logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2021
55m 8s

The Ancient Babylonians

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Host Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid and comedian Kae Kurd in Ancient Mesopotamia as they explore the Babylonian civiliisation. If your knowledge of Babylon doesn’t extend beyond the Boney M. song then this is the episode for you. We reveal all sorts of fascinating facts that connect you to a people who existed 4000 years ago – from the way we communicate to a maths system which we still use to tell the time.

Produced by Cornelius Mendez Script by Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse Research by Amy Grant and Lloyd Roberts

A production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.

Up next
Feb 27
Geoffrey Chaucer: the medieval father of English literature
Greg Jenner is joined in medieval England by Professor Marion Turner and comedian Mike Wozniak to learn all about Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales. Since the fifteenth century, Chaucer has been referred to as the father of English literature. He was one of the fir ... Show More
58m 50s
Feb 20
Lena Horne: racism and resilience in the Golden Age of Hollywood
Greg Jenner is joined in twentieth-century America by Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins and comedian Desiree Burch to learn all about singer and Hollywood actress Lena Horne. Born into a middle class Black family in New York, a young Lena Horne soon followed in the footsteps of her ... Show More
1 h
Feb 13
Philippe, Duc d’Orléans: in the shadow of the Sun King
Greg Jenner is joined in 17th-century France by Dr Jonathan Spangler and comedian Tom Allen to learn all about Philippe, Duc d’Orléans, Louis XIV’s younger brother. King Louis XIV is one of the most famous monarchs in French history: the man who built and presided over the glitte ... Show More
57m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2023
Babylon
<p>One of the most famous cities in history - Babylon is shrouded in mystery and myth. Located in ancient Mesopotamia, now modern Iraq, it was one of the epicentres of ancient culture, architecture, and the home of famous figures such as Hammurabi. But what do we actually know ab ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2022
Hammurabi: Rise of the Babylonians
<p>2000 BC saw the famed city of Babylon begin to flourish under the rule of a King called Hammurabi. Renowned for his famous law code, the stele of which still survives today, is there anything else to be learnt about this mysterious figure?</p><br><p>In this episode Tristan is ... Show More
42m 42s
Nov 2023
Babylon
<p>The urban cultures of ancient Mesopotamia formed the foundation for so much of our modern world. Nowhere exemplifies this better than the city of Babylon, which was the cultural seedbed for the Greek and Roman civilisations that in turn left such lasting legacies.</p><br><p>On ... Show More
34m 12s
May 2023
Babylon and the Bible
<p>When looking at the Hebrew Bible, the city of Babylon plays a prominent role - especially in the Old Testament. A city famed for it's architectural beauty and gardens, also holds stories of suffering and captivity. Travelling back to the 6th Century BCE, the Babylonian Captivi ... Show More
41m 52s
Jan 2024
The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
<p>People have always looked to the wonders of the ancient world for awe and inspiration. In the Ancient era, people embarked on dangerous pilgrimages to visit storied sites like the Pyramids of Giza, or the Statue of Zeus at Olympia. While only one of them remains, they still ex ... Show More
31m 52s
Dec 2023
Pythagoras' Utopia
<p>What comes to your mind when you think of Pythagoras, the ancient Greek polymath? Some might think of the Pythagorean theorem, a foundational principle of mathematics. But he was also the enigmatic founder of Pythagoreanism, a mysterious secret society that strove to create a ... Show More
28m 58s
Apr 2024
How to Survive in Babylonia
<p>Would you be able to survive in ancient Babylonia?</p><br><p>In this episode, Tristan is joined once again by Amanda&nbsp;Podany from California State Polytechnic University to discuss the realities of daily life in this fascinating empire. Together, they discuss everything fr ... Show More
53m 25s
Feb 2024
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Rise of Enkidu
<p>The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of storytelling from history. Written in ancient Mesopotamia over three thousand years ago, this epic poem recounts the fabled tale of King Gilgamesh of Uruk and the forging of his friendship with Enkidu, a wild man se ... Show More
40m 18s
Jun 2023
Persia and the Bible
<p>As the Babylonian Empire fell into decline, and it's power faded, the Persian Empire stepped in to fill the void that was left - but how did this event directly effect the narrative of the Old Testament, and what other sources are available to learn more about this period? As ... Show More
42m 22s