Skip to content
PodcastMentions logo
PodcastMentions
Back to The Rest Is History
The Rest Is History artwork
The Rest Is HistoryNov 2, 2021

114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism on The Rest Is History.

Notable books mentioned: On the Nature of the Gods by Cicero, Pagan Britain by Ronald Hutton, The Statues of the Sun, The Making of Cromwell by Ronald Hutton

Shop This Episode

Buy the books listeners heard in this conversation.

On the Nature of the Gods cover
Mentioned at 3:08
On the Nature of the Gods
Cicero

The host discusses Cicero's work 'On the Nature of the Gods' to highlight the intellectual discourse surrounding pagan beliefs in ancient times. Th…

Buy on AmazonJump to mention
Pagan Britain cover
Mentioned at 30:14
Pagan Britain
Ronald Hutton

The host references 'Pagan Britain' to highlight the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the historical understanding of Druids and their pr…

Buy on AmazonJump to mention
The Statues of the Sun cover
Mentioned at 48:24
The Statues of the Sun

The host mentions 'The Statues of the Sun' as a valuable resource for understanding festive paganism, especially as winter approaches. This book is…

Buy on AmazonJump to mention
Listen
The Rest Is History artwork
Episode audio
114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism
The Rest Is History • Tap any mention timestamp to jump straight into playback.
Ready to play
0:00--:--
Open audio sourceMore from The Rest Is History
Episode summary, books & quotes

114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism mentions On the Nature of the Gods by Cicero, Pagan Britain by Ronald Hutton, The Statues of the Sun, and The Making of Cromwell by Ronald Hutton with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

On the Nature of the GodsPagan BritainThe Statues of the SunThe Making of Cromwell
Episode summary
Like Merlin, who lived his life in reverse, we go backwards in time as we continue our two-part series on paganism. Renaissance philosophers; green men; a pagan city in the early caliphate; hooded gods on Hadrian’s Wall; Stonehenge; cannibals (or were they?) in Cheddar Gorge; and the oldest evidence ever found of pagan practice in Britain. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook
Book mentions4
Media mentions0
Search intent answers

Quick FAQ

Direct answers for the summary, books, and takeaways queries sending search traffic to this episode.

What is 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism on The Rest Is History.

Listen to the episode

What are the main takeaways from 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism?

These are the strongest takeaways surfaced by the transcript, summary copy, and linked mentions for 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism.

  • The conversation centers on British history and paganism.
  • A second recurring theme is Cicero's philosophical contributions.
  • Referenced books include On the Nature of the Gods by Cicero and Pagan Britain by Ronald Hutton.
  • The strongest audience signal points to Students and scholars of ancient philosophy and religion and Historians and enthusiasts of ancient religions.
Listen with timestamps

Which books are mentioned in 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism?

On the Nature of the Gods by Cicero, Pagan Britain by Ronald Hutton, and The Statues of the Sun are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

Jump to books mentioned

Why are listeners searching for 114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism?

114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism keeps attracting summary-style searches because this page combines episode context, transcript quotes, book references, and direct jump links back into the audio.

See topic signals
Topic and sentiment signals

Aggregated from transcript-derived mention metadata for better topical navigation and citation.

Top triggers
British history and paganism(1)Cicero's philosophical contributions(1)Druids in Roman Britain(1)paganism in Britain(1)
Mention sentiment
Highly Recommended(2)Critical Analysis(1)Deep Dive(1)
Audience signals
Students and scholars of ancient philosophy and religionHistorians and enthusiasts of ancient religionsReaders interested in paganism and British historyReaders interested in British history and nature

Books Mentioned

On the Nature of the Gods cover
On the Nature of the Gods
Cicero
Best for Students and scholars of ancient philosophy and religionOften cited around Cicero's philosophical contributions

“Cicero writes a book about the nature of the gods in which he discusses every theory that's being aired about the divine in his time.”

View mention details
Sentiment: Critical Analysis
For: Students and scholars of ancient philosophy and religion
Key quote: “he writes an appallingly difficult Latin and any schoolboy who's tried to translate Cicero just yearns, for somebody else.”
The host discusses Cicero's work 'On the Nature of the Gods' to highlight the intellectual discourse surrounding pagan beliefs in ancient times. This book serves as a critical source for understanding the arguments and theories about the divine during Cicero's era.
ASIN: 0674992962
Buy on Amazon
Pagan Britain cover
Pagan Britain
Ronald Hutton
Best for Historians and enthusiasts of ancient religionsOften cited around Druids in Roman Britain

“In your wonderful book, Pagan Britain, you describe a group of elderly women who were found at Kimmeridge in Dorset who'd had their heads chopped off, their lower jaws removed, put by their feet.”

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Historians and enthusiasts of ancient religions
Key quote: “In your wonderful book, Pagan Britain, you describe a group of elderly women who were found at Kimmeridge in Dorset who'd had their heads chopped off, their lower jaws removed, put by their feet.”
The host references 'Pagan Britain' to highlight the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the historical understanding of Druids and their practices. The book provides intriguing insights into archaeological findings and interpretations that challenge conventional narratives about these ancient figures.
ASIN: 0300268343
Buy on Amazon
The Statues of the Sun cover
The Statues of the Sun
Best for Readers interested in paganism and British historyOften cited around paganism in Britain

“I particularly recommend The Statues of the Sun as we go into winter, if you want to keep your spirits up, all kinds of festive paganism there.”

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Readers interested in paganism and British history
Key quote: “I particularly recommend The Statues of the Sun as we go into winter, if you want to keep your spirits up, all kinds of festive paganism there.”
The host mentions 'The Statues of the Sun' as a valuable resource for understanding festive paganism, especially as winter approaches. This book is highlighted for its engaging narrative that can uplift spirits during the colder months.
ASIN: N/A
Search on Amazon
The Making of Cromwell cover
The Making of Cromwell
Ronald Hutton
Best for Readers interested in British history and natureOften cited around British history and paganism

“your most recent book, The Making of Cromwell, absolutely superb book.”

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Readers interested in British history and nature
Key quote: “I think we can quibble over the term endlessly, as we see it, the birth of British religion.”
The host mentions 'The Making of Cromwell' as a superb book that not only delves into the life of Cromwell but also beautifully describes the English landscape and its seasons. This unexpected focus on nature adds depth to the historical narrative, making it a compelling read for those interested in the Civil War and British history.
ASIN: 0300266448
Buy on Amazon

Movies & Documentaries Mentioned

No movie or documentary mentions yet

This episode does not have extracted media mentions yet.