Irish Myths: Uncovering Lost Prehistoric Legends | The Ancients
The Ancients Video Podcasts
•
1h 8m
Was the Eye of Sauron based on ancient Irish mythology? What can we know about these prehistoric legends and their effect on our stories today?
Tristan Hughes and ancient history expert Anthony Murphy dive deep into the written tales to uncover how the seemingly "pagan" stories, written down by Christian medieval monks, contain surprisingly accurate memories of Stone Age monuments and customs, including the astronomical alignment of Newgrange, the River Boyne, and the legendary Salmon of Knowledge. Irish mythology's prehistoric origins are revealed, from the Tuatha Dé Danann gods to the epic heroes and warriors.
Explore the cycles of Irish myth, the fascinating tale of the Tuatha Dé Danann's arrival and their battle with the pirate-giants the Fomorians and their leader Balor of the Baleful Eye. Discover how modern archaeology and DNA science are proving powerful correspondences between the mythological tales and the archaeological record, suggesting a deep-time folk memory hidden in these stories of gods, kings, and heroes like Finn McCool (Fionn mac Cumhaill), and how these myths are inextricably linked to the most important prehistoric landscapes of Ireland, such as the Hill of Tara and the shee-mounds.
Up Next in The Ancients Video Podcasts
-
Becoming Nero: The Rise Of Rome's Evi...
Tristan Hughes and Conn Iggulden talk all about Emperor Nero's traumatic rise to power in the Julio-Claudian dynasty, featuring Agrippina the Younger, Caligula, and Claudius in this episode of the Ancients.
In this in-depth ancient history podcast, host Tristan Hughes welcomes acclaimed historic...
-
What Finally Destroyed 'The Roman Emp...
Exploring the origins of the fall of Rome, ancient history expert Dr David Gwynn uncovers the 4th-century transformation of the Roman Empire under emperors like Diocletian and Constantine. This episode delves into a period often overlooked, examining how the empire consolidated after the tumultuo...
-
What (or Who) Caused The Fall Of Baby...
Ancient Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, and the Persian Empire clash in this deep dive into the 539 BC conquest. Tristan Hughes and Reverend Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones discuss the unexpected fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the rise of Cyrus the Great's Achaemenid Persia.
They explore the pi...
