logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
38m 50s

Cyrus the Great

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty
“Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” Ramesses II reigned as Egypt's unchallenged champion for more than sixty years. But within decades the dynasty of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh had fallen apart. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to chart how the reign of Ramesse ... Show More
56m 33s
Feb 26
Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia
As friendships fracture and old alliances break, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy chronicle the epic downfall of Alexander the Great. Alexander’s relentless campaigns from Bactria to Babylon push his empire, army and inner circle to breaking point, hear the battles, betra ... Show More
1h 16m
Feb 22
The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?
The name of Ramesses the Great is etched deeper into Egypt than almost any other ruler. Colossal statues moulded in his image tower over the Nile. Reliefs of his victories are carved into countless temple walls. But were did Ramesses II come from? And how was this legend of Egypt ... Show More
58m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2023
Genghis Khan
<p>Genghis Khan roughly translates to 'Universal Ruler', a fitting name for the most famous nomadic conqueror to have ever lived. He was born as Temüjin, outcast by his tribe as a young child and left to fend for his family in the wild. But the determined young man would go on to ... Show More
34m 48s
Jun 2023
The British Empire
<p>The British Empire was one of the most influential and far-reaching empires in history. Dan and his guest journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera remember school lessons on the small island that rose to global dominance. From the 16th century to the 20th century, the British Em ... Show More
25m 2s
Sep 2023
The Legacy of Rome
<p>Rome has attracted aspiring conquerors and leaders for millennia, not just as a great metropolis, but as an idea. It has long been a symbol of military might and universal power, defined by political and religious authority as well as great feats of engineering that would leav ... Show More
23m 24s
Sep 2023
Roman Emperors with Mary Beard
<p>What did it take to become a Roman emperor? Pliny the Elder wrote that a ruler should be generous, victorious in battle and a father to his people. But how many emperors were able to live up to these expectations? And were these really traits that the typical Roman cared about ... Show More
33m 38s
Sep 2023
Rise of the Tudors
<p>Join Dan as he rollicks through the tumultuous life and rise to power of Henry Tudor, the man who would ultimately become King Henry VII of England. Step back to the late 15th century, a period marked by conflict, political manoeuvring and alliances as a young Henry Tudor, hav ... Show More
50m 39s
Sep 2023
The Origins of the Popes
<p>The popes of Rome emerged from the humblest of beginnings. The first was a fisherman, charged with spreading the word of God under the watchful eye of a pagan Roman Empire. But just a few centuries later, the papacy had flourished into one of the wealthiest, most powerful inst ... Show More
40m 23s
Dec 2023
A Guide to Ancient Egypt
<p>Egypt was a vast kingdom of the ancient world. Its rulers were considered gods and wielded tremendous power and wealth. Egyptian scholars, astrologists and thinkers pioneered in their fields. Lasting for millennia, the kingdom's influence on culture, economics and politics was ... Show More
41m 32s
Jun 2024
The First Persian Empire
For a little over 200 years, the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across three continents, making it arguably the world’s first great superpower. At its peak, it stretched from its base in Persia - roughly analogous to modern-day Iran, all the way to India in the Ea ... Show More
57m 35s
Aug 2023
The Rise of the Persian Empire: Professor Matt Waters on Ancient Empires and Cyrus the Great
<p>The Persian Empire followed in the footsteps of the Assyrians and Babylonians, but it was a much different entity than its predecessors, and its founder - Cyrus the Great - deserves to be mentioned among history's most accomplished conquerors. Professor Matt Waters joins me to ... Show More
52m 48s
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