logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
41m 55s

The First Spears

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
May 31
Spartacus
In 73 BC, a gladiator escaped slavery and launched a rebellion that shook the Roman Republic to its core. His name was Spartacus, and his uprising became one of the greatest threats Rome had ever faced from within.Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to explore the dramatic story ... Show More
1h 16m
May 28
The Fall of Hadrian's Wall
When the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century AD, Hadrian’s Wall did not simply collapse into ruin. Its forts and ramparts endured, becoming strongholds for the communities who continued to live along this ancient frontier.Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Rob Collins ... Show More
1h 15m
May 24
Iron Age Britain
What if Iron Age Britain was never a land of barbarians at all, but a world of skilled farmers, powerful women, trade, ritual, and spectacle? Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Tom Moore to reveal a far richer pre-Roman Britain, from roundhouses and hillforts to chariots, feas ... Show More
59m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
Origins of the Māori
<p>Around the time of the start of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, and the Black Death was devastating tens of millions of people in Europe and Asia, waves of migration from Polynesia laid the foundations of the Māori society in Aotearoa - modern-day New Zealan ... Show More
42m 42s
Jun 2022
HS2: Digging up the 'Dark Ages'
<p>An extraordinary discovery has been unearthed by archaeologists working alongside the HS2 rail project. The find, made at an undisclosed location near Wendover in the Chilterns, consists of a 5th-6th century burial site that has been described as one of the most important post ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2023
Lube: A Slippery History
<p>From the seaweed-strewn shores of Ancient China to the American army camps in the Middle East, lube has been on a long and slippery journey.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Wherever it’s been derived from, the history and importance of this substance is as fascinating as its ingredients.&nbsp ... Show More
42m 50s
Jul 2023
Beowulf
<p>Composed towards the end of the first millennium, <em>Beowulf</em>&nbsp;is the classic Anglo-Saxon epic poem that transcends its time to shed light on psychological and spiritual truths that still ring true today.</p><br><p>Seamus Heaney’s deeply felt interpretation - widely a ... Show More
40m 39s
Sep 2023
The Bones of Anglo Saxon England
<p>It's the 13th of December, 1642, and Parliamentarian soldiers have just stormed the city of Winchester. They burst into the city's grand cathedral on horseback, and begin tearing it apart. The soldiers smash windows, burn tables and tapestries and steal anything of value. Stas ... Show More
27m 14s
Aug 2024
Lawrence of Arabia
<p>The famed British officer who fought alongside Arab guerrilla forces in WW1. Best known for his legendary exploits as an intelligence officer in the Middle East, Thomas Edward Lawrence was also an archaeologist, scholar and photographer. His life was one of adventure and espio ... Show More
59m 29s
Aug 2023
History of Sex For Sale
<p>Many people claim sex work to be the oldest profession, but we can likely put that down to being midwifery or medical professionals of some sort.</p><br><p>However, since money has changed hands, it has also done so for sex.</p><br><p>In today's episode of Betwixt the Sheets w ... Show More
34m 30s
Apr 2023
Sutton Hoo
<p>Centuries ago, an Anglo-Saxon noble was buried within a 90-foot ship in a mound at Sutton Hoo. It serves as the richest burial ever found in northern Europe to date. Discovered in 1939, not much survived of the original ship. However, an imprint of the ship remains on the eart ... Show More
32m 20s
Nov 2023
Life on the Medieval Coast
<p>The popular BBC television series <em>Villages by the Sea</em> explores coastal life through the centuries. Its presenter Ben Robinson is an archaeologist with the fantastic job of exploring lost villages and uncovering their secrets, including those that give an insight into ... Show More
41m 8s
Nov 2023
Mary, Queen of Scots
<p>This is the story of the incredible rise and fall of Mary, Queen of Scots. She was queen of Scotland, she was queen of France, and she could have been queen of England. She led armies, lived as a fugitive, became embroiled in love affairs and spent nearly two decades in jail.< ... Show More
41m 55s