The study presents a detailed atmospheric methane (CH4) record from the EPICA Dome C ice core, extending the historical record of CH4 to 800,000 years before present. The record, with an average time resolution of ~380 years, reveals orbital and millennial-scale features in CH4 levels. Spectral analyses show that long-term variability is dominated by ~100,000-year glacial-interglacial cycles, with an increasing contribution from precessional components in more recent climatic cycles. The changes in tropical methane sources and sinks, possibly influenced by monsoon systems and the intertropical convergence zone, are suggested to control the atmospheric methane budget. The record also identifies 74 millennial-scale changes in CH4 levels associated with Antarctic isotope maxima events, indicating widespread millennial-scale temperature variability during the past eight glacial cycles. The study highlights the importance of understanding the link between external forcings and internal feedbacks on the natural CH4 budget for predicting future changes in a warmer world.The study presents a detailed atmospheric methane (CH4) record from the EPICA Dome C ice core, extending the historical record of CH4 to 800,000 years before present. The record, with an average time resolution of ~380 years, reveals orbital and millennial-scale features in CH4 levels. Spectral analyses show that long-term variability is dominated by ~100,000-year glacial-interglacial cycles, with an increasing contribution from precessional components in more recent climatic cycles. The changes in tropical methane sources and sinks, possibly influenced by monsoon systems and the intertropical convergence zone, are suggested to control the atmospheric methane budget. The record also identifies 74 millennial-scale changes in CH4 levels associated with Antarctic isotope maxima events, indicating widespread millennial-scale temperature variability during the past eight glacial cycles. The study highlights the importance of understanding the link between external forcings and internal feedbacks on the natural CH4 budget for predicting future changes in a warmer world.