The Ancient World: Recent Episodes
Scott C.
image_titleSEASON 2 FINALE
Synopsis: Shulgi and his successors face major challenges to Ur III rule, including Amorite attacks, Sumerian rivals, and a newly-emboldened Shimashki.
“The god Enlil granted to Shu-Sin a long lifespan, a crown and tiara, a scepter of long days, a royal throne, a firm foundation, years of abundance, a weapon – the flood – which casts terror…” – Copy of an inscription from a statue of Shu-Sin commemorating a victory over Shimashki
Map of the Near East c. 2060 BC:
image_titleMap of the Near East c. 2028 BC:
image_titleMap of the Near East c. 2000 BC:
image_titleEpisode Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506172@N07/albums/72177720332382139/with/55129840383
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A12_References.pdf
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The post Episode A12 – The Flood first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
image_titleSynopsis: The Proto-Elamite horizon sparked innovation and trade throughout Iran and Central Asia, and its collapse saw the emergence of numerous “secondary states”. Toward the end of the Third Millennium BC, the dominant polity east of the Zagros was the Oxus Civilization.
Map of the Middle Asian Interaction Sphere:
image_titleEpisode Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506172@N07/albums/72177720332227258/
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A11_References.pdf
image_title*The world’s earliest known “animation.” Reproduction of a series of images on a pottery goblet found in Shahr-i-Sokhta (Proto-Elamite period, c. 3178 BC) now in the National Museum of Iran.
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The post Episode A11 – Behind the Mountains first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
image_titleSynopsis: Ur-Namma unifies Sumer and ejects the Elamites. His son, King Shulgi, designs a new empire and begins a push for Zagros domination.
“The trustworthy shepherd, king, the sword of Sumer, Ur-Namma, the king of the Land, was taken to the …house…he who was beloved by the troops, could not raise his neck anymore. The wise one…lay down; silence descended. As he, who was the vigor of the Land, had fallen, the Land became demolished like a mountain…He passed away in his prime…abandoned, like a broken jar.” – The Death of Ur-Namma
Map of the Near East c. 2112 BC:
image_titleMap of the Near East c. 2060 BC:
image_titleEpisode Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506172@N07/albums/72177720331669262/
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A10_References.pdf
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The post Episode A10 – The Sword of Sumer first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
image_titleSynopsis: With the fall of the Old Kingdom, power devolves to the various nomes. The Herakleopolitan House of Khety extends control over most of Egypt before eventually being defeated and deposed by the rival House of Thebes.
“I took care of the towns of Hefat and Hormer in every situation of crisis, when the sky was clouded and the earth was parched and everybody died of hunger. The south came with its people and the north with its children; they brought the finest oil in exchange for the barley that was given to them. The whole of Upper Egypt died of hunger and each individual had reached such a state of hunger that he ate his own children. But I refused to see anyone die of hunger and gave to the north the grain of Upper Egypt. I brought life to the provinces of Nekhen and Edfu, Elephantine and Ombos.” – Tomb Inscription of the Nomarch Ankhtifi
Episode Image: Painted osiride sandstone seated Ka statue of king Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II, on display at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. By Prof. Mortel, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=118201367.
Map of Egypt in the First Intermediate Period:
image_titleEpisode Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506172@N07/albums/72177720331395977
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A9_References.pdf
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The post Episode A9 – Seventy Kings first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
image_titleSynopsis: The impacts of the Aridification Event lead to Akkadian collapse. Gudea of Lagash asserts independence and shepherds the south through the aftermath. The brief period of Guti domination is terminated by the Elamite invasion of Kutik-Inshushinak and the Sumerian revolt of Utu-Hegal of Uruk.
“They placed fetters on (Tirigan’s) hands and put a cloth over his eyes. Utu-Hegal made him lie at Utu’s feet and on his neck he set his foot. Gutium, the fanged snake of the mountain ranges, he made drink from the cracks in the earth.” – Victory Stele of Utu-Hegal of Uruk
Episode Image: Statue of Gudea, Ensi of Lagash, on display at the British Museum, 2025. My photo.
Map of the Near East c. 2200 BC:
image_titleMap of the Near East c. 2112 BC:
image_titleEpisode Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506172@N07/albums/72177720331179161/
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A8_References.pdf
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The post Episode A8 – Who Was King first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
image_titleSynopsis: The science behind the 4.2 kiloyear BPE Aridification Event.
“The great farming tracts brought forth no grain,
The irrigated farming tracts brought forth no fish,
The well-watered orchard brought forth neither syrup nor wine.
The gathering clouds brought no rain, not even weeds would grow.” – The Curse of Agade
Episode Image: Composite drawing of a Hurrian royal seal impression showing the endan Tupkish with the crown prince touching his lap and Queen Uqnitum holding her daughter on her lap. From Giorgio Buccellati and Marilyn Kelly-Buccellati, In Search of Hurrian Urkesh: City of Myth, Odyssey, May/June 2021.
Map of the Near East c. 2200 BC:
image_titleEpisode Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506172@N07/albums/72177720330980851
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/A7_References.pdf
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The post Episode A7 – The Abode of Clouds first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Part 2 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century romp inspired by my current residence in his former tetrarchal capital of Thessaloniki, Greece.
“Galerius…was born to wipe out the disgrace incurred by Valerian’s capture.” – The Historia Augusta
“Had I a hundred mouths, a hundred tongues, A voice of brass, and adamantine lungs, Not half the dreadful scene could I disclose.” – Lactantius, On the Deaths of the Persecutors
Link to Download the Episode:
https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/chrt.fm/track/1E7F5E/traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML2013288459.mp3?updated=1719244411
Episode Images:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/S8_Images.pdf
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/S8_References.pdf
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The post Episode S8 – Decumbo first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Part 1 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century romp inspired by my current residence in his former tetrarchal capital of Thessaloniki, Greece.
