Empire-Builders
Welcome to Empire-Builders, the podcast all about the rise and fall of the world’s imperial civilizations. We will take for the object of our investigation those civilizations which have something to teach us about what happens when human societies with distinct cultural traditions, histories, and mythologies converge, even if only for a single page in the story of mankind. And we will start from the beginning, when the very concept of civilization was only just ripening, for make no mistake — empires have been with us from the start. Before man was, empire awaited him.
Sun, December 01, 2024
Why America Is The New Roman Republic
Audio-only. Video is available on YouTube. Sources: Arendt, Hannah. On Revolution (1963) Gay, Peter. The Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Paganism (1995) Hamilton, Alexander; Madison, James; Jay, John. The Federalist Papers (1788) Polybius. The Histories (c. 2nd century BC) Ricks, Thomas. First Principles: What America's Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country (2020) Tacitus. Agricola and Germania (Penguin Classics, 2010) Founders Online (Correspondence and Other Writings of Seven Major Shapers of the United States
Sun, December 01, 2024
Why Did Gladiators Willingly Fight In The Colosseum?
Audio-only. Video is available on YouTube. Sources: Beard, Mary & Hopkins, Keith. The Colosseum (2011) Futrell, Alison. The Roman Games: Historical Sources in Translation (2008) Futrell, Alison & Scanlon, Thomas. The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World (2021) Jacobelli, Luciana. Gladiators at Pompeii (2003) Mellor, Ronald. The Historians of Ancient Rome (1997) Wiedemann, Thomas. Emperors and Gladiators (1992)
Mon, November 04, 2024
Before You Watch Gladiator II—Here's the Real History
When I have issues with historians, I ask: "Excuse me, mate, were you there? No? Well, shut the fuck up then." Sources: Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome (2016) Brauer, George C. The Young Emperors, Rome, A.D. 193-244 (1967) Dio, Cassius. Roman History, Book 79 (3rd century) Dunstan, William E. Ancient Rome (2010) Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume I (1776) Goldsworthy, Adrian. How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower (2010) Hekster, Olivier. Rome and its Empire, AD 193-284 (Debates and Documents in Ancient History) (2008) Herodian. History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus (3rd century) Spartianus, Aelius, et al. Historia Augusta (3rd century) Swan, Peter Michael. The Augustan Succession: An Historical Commentary on Cassius Dio's Roman History, Books 55-56 (9 B.C.-A.D. 14) (2004)
Sat, October 05, 2024
Why Guys Should Think About The NEW Roman Empire
MUSIC: 'Shadows and Dust' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au 'The Distant Sun' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Remaining tracks sourced from Epidemic Sound & Motion Array. SOURCES: Brownworth, Lars. Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization (2009) Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians (2005) Kaldellis, Anthony. The New Roman Empire: A History of Byzantium (2023) Kaldellis, Anthony. Siniossoglou, Niketas. The Cambridge Intellectual History of Byzantium (2017) Mango, Cyril. The Oxford History of Byzantium (2002) Runciman, Steven. Gibbon and Byzantium (1976) Shepard, Jonathan. The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire (2009) HUGE thanks to my first patrons: Rho Chi, Karla Mainayara, Keinkrieg, Quinton Harris, Thomas McKeane, travis sutherland, Johan Gumesson, Colin Williams, Samwise Gamgee, Oliver Holtz, and Uldis. Your support means the world! GUEST STARRING (go check out their youtube channels!): -The Histories -Know History -Romaboo Ramblings
Sat, October 05, 2024
The Bloodless Crusade: Life & Times of Frederick II
The second part in a trilogy about the life & times of Frederick II, the Hohenstaufen Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Sources: Alighieri, Dante. Divine Comedy: Inferno & Paradiso (1321) Casady, Richard. The Emperor and the Saint: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Francis of Assisi, and Journeys to Medieval Places (2011) Haskins, Charles H. "Science at the Court of the Emperor Frederick II" (1922) Nietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future (1886) Paris, Matthew. Translated by Richard Vaughan. The Illustrated Chronicles of Matthew Paris: Observations of Thirteenth-Century Life (1993) Radke, Gary M. "The Palaces of Frederick II" (1994) Salimbene. Translated by G. Coulton. Chronicle of Sambiene, thirteenth-century Italian Franciscan Van Cleve, Thomas Curtis. The Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Immutator Mundi (1972) Walsh, James J. "The Earliest Modern Law for the Regulation of the Practice of Medicine" (1935) Wilson, Peter H. Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (2016) Frederick II of Hohenstaufen : a life (Masson Georgina) Music: 'Age of Wonder' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Remaining tracks sourced from Storyblocks & Epidemic Sound HUGE thanks to my patrons: Rho Chi, Karla Mainayara, Keinkrieg, Quinton Harris, Thomas McKeane, travis sutherland, Johan Gumesson, Colin Williams, Samwise Gamgee, Oliver Holtz, and Uldis. Your support means the world!
