Child Sacrifice in Ancient Religion

We have all heard rumours that ancient religions used children in ritual sacrifice. But did it really happen? To discuss the evidence, Helen and Lloyd are joined in the Time Machine by Dr Eve MacDonald, lecturer at Cardiff University and author of the acclaimed, Carthage: A New History of an Ancient Empire (Penguin, 2025). 

Dr MacDonald answers questions like: 

• Did human sacrifice really occur in the ancient world, and what does the archaeological evidence actually show?
• What happened in the Great Death Pit at Ur, and what does it reveal about ancient burial rituals?
• Why do ancient myths and biblical stories so often centre on the sacrifice of young girls?
• Did the Carthaginians really practise child sacrifice, and what does the evidence from the Tophet suggest?
• How did Greeks and Romans use accusations of shocking religious practices to demonise their enemies—and even early Christians?

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Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.