The armor that Achilles wore during the Trojan War plays an important part in his legend. So what do we know about Achilles’ armor and how do the various depictions stack up against the mythological descriptions?

How did the Kingdom of Macedon go from a Greek backwater to controlling one of the largest empires of the ancient world? Historian Adrian Goldsworthy joins me to discuss Alexander the Great and his influential father Philip II.

Thebes was once the most powerful city-state in Greece, but it has largely been overshadowed in popular culture by Athens and Sparta. Historian Paul Cartledge and I discuss the rise and fall of Thebes, and what impact it made on the ancient world.

Who were the warriors of early Greece? Were they like the heroes depicted in the Homeric epics? Or completely different? Was there even a Trojan War at all? Greek warfare expert Josho Brouwers joins us to answer these questions and many more.

What caused the mysterious collapse of so many civilizations in the 12th century BCE? Did the Trojan War really happen? Were Achilles and Helen real people? Eric Cline, one of the world's leading ancient historians and archaeologists, helps answer these questions and more in the latest episode of Ancient Heroes.

My investigation into the life of Alexander the Great brought another incredible story to my attention: the rise (and fall) of the Sacred Band of Thebes in the 4th century BCE. 

Last week, I had the pleasure of being on The Life of Alexander podcast with Ray & Cam.

Alexander the Great has long been associated with the mythic heroes of ancient Greece. In many ways, it seems like he was one himself - the only difference being that we have proof Alexander actually lived. 

Even though Fox's account of Alexander is immensely detailed, he admits it is not exactly a biography of Alexander the Great. Rather, it is an interpretation - one plausible take on Alexander and his career. With that in mind, what does Fox have to say about Hephaestion?