Sat, October 05, 2024
The Holiest of the Holy Roman Emperors (Compilation)
Sources & further reading: Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) The Medieval Empire in Central Europe: Dynastic Continuity in the Post-Carolingian Frankish Realm, 900–1300 (Herbert Schutz) Weinfurter, Stefan (1999) [1992]. The Salian Century: Main Currents in an Age of Transition. Translated by Kaiser, Denise A. Wolfram, Herwig (2006) [2000]. Conrad II, 990–1039: Emperor of Three Kingdoms. Translated by Bowlus, Barbara M. I. S. Robinson, Henry IV of Germany, 1056–1106 (Cambridge, 1999) Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/place/Germ.. . Wipo of Burgundy: Gesta Chuonradi II imperatoris The Annals of Lampert of Hersfeld Account by Hermann of Reichenau Account by Bishop Erlund of Wurzburg Otto III (Gerd Althoff) Death and Life in the Tenth Century (Eleanor Duckett) Warfare in Medieval Europe c.400-c.1453 (Bernard S. Bachrach, David S. Bachrach) Warfare in Tenth-Century Germany (David S. Bachrach) Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800-1056 (Timothy Reuter) "Kaiserin Theophano: The political, economic and cultural deeds of a Byzantine princess who became empress of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" (Emmanouel Economou) The Complete Works of Liudprand of Cremona (translated by Paolo Squatriti) Hrotsvit of Gandersheim: Contexts, Identities, Affinities, and Performances (Brown, McMillin, Wilson) A 10th-century Monk in the Caliph's Court (Nancy Marie Brown) The Abacus and the Cross (Nancy Marie Brown) Charting the “Rise of the West”: Manuscripts and Printed Books in Europe, A Long-Term Perspective from the Sixth through Eighteenth Centuries (Eltjo Buringh & Jan Luiten Van Zanden) The Age of Faith: A History of Medieval Civilization-Christian, Islamic, and Judaic-From Constantine to Dante: A.D. 325-1300, The Story of Civilization, 4 (Will Durant) The Wandering Scholars (Helen Waddell) The Costs of Fortress Construction in Tenth-Century Germany: The Case of Hildagsburg Medieval Germany, 500–1300: A Political Interpretation (Benjamin Arnold) Early Medieval Europe 300-1000 (Roger Collins) The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders (Peter Heather) The Civilization of the Middle Ages (Norman Cantor)
Thu, September 12, 2024
Birth of the Antichrist: Life & Times of Frederick II | Video Documentary
The first part in a trilogy about the life & times of Frederick II, the Hohenstaufen ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. -- Sources: Alighieri, Dante. Divine Comedy: Inferno & Paradiso (1321) Casady, Richard. The Emperor and the Saint: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Francis of Assisi, and Journeys to Medieval Places (2011) Haskins, Charles H. "Science at the Court of the Emperor Frederick II" (1922) Nietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future (1886) Paris, Matthew. Translated by Richard Vaughan. The Illustrated Chronicles of Matthew Paris: Observations of Thirteenth-Century Life (1993) Radke, Gary M. "The Palaces of Frederick II" (1994) Salimbene. Translated by G. Coulton. Chronicle of Sambiene, thirteenth-century Italian Franciscan Van Cleve, Thomas Curtis. The Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Immutator Mundi (1972) Walsh, James J. "The Earliest Modern Law for the Regulation of the Practice of Medicine" (1935) Wilson, Peter H. Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (2016) Frederick II of Hohenstaufen : a life (Masson Georgina)
Tue, June 18, 2024
The Battle For Christendom | Video Documentary
