Rome's Crisis of the Third Century
The Ancients9 Jan 2025

Rome's Crisis of the Third Century

What happens when emperors are murdered more often than they die of natural causes? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Gwynn to unravel the Crisis of the Third Century, a pivotal, turbulent era in Roman history that served as a turning point between the classical and early medieval worlds. It was a time where soldiers like Maximinus Thrax rose to power, only to face rapid turnover and murder.


Tristan and David discuss the complex web of civil wars, external threats from formidable foes like the Sassanians, Franks, and Goths, and the ultimate capture and grotesque end of Emperor Valerian. This is the time of ancient Rome's economic collapse, devastating plagues, and the dramatic rise of Christianity.


Presented by Tristan Hughes. The audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from 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.

Episoder(607)

Xerxes the Great

Xerxes the Great

He is one of the most famous rulers of the ancient world, remembered for leading a vast Persian invasion of Greece. Yet Xerxes the Great was far more than just a battlefield king.In this episode of Th...

25 Jan 55min

The Origins of Rome's Empire

The Origins of Rome's Empire

396 BC. The city of Veii lies in ruins, destroyed by Rome in a brutal act of early imperial expansion. Yet just six years later, Rome itself would face devastation at the hands of invading Gauls, a sh...

22 Jan 58min

The First Arabians

The First Arabians

What can ancient DNA tell us about the first homo sapiens to arrive in Arabia over 50,000 years ago? Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof. Pierre Zalloua to delve into the groundbreaking advances in ancie...

18 Jan 50min

How to Survive on Hadrian’s Wall

How to Survive on Hadrian’s Wall

Step into the daily lives of those stationed along Hadrian's Wall, from Roman soldiers to civilians. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Francis Macintosh are your guides to explore the routines, duties, and uniqu...

15 Jan 1h 10min

Medea: Maligned Sorceress or Heartless Murderer?

Medea: Maligned Sorceress or Heartless Murderer?

She helped Jason win the Golden Fleece, betrayed her own family, and became one of the most feared figures in Greek myth. Medea’s name has echoed through the ancient world for over two millennia, a by...

11 Jan 52min

Fall of Sparta

Fall of Sparta

How did Sparta, the most feared military state in ancient Greece, fall from grace in a single generation?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Roel Konijnendijk and Dr Owen R...

8 Jan 1h 14min

Rise of Christianity

Rise of Christianity

How did a persecuted minority religion rise to be embraced and enforced by mighty Roman Emperors?Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Peter Heather to chart the dramatic rise of Christianity, explori...

4 Jan 1h 7min

The First Life on Earth

The First Life on Earth

Today we’re going back to the beginning – no Romans, Celts, Egyptians or Macedonians in sight. Billions of years of prehistory as we look at the emergence of life on Earth. From the rise of the earlie...

1 Jan 1h 22min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
rss-katastrofe
historier-som-endret-norge
henrettelsespodden
rss-benadet
historier-som-endret-verden
aftenposten-historie
sektledere
med-egne-oyne
rss-frontkjemperne
historiepodden
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-historiske-romanser-svik-drap-og-kjarlighet
historiepodden-ww2
liberal-halvtime
rss-gamle-greier
rss-politisk-preik
taakeprat
vare-historier