logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2023
28m 2s

Episode C24 - A Kingdom of Sand

SCOTT C.
About this episode
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 Assyri ... Show More
Up next
Oct 11
Episode A17 - Land Gave Me to Land
Synopsis: The long-lived rulers of Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty undertook the kingdom’s revitalization – restoring the depleted Faiyum Oasis and raising a massive chain of forts to subjugate Nubian lands. While the south Levant faced Egyptian raids, north Syria saw increased trade und ... Show More
37m 4s
Sep 27
Episode A16 - Contact
Synopsis: The Sintashta way of life and death seeds aspects of Vedic Aryan Hinduism and Iranian Zoroastrianism, while their quest for a lucrative market for metals brings them into contact with the Oxus Civilization and – through them – the larger Near Eastern world. In post-Ur I ... Show More
36m 14s
Sep 13
Episode A15 - Band of Brothers
Synopsis: Yamnaya migrations east and west carried their language and culture to the mountains of Siberia and plains of Hungary. Over the following centuries, their Corded Ware/Bell Beaker successors spread their daughter languages to the frontiers of Europe. As the Aridification ... Show More
37m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria
Known as the 'King of the World' and the last great king of Assyria, Ashurbanipal bestrode the ancient Mesopotamian world as a warrior but also a scholar, ruling the great Assyrian empire at the height of its power.In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by Assyriologist Dr Sel ... Show More
52m 11s
Oct 2025
220: Ramesses II Dead Sea to Galilee
Moves and counter-moves. In the aftermath of Kadesh, Muwattalli (King of Hatti) seems to consoldiated hold over Syria. Border territories like Amurru fell to Hittite influence. At home, Ramesses spent at least one year regrouping before launching his reponse. Soon, pharaonic armi ... Show More
24m 58s
Apr 2014
25d: Self-Made King- The First Intermediate Period (Part 4)
Newly researched and updated in 2024. The first phase is over, and the war is heating up. Around 2055 BCE, a lord of Waset/Thebes/Luxor named Intef I promoted himself far above the established norms. Sending representatives to treat with the other rulers, Intef nonetheless began ... Show More
1h 7m
Nov 2025
20. Persia - An Empire in Ashes
In the highlands of the Iranian Plateau, a collection of enormous pillars reach up to the sky...In this episode, we tell the story of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Find out how this remarkable ancient power sprung up from the rubble of a ruined world to become the most powerful ... Show More
5h 28m
Dec 2023
103. Alexander the Great: Defeating Darius
Darius has already been defeated by Alexander. His wife has been kidnapped and has now died in childbirth. The omens sent by the gods bode ill for him. Yet, the two are ready to face off at Gaugamela. Will Darius be the first commander to defeat Alexander in battle, or will he fa ... Show More
41m 2s
Dec 2023
105. The Last Great War of Antiquity
Eurasia is divided into two great superpowers. Khusrow II rules the Sassanian Empire. Maurice, the last of the Justinian dynasty, rules their mighty rivals, the Byzantines. When he is overthrown, Khusrow looks to capitalise upon the chaos, invades his neighbour, and begins to swe ... Show More
47m 49s
Jun 2021
13. The Assyrians - Empire of Iron
In the lowlands of Northern Iraq, a series of enormous cities lies crumbling in ruins...In this episode, find out about one of the most remarkable ancient civilizations: the society known today as the neo-Assyrian Empire. Discover how the Assyrians built their empire out of the a ... Show More
3h 4m
Apr 2023
Rise of the Assyrians
<p><br></p><p>At its pinnacle, the kingdom of Assyria stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, a feat few could compare with in 660BCE. With Assyria's conquests documented by contemporary Greek historians, and even in the Hebrew Bible, nearly two millennia of stu ... Show More
41m 13s
Feb 2017
032 Kambyses
<p>In this episode, we discuss events in the eastern Mediterranean during the reign of the Persian king, Kambyses, with a focus on the achievements and the political maneuverings between the Egyptian kings Amasis II and Psammetichos III, the Kyrenean kings Battos III and Arkesila ... Show More
59m 29s
Nov 2023
102. Alexander the Great: The Conquest of Persia
Darius III rules Persia and he has already demonstrated his heroism and skill in battle. The Empire itself, despite having been through a period of court intrigue, was stable. Yet, coming through their western border, originally from Macedonia, was a young man bent on conquering ... Show More
49m 43s