The Ancient World
From the first human civilizations to the Hellenistic and Roman eras
Episodes
June 2, 2025 • 46 mins
Hi everyone! My friend Dominic at THoE and I are doing a feed-swap this week. It's a great chance to introduce you to his new set of episodes on the pharaoh Ramesses II. More details from Dominic below. Enjoy! - Scott C.
In a land famous for its monarchs – the legendary pharaohs – there is no one quite like Ramesses II. He might be the most famous of all, and we know a heck of a lot more about Ramesses than other rulers like Tuta...
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May 25, 2025 • 52 mins
Synopsis: This episode covers the Early Dynastic Period in Sumer and northern Syria.
“Eannatum gave the great battle net of Enlil to the leader of Umma and made him swear to him by it. The leader of Umma swore to Eannatum: ‘By the life of Enlil, king of heaven and earth! I may exploit the field of Ningirsu as an interest-bearing loan. I shall not destroy the irrigation channel! Forever and evermore, I shall not transgress the terr...
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May 11, 2025 • 49 mins
Synopsis: This episode covers the early civilizations of Egypt and the Caucasus region, including the Kura-Araxes and Maikop.
“In succession to the Spirits of the Dead and the Demigods, the Egyptians reckon the First Dynasty to consist of eight kings. Among these was Menes (Narmer), whose rule in Egypt was illustrious. I shall record the rulers of each race from the time of Menes. Their succession is as follows…” – Manetho’s Aegyp...
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April 29, 2025 • 41 mins
Synopsis: The launch of “The Ancient World – Ages”, a new series covering the Early Bronze Age Collapse (c. 2200 BC) and the remaking of Southwest Eurasia. We start things off with a discussion of the Ubaid and Uruk Periods of early Mesopotamia.
“After Anu, Enlil, Enki, and Ninhursag
Had fashioned the black-headed people,
Vegetation luxuriated from the earth,
Animals, four-legged creatures of the plain, were brought
artfully...
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June 27, 2024 • 35 mins
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 Valeri...
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June 13, 2024 • 31 mins
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 Aureli...
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December 31, 2023 • 27 mins
Synopsis: Faced with a series of disloyal vassals, Sargon conquers the remaining Neo-Hittite kingdoms and absorbs them into his empire. The Cimmerian invasion of Anatolia leads to the deaths of two powerful kings. In their absence, the preservation of peace and stability falls to local rulers such as Azatiwadas of Quwe.
“I am Azatiwadas, the Sun God’s man, servant of Tarhunzas, whom Awariku, king of Adanawa, made great. Tarhunzas m...
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December 17, 2023 • 31 mins
Synopsis: Rusa of Urartu wins early victories against Assyrian armies, but his intrigues in the Zagros kingdom of Mannea earn him Sargon’s wrath. After a crushing defeat by Cimmerian invaders, Rusa’s unable to prevent Sargon’s destruction of his kingdom.
“I caused there to be lamentation in the wide land Urartu and in all the mountains, and I made Rusa, their king, use flint blades, razors (and) scalpels to slash himself in mournin...
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December 3, 2023 • 38 mins
Synopsis: After defeating Syrian rebels at Qarqar and extending his dominion to the borders of Egypt, Sargon II labors to defend Tabal from the advances of Midas of Phrygia. Letters to Midas from Pisiri of Carchemish give Sargon a pretext to depose the Country Lord and annex his kingdom to Assyria.
“In my fifth regnal year, Pisiri of the city Carchemish sinned against the treaty sworn by the great gods and repeatedly sent messages ...
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November 19, 2023 • 27 mins
Synopsis: Shalmaneser V succeeds his father to the thrones of Assyria and Babylonia, then deals with rebellions in Samaria and Tyre. But his reign is cut short by the violent coup of Sargon II. After losing his hold on Babylonia, Sargon marches west to confront a Syrian alliance under Yaubidi of Hamath.
“With regard to the city Assur…Shalmaneser V, who did not revere the king of all the world, raised his hand against that city with...
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November 5, 2023 • 31 mins
Synopsis: Tiglath-pileser crushes rebellions in Patin and Luash and annexes their territories to Assyria. King Rasyan of Aram-Damascus forms a coalition of southern kingdoms - including Israel, Edom, Phoenicia and Philistia - to challenge Assyrian dominance, but betrayal by allies and the brutal tenacity of Tiglath-pileser lead to his kingdom’s downfall.
“I am Bar-Rakib the son of Panamuwa, king of Sam’al, servant of Tiglath-pilese...
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October 22, 2023 • 27 mins
Synopsis: Matti’el of Arpad turns his back on the Treaty of Katikka and allies with Sarduri II of Urartu. The usurpation of Tiglath-pileser III heralds an Assyrian resurgence and the kingdom of Arpad’s destruction.
“Matti’el the son of Attar-shumki (II) fomented a rebellion against Assyria and violated his loyalty oath. To the kings of Hatti and Urartu he sent hostile messages against Assyria and made the lands hostile. Sarduri of ...
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September 10, 2023 • 2 mins
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...
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July 23, 2023 • 28 mins
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...
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July 9, 2023 • 29 mins
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: ...
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June 25, 2023 • 30 mins
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 ...
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June 11, 2023 • 26 mins
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.’” – ...
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May 28, 2023 • 31 mins
Synopsis: In Shalmaneser’s final years, his eldest son – the crown prince Assur-danin-pal – enters into rebellion, while his younger son, Shamshi-Adad, struggles to defend his father’s legacy.
“Where my brother Assur-danin-pal, 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 ...
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May 14, 2023 • 30 mins
Synopsis: Hazael of Aram-Damascus and Jehu of Israel bring desolation to the house of Omri. After decades of leading Assyrian campaigns, Shalmaneser III dispatches his turtanu, Dayan-Assur, to fight the newly-formed kingdom of Urartu.
“And the Lord said unto (Elijah), Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:
And then thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be kin...
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December 25, 2022 • 32 mins
Synopsis: A coalition marshalled by Hadad-ezer of Aram-Damascus and Urahilina of Hamath successfully defends southern Syria from further Assyrian encroachment. But a decade of campaigning by Shalmaneser begins to take its toll.
“I destroyed, devastated, and set fire to Qarqar, his royal city. Urahilina brought twelve kings to his support; they came against me to offer battle and fight: 1,200 chariots, 1,200 cavalry, and 20,000 sold...
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