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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

Unveiling the Enigmatic Story of Egypt's First Pharaohs, roughly 5,000 years ago. Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Aidan Dodson to discuss the renowned Scorpion King and early dynasties, the unifying figure of Narmer, as well as the evolution of early Egyptian tombs and traditions, providing a fascinating insight into the dawn of Egypt's earliest civilisations.

MORE

Origins of the Egyptian Gods

The Great Pyramid of Giza

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Amy Haddow and 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 First Pharaohs

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Kate Lister to take us on a journey through the fascinating history of Innana, an ancient goddess of love, war, fertility, and political power. They delve into her evolution from a humble agricultural deity to one of the most powerful and complex figures in ancient mythology, revered in Mesopotamia and beyond. This one goddess influenced millennia of religious and cultural history, possibly extending even to Persephone and the Virgin Mary.

MORE

Persephone: Queen of the Underworld

Sex Work in Pompeii with Kate Lister

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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.

Inanna: Mesopotamian Sex Goddess

Tristan Hughes journeys up to windswept Scotland to uncover the secrets of the Picts — fierce warriors, skilled artisans, enemies of Rome and rulers of the North.

In this special episode of The Ancients - recorded on site at East Lomond hill fort and National Museums Scotland - Tristan is joined by Professor Gordon Noble and Dr. Martin Goldberg explores how the Picts lived, fought, and thrived in Britain’s wildlands. From mysterious symbol stones and silver hoards to rare warrior artefacts, discover how archaeology is rewriting the story of Scotland's most famous warrior people.

Tristan's new TV documentary 'Enemies of Rome: In Search of the Picts' is out now on History Hit. To watch, sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. 

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by 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 Picts: Rulers of the North

It was the biggest mass extinction event in Earth’s history. 250 million years ago, a 252 million years ago, Earth faced its deadliest crisis. 97% of all life was wiped out in the Permian Extinction – a cataclysm so severe it’s known as The Great Dying.

In this episode of The Ancients, the fourth and final part of our Great Disasters miniseries, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Michael Benton to uncover the full story of this mass extinction. From the rich and bizarre world of Permian creatures to the apocalyptic events that triggered their downfall, discover how just 3% of life clung on and how their survival paved the way for the rise of the dinosaurs.

MORE

Rise of the Dinosaurs

Origins of Life of Earth

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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 Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died

Was this the worst year in human history? Bubonic plague sweeps across the Mediterranean. The sun vanishes behind volcanic ash. Crops fail, famine bites, and the Roman empire lurches towards collapse.

In this episode of The Ancients, the third in our special Great Disasters series, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Kyle Harper to uncover the perfect storm of catastrophe that struck the Roman world in the mid-6th century. From volcanic winters to the Justinianic Plague, we explore whether 541 AD marks the true end of antiquity and the dawn of the Middle Ages. Step into a year of chaos that reshaped empires, environments, and human survival.

MORE

Did Plague Destroy the Roman Empire?

The Antonine Plague

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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.

541 AD: The Worst Year in History

Tristan Hughes continues our special series on Great Disasters, journeying back to ancient Mesopotamia with Dr Paul Collins to explore the fall of the Sumerians.

4,000 years ago, the great cities of Sumer — Ur, Uruk, Lagash, Girsu — stood as glittering centres of power, crowned with mighty ziggurats and ruled by ambitious dynasties. Yet within a few generations, this world of splendour and tradition unravelled. From the collapse of the Akkadian Empire to shifting power struggles and environmental pressures, uncover why these prestigious city-states declined — and ask whether we can truly talk of a 'fall of Sumer.' Join us as we step into the chaos of Mesopotamia’s first great age of empires and witness how disaster reshaped the cradle of civilisation.

MORE

The Sumerians

Sargon of Akkad

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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 the Sumerians

More than 3,500 years ago, a massive volcanic eruption devastated Thera - modern day Santorini - engulfing the Bronze Age world in ash and fire. Entire landscapes were buried, ash darkened the skies, and the shockwaves rippled across the eastern Mediterranean.

In this episode of The Ancients, the first in our new special series on Great Disasters, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Steve Kershaw to uncover what really happened. Did this disaster spark the decline of the Minoans? Could it even lie behind Plato’s legend of Atlantis? Join us this month to step into the chaos and witness how catastrophe reshaped some of the most famous ancient civilisations.

MORE

Bronze Age Collapse:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dEddIFS5yfamKqVZd6xAE?si=7f45c994dd5f4e82

Hephaestus: God of Fire:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DLYVCLmrHxXZxQ7rMBREv?si=5b950d9c22ee4448

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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 Minoan Eruption: Bronze Age Cataclysm

Professor Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins join Tristan in this episode all about Greece and Rome - the two greatest civilisations of classical antiquity.

How did the Romans borrow, adapt, and sometimes rival Greek culture? What did they admire and what did they reject? From temples and theatre to politics and philosophy, join us as two of the UK’s most celebrated classicists explore the cultural dialogue at the heart of the ancient Mediterranean.

MORE

Roman Emperors with Mary Beard

How to Survive in Ancient Rome

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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.

LIVE SHOW: Buy tickets for The Ancients at the London Podcast Festival here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients-2/

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.

How Greece Shaped Rome with Mary Beard

More than 5,000 years ago, in what is today southern Iraq, one of the world’s first civilisations emerged. A civilisation often credited with the invention of writing, the wheel and cities. The Sumerians. 

The Sumerians are a people that you have probably heard of, but might not know too much about. And in today’s episode of The Ancients, we are re-releasing our episode from a few years back where we finally delved into their story. We’re going to explore their cities, their language, their artefacts and so much more. 

This is the story of the Sumerians, with our guest. The Assyriologist and great friend of the podcast, Dr Paul Collins.

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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.

LIVE SHOW: Buy tickets for The Ancients at the London Podcast Festival here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients-2/

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 Sumerians

Tristan Hughes sits down with Professor Eric Cline to explore the enigmatic Sea Peoples, often blamed for the catastrophic Bronze Age collapse over 3,000 years ago.

Together they explore surviving sources from ancient Egypt to find out who the Sea Peoples were, and how they swept into Egypt. They discuss the diverse groups that comprised these invaders, and question whether they were truly the primary cause of this ancient civilisation's downfall.

From revelations from the latest archaeological evidence, DNA findings from Tel Dor and other sites, Tristan and Eric unlock one of ancient history's greatest puzzles.

MORE

The Bronze Age Collapse

Rameses the Great

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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.

LIVE SHOW: Buy tickets for The Ancients at the London Podcast Festival here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients-2/

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 Sumerians

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