Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot

From The Ancients by History Hit

April 5, 2026 · 56 min · Episode 649

About this episode

This episode explores the life and legacy of Judas Iscariot, examining his portrayal in the Gospels and the historical debates surrounding his existence.

**Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence, including suicide** What really happened to Judas Iscariot? From shifting accounts in the Gospels to the 30 pieces of silver, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Paul Middleton to trace the stories that made Judas Christianity’s most infamous villain. Along the way, they explore the kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane, the conflicting accounts of Judas’s death, and the long debate over whether he was a historical figure or a later invention. MORE Jesus of Nazareth Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Pontius Pilate Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: @TheAncientsPodcast Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds The Ancients is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe .   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Tristan Hughes

Guest: Professor Paul Middleton

Topics covered

  • Judas Iscariot
  • Christianity
  • Gospels
  • historical figures
  • betrayal
  • violence
  • death

Keywords

  • Judas Iscariot
  • betrayal
  • 30 pieces of silver
  • Garden of Gethsemane
  • historical figure
  • Christianity
  • violence
  • suicide

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: History Hit

Books & works: Gospels

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