The Roman Gladiator

The residents of Britain during the Iron Age are often collectively called 'Celts'. However, both before and during the Roman occupation, this term is a huge generalisation. In this episode we explore the real characteristics and variations of the lifestyle and communities of present day Wales in the 1st millennium BC.The people of Southern Britain were written about in part by both Ptolemy, who gives us the geographical location of different groups, and Tacitus who gives a slightly more colourful account of the people the Romans encountered. But with ongoing excavations and discoveries registered with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, more and more of the realities of their lives are revealed. Tristan speaks to Dr Oliver Davis from Cardiff University to find out more about what this evidence tells us about the people of Iron Age Wales. In particular, they discuss Caerau hill-fort, which once was home to between one and two hundred people, and is an incredible example of hill-forts from this area and period.To find out more about Caerau, please find it here: https://www.caerheritage.org/iron-ageFor more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

22 Maj 202252min

The Iliad and the Odyssey are two of the world’s most famous poems. But who was their author, Homer, and how have his name and poems survived so long, preserved for almost 3 millennia?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan is joined once again by author, classicist, and cultural critic, Daisy Dunn. Daisy helps us dissect the complex works, legacy and influence of Homer. From the Trojan War to Ionic and Aeolic Greeks, we find out more about the inspiration and impact that Homer holds.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!To download, go to the Android or Apple store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Maj 202251min

What do we know about the earliest hominins to exist? With a story spanning one million years and counting, we're discovering more about how we came to be every day. In this episode of The Ancients, we're on location in the Natural History Museum in London as Tristan covers a huge topic; the history of human evolution! Today's guest, Professor Chris Stringer, joins us as we delve into the origins of modern humans. As a leading expert in the creation of our species, Chris takes us through his research on the origins of Homo Sapiens. From Neanderthals, fossil evidence, and Mitochondrial Eve, to his findings on our genetic relationship with Africa.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to the Android or Apple store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Maj 202242min

The treatment of mental health has been rapidly growing and improving over the past few decades, but it actually goes back thousands of years.Whether it was the Ancient Greek physician Galen’s humoral theory - in which people’s mental health was determined by imbalances in the levels of four different substances in the body - or Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ meditations for guidance and self-improvement, ideas of mental health and its treatment have ranged from the intriguing to the totally bizarre, but many of them still have uses to this day.Tristan is joined once again by Dr Nick Summerton practicing doctor and author of ‘Greco-Roman Medicine and What it Can Teach Us Today’, published by Pen & Sword.The OSPP Four Temperaments TestFor more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Maj 202241min

According to Greek myth, Pandora was the first human woman - moulded from the earth by Hephaestus on the instruction of Zeus himself.We've all heard of Pandora's box, but in actual fact it was no such thing. Instead it was a jar containing all the evils of humanity, but even these contents of the jar are up for debate! So what is real story behind this often misunderstood, misinterpreted and maligned figure?In this episode Tristan is joined by esteemed author, broadcaster, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes to discover the truth about the first woman of Ancient Greek mythology.Natalie's book Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths is available on Amazon here.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Maj 202232min

Described as the "most important piece of prehistoric art to be found in Britain in the last 100 years", an elaborately decorated 5000 year-old chalk cylinder, discovered buried with 3 child skeletons in Yorkshire and as old as the first phase of Stonehenge, is going on display at the British Museum for the first time ever.To find out what the drum is, how it was found and what it tells us about Britain at the time Stonehenge was constructed, Tristan got special access to the World of Stonehenge exhibition. He spoke to Project Archaeologist Alice Beasley and Project Curator Dr Jennifer Wexler, who make up part of the team responsible for the drum's discovery, investigation and display.Find the full programme here: https://access.historyhit.com/ancient-and-classical/videos/the-world-of-stonehenge-revealedWhy This 'Chalk Drum' Is The Prehistoric Find Of The Century YouTube video.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!To download, go to Android or Apple store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Maj 202225min

The rise of Christianity in the first few centuries AD is one of the most significant stories in world history. But it’s also an incredibly turbulent one. It’s a story filled with (in)famous episodes of conflict with the Roman state. It’s a story of co-existence, but also one of intolerance and of violence.From martyrdom to monasticism; from Celsus to Hypatia; from the Emperor Constantine hedging his divine bets to early Christians burning down one of the greatest architectural wonders of the ancient Mediterranean World. In today’s episode Tristan chats to author and journalist Catherine Nixey about the rise of Christianity and the sometimes-violent interactions that early Christians had with the Classical World.This episode contains mentions of religious violence.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!To download, go to Android or Apple store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Maj 202258min

Poetry, parables, and produce - how did someone live a healthy life in the ancient Greco-Roman world? Tristan is joined by author Mark Usher to talk about what we can learn from our ancient ancestors. Discussing the impact farming has on both physical and mental well-being, the role it played in music and song, and philosophical musings about the land - Tristan and Mark discuss how can we live a sustainable, and ancient inspired, way of life?Copies of Mark's book How To Be A Farmer: An Ancient Guide to Life on the Land can be found here.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!To download, go to Android or Apple store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Apr 202235min