Sources & further reading: 1. Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) 2. The Medieval Empire in Central Europe: Dynastic Continuity in the Post-Carolingian Frankish Realm, 900–1300 (Herbert Schutz) 3. Weinfurter, Stefan (1999) [1992]. The Salian Century: Main Currents in an Age of Transition. Translated by Kaiser, Denise A. 4. Wolfram, Herwig (2006) [2000]. Conrad II, 990–1039: Emperor of Three Kingdoms. Translated by Bowlus, Barbara M. 5. I. S. Robinson, Henry IV of Germany, 1056–1106 (Cambridge, 1999) 6. Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/The-Salians-the-papacy-and-the-princes-1024-1125 7. Wipo of Burgundy: Gesta Chuonradi II imperatoris 8. The Annals of Lampert of Hersfeld 9. Account by Hermann of Reichenau 10. Account by Bishop Erlund of Wurzburg -- Music: Skyrim OST - Silence Unbroken Antonio Vivaldi - Allegro Non Molto, Winter, The Four Seasons Johann Strauss - Kaiser-Waltz Crusader Kings III OST - Veni Vidi Vici Mozart - Lacrimosa Witcher III OST - Geralt of Rivia Salve Regina - Templar Chant Ottone HWV 15, Act 1 Crusader Kings III - The Byzantine Empire Crusader Kings III - The Crusade Starts Crusader Kings III - Dusking Sky Pt. 1 -- Play World of Warships here: https://wo.ws/3wSw56y Thank you World of Warships for sponsoring this video. During registration use the code DDAY80TH to get for free: 200 doubloons, 1 million credits, 7 Days of Premium Account time, a free ship after you complete 15 battles and 3x special D-day missions after 9 battles (only available for a limited time). Applicable to new users only. -- Patreon/Discord: https://www.patreon.com/empirebuilders https://discord.com/invite/jQukvV5R8U HUGE thanks to my first patrons: Karla, Rho Chi, KeinKrieg, Quinton Harris!
Sat, May 25, 2024
The Pope Who Made A Pact With The Devil
This is the story of Pope Sylvester II, born Gerbert d'Aurillac: wandering monk, imperial tutor, cathedral canon, one-time abbot, Ottonian spy, siege engineer, archbishop, and pope. His remarkable rise was attributed to a pact with the Devil. Sources & further reading: - The Letters of Gerbert, With His Papal Privileges as Sylvester II - The Abacus and the Cross (Nancy Marie Brown) - A 10th-century Monk in the Caliph's Court (Nancy Marie Brown) - Otto III (Gerd Althoff) - Chronicles of the Kings of England (William of Malmesbury) - The Wandering Scholars (Helen Waddell) - The Age of Faith: A History of Medieval Civilization-Christian, Islamic, and Judaic-From Constantine to Dante: A.D. 325-1300, The Story of Civilization, 4 (Will Durant) Sign up for a 14-day free trial and enjoy all the amazing features MyHeritage has to offer. If you decide to continue your subscription, you’ll get a 50% discount! https://bit.ly/EmpireBuilders_MH
Mon, April 29, 2024
How One Family Made the Dark Ages Less "Dark"
This is the story of the Ottonians, the descendants of Otto the Great, who steered Germany and Italy through the dawn of a new millennium. Sources & further reading: - Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) - Otto III (Gerd Althoff) - Death and Life in the Tenth Century (Eleanor Duckett) - Warfare in Medieval Europe c.400-c.1453 (Bernard S. Bachrach, David S. Bachrach) - Warfare in Tenth-Century Germany (David S. Bachrach) - Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800-1056 (Timothy Reuter) - "Kaiserin Theophano: The political, economic and cultural deeds of a Byzantine princess who became empress of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" (Emmanouel Economou) - The Complete Works of Liudprand of Cremona (translated by Paolo Squatriti) - Hrotsvit of Gandersheim: Contexts, Identities, Affinities, and Performances (Brown, McMillin, Wilson) - A 10th-century Monk in the Caliph's Court (Nancy Marie Brown) - The Abacus and the Cross (Nancy Marie Brown) - Charting the “Rise of the West”: Manuscripts and Printed Books in Europe, A Long-Term Perspective from the Sixth through Eighteenth Centuries (Eltjo Buringh & Jan Luiten Van Zanden) - Age of Faith (Will Durant) - The Wandering Scholars (Helen Waddell) -- Stop data brokers from exposing your personal information. Go to my sponsor ( https://aura.com/empirebuilders ) to get a 14-day free trial and see how much of yours is being sold.
