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May 2023
50m 21s

Living the life of luxury with the Persi...

IMMEDIATE MEDIA
About this episode

When Greek soldiers captured the royal command tent of the Persian king during the Greco-Persian wars, they were stunned by what they saw. Their mighty adversary’s seat of power was absolutely dripping with dazzling decadence – and, to the Greeks, indulging in this luxurious lifestyle was the reason for the Persians’ downfall. Speaking to Emily Briffett, curators Jamie Fraser and Kelly Accetta Crowe explain what a new British Museum exhibition can reveal about how the Persians and Greeks thought about luxury, wealth, democracy and power.

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