Ten Great Podcasts Covering Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations
Submitted by Andy_B on Tuesday, 06 January 2026 Page Views: 1094
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Alongside podcasts covering the hotbed of US politics to sports podcasts helping you pick your
The Ancients (History Hit)
The best thing to say about The Ancients from History Hit is that you can jump in anytime and start enjoying it right away. While it can deep-dive into topics, built around interviews with historians and archaeologists, the content is peppered with niche standalone episodes with specific themes.The Archaeology Show (Archaeology Podcast Network)
One that definitely shows the less glamorous side of archaeology and basically lifts the hood on the subject, warts and all. It’s arguably the best option on this list for those who are interested in entering the field of archaeology and want to really understand what it takes.Archaeology Magazine Podcast
Sometimes branded as The Naked Podcast, this one has magazine-style audio reporting with interviews and original stories about notable discoveries. The podcast, hosted by Diana O’Carroll, came to an end in 2011, but Spotify and a few other platforms have the back catalog. Worth revisiting.The British Museum Podcast
If you want to understand ancient cultures through objects and the unique lens provided by an institution in care of those objects, the British Museum Podcast is one of the best. There are a few dozen episodes available – recorded over a four-year period – with the museum often examining its own role in the collection of artifacts.Origin Stories (The Leakey Foundation)
This is a hidden gem, perhaps not always cited in great history podcasts because it is sometimes a bit scattered in its approach. One episode might focus on whether a human can outrun a horse, whereas the next could be about discoveries of digs in Tanzania. Unique and addictive.The Prehistory Guys
Michael Bott and Rupert Soskin are your guys for prehistoric archaeology, delving into a diverse range of topics. The two presenters are filmmakers, so there is always a high production value to their content. The pair has also conquered YouTube, so there’s loads to discover there if traditional podcasts aren’t your thing.Fall of Civilizations
In a sense, Fall of Civilizations is the opposite of the jump in anywhere format of the Ancients. The episodes are long, detailed, and cover every aspect of how specific civilizations rose and ultimately fell. It’s got a good balance between high-brow academia and open-to-anyone subject matter, too.New Books in Archaeology (New Books Network)
This one is a little more academic-focused, with author interviews focused on brand-new archaeology research, and the books perhaps get a bit too technical for casual listeners, yet it does have an interesting “why this matters” approach to the field that anyone can find interesting.The History of Egypt Podcast
A seriously thorough, chronological journey through ancient Egypt, thus it is only going to appeal to listeners who want Egypt-specific history. Yet, we have selected it for this list because it’s a great example of a one-subject podcast with a definitive start, middle and end.Instant Classics (Mary Beard & Charlotte Higgins)
If you know Mary Beard, you’ll be aware she is approaching national treasure status in Great Britain, so this one is great for fans of the professor and her wit. She and the equally engaging Charlotte Higgins explain classical civilizations and their influence on the world today.So you can see that podcasts have become a huge business, covering all bases of culture, the arts, sports, academia, politics, and everything else people are interested in. I hope you enjoyed our pick of those specialising in archaeology and ancient civilizations.