Mon, April 08, 2024
How Otto the Great Restored the Holy Roman Empire
The Saxons were Charlemagne's greatest foe, yet it was a Saxon family that restored his empire. This is the story of the first Ottonians: Henry the Fowler & Otto the Great. Sources & further reading: - Warfare in Medieval Europe c.400-c.1453 (Bernard S. Bachrach, David S. Bachrach) - Warfare in Tenth-Century Germany (David S. Bachrach) - The Costs of Fortress Construction in Tenth-Century Germany: The Case of Hildagsburg - Medieval Germany, 500–1300: A Political Interpretation (Benjamin Arnold) - Early Medieval Europe 300-1000 (Roger Collins) - Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800-1056 (Timothy Reuter) - The Medieval Empire in Central Europe: Dynastic Continuity in the Post-Carolingian Frankish Realm, 900-1300 (Herbert Schutz) - The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders (Peter Heather) - The Civilization of the Middle Ages (Norman Cantor)
Mon, April 08, 2024
Superpower of the Dark Ages: the Frankish Empire
The Franks were arguably the most successful barbarian people that emerged in the late antique period. Though they helped bring an end to the Western Roman Empire, they later restored it under Charlemagne, even as they laid the primitive foundations for a new age and order. This is the story of the Franks, spanning six centuries of war, intrigue, and statesmanship, which saw this people rise from tribe to kingdom to empire. Sources & further reading: - Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) - History of the Franks (Gregory of Tours) - Chronicle of Fredegar + Continuations - Liber Historiae Francorum - The Merovingian Kingdoms (Ian Wood) - From Roman to Merovingian Gaul: A Reader (Alexander Callander Murray) - Warfare and Society in the Barbarian West 450-900 (Guy Halsall) - The Carolingian World (Marios Costambeys, Matthew Innes, Simon MacLean) - Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories (Bernahrd Scholz & Barbara Rogers-Gardner) - Life of Charlemagne (Einhard) - The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edward Gibbon) - The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians 751-987 (Rosamond McKitterick) - The Demanding Drama of Louis the Pious (Courtney M. Booker) - Past Convictions: The Penance of Louis the Pious and the Decline of the Carolingians (Courtney M. Booker) - Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict Under Louis the German, 817-876 (Eric J. Goldberg)
Sun, March 17, 2024
How did the Carolingian Empire Collapse?
