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 the Romans’ fragile coalition hold? Or will the prophecy of the Sword of Mars be ... Show More
May 2025
565. The Great Northern War: Revenge of the Cossacks (Part 2)
After establishing the city of St Petersburg, what was Peter the Great’s next step in his titanic struggle against Charles XII of Sweden, for mastery of northern and eastern Europe? What drastic, brutal action did he take against Poland, to slow the Swedish advance into his terri ... Show More
1h 7m
Jun 2025
571. Hannibal: Roman Bloodbath at Cannae (Part 4)
How did the Battle of Cannae - one of the most important battles of all time for Ancient Rome, with a whole Empire at stake, and a reputation that had reverberated across the centuries - in 216 BC, unfold? What brilliant tactics did Hannibal adopt in order to overcome the Roman k ... Show More
58m 26s
May 2025
564. The Great Northern War: The Battle of the Baltic (Part 1)
How did the Great Northern War, which saw Sweden pitted against Peter the Great’s Russia and her allies, and would transform Europe forever, begin? Who was Charles XII, Sweden’s King, and a worthy antagonist for the formidable Peter? What terrible miscalculation saw Russia’s Dani ... Show More
1h 7m
May 2025
568. Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy (Part 1)
Who was Hannibal, the flawed but brilliant Carthaginian general? What makes Rome vs Carthage in the third century BC one of the most totemic ancient rivalries of all time? How did Hamilcar, father of Hannibal, restore the fortunes of Carthage following their devastating defeat to ... Show More
55m 36s
May 2025
566. The Great Northern War: Slaughter on the Steppes (Part 3)
Why was the greatest and most climactic battle of the Great Northern War, the Battle of Poltova, one of the most important in all European history? What drove Charles XII of Sweden to invade Russia in the Summer of 1707, in the lead up to that totemic clash? Exactly what happened ... Show More
1h 1m
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