The Amazons

The Amazons

Author: History Hit June 15, 2025 Duration: 1:10:11

What makes the Amazons one of the most captivating myths in ancient Greek culture?


Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Braund, Emeritus Professor at the University of Exeter, to explore and celebrate the legends of the Amazons in ancient Greek culture. From their portrayal through iconic myths involving Heracles, Achilles, and Theseus to modern misconceptions, Tristan and David reveal the Amazons' roles in epic tales like the Trojan War and their artistic representations on ancient Greek vases and temple reliefs.


These formidable warrior women were not only central figures in mythology but also revered city founders, astronomers and festival creators, far more than their popular depiction as alluring and dangerous figures.


MORE

Achilles

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6uNHjwkzMHT5Ql2NHixZvl?si=7098cc9c847141e4

The Thracians

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6uvIfj2fkYhoJZsn4y1SDX?si=1yLefV8PSSO2ZzZzY5T9yA

Ares: God of War

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mER4RZ11k56eqV1uoVvNs


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


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Hosted by Tristan Hughes, The Ancients digs into the distant past, one specific theme at a time. This isn't a sweeping lecture but a series of focused conversations. Each episode brings you directly into dialogue with leading historians and archaeologists, who share the latest research and perspectives on the ancient world. The scope is vast, moving from the mysteries of Neolithic Britain all the way through to the complex events surrounding the Fall of Rome. You might find yourself immersed in the details of a single archaeological discovery one week and exploring the broader political currents of an empire the next. Produced by History Hit, this podcast benefits from the same depth and quality that defines their other award-winning series. With new episodes arriving every Sunday and Thursday, there's always a fresh journey into antiquity waiting. For anyone with a curiosity about where we came from, this podcast serves as a reliable and engaging guide, making the remote past feel immediate and vividly real.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Ancients
Podcast Episodes
The Ice Age [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:24
Think of the Ice Age and tales of ferocious sabre-toothed tigers and giant megafauna likely spring to mind - but what do we know about prehistoric human culture 25,000 years ago and how people survived a perilous landsca…
The Minoan Labyrinth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:05
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey immerses players in the mythology of Ancient Greece. In particular, they can walk in the footsteps of Theseus through the Labyrinth and come face to face with the mythical Minotaur. Commonly asso…
Emperor Diocletian and the Great Persecution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:51
How did a humble Balkan soldier ascend to the heights of Roman power?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. David Gwynn to explore the tumultuous reign of Emperor Diocletian and the significant reforms that pulled the Roman Emp…
Paestum: Ancient Greeks in Italy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:17
The story of ancient Italy is so much more than just Rome. In this special episode, we're shining a light on the extraordinary site of Paestum in southern Italy, home to some of the greatest ancient Greek temples from an…
Stegosaurus: Titan of the Jurassic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:37
Few dinosaurs are as instantly recognisable as the plated titan Stegosaurus - it's the Jurassic giant with a brain the size of a walnut and a tail that could kill.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined…
Rise of King Herod [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:13
He’s the villain of the Nativity. An alleged killer of innocents, remembered as one of history’s great monsters. But the truth about Herod the Great is far more dramatic, far more complex, and far more shocking.On today'…
The Ten Commandments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:45
Did Moses really receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, or is that just ancient legend? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Dylan Johnson to unpack how the Book of Exodus disagrees with Deuteronomy, what “do not take G…
Origins of Chocolate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:45
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Cameron McNeil, Mesoamerican archaeologist, to explore cacao, in ancient Mesoamerican societies like the Maya, Aztecs, and Olmecs. They discuss how was used as food, drink, currency, and i…
The Khmer Empire: Angkor Wat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:12
How did Indian culture shape the wonders of Southeast Asia?Tristan Hughes is joined by William Dalrymple to explore the fascinating first millennium AD, from vibrant trade dynamics with the Roman Empire to the establishm…
The World's Oldest Letters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:10
What do the world’s first letters reveal about life in the Bronze Age?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Amanda Podany to uncover the remarkable written culture of ancient Mesopotamia, when clay tablets carried messages acro…