A figure of wealth, wisdom, and global fascination - how did the Queen of Sheba become one of history’s most enduring royal icons?

In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Jillian Stinchcomb to trace the enduring story of the Queen of Sheba — from her biblical debut to her roles in Islamic tradition and Ethiopian royal ancestry. Where might her true origins lie? Why has she become such a powerful cross-cultural icon? Discover how this once-minor figure became a legend spanning continents and religions.

MORE

The Biblical Kingdom of Israel:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SQM9TGIN1DHeFDkYAjuNb

Ancient Ethiopia: The Kingdom of Aksum:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ogrAegnatj535vwYHesm6

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor and producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds

The Ancients is a History Hit podcast.

LIVE SHOW: Buy tickets for The Ancients at the London Podcast Festival here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/the-ancients-2/

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. 

You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on