The Ancient World

Synopsis: The Akkadian Empire reaches its zenith under the rule of Naram-Sin. “Its king, the shepherd, Naram-Sin, Shone forth like sunrise on the holy throne of Agade, Its walls, like a mountain range, reached up to...

Synopsis: Sargon of Akkad forges the world’s first Empire. “After Enlil’s baleful glare Had slain Kish like the Bull of Heaven, Had slaughtered house and land of Uruk in the dust, like that monster bull, And Enlil had...

Synopsis: This episode covers the rise and fall of the Egyptian Old Kingdom. “The Second Dynasty consists of nine kings of This. The first was Boethos, for 38 years. In his reign a chasm opened at Bubastis, and many...

Hi everyone! My friend Dominic at THoE and I are doing a feed-swap this week. It's a great chance to introduce you to his new set of episodes on the pharaoh Ramesses II. More details from Dominic below. Enjoy! - Scott...

Synopsis: This episode covers the Early Dynastic Period in Sumer and northern Syria. “Eannatum gave the great battle net of Enlil to the leader of Umma and made him swear to him by it. The leader of Umma swore to...

Synopsis: This episode covers the early civilizations of Egypt and the Caucasus region, including the Kura-Araxes and Maikop. “In succession to the Spirits of the Dead and the Demigods, the Egyptians reckon the First...

Synopsis: The launch of “The Ancient World – Ages”, a new series covering the Early Bronze Age Collapse (c. 2200 BC) and the remaking of Southwest Eurasia. We start things off with a discussion of the Ubaid and Uruk...

Synopsis: Part 2 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and...

Synopsis: Part 1 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and...

Synopsis: Faced with a series of disloyal vassals, Sargon conquers the remaining Neo-Hittite kingdoms and absorbs them into his empire. The Cimmerian invasion of Anatolia leads to the deaths of two powerful kings. In...

Synopsis: Rusa of Urartu wins early victories against Assyrian armies, but his intrigues in the Zagros kingdom of Mannea earn him Sargon’s wrath. After a crushing defeat by Cimmerian invaders, Rusa’s unable to prevent...

Synopsis: After defeating Syrian rebels at Qarqar and extending his dominion to the borders of Egypt, Sargon II labors to defend Tabal from the advances of Midas of Phrygia. Letters to Midas from Pisiri of Carchemish...

Synopsis: Shalmaneser V succeeds his father to the thrones of Assyria and Babylonia, then deals with rebellions in Samaria and Tyre. But his reign is cut short by the violent coup of Sargon II. After losing his hold on...

Synopsis: Tiglath-pileser crushes rebellions in Patin and Luash and annexes their territories to Assyria. King Rasyan of Aram-Damascus forms a coalition of southern kingdoms - including Israel, Edom, Phoenicia and...

Synopsis: Matti’el of Arpad turns his back on the Treaty of Katikka and allies with Sarduri II of Urartu. The usurpation of Tiglath-pileser III heralds an Assyrian resurgence and the kingdom of Arpad’s destruction...

First off I wanted to let everyone know that I am deep into researching and writing the upcoming season of “The Ancient World – Carchemish.” It’s got lots of fun stuff: Tiglath-pileser III, Sargon II and - most...

Synopsis: Sarduri II rules at the pinnacle of Urartian power, conquering lands from the Black Sea coast to the Zagros Mountains to the kingdoms of northern Syria. Matti’el of Arpad unifies Aramean lands north of...

Synopsis: A siege by Adad-nirari’s subordinate, Nergal-Eresh, finally breaks the Damascene hold over southern Syria and Canaan. The Urartian kings Menua and Argishti press Assyria’s frontiers, even as they conquer and...

Synopsis: Emerging triumphant from civil war, Shamshi-Adad V devotes his energies to humbling Babylonia. Upon his death, his wife Shammuramat acts as regent for their son, Adad-nirari III, and both campaign across the...

Synopsis: During Neo-Assyria’s absence from the region, King Hazael of Aram-Damascus forges an Aramean Empire that extends to the borders of Egypt. “And Hazael said, ‘Why does my lord weep?’ He answered, ‘Because I know...

Synopsis: In Shalmaneser’s final years, his eldest son – the crown prince Assur-danin-pal – enters into rebellion, while his younger son, Shamshi-Adad, struggles to defend his father’s legacy. “Where my brother...

Synopsis: Hazael of Aram-Damascus and Jehu of Israel bring desolation to the house of Omri. After decades of leading Assyrian campaigns, Shalmaneser III dispatches his turtanu, Dayan-Assur, to fight the newly-formed...

Synopsis: A coalition marshalled by Hadad-ezer of Aram-Damascus and Urahilina of Hamath successfully defends southern Syria from further Assyrian encroachment. But a decade of campaigning by Shalmaneser begins to take...

Synopsis: Political intrigues in Iron Age Israel end with the rise of King Omri. The kingdoms of Hamath and Aram-Damascus leverage military power and regional diplomacy to prepare for the coming of Shalmaneser. “I am...

Synopsis: Shalmaneser’s Syrian invasions were countered by a coalition forged by King Ahuni of Bit-Adini. But repeated campaigns wore down his rivals and ended in Assyrian dominance. “Ahuni, terrified by my terrible...