“Galerius…(was) trained to arms in the severe school of Aurelian and Probus.” – Edward Gibbon, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
“In this wild beast there dwelt a native barbarity and a savageness foreign to Roman blood; and no wonder, for his mother was born beyond the Danube.” – Lactantius, On the Deaths of the Persecutors
Link to Download the Episode:
https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/chrt.fm/track/1E7F5E/traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML8247338693.mp3?updated=1718031324
Episode Images:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/S7_Images.pdf
References and Further Reading:
https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/S7_References.pdf
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The post Episode S7 – Ascendo first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
First off I wanted to let everyone know that I am deep into researching and writing the upcoming season of “The Ancient World – Carchemish.” It’s got lots of fun stuff: Tiglath-pileser III, Sargon II and - most importantly - the final demise of the Neo-Hittite and Aramean kingdoms. Just a really interesting period and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you. So keep an eye out for new Episodes starting around mid-October. I also wanted to update you all that there is a whole extra season of “The Ancient World – Carchemish” already available on the Patreon site. Over the past year I’ve produced 12 mini-Episodes – which basically equate to a full 6-episode season - running alongside the current series. They flesh out events in Babylonia, Phoenicia, Syria and the Zagros Mountains – and also include a fun 2-parter on the Libyan pharaohs of Egypt. The best part is you can have access to all of them at this very moment – along with new monthly mini-Episodes going forward – by signing up at the “Lugal” tier at patreon.com/TheAncientWorld. To sweeten the deal I’m doing a special Limited Time Offer: Sign up for a year at any level and I will shoot you a signed PDF script of your favorite episode from any season of the series. The offer’s only good through September 30, 2023 so please join up now to take advantage. That’s it for now. I’ll see you all again in October and thanks again for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: Sarduri II rules at the pinnacle of Urartian power, conquering lands from the Black Sea coast to the Zagros Mountains to the kingdoms of northern Syria. Matti’el of Arpad unifies Aramean lands north of Damascus then allies with Urartu against the Assyrians. His defeat by the mysterious ruler of KTK only results in a temporary setback, and an Assyrian Empire pressed on all fronts seems destined for imminent collapse. “I am the ruler Yariri - the prince beloved by the Storm God, Kubaba, Karhuha and the Sun. The gods have made me strong and exalted over Carchemish. I strengthened Carchemish and I exalted my lord’s house in Carchemish. I caused the river to pass (here)…I built the temple of the god of Harmana and I made my own statue...I brought up Kamani as a successor, wherefore I showed virtue above all kings. And I brought up his younger brothers, I let them in as brothers and I extended protection to them, the children of my lord Astiruwa.” – Yariri’s inscription on the Royal Buttress at Carchemish Map of the Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg Map of Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Regional Kings List: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C24_Kings_List.pdf Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C24_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C24_References.pdf Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: A siege by Adad-nirari’s subordinate, Nergal-Eresh, finally breaks the Damascene hold over southern Syria and Canaan. The Urartian kings Menua and Argishti press Assyria’s frontiers, even as they conquer and secure new territories in the Araxes River valley. In the reigns of Adad-nirari’s sons, the Empire is beset by plague, rebellions, and disturbing omens. “Through the god Haldi’s power, Argishti, son of Menua, speaks: a city for my power I erected, and gave it the name of Argishtihinli. The land around was never inhabited, nothing was established here, therefore I have led four canals from the Manu river, I had vineyards and orchards established, I have done good things here. I am Argishti, son of Menua, powerful king, the great king, the king of the Land Biai, the Lord of the city of Tushpa.” – Inscription of Argishti of Urartu Map of the Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg Map of Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C23_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C23_References.pdf Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: Emerging triumphant from civil war, Shamshi-Adad V devotes his energies to humbling Babylonia. Upon his death, his wife Shammuramat acts as regent for their son, Adad-nirari III, and both campaign across the Euphrates to confront a resurgent Arpad. Under its vigorous king Menua, Urartu begins the military conquests that would end with its regional dominance. “When Suppiluliuma, king of Kummuh, caused Adad-nirari, king of Assyria and Shammuramat, queen, to cross the Euphrates river; I smashed Attar-shumki, son of Hadram, of the city Arpad, together with eight kings, who were with him at the city Paqarhubunu, their boundary and land…In that year they put up this boundary stone between Suppiluliuma, king of Kummuh, and Halpartuntiya, son of Larama, king of Gurgum.’” – the Pazarcik Stele Map of the Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg Map of Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Regional Kings List: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C22_Kings_List.pdf Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C22_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C22_References.pdf Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: During Neo-Assyria’s absence from the region, King Hazael of Aram-Damascus forges an Aramean Empire that extends to the borders of Egypt. “And Hazael said, ‘Why does my lord weep?’ He answered, ‘Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.’” – 2 Kings 8:12, English Standard Bible Map of the Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg Map of Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C21_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C21_References.pdf Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: Shalmaneser’s Syrian invasions were countered by a coalition forged by King Ahuni of Bit-Adini. But repeated campaigns wore down his rivals and ended in Assyrian dominance. “Ahuni, terrified by my terrible, awe-inspiring weapons and my grim warfare, crossed over the Euphrates to save his life, and made his way to other lands. At the command of my lord Assur, the great lord, I annexed Til-barsip, Aligu, Nappigi and Rugulit as royal cities. I settled Assyrians there and built palaces in them for my royal residence. I renamed Til-barsip as Kar-Shalmaneser.” – Inscription of Shalmaneser III on the Kurkh Monolith Map of the Early Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Early Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg The Kings of Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Season_3_King_List.pdf Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C16_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C16_References.pdf Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: The Syrian campaigns of Ashurnasirpal II cemented Assyrian dominance. Tribute from the western kingdoms fueled construction of the king’s magnificent new showpiece of Kalhu. “Ashurnasirpal, strong king, king of Assyria, designate of the god Sin, favorite of the god Anu, loved one of the god Adad who is almighty among the gods, I, the merciless weapon which lays low lands hostile to him, I, the king, capable in battle, vanquisher of cities and highlands, foremost in battle, king of the four quarters.” – Inscription of King Ashurnasirpal II at Kalhu Map of the Early Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Early Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg The Kings of Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Season_3_King_List.pdf Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C15_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C15_References.pdf Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: The Country Lords of Carchemish adorned their city with temples and monuments. But Assyrian conquests in the Khabur River valley heralded a growing eastern threat. “I am the ruler Katuwa, Country Lord of Carchemish, son of the Country Lord Suhi (II), grandson of the […]
