planet's oceans were ruled by prehistoric sharks.

Across two special episodes of The Ancients this we…

Published on 2 months ago