logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
1h 36m

Conversation: Singing the Songs of Sumer...

Liv Albert
About this episode

Liv is joined by Alex W to discuss Sumerian mythology and some broader history of Mesopotamia/Ancient Iraq. Learn more from Alex vis his podcast, the Drumbeat Forever After, here.

As mentioned in the episode, Aseel Jad El-Haq is 28, the youngest of seven sisters. She grew up in Khan Younis, the daughter of a successful clothing company owner, going to the gym and visiting the beach with her friends and riding a horse named Beautiful (in Arabic). Her house and car were completely destroyed, the horse was killed, she's had to relocate over 20 times since the war began, and she's currently staying with her father (whose medical situation is serious), her mother (who has diabetes and needs insulin), one of her sisters, and that sister's young children. If you can help Aseel and her family, please do.

Submit your question for the next Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbaby

CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.

Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Aug 22
Conversations: From Mythical to Curative to Poisonous, Mythic Plants w/ Ellen Zachos
Liv and Michaela chat with author and plant and foraging expert Ellen Zachos about all things myth and plant! From mythical plants like moly to which poisonous Hemlock killed Socrates, we're talking all things PLANTS! Find Mythic Plants wherever you get your books and learn more ... Show More
2 h
Aug 19
It's One of the Most Ancient Cities on the Planet, Gaza (Conversation Re-Air, w/ Dr Chance Bonar)
The Western World is ready to sit back and watch as one of the oldest cities, in one of the most historical rich countries on the planet, is wiped off the face of the earth. The people of Gaza, and Palestine, are stewards of their land and have been since long, long before the 'W ... Show More
1h 46m
Aug 15
Liv Reads Statius: The Thebaid (Part 9)
Liv reads Book 9 of Statius' Thebaid, translated by JH Mozley. The battle between the Argives and Thebans, aka between the brother Polyneices and Eteocles, continues... and it's pretty dramatic. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and s ... Show More
1h 13m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
Nefertiti: The Greatest Ancient Egyptian Queen?
Ancient Egyptian rulers, incest, the Nazis and female empowerment, all in one episode! 'But how?' You say. 'What story could possibly bring all of these things together?' This is the story of Queen Nefertiti and her bust. Kate is joined by Joyce Tyldesley and Monica Hanna to find ... Show More
1 h
May 12
Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and The Birth of History | Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid
We sit down with Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid, author of "Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and The Birth of History" an honorary fellow at Wolfson College, University of Oxford. She takes us on an incredible journey through ancient Mesopotamia, exploring the region's rich history, ... Show More
1h 3m
Aug 2024
Hestia: Goddess of Hearth & Home
As both the eldest and youngest child of the great titan Kronos, and the Greek goddess of hearth and home, Hestia was incredibly important in almost every sphere of Greek daily life. But she is arguably one of the most overlooked deities in the Greek Pantheon. The question we're ... Show More
49m 7s
Oct 2024
The Other Ancient Civilisations: Interview with Raven Todd DaSilva
When we think of the ancient world, we tend to think of just a few societies: Egypt, Mesopotamia, and so on. But the more distant reaches of the past contained multitudes, and Raven Todd DaSilva has written a new book - The Other Ancient Civilisations - about some of them. I chat ... Show More
44m 14s
Sep 2024
Ancient Goddesses: Rebellion, Magic & Sexual Liberation
Struggling for role models in the modern world? We've got your back, looking way back to the ancient world. Join Kate and Jasmine Elmer, author of her new book, Goddess With A Thousand Faces, as they explore the remarkable stories of some of histories most incredible ancient Godd ... Show More
44m 41s
May 2024
Natalie Haynes on Medusa
I am so excited to say that my guest on the GWA Podcast is the esteemed classicist, mythologist, comedian, writer and broadcaster, Natalie Haynes! The author of eight books, three non-fiction and five fiction, Haynes is hailed for her retellings of ancient myths, and the story of ... Show More
33m 50s
Jul 24
Irish Mythology
Epic heroes, sacred rivers & ancient gods – this is Irish mythology as you’ve never heard it. From Newgrange to the Hill of Tara, Ireland’s myths are rooted firmly in its prehistoric past.In today's episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Anthony Murphy to explore th ... Show More
1h 6m
Jun 3
Could You Survive Medieval Childbirth?
Childbirth isn't for the faint-hearted at the best of times, let alone in the medieval period. What was a birthing room like at this time in history? Who would have been in there helping bring a new baby into the world? And how suspicious were the church of these all-women spaces ... Show More
37m 26s
Aug 2024
Origins of Beer
It's one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world. But did you know that beer is also one of the world's oldest beverages, with a history that stretches back more than 10,000 years. Beer was the beverage of choice for a whole host of ancient Bronze Age civilisations arra ... Show More
44m 40s
Apr 2025
The Truth About Medusa
You could be forgiven for thinking the Greek myth of Medusa has zero relevance to us today. Snake for hair?! But as you'll hear in today's episode, she's a woman who was vilified for her femininity and sexuality. She was literally cast out of society for it - into a cave, of all ... Show More
32m 7s