The post Episode C14 – The House of Suhi first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Canaanite cities of Tel-Rehov and Beth-Shean were re-founded by the Pharaoh Thutmose III in the wake of the Battle of Megiddo. By the early Iron Age, their size, location and wealth drew the attention of the Pharaoh Shoshenq I. “(Thutmose) was in their center, Amun being the protection of his person in the melee, and the strength of Set pervading his members…Then (the enemy) saw his majesty prevailing over them, and they fled headlong to Megiddo with faces of fear.” – The Battle of Megiddo Inscription Map of the Early Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Early Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C13_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C13_References.pdf Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A brief history of The Ancient World. Plus: a new season, a new partnership and a new Patreon page! www.patreon.com/TheAncientWorld www.airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Synopsis: Joseph and Hyrcanus of the Tobiad clan served as tax farmers in Coele Syria for nearly half a century, weathering the transition from Ptolemaic and Seleucid control along with the constant maelstrom of Jerusalem politics. “Hyrcanus determined not to return to Jerusalem any more, […]
The post Episode S6 – Castle of the Slave first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
So, first the bad news: Episode C12 wraps the second “season” of “The Ancient World – Carchemish.” The show’ll be on hiatus for the next few months as I turn my attention to a few other projects. Then I’ll be back with another new season […]
The post A Quick Note first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The growing power of the Israelites and Arameans is reflected in the construction of new temples to Yahweh in Jerusalem and Hadad-Rammon in Damascus. A resurgent Egypt – under increasing influence of the Libyan Meshwesh – begins to eye its former Levantine holdings. “And […]
The post Episode C12 – The Two Temples first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: In the latter half of the 11th century BC, southern Syria witnessed the increasing prominence of semi-nomadic Semitic peoples – including the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites and Israelites. “Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they […]
The post Episode C11 – The House of David first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The fracturing and diminishment of Egyptian power in the early Iron Age is captured in “The Report of Wenamun.” I found (King Zakar-baal of Byblos) seated in his upper chamber with his back against a window, and the waves of the great sea of […]
The post Episode C10 – These Are Not Foolish Travels first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: In the mid-11th century BC, the Hittite kingdoms of northern Syria are joined by others– in the Philistine pentapolis, the Amuq plain and the region of Classical Cilicia – with ties to the former Mycenaean Greeks. The Phoenician cities of the Levantine coast begin […]
The post Episode C9 – Horse to Horse, Army to Army first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Great Kings of Carchemish continue ruling over a Hittite rump state in northern Syria as they support the region’s recovery. After an attack by the Assyrian king Ashur-bel-kala, the Carchemish dynasty is supplanted by the house of Suhi. “In that year, in the […]
The post Episode C8 – The Heirs of Hatti first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Even as Anatolia, Syria and Egypt confronted the Bronze Age Collapse, the eastern kingdoms of Assyria, Babylonia and Elam continued their ancient cycle of dynastic conflict. “Why I – who am a king, son of a king, seed of a king, scion of a […]
The post Episode C7 – The Heirs of Babylon first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: In the wake of the Sea Peoples, the Hittite Great King Kuzi-Teshub focuses on rebuilding and strengthening his kingdom. A powerful new threat soon emerges in the form of King Tiglath-Pileser I of Assyria. “In the service of my Lord Ashur, my chariots and […]
The post Episode C6 – The Splendid Flame first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
First off I really hope you’ve been enjoying “The Ancient World – Carchemish.” From the beginning I’ve touted this as a series on the Neo-Hittite kingdoms. But since the first Neo-Hittite kingdom was centered on Carchemish, I thought it’d be fun to start the series […]
The post From Bronze to Iron first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Sea Peoples cut a swath of devastation across the Levant before their final confrontation with the pharaoh Ramesses III of Egypt. The Hittite Great King Suppiluliuma II abandons the capital of Hattusas before its final destruction. “Regarding what you wrote me before: ‘Enemy […]
The post Episode C5 – The Sea Peoples first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Great King Tudhaliya’s sons, Arnuwanda and Suppiluliuma, take power in a time of growing famine. The collapse of Mycenaean Greece intensifies the predations of Aegean and Mediterranean pirates, who threaten Hittite grain shipments and ally with the Libyans to launch an invasion of […]
The post Episode C4 – The Great Kings first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Hattusili III’s diplomacy with the pharaoh Ramesses II culminates in the world’s first peace treaty. After his death, his son Tudhaliya IV drives out the Ahhiyawans, then defends northern Syria against Assyrian aggression. “The Kings who are my equals in rank are the King […]
The post Episode C3 – The Eternal Treaty first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
I just wanted to give you a quick update about my “The Bronze Age” course on avid.fm. First off, I’m happy to report that we’ve exceeded the threshold for launching the course – so it is officially happening. Thank you so much to everyone who’s […]
The post The Bronze Age – Update first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: King Muwatalli II relocates the Hittite capital to the new royal city of Tarhuntassa near the Mediterranean coast, then faces off against the young pharaoh Ramesses II in the Battle of Qadesh. After Muwatalli’s death, his son and brother – Urhi-Teshub and Hattusili – […]
The post Episode C2 – Tarhuntassa first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Hi everyone! As you likely know, I really enjoyed making the original “Ancient World” podcast series – especially the parts covering the Bronze Age Near East and eastern Mediterranean. I’ve always hoped for the opportunity to update and expand those episodes with the latest and […]
The post The Bronze Age first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: In the late 14th century BC, the Hittite Great King Suppiluliuma wrested Syria from the grip of the Hurrian kingdom of Mitanni. Two of his sons would succeed him to the throne, while two others founded new dynasties in the cities of Aleppo and […]
The post Episode C1 – Carchemish first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: In the 4th century AD, the Ethiopian kingdom of Axum converted to Christianity even as the neighboring Himyarites of Yemen converted to Judaism. Centuries later, Axum’s invasion of Yemen to stop the persecution of Christians triggered a conflict with Persia. Map of the kingdoms […]
