Dec 2022
The Rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
The Neo-Assyrian Empire has been almost forgotten in comparison to the other massive states of the ancient world, but at its peak, it stretched from the Nile to the Caspian Sea and central Turkey to the Persian Gulf. Assyria was a brutal and dominating force for centuries, and it ... Show More
42m 46s
Jan 2023
The Archaeology of the Assyrian Empire: Interview with Professor Bleda During
The Assyrian Empire had a well-deserved reputation for brutality, but brutality alone doesn't explain why it lasted for so long; its residents must have bought into the imperial system for some reason. Professor Bleda During, an expert on the archaeology of empires, shows how peo ... Show More
38m 29s
Jan 2023
The Fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
When the end came for the Assyrian Empire, it came quickly. Former enemies pounced on the weakened state, and brought home the violence that for so long had characterized Assyrian conquests abroad.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty ... Show More
40m 21s
May 2022
The Beginnings of Civilization in the Andes: The Mounds of Norte Chico
The arid shoreline between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific seems like an unlikely place to host one of the world's earliest complex societies. But more than 5,000 years ago, the people of the Norte Chico Culture built cities, temples, and monuments that laid the foundation fo ... Show More
39m 17s
May 2024
The Athenian Empire and the Coming of the Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War, the epic 30-year conflict between Athens and Sparta for control of Classical Greece, was a long time in coming. In fact, its roots went back to the Persian Wars, when Athens seized the opportunity to create an empire in the aftermath.Patrick's book is now a ... Show More
40m 27s
Jan 2022
The Complicated World of the Bronze Age Near East: Interview with Aaron Burke
The reality of the Bronze Age Near East was much messier and harder to understand than a straightforward story of city-states, empires, and kings. Different ethnolinguistic groups, lifestyles, dynasties of would-be rulers, migrating mercenaries, and ephemeral states were all esse ... Show More
46m 38s