Echoes of History

Wouldn’t it be nice to know the future? To have solid advice on what is about to happen in your life, so that you know exactly what to do when the time comes?
For the Ancient Greeks, this wasn’t a daydream: it was a real possibility, thanks to Oracles.

The most important soothsayer was the Oracle of Delphi. Located high on the remote slopes of Mount Parnassus, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey recreates the sanctuary in beautiful detail and allows players to meet the Oracle herself. She is as famous as she is mysterious. Who was the Oracle? Why was Delphi such a special place? And what sorts of questions did Ancient Greeks seek answers to?

Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Garrett Ryan, the historian behind the wonderful Told in Stone. His excellent book, Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants answers 36 frequently asked questions about the Greeks and Romans that are both fascinating and fun to read.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis
Edited by: Robin McConnell
Produced by: Robin McConnell
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:
Legendary Heirloom by The Flight, Mike Georgiades
Delphi by The Flight
The Secret Land of Apollo by The Flight

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected]

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The Great Heathen Army: the cool, or terrifying, name given to a huge Norse army that landed in England in the middle of the 9th century and stayed for 13 years, devastating the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The Viking leaders are semi-legendary, cloaked in the mythology of the Norse and the scaremongering of the Anglo-Saxons. Was the army really led by the three sons of the infamous Ragnar Lothbrook, as depicted in Assassin's Creed Valhalla? What were they trying to achieve? And after Alfred the Great, would the Great Heathen Army have considered itself successful?

Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Caitlin Ellis, Associate Professor of Nordic Medieval History at the University of Oslo. She'll be the guide to lead us on our quest for answers!

Listen to our previous episode about the time Viking invaders nearly killed their nemesis, Alfred the Great.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis
Edited by: Michael McDaid
Produced by: Robin McConnell, Matt Lewis
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:
The Fate of East Mercia by Sarah Schachner
Rivers and Fjords by Sarah Schachner

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.

Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Philosopher’s Stone: the source of infinite wealth and everlasting life. It is one of the most famous myths in the world. But for centuries, it was not a myth. Some of the greatest and most pioneering scientists in history believed in the power of the stone, and pursued its riches. Amongst them was Sir Isaac Newton. As is depicted in the audio drama Assassin’s Creed Gold, his private notes reveal his secret pursuit of alchemy and the Philosopher’s Stone.

How far did Isaac Newton take his alchemical experiments? What did the Philosopher's Stone mean to a rational scientist of Newton’s standing? And why was his research into alchemy only recently brought to light, even though he wrote over one million words about it in his personal notes?

Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Joel Klein, Molina Curator for the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences at The Huntingdon, to explain the origins of alchemy and the science of the Philosopher's Stone. See the stunning Ripley Scroll in The Huntingdon's digital collection.

Listen to our previous episode about Newton's surprising career combating counterfeiting as Master of the Royal Mint in London.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis
Edited by: Michael McDaid
Produced by: Robin McConnell
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:
On Father's Watch by Chris Tilton
Ballroom Fight (Invention No. 13 in D Minor) by Sarah Schachner
The Nation, the Law, and the King by Sarah Schachner

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.

Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Assassin’s Creed games specialise in recreating the places and sounds of the past. But how can we know what music our ancestors listened to? If we can, how well does ancient music work within a modern audience’s expectations of what music is? And how does making music for a video game differ from all the other forms of entertainment we have today?

Dr Holly Nielsen is joined by Steph Economou, the composer for the Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris and Dawn of Ragnarok, for which she won the first ever Grammy award for video game music. Rounding out the trio is Ari Mason, who performed on both scores, and who is a specialist in the art of historical performance. Together, they can shed light on the fascinating process of transporting us to the past through music.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by: Dr Holly Nielsen
Edited by: Robin McConnell
Produced by: Robin McConnell
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:
Francia by Steph Economou
Hásæti by Steph Economou
The Siege Of Paris by Steph Economou
Dawn of Ragnarök by Steph Economou, Einar Selvik

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.

Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Assassin’s Creed Dynasty provides a vivid recreation of China as it was 1300 years ago, during the reign of the Tang Dynasty. The story focuses on a pivotal moment for the emperors, when a huge rebellion plunged the empire into a civil war that took nearly a decade - and the brutal deaths of millions - to end.

Yet despite this turbulence, the Tang Dynasty is often thought to have ruled over a golden age in Chinese history, characterised by peace, stability and the peak of ancient art.

To make sense of this apparent contradiction, Matt Lewis welcomes back Dr Jeremiah Jenne, host of the Barbarians at the Gate history podcast, and the historical travel podcast, By Their Own Compass. Listen to his fascinating recounting of the long history of the Great Wall of China.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Watch these interviews and exclusive videos on our YouTube channel.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis
Edited by: Michael McDaid
Produced by: Robin McConnell
Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff
Production Manager: Beth Donaldson
Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:
Theme Master by Aaron Miller & Mark Rutherford
Forbidden City (Calm Session) by Aaron Miller & Mark Rutherford

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. Take part in our listener survey here.

Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.