Ancient Civilisations
NOISER
The ancient world was full of wonders.
Engineering marvels like the Great Wall of China and Stonehenge. Remarkable peoples like the Aztecs, the Romans and the Mongols. Infamous leaders such as Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Herod the Great. Inventors, explorers, builders, pioneers and philosophers who shaped the world we live in today.
Welcome to Ancient Civilisations - the podcast that takes you back in time to discover the ancient world, one story at a time.
A Noiser production, narrated by Paul McGann and John Hopkins.
As featured on Short History Of... and Real Dictators.
Noiser+ members get ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions.
No part of this podcast may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems. In accordance with Article 4(3) of the DSM Directive 2019/790, Noiser Ltd expressly reserves this work from the text and data mining exception.
Engineering marvels like the Great Wall of China and Stonehenge. Remarkable peoples like the Aztecs, the Romans and the Mongols. Infamous leaders such as Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Herod the Great. Inventors, explorers, builders, pioneers and philosophers who shaped the world we live in today.
Welcome to Ancient Civilisations - the podcast that takes you back in time to discover the ancient world, one story at a time.
A Noiser production, narrated by Paul McGann and John Hopkins.
As featured on Short History Of... and Real Dictators.
Noiser+ members get ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions.
No part of this podcast may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems. In accordance with Article 4(3) of the DSM Directive 2019/790, Noiser Ltd expressly reserves this work from the text and data mining exception.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 26, 2025 • 56min
The Conquistadors
From the end of the 15th century, the Conquistadors changed the face of the Americas. Invading first the Caribbean and Mexico, they then plunged on into the rest of the continent and plundered the Pacific seaboard. So what do we know of these Europeans and their quest to expand a burgeoning empire? And who were the indigenous people that resisted invasion, negotiated with strangers, and fought off barbarians?
This is a Short History of the Conquistadors.
Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Professor Matthew Restall, Director of Latin American Studies at Penn State University and author of Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest and When Montezuma met Cortez.
For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 19, 2025 • 57min
Cleopatra
The last of the Ptolemaic Pharoahs, the enduring legend of Cleopatra has captivated imaginations for centuries. Though some write her off as a manipulative femme fatale, her competence as a ruler restored her country to a world superpower. But what were the early experiences that shaped her? How did she form both political and personal alliances with two great Roman generals? And what is the true story of her dramatic death?
This is a Short History of Cleopatra.
Written by Lindsay Galvin. With thanks to Joyce Tyldesley, archaeologist and author of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt.
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Dec 12, 2025 • 58min
Stonehenge
Older than the pyramids and just as cryptic, the prehistoric British site of Stonehenge has dominated its landscape for thousands of years. But what is Stonehenge? A celestial clock? An ancient computer to predict eclipses? Was it a temple, a cemetery, or a site of execution? And who were the people who lived and died to create this Stone Age masterpiece?
This is a Short History of Stonehenge.
Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Julian Richards, archaeologist, broadcaster and author of the official Stonehenge guidebook.
For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 5, 2025 • 1h
Marco Polo
In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo spent decades travelling the world. His adventures took him from his home in Venice as far east as the Yellow Sea, where he was a valued courtier of the legendary Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Later, in prison, he wrote the world’s first travel book. But how did his name become synonymous with adventure? What compelled him to stay away for so long? And why is his story still remembered almost eight centuries later?
This is a Short History of Marco Polo.
Written by Chris McDonald. With thanks to Denis Belliveau: author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In The Footsteps of Marco Polo.
For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
15 snips
Nov 28, 2025 • 50min
The Spartans
Dr. Andrew Bayliss, an Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Birmingham and author of "The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction," explores Sparta's complex legacy. From the heroic stand at Thermopylae to the brutal reality of helot slavery and infanticide, he reveals the darker aspects of Spartan society. Bayliss discusses the harsh agoge training for boys, the role of women in Spartan life, and how admiration for Sparta often overlooks its moral compromises and oppressive practices.
14 snips
Nov 21, 2025 • 56min
Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail
In this engaging discussion, Javier Puente, an associate professor of Latin American studies, sheds light on the rich tapestry of Inca civilization. He reveals the complexities of the khipu system, which encoded vital information through knots, and the strategic use of the Inca Trail to unify diverse communities. The architectural marvel of Machu Picchu is explored, from its astronomical alignments to its role as a royal estate. Puente also discusses the societal impacts of disease and construction, providing a compelling view of this ancient empire's ingenuity and legacy.
Nov 14, 2025 • 55min
The Knights Templar
Thierry Do Espirito, a historian and author of The Knights Templar for Dummies, delves into the enigmatic world of the Knights Templar. He uncovers the origins of this once-feared military order formed to protect pilgrims in perilous times. Thierry reveals how the Templars amassed immense wealth and became medieval bankers while maintaining strict vows of poverty. The discussion also highlights their rise and fall, particularly King Philip IV's political machinations that led to the Templar’s demise, and the enduring myths surrounding their legacy.
Nov 7, 2025 • 46min
The Pirate Queen
In this engaging discussion, historian Dian Murray reveals the fascinating life of Zheng Yi Sao, the formidable Pirate Queen of the South China Sea. She explores how Zheng's early life on the water granted women unique freedoms and shaped her path into piracy. Listeners learn about the massive size of her fleet, the strategic organization of pirates, and the tactics they used to challenge the Qing dynasty. Murray also delves into why Zheng's legacy was overshadowed by Western pirates, highlighting her ambitious reign and later life.
37 snips
Oct 31, 2025 • 55min
The Pyramids
Salima Ikram, a leading Egyptologist at the American University in Cairo, dives into the wonders of ancient pyramids. She reveals the motivations behind pyramid construction, linking them to religious symbolism and origin myths. Ikram discusses the architectural genius of Imhotep's Step Pyramid and the Great Pyramid, emphasizing their striking designs and complex interiors. The conversation also explores the societal impacts of pyramid-building, the shift to the Valley of the Kings, and the enduring legacy of these monumental structures in Egyptian culture.
Oct 23, 2025 • 54min
The Samurai
After a bloody battle on September 22nd, 1877, Saigo Takamori and his loyal warriors pause on a hillside overlooking Kagoshima. They’ll never surrender, but they’re wounded, exhausted, and massively outnumbered, and Saigo already knows how this will end. Because his noble Samurai army aren’t just fighting the Emperor’s gun-wielding forces. They’re fighting progress itself. And that’s a battle they cannot win. But were the Samurai really a class of elite martial artists, driven by unbreakable codes of chivalry and loyalty? Or, behind the propaganda, just a self-important militia of romanticised thugs?
A Noiser production, written by Joe Viner. With thanks to Jonathan Clements, historian, and author of A Brief History of the Samurai.
For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
