The Ancients

Buried in ash, frozen in time—Pompeii offers one of the most extraordinary windows into everyday life in ancient Rome. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director of Pompeii, to explore the latest discoveries at this iconic site. From slave quarters and gladiator graffiti to possible signs of early Christianity, uncover how new excavations are reshaping what we know about the lives—and final moments—of Pompeii’s ancient inhabitants. 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 and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe].  You can take part in our listener survey here [https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on]: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on [https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on]

Long before telescopes or space agencies, ancient Mesopotamians were decoding the secrets of the cosmos. Beneath skies unpolluted by modern light, they tracked the movements of planets, charted eclipses, and read the stars not just for science—but for signs from the gods. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid to uncover the origins of written astronomy and the extraordinary legacy of left by the Mesopotamians that studied it. Their observations shaped empires, guided kings, and laid the groundwork for astronomy as we know it. From clay tablets to the zodiac, from omens to eclipse prediction—this is the story of how ancient Mesopotamians turned stargazing into science. 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 and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe].  You can take part in our listener survey here [https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on]: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on [https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on]

What happened after Alexander the Great died? On June 11, 323 BC, at just 32 years old, Alexander left an empire without a clear heir, sparking chaos among his generals. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Graham Wrightson explore the immediate aftermath of his death, the power struggles among his top generals, and the rise of new kingdoms from the fractured empire. The fascinating and brutal Wars of the Successors is a real life Games of Thrones with multiple family sagas, broken allegiances and murders, as the generals battle it out to become Alexander the Great's sole successor. MORE Alexander the Great: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0z8hT2mn3bV4QCFSkoyk4A [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0z8hT2mn3bV4QCFSkoyk4A] Alexander the Great's Sex Life: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CYOYc97yU9Y9rdQelirJ9?si=f821a2f87f7a40e4&nd=1&dlsi=ab1ef58e265748bf [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CYOYc97yU9Y9rdQelirJ9?si=f821a2f87f7a40e4&nd=1&dlsi=ab1ef58e265748bf] Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Nick Thomson, 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 and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe].  You can take part in our listener survey here [https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK]: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK [https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK]

Saxon mercenaries, collapsing Roman order, and a new chapter for Britain. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Peter Heather to explore the mysterious Saxon migrations, their Germanic roots, and how they shaped early medieval Britain. A gripping dive into post-Roman chaos and emerging kingdoms. MORE The Fall of Roman Britain https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vMwL1dueziXVNOwloY9xn [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vMwL1dueziXVNOwloY9xn] The Origins of London https://open.spotify.com/episode/0vE8PGKJ858AY1bhwd4D0r [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0vE8PGKJ858AY1bhwd4D0r] Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Nick Thomson, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Theme music from Motion Array, all other music from 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 and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe].  You can take part in our listener survey here [https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK]: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK [https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK]

1700 years ago, the Roman Emperor Constantine called an unprecedented meeting of early Christian leaders from across the empire to settle a fierce dispute threatening to split the early Church. The result? The Council of Nicaea - Christianity’s first great general council and the birthplace of the Nicene Creed. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Dafydd Daniel to explore this this pivotal moment in history. From the dramatic showdown between Bishops Arius and Alexander to how this momentous gathering shaped the core beliefs of Christianity. Join us to discover the lasting legacy of one of the most influential councils in history. Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer and audio editor 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 and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe].  You can take part in our listener survey here [https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK]: