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History Hit

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. 

New episodes every Sunday and Thursday.

From History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.

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. 

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ancients

They built roads, aqueducts, and bathhouses but what about toilets?

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Hannah Platts, to uncover the surprisingly fascinating world of Roman toilets, faeces and sewers. From communal latrines and ancient plumbing to what really happened with the “sponge on a stick,” discover what it was like to do your business in ancient Rome - smells, small talk, and all.

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Roman Aqueducts

Roman Roads

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. 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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roman Toilets

Today in this bonus episode Tristan introduces us to History Daily podcast, where host Lindsay Graham takes us back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history.

Whether it’s to remember the tragedy of December 7th, 1941, the day “that will live in infamy,” or to celebrate that 20th day in July, 1969, when mankind reached the moon, History Daily is there to tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time.

A co-production from award-winning podcasters Airship and Noiser.

In this episode:

The Loch Ness Photograph: April 21, 1934. The Daily Mail publishes an alleged photo of the Loch Ness Monster, sparking an international sensation around one of the world’s most enduring modern legends.

The First Meteorite To Strike a Person: November 30, 1954. Alabama resident Ann Hodges becomes the first person struck by a meteorite, an event that will upend the 34-year-old’s life.

Listen to History Daily here

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ancients Recommends: History Daily

Rome. Egypt. Love. War. Over 2,000 years ago, the fates of two ancient worlds collided in one of history’s most legendary love stories: Antony and Cleopatra.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Daisy Dunn to uncover the truth behind the myth - from their first meeting at Tarsus to the political intrigue that scandalised Rome. It was an affair that ignited a civil war, forged an empire that lasted for an age and gave rise to one of world history's most dramatic and tragic deaths, so join us to discover how passion, ambition, and betrayal reshaped the ancient Mediterranean world.

Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcast

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The Cleopatras

The Rise of Mark Antony

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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antony and Cleopatra

Who were the Vikings' ancient ancestors? In this episode Tristan Hughes explores the fascinating maritime culture, sophisticated trade networks and social hierarchies of the Nordic Bronze Age c. 1800–700 BC. 

Joined by Professor Johan Ling, they shed light on how proto-Viking societies of ancient Scandinavia imported essential metals, crafted stunning rock art using bronze tools and operated complex trade routes extending to Britain, Iberia and beyond. Enigmatic religious practices and the pivotal role played by elite kinship networks are brought to life through remarkable archaeological finds such as horned helmets and a golden sun chariot to reveal the remarkable complex societies that preceded the Viking Age.

MORE:

The Bronze Age Collapse

Mycenae: Cradle of Bronze Age Greece

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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Proto-Vikings: The Nordic Bronze Age

The year is 539 BC. The greatest city of the ancient world has fallen. Babylon has opened it's gates to a new conqueror: the mighty Persian king Cyrus the Great.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined once again by friend of the show Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to uncover the dramatic fall of Babylon and the ascent of Persia’s Achaemenid empire. From the final decades of Babylonian rule to Cyrus’ blood-stained triumph and the city’s remarkable survival under a new regime, they discover how one of history’s most iconic capitals lost its crown - a seismic chapter in the tumultuous story of the Ancient Near East.

Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcast

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The Walls of Babylon

Cyrus the Great

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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fall of Babylon

Warrior, Cobra, Downward Dog. If you do Yoga today, those are poses you’re surely aware of. But where and when did Yoga originate?

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Jim Mallinson to uncover the ancient roots of yoga - a tradition stretching back over 3,000 years. From the meditative practices of the Indus Valley Civilisation to the spiritual seekers of early India, they discover how yoga evolved from a path of divine discipline and self-realisation into one of the world’s most influential philosophies and practices.

The Origins of Buddhism

The Chinese Zodiac

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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Origins of Yoga

Join us for a special episode of The Ancients, recorded on-site in Norfolk, as we delve into the fascinating history of the Iceni tribe both before and after Boudica's famed revolt against the legions. 

Tristan Hughes joins Professor William Bowden at the dig to hear about Iceni resistance, cultural continuity, and adaptation in the face of Roman conquest. Together they explore archaeological insights into the Iceni's daily lives, their treasured artefacts, and their complex relationship with Roman rule, sharing remarkable recent discoveries, offering a tangible connection to the past and piecing together a vivid narrative of a tribe that endured and evolved over centuries.

See the finds made at the Caistor Roman Project 

[ACAST ONLY]

MORE

Boudica's Battle of Britain

The Roman Invasion of Britain

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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boudica's Tribe: How the Iceni Survived the Romans

What lurks under the surface of the dense black peat pits strewn across northern Europe? Bog bodies, naturally mummified humans, have fascinated archeologists for decades as they offer unique insights into ancient cultures.

Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Melanie Giles to examine how old these bodies are, how they're preserved and incredible examples including Tolland Man and Lindow Man. They discuss the myriad potential explanations for their deaths ranging from ritual sacrifice to accidental demise, as well as the importance of these bogs in prehistoric societies, including their resources and hazards, and their valuable role in modern ecological efforts.

View the Tolland Man

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Siberian Ice Mummies

The Beaker People

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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bog Bodies

He's known as Rome’s philosopher-emperor and faced plague, rebellion and war in the East. Yet Marcus Aurelius ruled with a pen as much as a sword, finding peace in philosophy which still inspires the world today.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor William Stephens to uncover the life, legacy, and stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. From his rise to emperor at the height of Rome’s power to his struggles with plague, rebellion, and invasion, they unpack how this philosopher-king embodied the ideals of Stoicism while leading through crisis and ask what Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations can tell us about duty, resilience, and the mind of Rome’s most thoughtful ruler?

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Commodus: The Gladiator Emperor

Pax Romana

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, 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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor

The year is 453 AD. The most feared warlord in Europe - Attila the Hun - lies dead on his wedding night. But what happened next plunged his vast empire into bloody chaos.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Hyun Jin Kim to uncover the dramatic story of Attila’s heirs and the fall of the Huns. From bitter rivalries between Attila’s sons to the Gothic kings who rose to challenge them, discover how the mighty Hunnic Empire collapsed almost overnight — a saga of ambition, betrayal, and the violent unravelling of one of history’s most feared powers.

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Attila the Hun: Scourge of God

The White Huns

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall, 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

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sons of Attila the Hun

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of storytelling in history. It begins with the tale of Gilgamesh’s friendship with the wild man Enkidu. But after Enkidu is killed, King Gilgamesh embarks on a journey into his distant past in search for immortality. 

In this episode of the Ancients, the second part of our series on the Epic of Gilgamesh, Dr Sophus Helle returns to speak to Tristan Hughes about Gilgamesh’s quest and his encounters with a mysterious sage called Ut-napishtim - who some claim may have been the inspiration behind the biblical figure of Noah & his famous Ark.

The first part of our Gilgamesh series, The Epic of Gilgamesh: Rise of Enkidu can be found here

This episode was produced by Joseph Knight and edited by Aidan Lonergan

Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code ANCIENTS sign up now for your 14-day free trial HERE.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Epic of Gilgamesh: Quest for Immortality

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