The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis
The Ancients27 Helmi 2025

The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis

In 486 BC, King Xerxes ascended the Persian throne, inheriting its vast and glittering world empire. But his ambition didn’t stop there - he sought revenge on Greece.


In this episode of The Ancients, the culmination of our two-part series on the Persian Wars, Tristan Hughes is joined once again by Dr. Roel Konijnendijk and Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to explore Xerxes' massive invasion. From the assembling of his colossal army to the legendary battles of Thermopylae and Salamis featured in the accounts of Herodotus, discover the earth-shattering conclusion to the largest invasion ancient Greece had ever faced.


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.

Jaksot(596)

Prehistoric Rock Art of Atlantic Europe

Prehistoric Rock Art of Atlantic Europe

Dozens of incredible examples of prehistoric rock art have been found across western Europe in recent decades - but what do they mean?Artworks can be discovered all along the Atlantic seaboard, from S...

3 Heinä 202251min

Sparta and the Nazis

Sparta and the Nazis

Ancient Sparta was co-opted by the Nazis as a supposed model civilisation for the Third Reich’s twisted racial and martial ideologies.German children were taught that the Spartans had originally been ...

30 Kesä 202242min

The First Americans

The First Americans

Modern humans thrived in the Americas for thousands of years before the first European colonists arrived, but how and when did they get there?What's more, did their arrival spell disaster for indigeno...

26 Kesä 20221h 3min

The Rise of Mammals

The Rise of Mammals

They survived extinction level events and record high global temperatures - how did mammals adapt and thrive in a dramatically changing world? In today's episode, Tristan welcomes back Professor Steve...

23 Kesä 202254min

The Image of God

The Image of God

Often pictured with a flowing white beard, looking down from Heaven - why is God always seen as an old man? In today's episode, Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou, whose latest book 'God: an Anatomy' ...

19 Kesä 202251min

Mermaids

Mermaids

The central Mediterranean is home to a bounty of creatures - fish, dolphins, and... mermaids? In today's episode Dr Amelia Brown returns to the podcast to talk marine mammals and Merpeople. From iconi...

16 Kesä 202251min

The Death of Alexander the Great: Explained

The Death of Alexander the Great: Explained

Alexander the Great’s untimely death at Babylon in 323 BC triggered an unprecedented crisis across his continent-spanning empire.Within a couple of days, the very chamber in which he died witnessed a ...

12 Kesä 20221h 4min

The Origins of Clothing

The Origins of Clothing

Clothing has been essential for human evolution. From protection against changing climate, through to the driving force behind technological innovation in the production of fabrics and agriculture.In ...

9 Kesä 202239min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
totuus-vai-salaliitto
huijarit
mystista
tsunami
konginkangas
rss-ikiuni
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
rouva-diktaattori
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-peter-peter
romani-podcast
rss-iltanuotiolla
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
historian-nurkkapoyta