logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
51m 47s

Hadrian's Wall

History Hit
About this episode

It's the most famous Roman frontier in the world. A massive c.13-foot high wall that spanned the length of northern Britain, dividing the empire between Roman and 'barbarian' land. But how was it built? Who lived along it? And why was it named after Emperor Hadrian?


In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Frances McIntosh to tell the story of this iconic monument of Roman Britain and explore the forts, milecastles and turrets that made it far more than just a wall. Along the way they'll discover how Hadrian's Wall fit into the wider Roman frontier and how it has helped countless authors when creating fictional worlds (yes George R.R. Martin we're looking at you...).


This episode was produced and edited by Joseph Knight. Senior Producer was Anne-Marie Luff.


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.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Emperor Tiberius: Monster or Misunderstood?
<p>*WARNING: This podcast contains adult themes and discussion of paedophilia*</p><br><p>A brilliant general. A brooding autocrat. A recluse surrounded by scandal. Few Roman emperors divide opinion like Tiberius. But was he truly a monster, or the victim of centuries of salacious ... Show More
53m 10s
Nov 20
Zoroastrianism
<p>A faith born in the distant prehistoric past, rooted in ancient Iranian texts over 4,000 years old, Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest living religions. and one that shaped empires.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes is joined by Profes ... Show More
1 h
Nov 16
Decline & Fall of the Ancient World
<p>Tristan Hughes invites Matt Lewis, host <em>The Ancients's </em>sister podcast <em>Gone Medieval</em>, for a lively debate with about the blurred boundary between the ancient and medieval worlds. Can Tristan champion Roman Emperor Justinian as an Ancient? What about Charlemagn ... Show More
46m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
The Fall of Roman Britain
<p>By 410 AD, over 450 years after Julius Caesar first landed on its shores, the Romans had formally withdrawn from Britain. Burdened by military threats and political upheaval on the continent, the empire began to contract in on itself. The Romano-Britons were left to fend for t ... Show More
36m 10s
Aug 2024
Boudica, Britain's Warrior Queen
<p>In 61 CE, Boudica of the Iceni led a bloody revolt to end Roman rule in Britain. Roman historians tell us with great drama and flair that the grand finale is a huge battle between Boudica and the Roman governor, Suetonius. Tens of thousands of Celtic warriors went head-to-head ... Show More
38m 50s
Mar 2025
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the architectural wonders of the world. Stretching for over 21,000km - as far as London to New York and back, twice - it follows what used to be the border between China and Mongolia. Built over a period of 2,000 years by millions of conscripted ... Show More
53m 5s
Aug 2024
Constantinople
From humble beginnings as a modest Greek colony, through its later grandeur as part of the Roman and Ottoman Empire, the city of Constantinople has witnessed centuries of transformation. A melting pot of cultures and religions, it was the bridge between the East and West, where i ... Show More
56m 55s
Oct 2
A coin, a castle and a conquest: the Normans in the north of England
In 2021, 950 years after English Heritage’s Richmond Castle was founded in Yorkshire, an amateur archaeologist joined her first dig and turned up a stunning find. A silver coin dating to the decades following the Norman Conquest, bearing the face of William the Conqueror, fired u ... Show More
33m 53s
Apr 2025
Caesar Augustus | From Clay to Marble (Republish)
<p>During the next few weeks, the 15-History Podcast team is taking a break and bringing you some of their favorite previous episodes. This episode originally aired on November 1, 2021.</p><p>_______</p><p>The old man lay in his bed surrounded by courtiers and family members. He ... Show More
16m 11s
Feb 2025
The Roman Republic
March 15th, 44BC. Despite ill omens, Julius Caesar approaches the Theatre of Pompey. But the men inside have sworn an oath. To save the Republic from the hands of this self-styled ‘perpetual dictator', Caesar must die. But where did the Republic start? How did it transform Rome f ... Show More
58m 33s
Apr 2025
The Etruscans: everything you wanted to know
Lasting from the ninth century BC right up until Roman conquest in the first century BC, the Etruscans were a powerful ancient civilisation who inhabited Etruria in ancient Italy, and rubbed shoulders with the other iconic ancient cultures of their day. Often painted as a mysteri ... Show More
52m 48s
Sep 17
291. Ancient Gaza: The Philistines (Part 1)
Gaza is one of the oldest urban centres on Earth, and in this series we are exploring its long history. It was first referred to by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC when it was known as Ghazzati. In this episode we ask: Who were the Philistines? Why did Egyptian pharao ... Show More
48m 56s
Apr 2025
Attila the Hun, Part 2 of 2
We track Attila’s progress as he rampages through Gaul. A family bust-up sparks an extraordinary alliance, as Attila gets engaged to the Roman Emperor’s sister. With the Huns storming deep into Western Europe, their king is on a collision course with his old friend Aetius. Will t ... Show More
49m 56s