This episode focuses on the last chapters of the Carolingian Empire, in the days of Charlemagne's grandsons and great grandsons. What were the last Carolingians really like, and how did they navigate this time in flux? Our story coincides with the Viking Age, the birth of feudalism, and the origins of French & German statehood. This is the sixth episode in a series covering the Holy Roman Empire. Sources & further reading: - Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) - The Carolingian World (Marios Costambeys, Matthew Innes, Simon MacLean) - The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians 751-987 (Rosamond McKitterick) - Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories (Bernhard Scholz & Barbara Rogers-Gardner) -Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict Under Louis the German, 817-876 (Eric J. Goldberg)
Wed, March 06, 2024
Charlemagne's Enigmatic Successor: Louis the Pious
This episode focuses on Louis the Pious, Charlemagne's deeply misunderstood son and heir. This is the fifth episode in a series covering the Holy Roman Empire. Sources & further reading: - Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) - The Carolingian World (Marios Costambeys, Matthew Innes, Simon MacLean) - The Demanding Drama of Louis the Pious (Courtney M. Booker) - Past Convictions: The Penance of Louis the Pious and the Decline of the Carolingians - The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians 751-987 (Rosamond McKitterick) - Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories (Bernhard Scholz & Barbara Rogers-Gardner) Intro/Outro: Succession HBO
Thu, February 22, 2024
Why Guys Should Think About the Russian Empire
We all saw the interview. Sources & further reading: The Story of Russia (Orlando Figes) Peter the Great: His Life and World (Robert K Massie) The Romanovs: 1613-1918 (Simon Sebag Montefiore) Catherine the Great & Potemkin: The Imperial Love Affair (Simon Sebag Montefiore) Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar (Simon Sebag Montefiore) Young Stalin (Simon Sebag Montefiore) The Cambridge History of Russia: From Early Rus to 1689 (Kollektiv Avtorov) The Cambridge History of Russia: From 1689 to 1917 (Kollektiv Avtorov) Napoleon: A Life (Andrew Roberts)
Sun, November 05, 2023
Charlemagne & the Carolingian Renaissance
In this episode, we cover Charlemagne's coronation, the Carolingian Renaissance, the administrative aspects of his vast realm, and conclude with an examination of Charlemagne the man. We start with his coronation... By this point, Charlemagne had mastered the art of wartime logistics and organization, handed down news ways of governance and worship to conquered peoples, and soon he would inaugurate the Carolingian Renaissance, a period of renewed interest in the arts, sciences, and learning in general. All of this made him a worthy successor to Caesar and Augustus, and the moment now came for him to be recognized as such. It happened during Mass on Christmas day, 800 AD, in old Saint Peter’s Basilica, which was built upon the bones of martyrs in the eternal city of Rome. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project), re-composed by Stavros Stavrou Audio used: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade clip
S2 E3 · Mon, October 23, 2023
Charlemagne & the Carolingian Art of War
The founder of the Carolingian empire, Charlemagne, is often called the “father of Europe.” For the French and German people alike, he’s a little bit like a medieval George Washington. But unlike Washington, Charlemagne was not just statesman and general. He was an empire-builder living in a very different time, when might made right. There is no single battle or campaign that earned Charlemagne his place in history. No fight against overwhelming odds or swift toppling of another empire. Instead, Charlemagne’s inclusion in the pantheon of military greats was earned through the scope and scale of his conquests, incremental as they were. It is a certain brand of sheer persistence and unending patience that forged Charlemagne’s reputation as conqueror. That is the essence of why you hear as unlikely a source as Mike Tyson rank him alongside Alexander the Great and Napoleon. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project), re-composed by Stavros Stavrou Audio used: Mike Tyson in Sugar Ray Leonard interview
S2 E2 · Fri, October 06, 2023
The Merovingians: Charlemagne's Infamous Predecessors
In the course of only twenty five years, Clovis -- the first of the Merovingians -- had united the Frankish people, adopted Roman Christianity, and laid the foundations for a kingdom that would last about two and half centuries. In the vision of Clovis' father, Childeric, he imagines that the Merovingian dynasty would transmogrify from a procession of mythic creatures into a pack of wild bears, wolves, and dogs. This is their story... as well as the prelude to the Carolingians. The vaunted ancestors of Charlemagne, the Carolingians first appear as mayors of the Merovingian palace in Paris before supplanting them. Nonetheless, by the time of their fall, the Merovingians ruled Francia for 250 years. Ian Wood, a leading authority on the Merovingian period, has gone so far as to say that “No other state equalled the overall achievements of the Franks [under the Merovingians] in the sixth, seventh, and eight centuries.” Whether we go that far or not, we must acknowledge that the Merovingians have been overlooked for far too long. Their reign is too often seen as a gap in the late antique period, a dark age preceding the Carolingian renaissance. But that is a disservice to the Merovingians, without whom there would have been no Carolingians, and no Charlemagne. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project), re-composed by Stavros Stavrou
