70 AD. Tens of thousands of Roman troops surround Jerusalem. What follows is one of the most brutal sieges in ancient history—and the dramatic climax of the Great Jewish Revolt.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Guy Maclean Rogers to uncover the full story of this epic uprising against Rome. From its origins in rising tensions and religious strife to the devastating siege and destruction of the Second Temple, discover how this revolt shaped the ancient world and continues to resonate today.

For more on The Great Jewish Revolt listen to our episode on Masada:

Besieging Masada: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FcheOKepMhzYGDjZUcP6a

Myths of Masada: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5YncKSM3r79AD8PwmZNWjk

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.

You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

How did we go from ancient apes to the dominant species on Earth? The story of human evolution is one of survival, adaptation, and extinction - stretching back 7 million years.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Henry Gee to unravel the complex origins of humanity. From the first bipedal hominins to the evolutionary leaps that set Homo sapiens apart, together they explore why humans evolved from long-armed tree dwellers to upright walkers and discuss the the advantages that bipedalism gave our ancestors over other species.

More from Henry Gee:

The Origins of Life on Earth: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Rb4OcjbmsjIHpFemJ7mmO

Feathered Dinosaurs: https://open.spotify.com/episode/05wbG2dMp174D10gP30kIj

More on this topic:

Homo Erectus: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MjgWtiENDpVXc5qv77oTy

Human Evolution: Dragon Man: https://open.spotify.com/episode/128XsUffcThVirTghas7OA

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.

You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius unleashed devastation on the Roman world, burying entire towns beneath volcanic ash. While Pompeii is world-famous, another extraordinary site met the same fate - Herculaneum.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill to explore the incredible remains of this lesser-known Roman town. From lavish seaside villas and multi-story apartments to ancient fast-food stalls and bathhouses, Herculaneum offers an intimate glimpse into daily Roman life. Plus, we uncover the groundbreaking AI technology being used to decipher the carbonised scrolls found in its famed Villa of the Papyri.

For more on this topic listen to our four-part series on Pompeii and Vesuvius:

Pompeii: Life Before the Eruption: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3oIGA40brXolaPU9e3warc

Sex Work in Pompeii:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2k5CQDHXHmIRKCmu4kk9SB

Gladiators of Pompeii:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4c34S92PPQadej45S4F6cZ

Pompeii: The Eruption of Vesuvius: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6IyQp6PYBrMwbFNWU33nqF

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.

You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on