The post Episode S5 – Ordeal by Fire first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Sabaeans and Himyarites leveraged their control over south Arabian aromatics into a lucrative trade that spanned the ancient world. The region’s remoteness, wealth and active diplomacy afforded some protection from the powerful empires who frequently dominated the north. Map of the Arabian Peninsula:http://s407341505.onlinehome.us/Yemen.jpg
The post Episode S4 – Children of the Moon first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: A century after Queen Zenobia, another Syrian Arab warrior queen rises to challenge the power or Rome – and succeeds. The story of Queen Mavia of the Tanukh. “Mavia, queen of the Saracens, had begun to convulse the villages and towns on the border […]
The post Episode S3 – Queen Mavia first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The death of King Philip I marks the official end of the Seleucid line. Invited by the Antiochenes to rule them, King Tigranes II of Armenia proceeds to conquer all of Syria – including Cleopatra Selene’s stronghold of Ptolemais-Akko. But Tigranes’ refusal to abandon […]
The post Episode T18 – Tigranes first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: With Rome encroaching from the north and south, the sons of Grypus battle Parthians, usurpers and local powers to keep their hold on Syria. “As he lingered on the banks of the Euphrates, (Sulla) received a visit from Orobazus, a Parthian, who came as […]
The post Episode T17 – The Sons of Grypus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: While the Ptolemies intrigue in Coele Syria, Antiochus VIII Grypus and his half-brother Antiochus IX Cyzicenus struggle for seventeen years to win control of the north. After the rivals die in quick succession, the kingdom comes under control of Seleucus VI and Demetrius III, […]
The post Episode T16 – The Sons of Thea first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Cleopatra Thea convinces her son Antiochus VIII Grypus to return to Syria and share the throne. But once Zabinas is defeated and the kingdom secure, Grypus decides to avenge his brother’s murder. “Ptolemy (Physcon)…proceeded to devote his entire strength to the destruction of Alexander […]
The post Episode T15 – Grypus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Demetrius II returns to Syria, but his unpopularity – and support for the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra II – results in a usurper named Alexander Zabinas taking most of his kingdom. Fleeing a military defeat, Demetrius is denied entry to Ptolemais-Akko by Cleopatra Thea, an […]
The post Episode T14 – Zabinas first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: A Syrian man from Apamea, enslaved on the island of Sicily, renames himself King Antiochus and launches the first large-scale slave rebellion against the Roman Republic. “The Sicilians, through the enjoyment of a long peace, grew very rich, and brought up an abundance […]
The post Episode T13 – Eunus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: After Mithridates is struck down by an illness, his son Phraates II defends Parthian gains against the army of Antiochus VII. Forced to retreat to Hyrcania, Phraates sets events in motion that result in the deaths of both kings. “On Antiochus (VII)’s approach, many […]
The post Episode T12 – Sar Matati first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Ongoing strife in Anatolia and Egypt allows Antiochus VII to campaign east against the Parthians. His early successes inspire hopes of a resurgent Seleucid Empire, hopes shattered by his unexpected death. “In Asia, Attalos III as soon as he came to the throne began […]
The post Episode T11 – Euergetes first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“In this battle, Antiochus’ horse was wounded and killed, and the king himself was struck through the mouth and lost some of his teeth. On the whole, he acquired on that occasion the greatest reputation for valor. Because of this battle, Euthydemus was caught off […]
The post Episode S2 – The Bactrian Kingdom first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I am engaged in a land of a leonine and brave people, where every foot of the ground is like a wall of steel confronting my soldiers. You have brought only one Alexander into the world, but every mother in this land has brought an […]
The post Episode S1 – Alexander in Bactria first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Cleopatra Thea marries Demetrius II’s brother, Antiochus VII, becoming the simultaneous queen of two Seleucid kings. While Antiochus crushes Tryphon’s revolt and recovers former Seleucid territories, Demetrius is defeated by Mithridates and imprisoned in distant Hyrcania. “But as Antiochus, the brother of Demetrius […]
The post Episode T10 – Sidetes first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Seleucid rebel Diodotus Tryphon uses Thea and Alexander Balas’ young son, Antiochus VI, to capture most of Syria. Though paralyzed at home, Demetrius II embarks on a bold plan to challenge the conquests of Mithridates. “Now there was a certain commander…whose name was […]
The post Episode T9 – Tryphon first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The rediscovery of Ai Khanoum testified to the wealth and power of the Bactrian Kingdom. Mithridates’ conquest of Babylonia is countered by an unlikely coalition. “The cities of Bactria were Bactra, which they also call Zariaspa and through which flows a river of the […]
The post Episode T8 – The City first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: On the eastern frontiers of the Seleucid Empire, Parthia, Bactria and the Indo-Greeks struggle for regional supremacy. The stalemate in Syria and murder of Eucratides advance the fortunes of Mithridates. “At about the same time that Mithridates was beginning his rule in Parthia, Eucratides […]
The post Episode T7 – Blazing From Afar first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: With Syria beset by regional enemies, three kings face off at the Battle of the Oenoparos River. The lone survivor, King Demetrius II, inaugurates his reign with the violent destruction of Antioch. “And the king of Egypt gathered together a great host, like the […]
The post Episode T6 – Philometor first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Demetrius struggles to preserve his throne but ends up falling in battle. Alexander Balas begins his reign by marrying Ptolemy’s daughter, Cleopatra Thea. While the sons of Demetrius remain a threat, the couple are also forced to confront the growing menace of Parthia. “Then […]
The post Episode T5 – Balas first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Demetrius seizes the Syrian throne and stems immediate threats from Media and Judaea. But deposed officials and regional rulers conspire to engineer his downfall. “When it became known that the Romans were ill disposed towards Demetrius, not only the other kings but even some […]
The post Episode T4 – Soter first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Lysias attempts to exercise control through the young King Antiochus V, but a deadly incident with a Roman delegation gives hope to the captive Demetrius. Ptolemy Physcon challenges his brother Ptolemy VI for control of Egypt and Cyprus. “They then went on board, and […]
The post Episode T3 – Thea first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Antiochus the Great restores Seleucid fortunes, but his son Antiochus IV sews the seeds of the Empire’s destruction. “On (Antiochus IV), after reading the dispatch, saying that he desired to consult with his friends on the situation, Popilius did a thing which was looked […]
The post Episode T2 – Megas first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Seleucus I Nicator forges the Seleucid Empire, and his descendants spend the next century struggling to preserve his legacy. “In Asia, after the defeat of Demetrius at Gaza in Syria, Seleucus, receiving from Ptolemy no more than eight hundred foot soldiers and about two […]
The post Episode T1 – Nicator first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
with Drew from the Wonders of the World Podcast, where we talk about Palmyra, Odaenathus, and (of course) Queen Zenobia. Enjoy!
