
Origins of the Olympics
The Olympics. It’s the most famous sporting event in the world, and the 33rd Olympiad is taking place in Paris right now. But how did it all begin?It's a story that takes us back more than 2,000 years. Featuring mythological heroes like Heracles, ancient athletes that became celebrities and the great sanctuary of Olympia in western Greece, home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldIn today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Judith Swaddling to delve into the origins of the Olympic Games, uncovering how they were founded and what the earliest Olympics looked like.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.The Ancients is recording our first LIVE SHOW at the London Podcast Festival on Thursday 5th September 2024! Book your tickets now to be in the audience and ask Tristan and his guest your burning questions. Tickets on sale HERE https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients/Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 Aug 202432min

Hestia: Goddess of Hearth & Home
As both the eldest and youngest child of the great titan Kronos, and the Greek goddess of hearth and home, Hestia was incredibly important in almost every sphere of Greek daily life. But she is arguably one of the most overlooked deities in the Greek Pantheon. The question we're asking today is why.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined once again by the University of Bristol’s Dr Ellie Mackin-Roberts as they delve into the elusive, but fascinating figure of Hestia and uncover just how Hestia could be the eldest and youngest Greek God all at the same time.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. The scriptwriter is Andrew Hulse. The voice actor is Nichola Wooley.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.The Ancients is recording our first LIVE SHOW at the London Podcast Festival on Thursday 5th September 2024! Book your tickets now to be in the audience and ask Tristan and his guest your burning questions. Tickets on sale HERE https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients/Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 Aug 202449min

The Maya Collapse
Just over 1,000 years ago, the ancient Maya world in Mesoamerica was turned upside down. Prominent cities like Tikal, Palenque, Copan and Calakmul, their great stone art and architecture left to be gradually reclaimed by the jungle. It's a time of decline known as the Maya Collapse. But what caused it? And did the entirety of Mayan civilisation really disappear?In today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by podcaster and author Paul Cooper to explore this historic, yet mysterious collapse and delve into the trade networks, water systems, climate change, agricultural failure and civil unrest that made it possible.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.The Ancients is recording our first LIVE SHOW at the London Podcast Festival on Thursday 5th September 2024! Book your tickets now to be in the audience and ask Tristan and his guest your burning questions. Tickets on sale HERE https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients/Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 Juli 202443min

The Roman Gladiator
The ferocious, professional fighters who fought in great arenas all across the Roman Empire for the pleasure of the crowd were the celebrities of their day. They were sex symbols and yet they also ranked amongst the lowest in Roman society. Today the gladiator is one of the great images of ancient Rome but who exactly were they and what do we know about them?Gladiator expert and historical consultant Alexander Mariotti joins Tristan Hughes to reveal the mind-blowing truth stories of these Roman professional fighters; from origins to lifestyle, to training and just how likely it was for a gladiator to be slain in the arena.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Max Carrey and Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.The Ancients is recording our first LIVE SHOW at the London Podcast Festival on Thursday 5th September 2024! Book your tickets now to be in the audience and ask Tristan and his guest your burning questions. Tickets on sale HERE https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients/Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 Juli 20241h 2min

Neanderthal Britain
For more than 100,000 years, Neanderthals made their home in Ice Age Britain, right on the edge of the inhabitable world. But what evidence do we have for this early species in what is today Britain?Dr Matthew Pope from UCL joins Tristan Hughes to discuss this fascinating period pre-history; Neanderthal Britain. What do we know about these people's lifestyles, how long were they here for and what ultimately happened to them?Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.The Ancients is recording our first LIVE SHOW at the London Podcast Festival on Thursday 5th September 2024! Book your tickets now to be in the audience and ask Tristan and his guest your burning questions. Tickets on sale HERE https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients/Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 Juli 202447min

Pyramid of the Sun
The Pyramid of the Sun is ancient America’s Great Pyramid of Giza. Built in the legendary city of Teotihuacán, and given its name by the Aztecs, this magnificent step pyramid is another great wonder of the ancient world. But who built it? And what for? In today’s episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Annabeth Headrick, an expert on all things Teotihuacán to explore and uncover the mysteries that surround this massive Mesoamerican monument. Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
18 Juli 202447min

Birth of the Iron Age
It’s the end of the 12th century BC, and a once remarkable Near eastern world lay in ruin. Drought, warfare, famine, earthquakes, plague - all had combined to brutally devastate ancient civilisations stretching from Mesopotamia to Egypt to mainland Greece. It was a catastrophe unlike anything else - a Bronze Age collapse. But that’s only half the story. What happened next? Would these people adapt to this new age of chaos?Dr Eric Cline joins Tristan Hughes to discuss the dawn of the Iron Age. They’re talking Egyptians, Hittites, Mycenaeans, Cypriots, Phoenicians and many more.Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Joseph Knight. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscriptionVote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 Juli 20241h 2min




















