The Last Roman Emperors
The Ancients15 Mai 2025

The Last Roman Emperors

No grand battle. No final blaze of glory. In 476 AD, the Western Roman Empire collapsed not with a roar, but with a quiet abdication. A boy emperor - Romulus Augustulus - handed over the regalia of power in Ravenna, signalling the end of an empire that had once ruled the known world. But how did it come to this?


In this episode, the finale of our Fall of Rome miniseries, Tristan Hughes is joined by historian and bestselling author Adrian Goldsworthy to chart the chaotic final decades of the Western Roman Empire. From puppet emperors and ruthless kingmakers like Ricimer to the meteoric rise of Odoacer, discover how political infighting, military mutiny, and foreign ambition brought the Roman West to its knees - and ushered in the age of kings.


MORE: Roman Emperors with Mary Beard: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7C7wRHjSPeif9pLD2UZJyY?si=5226c8e7f9584336


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.

Episoder(607)

The Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac

The Year of the Snake is here! But how did a legendary tale of twelve animals shape Chinese astronomy and culture for over 3,000 years?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof...

30 Jan 202539min

The Kingdom of Kush

The Kingdom of Kush

Beyond the ancient Nile’s fertile banks lay a civilisation that rivalled Egypt in power and prestige—the Kingdom of Kush. This ancient empire, centred in modern Sudan, once ruled Egypt, defied Rome, a...

26 Jan 202555min

Babylon's Epic of Creation

Babylon's Epic of Creation

The biblical story of creation is famous - but did you know an even older myth may have influenced it? Enter the Enuma Elish, Babylon’s own Epic of Creation.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hu...

23 Jan 202554min

The Franks

The Franks

How did the Franks rise to power in the fragmented Western Roman Empire?Tristan Hughes explores the dramatic story of the Franks, from their early battles against Romans and Burgundians to their conso...

19 Jan 202550min

The Roman Invasion of Britain

The Roman Invasion of Britain

43 AD. A large Roman armada sails across the perilous English Channel intent on conquest. It is the dawn of one of the most seminal moments in Britain’s ancient history.In this episode of The Ancients...

16 Jan 202546min

Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad

Over 4,000 years ago, Sargon of Akkad carved his name into history by forging what many consider the world’s first empire. But who was this enigmatic warlord, and how did he transform from a man witho...

12 Jan 202543min

Rome's Crisis of the Third Century

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 ...

9 Jan 20251h 2min

Atlantis

Atlantis

The story of Atlantis is one of history's enduring legends. So what’s the actual, ancient tale of Atlantis? Where does it come from? Was Atlantis real? And if not, why has the name become a byword for...

5 Jan 202535min

Populært innen Historie

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