The post The Rest of My Interview first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
with the lovely and talented Drew from the Wonders of the World podcast, where we talk about the exotic Roman Emperor Elagabalus, the amazing temple complex at Baalbek, and lots of other fun stuff. Enjoy! And please also check out his other episodes (it helps […]
The post Just Did My First Interview first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Monotheism, modern Syria, the world’s first romance story, and the end of the Bloodline. “The oasis and town of Palmyra owe their existence to the plentiful spring that runs from Jebel Muntar. This spring dominates a narrow passage in the principal route between the […]
The post Episode B54 – Efqa first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Aurelian returns East to crush Palmyrene revolts in Syria and Egypt. The sources relate differing accounts of Zenobia’s ultimate fate. “To the tumultuous throng which crowded under these porticoes the solitude of death has succeeded. The silence of the tomb is substituted for the […]
The post Episode B53 – Memento Mori first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Boxed in by Aurelian’s siege, Zenobia makes a desperate attempt to enlist the support of the Persians. “Palmyra was the last resource of the widow of Odaenathus. She retired within the walls of her capital, made every preparation for a vigorous resistance, and declared, […]
The post Episode B52 – Palmyra first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: After a crushing defeat at the Battle of Emesa, Zenobia retreats to Palmyra. Aurelian has a divine encounter at the Temple of Elah Gabal. “After this, the whole issue of the war was decided near Emesa in a mighty battle fought against Zenobia and […]
The post Episode B51 – Emesa first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Aurelian’s vision compels him to spare the defiant citizens of Tyana. As the Romans advance through Anatolia, Zenobia concentrates her forces in Syria, and the two sides finally clash at the Battle of Immae. “As soon as the Emperor was on his march thither, […]
The post Episode B50 – Augusta first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Zenobia orders her general Zabdas to capture Anatolia. After subduing the Marcomanni and the Goths, Aurelian makes preparations to reclaim the East. “(Aurelian) was naturally of a severe disposition. A peasant and a soldier, his nerves yielded not easily to the impressions of sympathy, […]
The post Episode B49 – Nemesis first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Zenobia’s armies successfully capture Arabia Petraea and Egypt. The death of Claudius and his brother Quintillus pave the way for the Emperor Aurelian. “Zenobia began to think of extending her dominion, and therefore sent Zabdas into Egypt.” – Zosimus, The History “Nor was the […]
The post Episode B48 – 270 first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Following the murder of the Emperor Gallienus, Zenobia successfully defends Palmyra against both Roman and Persian aggression. “Zenobia then took upon her the administration of affairs. She was the wife of Odaenathus, but had the courage of a man, and with the assistance of […]
The post Episode B47 – Zenobia first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Odaenathus declares himself King of Kings, twice besieges the Sasanid capital, and combats Gothic pirates on the Black Sea coast. At the height of his power he’s betrayed and murdered, and Palmyrene power passes to Queen Zenobia. “While Valerian was growing old in Persia, […]
The post Episode B46 – Melek Melek first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Odaenathus helps drive the Persians from Syria and preserve Gallienus’ throne. After his peace offering is spurned by Shapur, Odaenathus prepares to invade the Sasanid Empire. “Had not Odaenathus, prince of the Palmyrenes, seized the imperial power after the capture of Valerian, when the […]
The post Episode B45 – Odaenathus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: After his humiliating defeat at the hands of Shapur, Valerian joins tens of thousands of Roman captives deported to the heartland of Persia. “Going without consideration to Shapur with a small retinue, to treat for a peace, (Valerian) was presently laid hold off by […]
The post Episode B44 – Edessa first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Samsigeramus saves Emesa from Sasanid destruction, then proclaims himself Augustus. The arrival of Valerian marks the end of his reign and the elevation of Odaenathus to provincial governor. “And then there shall be a flight of Romans; and thereafter there shall come the priest […]
The post Episode B43 – Sibylline first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The revolt of Iotapian shows Eastern nobles the possibilities among the chaos. Shapur’s invasion of Syria drives Samsigeramus to make a bold stand. “As there were at that time many disturbances in the empire, the eastern provinces – which were uneasy, partly owing to […]
The post Episode B42 – Iotapian first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Shortly after Hatra’s destruction, Shapur inherits the Persian Empire. Gordian’s invasion the following year ends in defeat and humiliation for Rome. “When at first we had become established in the Empire, Gordian Caesar raised in all of the Roman Empire a force from the […]
The post Episode B41 – Samsigeramus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: After the death of Elagabalus, Uranius Antoninus served as High Priest of Elah Gabal in Emesa. From this vantage, he witnessed the birth of Ardeshir’s Persia and the changing fortunes of the Palmyrenes. “Even the name of Tadmor, or Palmyra, by its signification in […]
The post Episode B40 – Uranius first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Alexander marches East to counter Ardeshir’s invasion, but the conflict ends in a stalemate. A short time later, a legionary rebellion along the Rhine brings the Severan regime to a bloody end. “The lenity of the Emperor confirmed the insolence of the troops; the […]
The post Episode B39 – Excidium first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Overseen by his mother and grandmother, Severus Alexander’s early reign was marked by wisdom and temperance. A decade later, a Sasanid invasion would test both Rome and its emperor. “When Alexander received the empire, the appearance and the title of Emperor were allowed him, […]
The post Episode B38 – The Last Severan first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Ardeshir defeats Artabanus in battle and claims the Parthian Empire for the Sasanids. After a failed attempt to conquer Armenia, he sets his sights on the Roman East. “Then (Ardeshir) came to battle with Artabanus, killed the entire army of the latter, seized their […]
The post Episode B37 – Shahanshah first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Elagabalus spearheads a religious revolution in Rome, but his unpopular rule drives Julia Maesa to enact a back-up plan. “To this temple, as to the common center of religious worship, the Imperial fanatic attempted to remove the Ancilia, the Palladium, and all the sacred […]
The post Episode B36 – The Black Stone first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Deception, good fortune, and Macrinus’ failings allow the Severans to retake the Roman throne. As Emperor, Elagabalus makes plans to install the black stone of Elah Gabal in the Capital. “(Elagabalus and Severus Alexander) were priests of the sun god, whom their countrymen worship […]
The post Episode B35 – Bassus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: King Artabanus of Parthia gathers his forces to seek revenge on Rome. Usurpation and war gain the Sasanids control over the southern territory of Fars. “Macrinus, seeing that Artabanus was exceedingly angry at the way he had been treated and had invaded Mesopotamia with […]
The post Episode B34 – Keepers of the Fire first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Caracalla cuts a murderous path through Rome, and provokes a dangerous war with Parthia. After his murder, Julia Domna is forced to contend with a would-be usurper. “Julia Domna deserved all that the stars could promise her. She possessed, even in advanced age, the […]
The post Episode B33 – Semiramis first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Severus’ close friendship with Plautianus estranges him from his family. In his final years, a rebellion in Britannia provides one last opportunity to shape his legacy. “The contemporaries of Severus, in this enjoyment of the peace and glory of his reign, forgave the cruelties […]
