logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
38 m

Alexander the Great Invades Persia

Wondery / Patrick Wyman
About this episode

Alexander wasn't yet "The Great" when he invaded the westernmost provinces of the Persian Empire in 334 BC, but he quickly showed that he was a serious threat to the old and still-powerful state ruled by Darius III.


Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoD


Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Jul 14
Listen Now: Flesh and Code
Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human.Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without ju ... Show More
8m 43s
Jul 10
Encore: Jakob Fugger: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived?
At the end of the fifteenth century, the center of European banking suddenly swung from its birthplace in Italy to south Germany. The key figure in that transition was Jakob Fugger of Augsburg, maybe the richest man who ever lived.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: R ... Show More
52m 48s
Jul 8
Encore: The Rise and Fall of the Medici Bank
The Medici name still carries echoes of power and labyrinthine politics. But the Medici got their start as bankers, and built a financial empire that spanned fifteenth-century Europe. Popes, kings, and merchants all did business with the Medici, and the family's power over Floren ... Show More
54m 19s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Genghis Khan | Sackings and Slaughter | 3
After victory in China, Genghis Khan goes west and takes on the Khwarezmians, surprising his enemy with a daring assault. He conquers all in his path and now controls the biggest empire the world has ever seen. But whose shoulders are broad enough to become his successor?Listen t ... Show More
41m 38s
Apr 3
Alexander the Great
Though he ruled for just 13 years, Alexander the Great is as famed for his hedonistic lifestyle as his military genius. But how did he become one of the best known military leaders in history? What inspired such loyalty among his troops? And what drove this young man in his endle ... Show More
47m 59s
Feb 2024
Introducing… Season 4 of a Dynasty to Die For
Power, greed, religion and sex: historian Dan Jones brings the drama of mediaeval history alive through compelling stories, larger-than-life characters and vivid scenes.  Season 4 tells the story of two kings, Henry and Edward, who are desperately trying to save their dynasty. Th ... Show More
2m 20s
Nov 2024
Alexander the Great Finds His Destiny
November 14th, 332 BCE. Alexander the Great has conquered an unprecedented amount of territory in a relatively short amount of time. At just 24 years old, he's in control of Macedonia, much of Greece, and now, a huge part of Egypt.But Alexander doesn't want to just conquer each o ... Show More
36m 16s
Mar 2025
Genghis Khan and the Mongols, Part 2 of 2
The leader brings reforms to his newly unified Mongol nation. The man formerly known as Temüjin will now conquer an empire bigger than any before in recorded history. But what are the innovations that underpin his supremacy? And how will history judge him - as a cruel tyrant, or ... Show More
51m 59s
Mar 2025
Genghis Khan and the Mongols, Part 1 of 2
We're in the Mongol lands of Central Asia in the late 1100s. This is a place of nomadic warriors, a region divided between tribes. But one man will emerge to unite them. Armed with the greatest military mind of his age, he will lead the Mongol peoples far beyond their own borders ... Show More
53m 44s
Aug 2024
Season 5 | 5. The Battle of Bannockburn
*Attention UK listeners* Come and meet Dan in person at The London Podcast Festival. This is History is having its first ever live show on the 6th September. Get your tickets and reserve your spot for an evening of historical intrigue with a special guest. https://www.kingsplace. ... Show More
30m 25s
Feb 2025
Genghis Khan | The Unstoppable Khan | 2
The many Mongolian tribes are now under the control of one man. They have crowned him Genghis Khan – the supreme ruler. His army is organised, disciplined, deadly and unstoppable. But the Mongolian Steppes aren’t enough for the great Khan. He has his sights set on his next glitte ... Show More
46m 22s
Mar 2024
Season 4 | 6. The Battle of Lewes
When Queen Eleanor makes a move to restore Plantagenet power, the barons launch into all out war. Simon de Montfort assembles a small but powerful army to take on Henry and his family on a hillside in Southern England. The future of the entire Plantagenet dynasty hangs in the bal ... Show More
27m 55s
Aug 2024
The Alexander Mosaic in the House of Faun, Pompeii
The Alexander Mosaic, also known as the Battle of Issus Mosaic, is a masterpiece of ancient Roman artistry that continues to captivate viewers with its detailed depiction of a pivotal moment in history. Unearthed in the House of the Faun in Pompeii, this intricate mosaic offers a ... Show More
17m 16s