logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
46m 36s

Ptolemy I: The First Greek Pharaoh

History Hit
About this episode

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death his former generals carved out their own kingdoms in the chaos that was the Wars of the Successors. Arguably the most successful of those successors Ptolemy is today's subject, the general who came from Alexander’s deathbed in Babylon to claim one of the richest jewels of Alexander’s empire.


Tristan Hughes invites Dr Toby Wilkinson to discuss the man who took Egypt as his prize and laid the foundations for the last ancient dynasty of Egypt.


Presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer is Joseph Knight, audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.


The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscription


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Up next
Aug 21
Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria
Known as the 'King of the World' and the last great king of Assyria, Ashurbanipal bestrode the ancient Mesopotamian world as a warrior but also a scholar, ruling the great Assyrian empire at the height of its power.In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by Assyriologist Dr Sel ... Show More
52m 11s
Aug 17
The White Huns
The Huns weren’t just Attila’s warriors in Europe — in Central Asia, the White Huns built the most powerful Hunnic empire, ruling for a century and dominating the ancient Silk Roads.While the European Huns fought Rome, the White Huns commanded trade routes, overthrew kingdoms, an ... Show More
53m 32s
Aug 14
Roman Aqueducts
How did Roman aqueducts help build an empire? They’re some of the most iconic structures from the ancient world — feats of engineering that transformed cities. But how exactly did Roman aqueducts work, and why were they so revolutionary?Join Tristan Hughes and Dr Duncan Keenan-Jo ... Show More
1h 4m
Recommended Episodes
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
59m 55s
Jul 2024
Operations of the Overlord (First Intermediate Period 02)
The rise of Ankhtyfy. In southern Egypt, a "Great Overlord" named Ankh-tyfy began to expand his power. From his home base at Nekhen (Hierakonpolis), he annexed neighbouring territories like Edfu. He did this with some elaborate justifications, and perhaps inspired by the example ... Show More
39m 56s
Aug 2024
Ancient Egypt | 1. civilisation
You’re probably familiar with the idea of godly pharaohs, menacing mummies and their deadly curses. But how much do you actually know about the fundamental facts of ancient Egyptian civilisation? In this first episode of our new series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Brif ... Show More
53m 3s
Jun 3
Bonus Feed-Swap with The History of Egypt Podcast
Hi everyone! My friend Dominic at THoE and I are doing a feed-swap this week. It's a great chance to introduce you to his new set of episodes on the pharaoh Ramesses II. More details from Dominic below. Enjoy! - Scott C. In a land famous for its monarchs – the legendary pharaohs ... Show More
46m 58s
Jun 3
Feed Swap: The Ancient World - Ages
Fellow podcaster Scott Chesworth, from The Ancient World has a new season. I’m excited to introduce “The Ancient World – Ages”, a series covering the Early Bronze Age Collapse (c. 2200 BC) and the remaking of Southwest Eurasia. In this feed swap, you’ll hear episode A3 – The King ... Show More
52m 35s
Jun 10
The Ultimate Mesopotamian Mystery
For thousands of years, ancient cuneiform - the script of the ancient Mesopotamians was lost to time, until being dramatically rediscovered in the 19th century by an adventurous group of unlikely Victorians. A dashing archaeologist, an officer turned diplomat and a reclusive cler ... Show More
38m 7s
Jun 2020
Attila the Hun
Known as the Scourge of God, Attila the Hun was one of the greatest Barbarian rulers in history. Renowned for his brutality, sacking and pillaging the lands and cities he conquered, Attila became one of the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. But how did ... Show More
25m 47s
May 11
Episode A2 - The First Royal House
Synopsis: This episode covers the early civilizations of Egypt and the Caucasus region, including the Kura-Araxes and Maikop. “In succession to the Spirits of the Dead and the Demigods, the Egyptians reckon the First Dynasty to consist of eight kings. Among these was Menes (Narme ... Show More
49m 31s
Feb 2025
Tutankhamun
In November 1922, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, a young water boy called Hussein Abdul Rasoul makes a remarkable discovery. A set of stone steps lies concealed beneath the desert sand - a staircase leading to a long-lost tomb. The mummified pharaoh within will capture the imagi ... Show More
51m 23s