Helen of Troy
Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships - but is there more to her than a beautiful face? To mark Women's History Month, Tristan is joined by author and broadcaster Natalie Haynes to di...
10 Mar 202244min
The Assassination of Julius Caesar: Explained
March 15th 44BC is perhaps the most notorious date in all of ancient history. On that fateful day, the Ides of March, 55-year-old Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of disa...
6 Mar 202251min
The Origins of Ukraine
It's not often we cover current affairs on The Ancients (the clue is in the name), but in light of Putin’s claims that Ukraine was “entirely created by Russia”, we wanted to highlight Ukraine’s extrao...
3 Mar 20221h 5min
Sappho: The Poet from Lesbos
Famous throughout antiquity, yet retold only in fragments today - who is Sappho? Her poetry inspired generations, from Catullus to Byron, so how come we know so little about her life? This week Trista...
27 Feb 202232min
The Terracotta Army
Discovered by local farmers in 1974, the Terracotta Army is one of the most astounding archaeological finds on record. A piece of funerary art, dedicated to the First Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang, i...
24 Feb 202249min
Eureka! Innovation in Ancient Greece
It's often thought that the ancient Greeks were devout in tradition, strict in their ways and beliefs. But how true is this? When it comes to creative thinking and innovation, the ancient Greeks excel...
20 Feb 202244min
The First Australians
Indigenous Australians have lived on the vast continent of Australia for thousands of years - but how have they survived isolation, extreme conditions, and caring for the land which serves them? This ...
17 Feb 20221h
The Truth About Saint Valentine
St. Valentine of Rome, patron saint of beekeepers and epilepsy, among many other things. But who exactly is the real St Valentine, and how has the story been kept alive? In this episode, Tristan is jo...
13 Feb 202231min
