Origins of the Silk Road

How do you celebrate the New Year in ancient Rome? With an assassination and a bloody free-for-all for the imperial throne, of course.Following the murder of the gladiator emperor Commodus on New Year’s Eve 192, a chaotic succession battle erupted. Tristan Hughes and Dr. Simon El ...  عرض المزيد

What was it like to share Britain with Neanderthals and cave hyenas 40,000 years ago?Tristan Hughes ventures deep underground to Kents Cavern, a glittering labyrinth affectionately known as Britain’s first home. He's joined by archaeological scientist Dr. Helen Fewlass on a live, ...  عرض المزيد

The Silk Road is one of the most famous trade routes in history, a vast interconnected network along which not only goods but ideas, knowledge and culture flowed. Sam Willis joins Rebecca Franks to discuss its remarkable history and answer listener questions on the subject, spotl ...  عرض المزيد

For centuries, a vast and vibrant trade route connected the East and West. Its stories contain legendary names, like Marco Polo. Not only did it spread rare goods across the world, but ideas and belief systems too. It was known as "The Silk Road." Explore the history, culture, an ...  عرض المزيد

Silk is a fabric first produced in Neolithic China from the filaments of the cocoon of the silk worm. It became a staple source of income for small farmers and, as weaving techniques improved, the reputation of Chinese silk spread so that it became highly desired across the empir ...  عرض المزيد