The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a testament to human ingenuity and architectural brilliance. Built in the third century BC on the small island of Pharos, it was the first lighthouse in recorded history and the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Standing over 100 metres high, it provided a vital beacon for sailors navigating the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
But who built the lighthouse? How did it change during its 17 centuries overlooking the city? And, after its final collapse in the 1300s, how does its legend still endure?
A Noiser Production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Professor Islam Issa, British-Egyptian historian, and the author of Alexandria: The City that Changed the World.
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52:35
The Terracotta Army
After its initial discovery in 1974, the Terracotta Army became the unofficial eighth wonder of the world. Comprising an estimated 8,000 statue warriors buried as part of the First Emperor of China’s tomb complex, experts are still unearthing its secrets. But what was the purpose of so many clay soldiers? How were they made, and by whom? And what do we know about the Emperor considered so important that his death demanded a project on this scale?
A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett. With thanks to Eugene Wang, Professor of Asian Art at Harvard University; and Andrew Bevan, Professor of Comparative Archaeology at University College London.
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40:15
Attila the Hun, Part 2 of 2
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 realised?
A Noiser production, written by Mark Piesing.
This is Part 2 of 2.
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49:56
Attila the Hun, Part 1 of 2
We’re in south-eastern Europe in the 400s AD. The once mighty Roman Empire is riven in two. And on the Great Hungarian Plain a fearsome enemy is rising. The Huns’ king, Attila, will become a terrifying, iconic figure. A byword for plundering and pillaging. The archetypal warlord. But who was he really, according to those who observed him? What did Attila do that was so significant? And is his bloody reputation entirely deserved?
A Noiser production, written by Mark Piesing.
This is Part 1 of 2.
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56:40
The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial
The discovery at Sutton Hoo of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his lavish treasure is one of the greatest archaeological finds on English soil.
But who was the man considered worthy of such a splendid burial? Why was there no trace of human remains? What lies beneath the other mounds on the site? And why bury a body in a ship?
A Noiser production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Gareth Williams, curator at the British Museum and author of Treasures From Sutton Hoo.
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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.
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Ireland