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General ancient history

Ancient history podcast episodes

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General History

What are the best history podcasts? These picks are the perfect way step into the past

Ancient Roman mosaic depicting three theatrical masks with open mouths and stylized hair.

The ancient Romans knew the power of entertainment as propaganda – here's the proof

Classical Greco-Roman-style statue lifting a modern dumbbell against a coloruful sky background.

Is this the best routine to boost your health? Yes, according to an ancient Roman intellectual

This statue depicts Hatshepsut carved with the masculine features traditionally associated with Egyptian kingship. By adopting male dress and iconography, Hatshepsut reinforced her legitimacy as pharaoh.

Long before Cleopatra, another female pharaoh redefined ancient Egyptian power

Ancient Greek sculpture showing a seated healer examining a youth, with another figure holding a staff wrapped by a snake.

General ancient history

The ancient Greeks had six essential tips for health. How many do you do?

This bust represents Hannibal, the famed general who led Carthaginian forces against Rome during the Second Punic War. As a descendant of Phoenician settlers, Hannibal embodied the military might and maritime legacy of Carthage.

General ancient history

The overshadowed ancient empire that rivalled Rome with maritime might and an iron fist

A large marble statue of a woman, with many bulbous growths all over her front

General ancient history

This ancient goddess commanded a Wonder of the World – but why did she have thirty breasts?

A battle between the ancient Greeks and the Amazons, detailed on pottery. (Photo by Getty Images)

Meet the people the ancient Romans and Greeks desperately tried to hide

A composite image of an ancient Egyptian cat statue against a red hieroglyphic backdrop.

Did the ancient Egyptians really love cats? The dark truth might break your heart

Ancient Egyptian wall painting showing a seated scribe writing on a papyrus scroll,.

General ancient history

3,100 years ago, ancient Egyptian workers defeated a God-King – without using any weapons

A statue of Roman emperor Domitian with the sun rising behind him.

Meet the “grossly underappreciated” Roman emperor who became the enemy of the ancient world

This engraving depicts the battle of Zama in 202 BC, the decisive clash of the Second Punic War. Led by Scipio Africanus, Roman forces defeated Hannibal’s Carthaginian army, ending Carthage’s challenge to Roman power and marking Rome’s emergence as the dominant force in the western Mediterranean.

General ancient history

Long before the ancient Roman empire, a rival superpower looked set for supremacy

This 4th-century AD mosaic from Terranova near Tuscolo depicts gladiators locked in combat, capturing the drama and choreography of the arena in late Roman Italy. Even as public spectacles waned in some parts of the empire, scenes like this show how gladiatorial fighting remained a potent form of popular entertainment.

Female gladiators shocked the ancient Roman world — but not for the reason you think

A photo of a group of pyramids against a clear blue sky.

General ancient history

Wanderlust: Bettany Hughes on the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

A statue of an ancient Mesopotamian demon stands before a backdrop of cuneiform text, evoking the richly layered world of ancient Near Eastern religion.

General ancient history

Long before Dracula, an ancient Mesopotamian civilisation raised the world's oldest vampires

This 19th-century illustration, based on ancient Greek vase imagery, depicts two mounted Amazons chasing after two fleeing youths. Scenes like this reflect classical fascination with the myth of warrior women.

Were the Amazons just a “male fantasy”? Here’s the truth behind the ancient world’s warrior women

Paint your own pot, like an ancient Etruscan. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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A cartoon depicting an ancient Assyrian king sitting upright in bed. His eyes are wide open and he has an anxious expression on his face. An open window to the right of the scene shows the moon and stars

Give away your worries, like an ancient Mesopotamian. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A Roman statue against a red background

From secret cults to Christianity, how did ancient Roman religion change so dramatically?

Engraving of a man standing behind a large dog

General ancient history

The ancient Mesopotamian civilisation’s weirdest job? Meet the veterinary exorcist

This striking wall painting, known as The Blue Ladies, comes from the Minoan palace at Knossos on Crete. Dating to around 1600 BC, the fresco reflects the sophistication of Minoan art and offers rare insight into fashion and ceremonial life in the Bronze Age Aegean.

Three thousand years ago, the ancient Greeks turned an even older civilisation into a monster

Banner with 'Ancient Egypt: The Big Questions'

Ancient Egypt: The Big QuestionsFrom the secrets of the pyramids to the mysteries of mummification. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Books of the Year 2025

BBC History Magazine's 2025 Books of the Year37 best books for history lovers

A representation of the ancient Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu, in front of a carving. (Photo by Getty/Alamy)

General ancient history

Behold his nightmarish nether regions: this ancient Mesopotamian demon was secretly a divine hero

Busts of Julius Caesar (right) and Octavia, who became the first Roman emperor.

He was ancient Rome’s mightiest figure – and rumours said he had a secret affair with Julius Caesar

This 1st-century BC mosaic from the House of the Faun in Pompeii depicts a tragic dramatic mask, a powerful symbol of Roman theatrical culture. Masks like this were central to performances, allowing actors to embody gods, heroes, and emotions on stage.

Ancient Roman theatre was a powerful weapon of empire, so why were actors' lives so tragic?

Statue of Mesopotamian king Ashurbanipal

General ancient history

He tried to conquer knowledge itself – instead this ancient Mesopotamian king resorted to rule with terror

Ancient Egypt podcast episodes