logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2025
53m 27s

Antony and Cleopatra

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Apr 2
Britain's First Dog
Fifteen thousand years ago, as the Ice Age loosened its grip on Northern Europe, humans returned to the previously inhospitable British Isles. But they did not come alone. Among their number was a companion once thought to be an impossibility: Britain's earliest known dog.In this ... Show More
49m 53s
Mar 29
The Roman Centurion
What did it take to become a Roman centurion? To command, to punish and to lead from the very front of Rome’s armies?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Ben Kane to uncover the reality behind one of the most iconic ranks of the ancient world. From the ... Show More
1 h
Mar 26
The Delian League: Ancient NATO?
What happens when a defensive alliance slowly turns into an empire? Tristan Hughes and Professor Polly Low explore the Delian League, the so‑called “ancient NATO”, from its Persian War origins to Athenian domination. Discover tribute, revolt, contested sources and how a league of ... Show More
1h 5m
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
History's Worst F*ckboys: Emperor Caligula
<p>Have you ever heard of the Emperor who made his horse a senator? Seems like a top bloke, right? Today on Betwixt the Sheets we’re going to meet (possibly) the most debauched Roman Emperor.</p><br><p>From stealing brides from their wedding days to an unhealthy obsession with hi ... Show More
46m 2s
Sep 2024
Love, Betrayal, and the Battle for Rome (Replay)
HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. September 2, 31 BCE. Two camps prepare for battle off the coast of Greece. On one side is Octavian, Julius Caesar’s heir apparent. On the other, ... Show More
40m 48s
Jul 2025
Isabel and Ferdinand: Renaissance Power Couple
From the establishment of a formidable double monarchy to the complex dynamics of the Spanish Inquisition, Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon were quite the Renaissance team.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Giles Tremlett to discuss the complex dynamics of this uni ... Show More
48m 25s
Nov 2025
Cleopatra (Part 1)
Cleopatra took over a kingdom, expanded it, captured the heart of the world's most powerful man, and lived one of the most iconic and controversial lives of all time. On this episode, we explore how she did it. 00:00 Caesar's Egyptian Dilemma 02:40 Introduction to Cleopatra 04:30 ... Show More
57m 52s
Sep 2025
After 1066: The Harrying of the North
Dr. Eleanor Janega unravels the blood-soaked aftermath of the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest of England. Joined by Professor Levi Roach, Eleanor delves into the harrowing campaign, known as the Harrying of the North, where William the Conqueror brutally suppressed the ... Show More
51m 47s
Oct 2025
Julius Caesar, with Mary Beard
What is the main difference between Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great? When did Julius Caesar become one of the major players of the Roman Republic? What was the true nature of Caesar’s relationship with Cleopatra? How did he manage to defeat his enemies to become Dictator of ... Show More
11m 18s
Feb 2025
Rome's most scandalous emperors
How cruel was Caligula? How depraved was Tiberius? And how monstrous was Nero? The dark reputations of these emperors owe a great deal to the Roman writer Suetonius, whose 121 AD work Lives of the Caesars offered intimate portraits of 12 rulers of Rome – from Julius Caesar to Dom ... Show More
29m 39s
Sep 2025
History's Worst F*ckboys: Charles II
Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to get to know the so-called Merry Monarch and the many women in his life.Was it better to be married or be a mistress to Charles II? How ma ... Show More
44m 49s
Jan 2025
535. Emperors of Rome: Tiberius, Slaughter and Scandal (Part 2)
The Roman historian Suetonius’ biography of the controversial Emperor Tiberius is one of his most shocking and salacious, condemning Tiberius to infamy. But was Tiberius really the perverted monster Suetonius would have us believe? Born of Rome’s most illustrious family and a sac ... Show More
58m 52s
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