The Birth of Money
The Ancients19 Dec 2024

The Birth of Money

Gold has shaped human history for several millennia. But how and when did it first turn into currency? And what can it tell us about the birth of money?


In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes delves into the origins of money with TV producer, author and professor Alan Ereira. Together, they reveal the intertwined origins of commerce, trade, and coinage and journey through the history of ancient money - from the earliest use of gold by the Varna Culture 6,000 years ago, through to King Croesus's revolutionary minting of pure gold coins in Lydia and the first ever financial crash.


Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.


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


Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from Epidemic Sound

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(616)

Rise of Islam

Rise of Islam

In the 7th century, a new empire rose from the sands of Arabia - united by faith, driven by conquest, and destined to change history forever.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined b...

12 Okt 20251h 4min

The First Hawaiians

The First Hawaiians

Tristan Hughes goes on an exploration of Hawaii's earliest settlers, guided by the insights of Dr. Patrick Kirch, a leading expert on Hawaiian archeology. From the arrival of Polynesians around AD 100...

9 Okt 202551min

Gladiators: A Day in the Life

Gladiators: A Day in the Life

The Colosseum packed with roaring crowds, the sand stained with sweat and blood. But today, you’re not watching - you’re fighting. Welcome to a day in the life of a Roman gladiator.In this episode of ...

5 Okt 202559min

Origins of Mythology

Origins of Mythology

From Cinderella to Beauty and the Beast, the roots of fairy tales stretch back thousands of years — to the dawn of Indo-European languages and beyond.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is...

2 Okt 202547min

The First Pharaohs

The First Pharaohs

Unveiling the Enigmatic Story of Egypt's First Pharaohs, roughly 5,000 years ago. Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Aidan Dodson to discuss the renowned Scorpion King and early dynasties, the unif...

28 Sep 202545min

Inanna: Mesopotamian Sex Goddess

Inanna: Mesopotamian Sex Goddess

Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Kate Lister to take us on a journey through the fascinating history of Innana, an ancient goddess of love, war, fertility, and political power. They delve into her evol...

25 Sep 202541min

The Picts: Rulers of the North

The Picts: Rulers of the North

Tristan Hughes journeys up to windswept Scotland to uncover the secrets of the Picts — fierce warriors, skilled artisans, enemies of Rome and rulers of the North.In this special episode of The Ancient...

21 Sep 202545min

The Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died

The Permian Extinction: When Life Nearly Died

It was the biggest mass extinction event in Earth’s history. 250 million years ago, a 252 million years ago, Earth faced its deadliest crisis. 97% of all life was wiped out in the Permian Extinction –...

18 Sep 202558min

Populärt inom Historia

massmordarpodden
kod-katastrof
historiska-brott
p3-historia
motiv
historiepodden-se
olosta-mord
rss-historien-om
rss-seriemordarpodden
rss-historiska-brottslingar
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-massmordarpodden
krigshistoriepodden
mannen-utan-spar
nu-blir-det-historia
obskyr-historia
militarhistoriepodden
bedragare
rss-folkets-historia
palmemordet