
Rethinking an Iron Age ‘war cemetery’
From The English Heritage Podcast by English Heritage
February 19, 2026 · 46 min · Season 2 · Episode 44
About this episode
This episode explores the human remains found at Maiden Castle and their implications for understanding Iron Age Britain.
Was Maiden Castle really the site of a brutal Roman massacre? Or have we been telling the wrong story for decades? This vast Iron Age hillfort in Dorset is home to human remains that have shaped our understanding of conquest, conflict and resistance for nearly a century. In this episode, we return to the skeletons that made the site famous: young men, women and children bearing signs of violence, to find out what they can tell us about life and death in Iron Age Britain. Amy Matthews is joined by experts to unpack the latest research and investigate how new interpretations raise questions about the narratives and stories we take for granted. Don’t forget to follow this podcast and leave a review if you love the show. Join English Heritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/join/ Podcast listeners can get 20% off the first year of an annual membership. Use code POD20 at checkout.* Support our work: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/ The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a limited company, no. 07447221, registered in England and Wales. *Offer is available through the use of this code and valid for new memberships by annual Direct Debit only…
People in this episode
Host: Amy Matthews
Topics covered
- Iron Age
- archaeology
- human remains
- conflict
- historical narratives
Keywords
- Iron Age
- Maiden Castle
- archaeology
- human remains
- Roman massacre
- conflict
- Dorset
Sponsors
English Heritage
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: English Heritage, English Heritage Trust
Places: Maiden Castle, Dorset
More episodes of The English Heritage Podcast
- Coastline Special: Romans by the sea · June 11, 2026 · 31 min
- The Neolithic Hall: Reconstructing History at Stonehenge · June 4, 2026 · 51 min
- Berwick-on-Tweed: life on the border in the 16th century · May 28, 2026 · 40 min
- Reinterpreting Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo · May 21, 2026 · 50 min
- Northumberland and the Border Reivers · May 14, 2026 · 51 min
- A history of natural history · May 7, 2026 · 39 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The English Heritage Podcast podcast page.