The post Episode B32 – The Fourth Caesar first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Severus confronts Albinus at Lugdunum, then launches a war against the Parthians. At the pinnacle of his power, the oracle of Zeus Belos reveals his family’s fate. “The youth of Severus had been trained in the implicit obedience of the camps, and the riper […]
The post Episode B31 – Perish in Blood first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Severus defeats Niger and wages a limited Eastern campaign. While Julia Domna is hailed as Mother of the Camps, Caracalla’s elevation to Caesar prompts a second civil war. “There used to be an oracle about Hannibal’s death. ‘The soil of Libyssa would cover Hannibal’s […]
The post Episode B30 – Mater Castrorum first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: After Pertinax and his successor are killed in the same year, Severus’s claim to the Empire is contested by two rivals. “Pertinax was one of those men to whom no exception can be taken, but he ruled only for an exceedingly brief space of […]
The post Episode B29 – 193 first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Julia Domna marries Septimius Severus and gives birth to Caracalla and Geta. Left behind in Rome with her young children, Julia watches as Commodus re-founds the Empire in his own image. “The effect of Commodus upon the Romans was worse than that of all pestilences and all […]
The post Episode B28 – Bestiarius first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Julia Domna was daughter of the Emesene High Priest, destined to marry a king. Then she met Septimius Severus. “Our history now descends from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust.” – Cassius Dio, Rome, Book 71 “The primitive Christians perpetually […]
The post Episode B27 – Lucifugus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The revolt of Avidius Cassius. “There is only one thing I fear, fellow-soldiers…and that is that (Avidius Cassius) may either kill himself because ashamed to come into our presence, or someone else upon learning that I shall come and am setting out against him […]
The post Episode B26 – Emanes first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The overthrow of King Gaius Julius Sohaemus of Armenia leads to war between Parthia and Rome. “For Vologases had begun war by assailing on all sides the Roman camp under Severianus, situated in Elegeia, a place in Armenia; and he had shot down and […]
The post Episode B25 – Discindo first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The Macedonian kingdoms of Central Asia endured for centuries before being absorbed into the Kushan Empire. Hadrian’s actions in Judea spark a third Jewish Revolt. “Has it ever happened to you, O king, that rival kings rose up against you as enemies and opponents? […]
The post Episode B24 – The Yona Kings first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: At the far point of his campaign, Trajan’s Eastern conquests begin to slip from his fingers. “Thence he came to the (Persian Gulf) itself, and when he had learned its nature and seen a boat sailing to India, he said: ‘I should certainly have […]
The post Episode B23 – Parthicus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Silas guides Emesa in its transition to a pilgrimage site. The death of King Tiridates I of Armenia brings Rome and Parthia into conflict. “(Parthomasiris) greeted him, took off his diadem from his head, and laid it at (Trajan’s) feet. Then he stood there […]
The post Episode B22 – Optimus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Gaius Julius Sohaemus is compelled to help the Romans conquer Commagene. “Petus…fell upon Commagene before Antiochus and his people had the least expectation of his coming. He had with him the tenth legion, and also some cohorts and troops of horsemen. These kings also […]
The post Episode B21 – Betrayal first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The destruction of Jerusalem. Shalim (semetic): Caananite god of dusk and the evening star, paired with Shahar, god of dawn and the morning star. Root of Hebrew shalom and Arabic salam(peace), associated with sunset and the completion of the workday. Related to the Caananite […]
The post Episode B20 – The God of Dusk first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Tiberius Julius Alexander throws Egypt’s backing behind Vespasian’s bid for the throne. “Accordingly, in order to overthrow John (of Gischala), they determined to admit Simon (bar Giora), and earnestly to desire the introduction of a second tyrant into the city…Accordingly he, in an arrogant […]
The post Episode B19 – The Prefect first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Joseph ben Matityahu fought the Romans as a Jewish General before becoming a trusted advisor to the Flavians. The Josephus Problem (mathematics): Given a group of n men arranged in a circle under the edict that every mth man will be executed going around […]
The post Episode B18 – The Josephus Problem first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Nero crowns Tiridates King of Armenia. A succession of brutal and corrupt procurators set Judea on the path to revolt. “Go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom (Gehenna), which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the […]
The post Episode B17 – The Valley first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The birth of Drusilla and Sohaemus’ son Gaius Julius Alexio. The Empire confronts the revolt of Boudica, renewed warfare in Armenia, and the Great Fire of Rome. “Rome shall perish – write that word In the blood that she has spilt; Perish, hopeless and […]
The post Episode B16 – Burn first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Drusilla marries the Emesene Priest-King Gaius Julius Sohaemus. Rome and Parthia go to war over Armenia. “Our ancestors worshipped the Sun, and they were not that foolish. It makes sense to revere the Sun and the stars, for we are their children.” – Carl […]
The post Episode B15 – God of the Mountain first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The divorce of Felix and Drusilla. James and Paul struggle for the soul of early Christianity. “And then it was that the sicarii, as they were called, who were robbers, grew numerous. They made use of small swords, not much different in length from […]
The post Episode B14 – The Just first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The early life of Drusilla of Mauretania, and her marriage to Marcus Antonius Felix, Roman Procurator of Judea “This Judas, having gotten together a multitude of men of a profligate character about Sepphoris in Galilee, made an assault upon the palace there, and seized […]
The post Episode B13 – Zealot first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The death of Tiberius, elevation of Caligula, and final years of King Ptolemy I. “Ptolemy, whom (Caligula) invited from his kingdom, and received with great honors, he suddenly put to death, for no other reason, but because he observed that upon entering the theatre, […]
The post Episode B12 – Antonii first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The end of Tacfarinas, and the bloody co-rule of Tiberius and Sejanus. “Then, as the campaign had demonstrated Ptolemy’s good-will, an old-fashioned distinction was revived, and a member of the Senate was dispatched to present him with the traditional bounty of the Fathers, an […]
The post Episode B11 – Caedis first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The ongoing rebellion of Tacfarinas, and the death of Juba. “For Tacfarinas, in spite of many repulses, having first recruited his forces in the heart of Africa, had reached such a pitch of insolence as to send an embassy to Tiberius, demanding nothing less […]
The post Episode B10 – Insurgo first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Germanicus travels to Syria to assume his Eastern Imperium. “‘The prime duty of friends is not to follow their dead with passive laments, but to remember his wishes and carry out his commands. Strangers themselves will bewail Germanicus: youwill avenge him – if you […]
The post Episode B9 – Germanicus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The death of Octavian, elevation of Tiberius, and early military careers of Germanicus and Ptolemy. “Even during the years when he lived at Rhodes, in ostensible retirement and actual exile, (Tiberius) had studied nothing save anger, hypocrisy, and secret lasciviousness.” – Tacitus, The Annals, […]
The post Episode B8 – Scelus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The death of Gaius Caesar, and Juba’s return to Mauretania. Tropaion (Greek): A battlefield monument, erected at the “turning point” where the enemy’s phalanx broke.
