The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is the original viral list. It has captured the imagination of history nerds and travelers for thousands of years.

The Ark of the Covenant, which allegedly held the stone tablets of the 10 Commandments, was among the holiest (and most feared) objects of ancient history. We look at the story of the Ark and what may have happened to it on the week of the 40th anniversary of the release of the iconic Indiana Jones film "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

The Sacred Band was an elite fighting force responsible for the rise of Thebes as the Greek superpower in the 4th century BC. According to ancient sources, it was also formed of 150 pairs of adult male lovers. I talk to historian and author James Romm about the origins and eventual defeat of the Sacred Band of Thebes.

Heracles (aka Hercules) was known as the greatest of all the Greek heroes. In this episode, I talk to the world's leading expert in Heracles mythology Emma Stafford about who the hero was and what he meant to the people of the ancient world.

I talk to author and intelligence professional Myke Cole about his provocative upcoming book The Bronze Lie: Shattering the Myth of Spartan Warrior Supremacy.

In this episode of the show, I give my reaction to a recent episode of the New York Times “The Daily” podcast about the role the Classics have played in perpetuating racism.

How does "300" hold up to historical scrutiny? I talk about the weird, interesting, and misleading aspects of the popular 2006 film.

I recently had the opportunity to speak to scholar, translator, and author Robin Waterfield about multiple subjects from the ancient world, including the origins of the ancient Olympic Games in Greece and the mysteries surrounding the historical Socrates.

What ancient civilizations have been overlooked, ignored, or lost through the ages? I talk to British author and historian Philip (Maty) Matyszak about these forgotten peoples, the myths of Hercules, and much more.

The Kingdom of Pontus was one of the most significant powers of the Hellenistic Era and a major rival to Rome. American historian Duane Roller joins me to talk about the rise and fall of this fascinating and mysterious civilization.

In this episode of the podcast, British historian and archeologist Greg Woolf joins me to talk about how ancient cities developed, why we often have the wrong impression about them, and much more.

What mysteries lie below the ocean's surface? In this episode of the podcast I talk to underwater archaeologist Peter Campbell about the ancient relics he is looking for in the Mediterranean Sea and beyond.

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.

In these episodes of the show, we search for the mercurial tomb of the epic hero Achilles, which has been lost for hundreds - if not thousands - of years.

In this episode of the podcast, we investigate whether a mysterious army of lovers known as the Sacred Band of Thebes really dominated Greece in the 4th century BCE. 

In this bonus episode of the show, we revisit Alexander the Great's incredible reaction to Hephaestion's death. I also present my own unique theory on their controversial relationship.

Alexander the Great, Part III investigates the most controversial aspect of Alexander's life - his relationship to his companion Hephaestion.