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The Ancients

The Ancients

By: History Hit
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A podcast for all ancient history fans! The Ancients is dedicated to discussing our distant past. Featuring interviews with historians and archaeologists, each episode covers a specific theme from antiquity. From Neolithic Britain to the Fall of Rome. Hosted by Tristan Hughes.


New episodes every Sunday and Thursday.


From History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.

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.

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

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Episodes
  • Adam and Eve
    Feb 1 2026

    Adam and Eve: parents of humanity, or characters in a Near Eastern myth about wisdom, mortality, and the limits of being human?


    Tristan Hughes and Dr Dylan Johnson strip away the Sunday school varnish to re-examine the story of Adam and Eve, starting with the question: was there really an apple? They discuss the origins and multiple layers of the story, try and pinpoint where Eden might have been located, and trace the tale of lost immortality that echoes through the legends of Gilgamesh, Sumerian rivers, and the earliest biblical texts


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    Moses & The Exodus

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    The Ark of The Covenant

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    Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcast


    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. 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.

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    59 mins
  • The First Popes
    Jan 29 2026

    What do we know about the earliest Popes, and how did they shape the early Christian Church amidst persecution?


    Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Rosamond McKitterick to journey back to Imperial Rome to uncover the fascinating tales of the earliest Popes, focusing on St. Peter and his possible connection to Mark's gospel, Sylvester I during Constantine's reign, and Pope Leo I who confronted Atilla the Hun.


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    Jesus of Nazareth

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    The Apocryphal Gospels

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    Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan and 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. 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



    Audio for Uploader:

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

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • Xerxes the Great
    Jan 25 2026

    He is one of the most famous rulers of the ancient world, remembered for leading a vast Persian invasion of Greece. Yet Xerxes the Great was far more than just a battlefield king.


    In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to explore the life and reign of the Persias most revered king who ruled the largest empire the world had yet seen. From his royal upbringing and court politics to religion, monumental building projects and imperial power, this episode goes beyond Greek battle narratives to uncover who Xerxes really was — and how the Achaemenid empire functioned at the height of his power.


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    Darius the Great: Persian King of Kings

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    The Persian Wars: Xerxes, Thermopylae and Salamis

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    Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcast


    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. 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.

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
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I am really like this podcast. nice content. fantastic and excellent narration in this content.

Great!

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he title was good enjoyed listening to the audiobook. the story line was interesting. nice

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Incredibly interesting and so many diverse topics - I would highly recommend for anyone interested in history.

Excellent podcast

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So informative, great host and guests. I have learned a lot of things other podcasts don't seem to cover. Ancient History in depth.

Love this podcast

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