S2 E1 · Thu, September 28, 2023
Why Guys Should Think About the Holy Roman Empire
So there’s a lot of guys thinking about the Roman Empire lately, but that’s nothing new. Though the western half of their empire fell more than 1500 years ago, the Romans have never really gone away, leaving behind traces -- material and immaterial -- of their achievements in so many different realms of human endeavor: from civil engineering and hydraulics to political and legal reforms to linguistic and literary developments, and so much else. More than any other empire-builders in the Western world, the Romans have been studied, admired, idealized, and emulated by succeeding empires right on through the twentieth century, for better and for worse. In this episode, I make the case that there is another empire worthy of our attention, one that went further than almost any other civilization in associating itself with ancient Rome, right down to its name. It will encompass the fall of ancient Rome, the origins of the Franks, and the rise of the Merovingian dynasty. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project), re-composed by Stavros Stavrou
S1 E4 · Tue, September 19, 2023
The Pinnacle & Fall of the Akkadian Empire
Following in the footsteps of greatness is never an easy thing, especially at the dawn of history. This was the Bronze Age, when glory could not be bought or borrowed or bartered, except with the price of blood. Sure, there was praise to be earned for building roads and consecrating temples and giving grain to the hungry. All of that was very well and good. However, it was the virtues of war, not peace, that enabled a man to be great. There was no other playbook -- only the one written by Sargon in the blood of his enemies. And his successors followed it to the very letter, even as it became certain that their creation could never last. The last episode in our series on the Akkadian Empire, including a dramatic reading of an abridged version of the Curse of Akkad, one of the finest stories to emerge out of Mesopotamia. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project)
S1 E3 · Thu, September 14, 2023
A Tour Through the Akkadian Empire
Let us, just for the moment, take a brief respite from the epic tales of gods, great men, and battles that dominate our narrative. Rest assured that we will return to these subjects soon enough because of how prominently they figure in the two centuries of Akkadian rule, so much so that normally sober-minded historians have referred to it as “the heroic chapter” of Bronze Age History. It is all too easy to forget that there were ordinary people out there, the playthings of these heroes, who spent their days eking out what then constituted an ordinary existence. Surrounded by violence and preoccupied with basic subsistence, the sons and daughters of this earliest of empires leave behind evidence of a sophisticated civilization, with a dynamic cultural, artistic, and intellectual scene that was both a continuation of their rich past but also evolving toward something grander. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project)
S1 E2 · Wed, September 06, 2023
Sargon of Akkad: Lord of Lies, King of Battle, Prophet of Empire
What kind of man does it take to build an empire? And not just any empire, but the very first in the history of man? What would it take to bring it into being when only kingdoms and cities had come before? For an answer, we can look at the story of Sargon of Akkad: Lover to Ishtar, Father to Enheduanna, Lord of Lies, King of Battle, Prophet of Empire. In The Birth Legend of Sargon of Akkad, we are told that, as a mere infant, he was sent down the Euphrates in a basket of rushes sealed with bitumen, an origin story not unlike that of Moses. Raised as a simple gardener, Sargon of Akkad nonetheless goes down in history as the world's first emperor... So how did he do it? Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project)
S1 E1 · Tue, August 29, 2023
The Sumerian Heritage of the Akkadian Empire
Since there can be no firm understanding of the Sargonic empire without a passing familiarity with the Sumerian city-states that preceded it, this episode is devoted to them, their leading representative being Uruk. With this context established, we will be able to make sense of the Akkadians as well as their successors, because as certainly as day follows night, so too does one empire follow another. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project)
Trailer · Thu, August 24, 2023
Why Study the Empires of the Past?
An introduction to the Empires podcast. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project)
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