Palmyra: Pearl of the Desert
Palmyra features in headlines today as a casualty of IS destruction, but during its heyday it was a monumental city set on an oasis in the Syrian desert. First mentioned in the second millennium BC, i...
18 Feb 202146min
Myths of Masada
In 73 AD, 967 Jewish rebels against the Romans committed mass suicide atop the Masada Fortress. Or did they? In this second part of Tristan’s interview with Jodi Magness from the University of North C...
14 Feb 202123min
Rome: 'The Eternal City'
Rome. The Eternal City. One of the most recognisable names that many associate with the Ancient Mediterranean World. To provide a detailed run down of this ancient city, Tristan was delighted to be jo...
11 Feb 202143min
Besieging Masada
Dramatically placed on a plateau with drops of 400m to the east and 90m to the west, Masada translates from Hebrew as fortress. It became just that when Herod the Great built a magnificent palace comp...
7 Feb 202137min
Beasts of Battle: Indian War Elephants
The four components of the Ancient Indian battlefield: infantry, cavalry, chariots … and elephants. These magnificent creatures were dominant in conflicts to the east of India, in South-East Asia, but...
4 Feb 202156min
Edges of Empire: Rome's Northernmost Town
Roughly two miles south of Hadrian’s Wall lie the remains of Roman Corbridge, the northernmost town of the Roman Empire. The site’s archaeology is unique. The remains highlight what was once a bustlin...
31 Jan 202122min
Roman Military Tombstones: Uncovering the Unknown Warriors
From Northern Britain to the Near East, Roman tombstones have been uncovered on various far flung frontiers of the Roman Empire. Dedicated to those auxiliaries and legionaries that perished far from h...
28 Jan 202139min
The Mystery of the Ninth Legion
The legions of Rome were the nucleus of Rome’s military might for centuries. From campaigning in northern Scotland to the Persian Gulf, these devastating battalions extended and cemented Roman power. ...
24 Jan 202139min
