logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2022
50m 53s

Dethroned Emperor: The Fall of Valerian,...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe travel back to the third century CE to discuss the Battle of Edessa, in which the Sasanian Empire not only defeated the Roman army but also took its Emperor as a prisoner of war. How did the emperor’s capture impact the already crisis-ridden Roman Empire, and how was Valerian’s fall possibly mythologized by Christian historians? Find out…

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Weirdhouse Cinema: The White Reindeer
In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe discuss the 1952 Finnish folk horror film "The White Reindeer," starring Mirjami Kuosmanen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 17m
Jul 10
The Manta Ray, Part 3
In this series of episodes from Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the majestic manta ray. In this episode, learn all about their parasites, brains and cleaning stations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 1m
Jul 9
The Monstrefact: Monster Mantas of Chilean Folklore
In this episode of STBYM’s The Monstrefact, Robert discusses a pair of creatures from Chilean folklore that may connect to observations of the manta ray…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
5m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2020
Fall of the Western Roman Empire
In the late 4th century and early 5th centuries two massive largely-Germanic confederations arrived on Roman borders, having been uprooted from their homelands by the Huns. These were the Goths and the Vandals. Both peoples would become prime enemies of the Roman Empires in the E ... Show More
1h 2m
Feb 2023
Heliogabalus: Rome’s scandalous emperor
The story of the Roman emperor Heliogabalus is filled with sex, death, decadence and religious extremism, but it also touches on some key questions about imperial Rome. What were the limits of political power? How far should a ruler intervene in the life of his subjects? And what ... Show More
38m 58s
May 2023
Why Empires Fall
For centuries, the Roman Empire commanded unparalleled control over the world around it. It expanded its borders through trade and conquest, sucking resources from the periphery into its thriving centre - Rome. And then, suddenly, everything changed. The Empire entered a state of ... Show More
41m 22s
Nov 2021
The Rise of the Praetorian Guard
From Gladiator to Rome Total War to Star Wars, today the Praetorians are one of the most distinctive military units of Imperial Rome. It was their job to protect the Roman Emperor and his household, a task for which they hold a somewhat ‘chequered’ record (especially when we focu ... Show More
1h 4m
Dec 2021
The Fall of the Roman Empire Episode 4 "Augustus"
Julius Caesar lies dead on the floor of the Senate. What will happen now? The answer lies with a man called Octavian, who will surprise and astonish the ancient world by reinventing the Roman state and ensuring two hundred years of peace - he is better known by his honorary title ... Show More
21m 11s
Jul 2016
Episode B32 – The Fourth Caesar
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 ... Show More
31m 22s
Jun 2024
The Fall of Mark Antony: From Caesar to Cleopatra
After the death of his patron Julius Caesar, the Roman world was Mark Antony’s for the taking. His triumph over Caesar’s assassins at Phillipi in 42 BC only served to cement his legendary status as Rome’s most feared commander. But then came Octavian and Cleopatra… In this episod ... Show More
45m 31s
Apr 2022
EP 20 A Republic Lost at Sea
Professor Barry Strauss and Dan talk about Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar and a host of historical luminaries in a tale worthy of Shakespeare as the Roman Republic goes down with the ships at Actium. Show Notes: 1. “The War That Made the Roman Empire: Anto ... Show More
1h 8m
Jun 2024
460. The Empress of the Apocalypse
In 972AD a princess of the Byzantine Empire was sent by her uncle, the Roman emperor in Constantinople, to marry the son of Otto the Great - Emperor of the Latin West. A tantalising and formidable figure, Theophanu became a major player in one of the most tumultuous and mysteriou ... Show More
55m 26s