The Ancients·Voices From The Deep Past

History Hit's deep dive into the ancient world — Information only, not professional advice.

Podcast Topics

Ancient stone columns standing against a blue sky — Jonas Von Werne / Unsplash

Ancient worlds

Civilisations worth knowing

The Ancients, produced by History Hit, brings leading historians and archaeologists into conversation about the empires, cities, and individuals who shaped the world long before the modern era. Each episode is built around primary evidence — inscriptions, artefacts, texts — rather than legend alone.

About the podcast

Hosted by Tristan Hughes, The Ancients covers a vast sweep of time and geography — from Mesopotamia and Egypt to Greece, Rome, Persia, and beyond. Guests include professional historians, archaeologists, and authors who bring the latest scholarship to a general audience without simplifying the complexity that makes history worth studying.

Why it matters

Understanding ancient societies helps us trace the roots of language, law, religion, trade, and warfare. The podcast makes clear that people thousands of years ago grappled with problems — migration, inequality, environmental collapse, political power — that are still with us. Hearing those stories told honestly is a form of solidarity across time.

Where to listen

The Ancients is available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the History Hit website. New episodes are released regularly. Information on this page is provided for reference only — visit the official History Hit platform for the most current episodes and supporting material.

What Do We Know About Alexander The Great?

Watch on YouTube — The Ancients

Host Tristan Hughes answers Google's most-searched questions about Alexander the Great — a warrior-king who conquered much of the known world before the age of thirty. This episode covers Alexander's early life in Macedonia, his relationship with Aristotle, the decisive battles that toppled the Persian Empire, and the extraordinary death in Babylon that cut his ambitions short. Drawing on the latest scholarship, Hughes separates the legend from the evidence in a way that is accessible to newcomers without short-changing those already familiar with the ancient world.