logo
episode-header-image
May 15
41m 41s

The Dark Side of Ancient Egypt

History Hit
About this episode

When people talk about Ancient Egypt, they often focus on the amazing pyramids, mummies, and the advanced civilisation.


At After Dark, we love to explore the grim reality of all of this: what was life like for the people who built those pyramids? What happened if you stole from the Valley of the Kings? And how common were dark arts and sorcery?


Today Anthony and Maddy are joined by Egyptologist Campbell Price, to uncover the dark side of Ancient Egypt.


You can now watch After Dark, including this episode, on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit


This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer is Charlotte Long.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  


You can take part in our listener survey here.


All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Up next
Jul 7
How Bloody Was 'Bloody Mary'?
Last week we heard about Mary's formative years. Today we get to her reign, the infamous burnings and ask ourselves if Bloody Mary was as bad as people think.Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners' Cho ... Show More
39m 59s
Jul 3
The Final Days of Anastasia Romanov
In the aftermath of the bloody Russian revolution, the Romanovs went from being a glittering royal family, to vulnerable everyday citizens who were soon murdered.In the wake of their deaths, the that one family member survived, began to gain traction.How do the claims of Princess ... Show More
51m 11s
Jun 30
Bloody Mary: The Real Woman in the Mirror
Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary. Mary I is known as a brutal tyrant. But what was the reality? In the next two episodes Anthony and Maddy will explore Mary's story. Today they explore the traumatic early years that shaped her.Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chic ... Show More
42m 59s
Recommended Episodes
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
Sep 2024
Ancient Egypt | 3. culture
What would an average ancient Egyptian citizen's relationship have been with the pyramids? Why did they wear gooey wax cones on their heads? And what was it like to attend an Egyptian religious ritual? In this third episode of our series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Br ... Show More
50m 48s
Oct 2024
Nefertiti: The Greatest Ancient Egyptian Queen?
Ancient Egyptian rulers, incest, the Nazis and female empowerment, all in one episode! 'But how?' You say. 'What story could possibly bring all of these things together?' This is the story of Queen Nefertiti and her bust. Kate is joined by Joyce Tyldesley and Monica Hanna to find ... Show More
1 h
Aug 2024
Ancient Egypt | 2. everyday life
Ever wondered where an ancient Egyptian did their food shop? Or how crocodile dung could cure your ailments? In this second episode of our series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Egyptologist Campbell Price turn their attention to the day-to-day experiences of ... Show More
47m 2s
Nov 2024
Ancient Egyptian warfare: everything you wanted to know
Ancient Egypt conjures up images of pharaohs, pyramids and hieroglyphics – but what about soldiers, generals and military campaigns? In today's episode, Jon Bauckham talks to Egyptologist Nicky Nielsen about the evolution of ancient Egyptian warfare – from the conquests of Thutmo ... Show More
48m 34s
Sep 2024
Ancient Egypt | 4. religion and death
Nothing is more synonymous with ancient Egypt than mummification. But why was this postmortem practice actually performed? And what other rituals and beliefs surrounded death in the ancient civilisation? In the fourth episode of Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett an ... Show More
46m 26s
Mar 2025
Prehistoric Nigeria: The Nok
In the heart of ancient Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its striking terracotta figurines, remains one of Africa’s most fascinating yet overlooked ancient societies. In this episode of The Ancien ... Show More
54m 14s
Sep 2024
Origins of the Egyptian Gods
The legends of Ra and Hathor, of Osiris and Isis, of Anubis and Set have been passed from mouth to ear in Egypt for millennia. They were painted on temple walls, etched on delicate papyrus and discovered at the heart of the pyramids. But who were the Gods of Egypt? How did their ... Show More
46m 14s
Nov 2020
Ancient Egypt: Tutankhamun and Mummies
Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) love stories about Ancient Egypt so they tell the story of the boy Pharoah, Tutankhamun, including how his body was turned into a mummy.   We explain how Egypt got its wealth from the annual flooding of the Nile. The Old Kingdom turn this wealth i ... Show More
9m 23s
Sep 2024
Episode #210- Who Killed King Tut? (Part I)
King Tutankhamun may be the best known Egyptian Pharaoh. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 created a wave of "Tut-mania" that has made him a fixture of pop-culture ever since. But even though his treasures are among the most visited museum objects in history, the details of his l ... Show More
1h 11m