Rebecca Wragg Sykes joined me on the pod to discuss our perception of the Neanderthals, which has undergone a metamorphosis since their discovery 150 years ago. We discuss how this has changed from seeing them as the losers of the human family tree to A-list hominins.

In the 5th century BC the world's first super power, the Persian Empire, went to war against a ragtag collection of cities and statelets on its western frontier. It was the start of the Persian War. Thankfully for us this war was recorded in some detail by the world's first historian. Herodotus. ...

Chris Naunton joined me on the podcast to talk about the work of the many people who contributed to our understanding of ancient Egypt.

Stephen Clews is the Curator at the Roman Baths at Bath. The complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing. The Roman Baths themselves are below the modern street level.

Dan talks to Clara Alfsdotter about the 5th century remains found at a ring fort in Sweden, and what they tell us about the massacre that happened there.

I was thrilled to be joined by Andrew Bayliss, a Senior Lecturer in Greek History at the University of Birmingham. He's an expert on Sparta and Ancient Greece, and he joined me on the pod to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the battle of Themopylae, when 300 Spartans battled the Persian army. We d...

What treasures lie in store in the shifting sands of the Valley of the Kings? Dan talks to Chris Naunton to discover where the tombs of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra might be.

Francesca Stavrakopoulou is Professor of Hebrew Bible & Ancient Religion at Exeter University. Her research is primarily focused on ancient Israelite and Judahite religions, and portrayals of the religious past in the Hebrew Bible. She is interested in biblical traditions and religious practices ...

Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered by Howard Carter almost 100 years ago, and a major new exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery takes a look at some of the treasures taken from his tomb, many of which are on tour for the first time. Dan gets Dr Tarek Al Awady to take him around the exhibition, discuss...

How far did Roman culture and politics penetrate into Britain during the Roman occupation of Britannia? Miles Russell, archaeologist and writer, argues that Britain wasn't as Romanised as has often been believed;in fact only the wealthy elite really emulated fashions from Rome. He highlights arch...

Dan finds out what's going on with recent excavations at Vindolanda, one of the largest Roman forts near Hadrian's Wall. All manner of discoveries have been made, including the largest collection of Roman footwear found anywhere in the world.

Mike Loades talks to Dan about bows of all shapes and sizes. He discusses Mongol fighting tactics, as well as the trope of certain nationalities being prolific with a bow, and whether Edward III really did ban football to force people to practice archery. Producer: Peter Curry. Image Credit: Kim ...

When Donald Trump announced that the USA would recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel the decision hit the headlines. Then again for the last 3000 years Jerusalem has rarely been out of the news. In this episode we hear from historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of 'Jerusalem: the biogra...

I was thrilled to be joined by Natalie Haynes. Natalie is the is the author of 'A Thousand Ships', a retelling of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective. In this podcast we discussed the classical accounts which have contributed to our modern understanding of that legendary war and its ter...

Dan talks to Adrian Maldonaldo about why ancient empires constructed some mighty walls. Particular focus is placed on Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall.