logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2019
54m 28s

The Origins and Rise of Venice

Wondery / Patrick Wyman
About this episode

A swampy lagoon on the Adriatic coast of Italy was not a promising place for a city, but Venice grew from a collection of huts on spits of land to a glittering center of commerce and the heart of a maritime empire. Today, we explore the beginnings and rise of this fascinating city from late antiquity to the Black Death.

Support us by supporting our sponsors!

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

Up next
Oct 9
The Ancient Economy from Assyria to Augustus
What was the ancient economy? Can we even speak of such a singular thing? Today, I introduce the next block of episodes on Tides, an in-depth examination of the cutting edge of knowledge on the ancient economy in the first millennium BC.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Ve ... Show More
40m 8s
Oct 2
Interview with Dr. Owen Rees (Book, The Far Edges of the Known World releases 9/30/25)
The ancient world was a lot bigger than Greece and Rome. Dr. Owen Rees joins me to discuss his new book on this broader conception of antiquity - The Far Edges of the Known World - and we traverse the globe from Africa to Vietnam to the Black Sea, tracking the contours of a stran ... Show More
47m 18s
Sep 25
Thucydides, the Greatest Historian of All Time: Interview with Robin Waterfield and Professor Polly Low
Thucydides is perhaps the greatest historian to ever live, a man whose work on the Peloponnesian War has been read, digested, and debated for more than 2400 years. Robin Waterfield and Professor Polly Low have produced a wonderful new translation of Thucydides, and we dicuss the ... Show More
41m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2023
Venise, reine de l'Adriatique
La Cité des doges, la Sérenissime, la reine de l'Adriatique, la cité des eaux... Les surnoms ne manquent pas pour parler de Venise. Cette ville extraordinaire, l'historien Bernard Doumerc lui a consacré plusieurs ouvrages, et notamment "Venise et son empire en Méditerranée, IX-XV ... Show More
55m 5s
Mar 2023
Venice
Located at the northernmost end of the Adriatic Sea lies the city of Venice. Venice is truly unlike any other city in the world. It is a collection of 118 small islands connected by bridges and ferries.Its unique geography allowed Venice to become one of the most powerful cities ... Show More
15m 33s
Feb 2019
Phillis Wheatley
Born in Africa and transported as a slave to America, this Revolutionary War era poet became the darling of London and charmed notable figures of American history along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
1h 27m
Apr 2023
Venice, Italy
Learn about the famous Italian city built on water, from its founding to its notoriety as a tourist destination around the world. 📖  Full Text @ BedtimeHistoryStories.com 📺 YouTube 👍 Facebook | Instagram 🇲🇽 Spanish | "Déjame contarte la Historia" Share your thoughts here: ht ... Show More
11m 6s
Nov 2022
The Great Lisbon Earthquake - Original
November 1st, 1755. A massive earthquake hits Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, reducing half the city to rubble and killing over 50,000 people. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. 
19m 4s
Oct 2022
The Age of Pirates | A Gold Chain Or A Wooden Leg | 1
At the end of the 17th century, pirates stalked the coast of North America and the waters of the Caribbean, attacking merchant vessels from every nation. But they were more than just armed robbers of the high seas. They were also crucial figures in the growth of England’s America ... Show More
35m 52s
Apr 2017
Episode #17: The Casino of the Spirits (Season 1, Episode 17)
Venice-- it's the most serene and beautiful city in Italy, and possibly the whole world. But Venice at night-- all darkened and quiet-- takes up the most space in my imagination. I seriously love the depictions of Venice as enigmatic, shadowy, and even dangerous. Without cars or ... Show More
30m 11s