
Fall of Babylon
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: @TheAncientsPodcastMORE:The Walls of BabylonCyrus the GreatPresented 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 SoundsThe 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.
2 Marras 47min

Origins of Yoga
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 BuddhismThe Chinese ZodiacPresented 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 SoundsThe 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.
30 Loka 54min

Bog Bodies
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 ManMORESiberian Ice MummiesThe Beaker PeoplePresented 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 SoundsThe 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.
23 Loka 1h 2min

Marcus Aurelius: The Philosopher Emperor
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?MORECommodus: The Gladiator EmperorPax RomanaPresented 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 SoundsThe 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.
19 Loka 1h 9min

The Sons of Attila the Hun
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.MOREAttila the Hun: Scourge of GodThe White HunsPresented 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 SoundsThe 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.
16 Loka 46min

Rise of Islam
In the 7th century, a new empire rose from the sands of Arabia - united by faith, driven by conquest, and destined to change history forever.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Khododad Rezakhani to explore the emergence of Islam from the ashes of Rome and Persia’s great struggle for supremacy. Together they discover how the early Islamic polity took shape, why the Arab conquests were so swift and decisive, and how they reshaped the politics, culture, and religion of West Asia. From the fall of the Sasanians to the dawn of a new empire, this is the story of how Islam rose to dominate the world of late antiquity.MOREPersia Reborn: Rise of the SasaniansEdges of Empire: The Sasanian FrontiersPresented 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 SoundsThe 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.
12 Loka 1h 4min

The First Hawaiians
Tristan Hughes goes on an exploration of Hawaii's earliest settlers, guided by the insights of Dr. Patrick Kirch, a leading expert on Hawaiian archeology. From the arrival of Polynesians around AD 1000, using sophisticated double-hull canoes, to their unique agricultural practices and the construction of monumental architecture, they delve into the impact of Polynesian settlers on Hawaii's pristine ecosystem, the use of petroglyphs, and the development of highly stratified societal structures shedding light on Hawaii's ancient past.MOREPolynesian MythologyThe First South AmericansPresented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe 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.
9 Loka 51min





