The post Episode B7 – Tropaion first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Juba accompanies Gaius Caesar on his Eastern expedition. “Tigranes…marched forth with an army of such huge proportions that he actually laughed heartily at the appearance of the Romans present there. He is said to have remarked that, in cases where they came to make […]
The post Episode B6 – Eurus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The birth of Juba and Selene’s children, Ptolemy and Drusilla, and the death of Cleopatra Selene. “The moon herself grew dark, rising at sunset, Covering her suffering in the night, Because she saw her beautiful namesake, Selene, Breathless, descending to Hades, With her she’d […]
The post Episode B5 – Eclipsis first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Juba and Selene begin their rule of Mauretania. “Cato said…they must make no prayer for him; prayer belonged to the conquered, and the craving of grace to those who had done wrong; but for his part he had not only been unvanquished all his […]
The post Episode B4 – Limitem Mundi first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: Juba accompanies Octavian during the conquest of Egypt. “Thus was Egypt enslaved.” – Cassius Dio, Rome, Book LI Octavian Family Tree: http://s407341505.onlinehome.us/Octavian_Clan.pdf
The post Episode B3 – Ephebus first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The early years of Juba II, fostered in the family of Octavian and Octavia. “(Scipio) increased the honor by observing, that among the Romans there was nothing more magnificent than a Triumph; and that those who triumphed were not arrayed with more splendid ornaments than […]
The post Episode B2 – Rex Socius Amicusque first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Synopsis: The early years of Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. “And herein particularly did he give offense to the Romans, since he bestowed the honorable and solemn rites of his native country upon the Egyptians for Cleopatra’s sake.” – Plutarch, The Life […]
The post Episode B1 – Triumph first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I am a faithful servant of the king, and I have not rebelled and I have not sinned, and I do not withhold my tribute, and I do not refuse the requests of my commissioner. Now they wickedly slander me, but let the king, my […]
The post Episode R10 – The Bull and the Aten first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Surpassing all kings, powerful and tall beyond all others, violent, splendid, a wild bull of a man, unvanquished leader, hero in the front lines, beloved of his soldiers – fortress they called him, protector of the people, raging flood that destroys all defenses…” – the […]
The post Episode R9 – The Flood first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Whilst fully recognizing his enterprise, devotion, and energy in carrying out these excavations, I cannot but express the regret that Dr. Schliemann should have allowed the ‘enthusiasm,’ which, as he himself admits, ‘borders on fanaticism,’ to make it so paramount an object with him to […]
The post Episode R8 – The Thousand Year Gap first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Who will persuade me, when I reclined upon a mighty tomb, that it did not contain a hero? – its very magnitude proved this. Men do not labour over the ignoble and petty dead – and why should not the dead be Homer’s dead?” – […]
The post Episode R7 – The Man Who Sold Troy first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I should weary the reader, were I to describe, step by step, the progress of the work, and the discoveries gradually made in various part of the great mound. The labours of one day resembled those of the preceding; but it would be difficult to […]
The post Episode R6 – The Heroic Age first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“The Major constantly and indefatigably employed himself, from daylight to dark, revising, restoring and adding to his former materials. This was a work of great irksomeness and labour in the confined space he was compelled to stand in, with his body in close proximity to […]
The post Episode R5 – Behistun Hat-Trick first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“What can all this mean? Who built this structure? In what century did he live? To what nation did he belong? Are these walls telling me their tales of joy and woe? Is this beautiful cuneiformedcharacter a language? I know not. I can read their […]
The post Episode R4 – Dwelling of the Lions first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“My antiquarian studies go on quietly and smoothly, and despite the taunt which you may remember once expressing, of the presumption of an ignoramus like myself attempting to decipher inscriptions which had baffled for centuries the most learned men in Europe, I have made very […]
The post Episode R3 – The Place of God first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“His Majesty…has dispatched a few days ago by the vessel Greenland a group of scholars, who will travel by way of the Mediterranean to Constantinople, and thence through Egypt to Arabia Felix, and subsequently return by way of Syria to Europe; they will on all […]
The post Episode R2 – Arabia Felix first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“To speak the name of the dead is to make them live again.” – Ancient Egyptian saying Rediscovered two millennia after its creation, the Rosetta Stone provided two brilliant scholars with the key to unlocking the history of ancient Egypt.
The post Episode R1 – The Broken Stone first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
A little time-travel, a quick world tour, and plenty of thanks all around!
The post Episode 36 – And Then What Happened? first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Rome was not a monarchy, but a free City, and they had made up their minds to open their gates even to an enemy sooner than to a king. It was the universal wish that whatever put an end to liberty in the City should […]
The post Episode 35 – On The Verge first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“The Athenians, when ruled by tyrants, were no better in war than their neighbors, but freed from tyrants they were far superior. This shows that when they were constrained they let themselves be defeated, since they were working for an overlord, but when they were […]
The post Episode 34 – Democracy and Republic, Part 2 first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“He added the Athenian people, who had formally not been in the center of things, to his own party, changed the names of the tribes and increased their number. He made ten tribal commanders instead of four and distributed demes into the tribes ten at […]
The post Episode 33 – Democracy and Republic, Part 1 first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Black is your path, Agni, changeless, with glittering waves! When like a bull you rush eager to the trees. With teeth of flame, wind-driven, through the wood he speeds, triumphant like a bull among the herd of cows, With bright strength roaming to the everlasting […]
The post Episode 32 – Things Fixed, Things Moving first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“After I became king, I fought nineteen battles in a single year and, by the grace of Ahura Mazda, I overthrew nine kings and I made them captive…As to these provinces which revolted, lies made them revolt, so that they deceived the people. Then Ahura […]
The post Episode 31 – Land of Imposters first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“So Darius son of Hystaspes was made king, and the whole of Asia, which Cyrus first and Cambyses after him had conquered, was subject to him…and everything was full of his power. First he made and set up a carved stone, upon which was cut […]
The post Episode 30 – The Lost Army first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Remember this lesson well: Whenever you can, act as a liberator. Freedom, dignity, and wealth—these three together constitute the great happiness of humanity. If you bequeath all three to your people, their love for you will never die.” – Cyrus the Great (quoted by Xenophon) […]
The post Episode 29 – A More Perfect Empire first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“In winter, as you lie on a soft couch by the fire, Full of good food, munching on nuts and drinking sweet wine, Then you must ask questions such as these: ‘Where do you come from? Tell me, what is your age? How old were […]
The post Episode 28 – When the Mede Came first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“But in every matter it behooves us to mark well the end: for oftentimes God gives men a gleam of happiness, and then plunges them into ruin.” – Solon of Athens Peisistratos’ first two attempts at tyranny were thwarted by the Athenian eupatridae. The Spartans […]
The post Episode 27 – Count No Man Happy first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“So it was that the Persians, who had once been the slaves of the Medes, became their masters.“ – Heroditus Nebuchadnezzar II turned Babylon into the most magnificent city of the ancient world, but the Chaldean line dissipated in his wake. Nabonidus’ fervent devotion to […]
The post Episode 26 – The Last Kings of Babylon first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Ahmose became a lover of the Hellenes; and besides other proofs of friendship which he gave to several among them, he also granted the city of Naucratis for those of them who came to Egypt to dwell in; and to those who did not desire […]
The post Episode 25 – The Voyage of Solon first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I freed those here who suffered unseemly enslavement and feared the tempers of their masters. I did this by harnessing force and justice together with power, and I carried through my promises. I wrote statues alike for those of high and of low social status, […]
The post Episode 24 – A Wolf Among Hounds first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the […]
The post Episode 23 – Captives of Babylon first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“But when earth had covered this generation also, Zeus the son of Cronos made yet another, the fourth, upon the fruitful earth, which was nobler and more righteous, a god-like race of hero-men who are called demi-gods, the race before our own, throughout the boundless […]
The post Episode 22 – The Fifth Generation first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? Whence shall I seek comforters for thee?” – Nahum 3:7 Ashurbanipal spent the end of his reign establishing a library of Mesopotamian knowledge and culture. Twenty years after his death, internal discord and powerful enemies combined to […]
The post Episode 21 – For the Sake of Distant Days first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
In the mid-seventh century BC, Nubia and Assyria struggled for control over Egypt before the kingdom regained independence under the pharaoh Psamtik I. King Gyges of Lydia drove the Cimmerians from western Anatolia and sent Greek mercenaries to reinforce the pharaoh’s armies. Ashurbanipal spent decades […]
The post Episode 20 – The House of Succession first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“The city and its houses, from its foundations to its walls, I destroyed, I devastated, I burned with fire. The wall and outer wall, temple-tower of brick and earth, temples and gods, and many as there were, I razed and dumped into the Arahtu-Canal. Through […]
The post Episode 19 – The Destruction of Sennacherib first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
In the west, Phoenician mastery of the Mediterranean was challenged by widespread Greek colonization. Rome’s first kings established the boundaries and institutions of the early state. In the Near East, Sennacherib was confronted with the return of a Chaldean usurper to the Babylonian throne.
