A city in ruins. A dynasty in tatters. An empire in ashes...
This episode, we look at the remarkable story of the first empire of ancient China, the Han dynasty. With ancient Chinese poetry, songs and folk music, we look back at the first empire's rise, its remarkable technological advances, and its first, tentative attempts to make contact with the empires ... Show More
Feb 2024
18. Egypt - Fall of the Pharaohs
Far in the distance, three colossal shapes tower over the desert horizon… In this episode, we travel to the Nile Valley, and tell the story of one of the most iconic cultures ever produced by humankind – the civilizations of ancient Egypt. I want to show how this series of relate ... Show More
3h 58m
Apr 2024
444. The First Emperor of China
"The First Emperor will die and his land will be divided….”The First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, left behind him a monumental legacy: an Empire which would last millennia, the foundations of the Great Wall of China, and an eerie Terracotta Army - 8000 warriors who would prot ... Show More
1h 3m
Aug 2022
The Art of War: Ancient Chinese guide to victory
The Art of War is one of the most important military strategy texts ever written, and it has become just as influential, perhaps even more so, in the worlds of business, sport, and politics. Bridget Kendall learns what the 2,000-year-old treatise has to say about deception, spyin ... Show More
39m 57s
Jun 2024
John Keane and Baogang He, "China's Galaxy Empire: Wealth, Power, War, and Peace in the New Chinese Century" (Oxford UP, 2023)
In China's Galaxy Empire: Wealth, Power, War, and Peace in the New Chinese Century (Oxford University Press, 2024), authors Dr. John Keane and Dr. Baogang He, target a development of enormous significance: China's return, after two centuries of decline and subjugation, to a posit ... Show More
1h 8m
Oct 2023
Total War: Pharaoh - Amenmesse, the Usurper
The Gilded Rebel. One may seize power, by any means, as long as they succeed. In Total War: Pharaoh, the prince AMENMESSE is a strong-willed and strong-armed warrior. Taking command of his faction, you may build a mighty (and wealthy) powerbase, before taking the crown for yourse ... Show More
18m 47s
Dec 2023
107. China's Greatest Admiral: The Story of Zheng He
In the 15th century, Admiral Zheng He, on the orders of the Emperor of China, embarked upon a series of extraordinary voyages of exploration. These voyages were undertaken in fleets of up to 300 colossal ships, with tens of thousands of men, at great cost to the court of the Ming ... Show More
42m 17s