The Ancients
History Hit
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.
Categories: Education
Listen to the last episode:
Tristan Hughes is joined by Ella Al-Shamahi, paleoanthropologist and presenter of the hit BBC series Human, to explore what interactions between early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals may have been like, from communication and cultural exchange to interbreeding and the possibility of hybrid children navigating belonging.
They discuss how new research is challenging “primitive” stereotypes to reveal how Neanderthals were complex beings who used pigments, pierced shells, talons, feathers, and created cave handprints.
MORE
The Last Neanderthals with Chris Stringer
Rise of Humans
Watch this episode on our NEW YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcast
Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer is Joseph Knight. Edited & co-produced by Aidan Lonergan. 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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous episodes
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617 - Homo Sapiens vs Neanderthals Sun, 12 Apr 2026 - 0h
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616 - The Romans and China Thu, 09 Apr 2026 - 0h
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615 - Judas Iscariot Sun, 05 Apr 2026 - 0h
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614 - Britain's First Dog  Thu, 02 Apr 2026 - 0h
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613 - The Roman Centurion Sun, 29 Mar 2026
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612 - The Delian League: Ancient NATO? Thu, 26 Mar 2026
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611 - Leonidas: King of Sparta, Hero of Thermopylae Sun, 22 Mar 2026
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610 - What if the Ides of March Failed? Thu, 19 Mar 2026
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609 - Herodotus: The Father of History Sun, 15 Mar 2026 - 0h
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608 - The Phoenicians Thu, 12 Mar 2026
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607 - Bronze Age Star Map: The Nebra Sky Disk Sun, 08 Mar 2026 - 0h
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606 - The Age of Dinosaurs with Henry Gee Thu, 05 Mar 2026
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605 - Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty Sun, 01 Mar 2026 - 0h
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604 - Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia Thu, 26 Feb 2026
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603 - The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?  Sun, 22 Feb 2026 - 0h
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602 - The Fall of Persia | Alexander the Great Thu, 19 Feb 2026
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601 - The Skulls of Jericho Sun, 15 Feb 2026 - 0h
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600 - The Invasion of Persia | Alexander the Great Thu, 12 Feb 2026
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599 - How to Write Cuneiform with Dr. Irving Finkel Sun, 08 Feb 2026
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598 - Alexander the Great | Rise to Power Thu, 05 Feb 2026
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597 - Adam and Eve Sun, 01 Feb 2026 - 0h
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596 - The First Popes Thu, 29 Jan 2026 - 0h
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595 - Xerxes the Great Sun, 25 Jan 2026 - 0h
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594 - The Origins of Rome's Empire Thu, 22 Jan 2026 - 0h
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593 - The First Arabians Sun, 18 Jan 2026 - 0h
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592 - How to Survive on Hadrian’s Wall Thu, 15 Jan 2026
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591 - Medea: Maligned Sorceress or Heartless Murderer? Sun, 11 Jan 2026 - 0h
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590 - Fall of Sparta Thu, 08 Jan 2026
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589 - Rise of Christianity Sun, 04 Jan 2026
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588 - The First Life on Earth Thu, 01 Jan 2026
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587 - The Ice Age Sun, 28 Dec 2025 - 0h
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586 - The Minoan Labyrinth Thu, 25 Dec 2025 - 0h
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585 - Emperor Diocletian and the Great Persecution Sun, 21 Dec 2025 - 0h
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584 - Paestum: Ancient Greeks in Italy Thu, 18 Dec 2025 - 0h
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583 - Stegosaurus: Titan of the Jurassic Sun, 14 Dec 2025 - 0h
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582 - Rise of King Herod Thu, 11 Dec 2025 - 0h
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581 - The Ten Commandments Sun, 07 Dec 2025 - 0h
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580 - Origins of Chocolate Thu, 04 Dec 2025 - 0h
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579 - The Khmer Empire: Angkor Wat Sun, 30 Nov 2025 - 0h
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578 - The World's Oldest Letters Thu, 27 Nov 2025 - 0h
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577 - Emperor Tiberius: Monster or Misunderstood? Sun, 23 Nov 2025 - 0h
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576 - Zoroastrianism Thu, 20 Nov 2025
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575 - Decline & Fall of the Ancient World Sun, 16 Nov 2025 - 0h
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574 - Roman Toilets Thu, 13 Nov 2025
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573 - The Ancients Recommends: History Daily Tue, 11 Nov 2025 - 0h
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572 - Antony and Cleopatra Sun, 09 Nov 2025 - 0h
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571 - Proto-Vikings: The Nordic Bronze Age Thu, 06 Nov 2025 - 0h
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570 - Fall of Babylon Sun, 02 Nov 2025 - 0h
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569 - Origins of Yoga Thu, 30 Oct 2025 - 0h
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568 - Boudica's Tribe: How the Iceni Survived the Romans Sun, 26 Oct 2025