The post Episode 18 – The Three Pillars first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Then the King of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the King of Assyria took Samaria.” – II Kings 18:4 Toward the end of the eighth century […]
The post Episode 17 – The Fall of Israel first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“And Pul, the King of Assyria, came against the land.” – II Kings, 15:19 In 745 BC, Tiglath-pileser III reformed the administrative and military structure of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and led the armies of Assur in a virtually-unbroken string of regional conquests.
The post Episode 16 – The Assyrian first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
During the first half of the eighth century BC, Egypt, Babylonia and Assyria all struggled against the forces of entropy and decline. In the absence of the Aramean threat, Israel and Judah resumed their perpetual struggle. Urartu expanded its regional influence at the expense of […]
The post Episode 15 – Holding Action first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I received the tribute of the kings of the seacoast – namely, the lands of the peoples of Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, Mahallatu, Maizu, Kaizu, Amurru and the city of Arvad, which is in the midst of the seas – silver, gold, tin, bronze, a bronze […]
The post Episode 14 – In the Midst of the Seas first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“My brother Ashur-danin-apli, in the time of Shalmaneser, his father, acted wickedly, bringing about sedition, rebellion, and wicked plotting, caused the land to rise in revolt, prepared for war, brought the people of Assyria, north and south, to his side, and made bold speeches, brought […]
The post Episode 13 – Civil War first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
The Olmec of Mesoamerica and the Chavin of Peru laid strong cultural foundations that would influence regional civilizations down through the first European encounters with the New World. The longest-lasting Chinese Dynasty, the Zhou, bore witness to eras of unity and conquest, the devolution of […]
The post Episode 12 – Legacies of East and West first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I slew 14,000 of their warriors with the sword. Like Adad, I rained destruction on them. I scattered their corpses far and wide, and covered the face of the desolate plain with their wide-spreading armies. With my weapons I made their blood to flow down […]
The post Episode 11 – The Rise of Assyria first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
At the dawn of the first millennium BC, the collapse of the great Near Eastern powers allowed the cultures of Canaan to flourish. While the Phoenicians embarked on a bold new era of maritime expansion, the Hebrews and Arameans carved out new Iron Age kingdoms […]
The post Episode 10 – Picking Up The Pieces first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Regarding what you wrote me before: ‘Enemy ships were observed at sea!’ If it is true that ships were observed, reinforce yourself. Where are your troops and chariots? Are they not with you? If not, who will deliver you from the enemy? Surround your cities […]
The post Episode 9 – The Other 99 Percent first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“…And on the pedestal these words appear: ‘My name is Ozymandius, King of Kings, Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.” – Shelley, […]
The post Episode 8 – Look Upon My Works first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“As there are no pacts of faith between lions and men, nor do wolves and lambs have spirit in kind,…nor for us two will there be oaths;… Recollect your every skill. Now the need is very great to be a spearman and brave warrior.” – Achilles, […]
The post Episode 7 – Between Lions and Men first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
After expelling the Hyksos, the rulers of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty led their New Kingdom in an unprecedented drive for territorial expansion. In Syria and the Levant, they were forced to contend with powerful new states forged by the Hurrians and the Hittites.
The post Episode 6 – The New Kingdoms first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“I was asleep upon my bed, having become weary…like a snake of the necropolis. As I came to, I awoke to fighting, and found that it was an attack of the bodyguard. If I had quickly taken weapons in my hand, I would have made […]
The post Episode 5 – Blind-sided first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“From the heights of these pyramids, forty centuries look down on us.” – Napoleon Bonaparte The power of Egypt’s Old Kingdom rulers was reflected in their awe-inspiring monuments. The Harappan civilization of the Indus River Valley traded across Central Asia, the Near East and beyond. […]
The post Episode 4 – The Pyramid Builders first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Now any king who wants to call himself my equal, wherever I went, let him go!” – Sargon the Great In 2,334 BC, Sargon of Akkad forged the world’s first empire and created a legend that would inspire Near Eastern rulers for millennia. The Third […]
The post Episode 3 – “Wherever I Went, Let Him Go!” first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
Contemporary with early Sumer and Egypt, the Norte Chico thrived along the Peruvian coast, while the Neolithic Britons built their mysterious stone circles. The first European civilization, the Minoans of ancient Crete, exerted a strong cultural influence over the eastern Mediterranean.
The post Episode 2 – Circles and Labyrinths first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.
“Climb the stone staircase, more ancient than the mind can imagine” – The Epic of Gilgamesh The Sumerians of Mesopotamia, the Elamites of the Persian plateau, and the Egyptians of the Nile River valley were among the first civilizations to emerge in the ancient world.
The post Episode 1 – “Climb the Stone Staircase” first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.