logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
53m 53s

Nineveh

History Hit
About this episode

Nineveh was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia. Situated on the eastern bank of the River Tigris, it rivalled cities like Babylon and Persepolis as the capital of the great Assyrian Empire and the seat of power for towering figures like Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal. But what were its origins, how did it become such a great city and how did it fall? 


In today’s episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Paul Collins to tell the story of Nineveh’s history from start to end. Beginning with its Stone Age origins, they discuss its conquest by the Akkadians, its golden age as Mesopotamia’s foremost city, and its obliteration at the hands of the Medes and Babylonians. 


This episode was produced by Joseph Knight and edited by Aidan Lonergan 


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code ANCIENTS - sign up here.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Up next
Jul 10
Doggerland: The North Sea Atlantis?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Rachel Bynoe who has literally dived into the enigmatic world of Doggerland, a prehistoric landmass now submerged beneath the North Sea.They discuss how archaeological research is conducted underwater, the challenges and discoveries associated with ... Show More
47m 36s
Jul 6
Hannibal's March on Rome
It was perhaps Hannibal’s greatest gamble — after years of victories, not least his famed trek across the snow-capped Alps, could he strike at Rome itself?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Louis Rawlings to explore the dramatic years after Hannibal’ ... Show More
55m 55s
Jul 3
Plato's Republic
Today we journey into the creation of Plato's Republic. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. James Romm to discover how Plato's encounters with the tyrant-ruled city of Syracuse and its rulers, Dionysius the Elder and Dionysius the Younger, deeply influenced his philosophical masterpi ... Show More
55m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
Babylon
The urban cultures of ancient Mesopotamia formed the foundation for so much of our modern world. Nowhere exemplifies this better than the city of Babylon, which was the cultural seedbed for the Greek and Roman civilisations that in turn left such lasting legacies. On this episode ... Show More
34m 12s
Feb 2024
The City of Alexandria
This is the story of a city that laid the foundations for our modern world. Sitting at the intersection of East and West, Alexandria has been home to many of humanity's greatest architectural and cultural achievements, like the famous Lighthouse and the storied Great Library. Som ... Show More
31m 10s
Feb 2024
The Origins of Ancient Egypt
All this week Dan is delving into the history, mystery and legacy of Ancient Egypt. Discover how this mighty empire grew from nomadic settlers to the Nile and how its magnificent wonders were built. Dan explores the life of the most powerful Pharaoh Rameses II, of the ideological ... Show More
29m 42s
Nov 2023
The Rise of Constantinople with Bettany Hughes
The city of Constantinople, founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 324 AD, was a glittering jewel in the eastern Mediterranean for more than a thousand years. Its dazzling cathedrals, ambitious emperors and mixing pot culture were the stuff of legend throughout Christendom. ... Show More
39m 35s
Sep 2023
Origins of the Māori
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 Zealand.  ... Show More
42m 42s
Nov 2022
Mongol Empire
The Crusades are well-known but only part of the complex history of the medieval Near East. During the same era, the region was completely remade by the Mongol invasions.  In a single generation, the Mongols upended the region’s geopolitics.   In this edition of Gone Medieval, Ma ... Show More
34m 57s
Jan 2023
The Mongol Empire
The Crusades are well-known but only part of the complex history of the medieval Near East. During the same era, the region was completely remade by the Mongol invasions.  In a single generation, the Mongols upended the region’s geopolitics.  In this edition of Gone Medieval, Mat ... Show More
34m 40s
Sep 2023
The Legacy of Rome
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 leave i ... Show More
23m 24s
Dec 2023
A Guide to Ancient Egypt
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 fe ... 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
1 h