In this program we'll take a look at the illustrious life of the great Persian King of Kings, Darius I, also known as Darius the Great.  Regarded by many as the most powerful ruler of the Achaemenid Dynasty of ancient Iran, Darius I is also amongst its most controversial.  We'll dive deeper into the life of great king, the contentious debate about his rise to power, and ultimately examine the words of Darius himself about his these and other aspects of his life and beliefs. Contents: 00:00  Introduction and Historical Context 03:37  Early Life of Darius 05:14  Rise t ..read more

This is the episode that many of your have been waiting for - a comprehensive, in-depth look at the Akkadian Empire from just before it was created to its mysterious end.  Founded by Sargon of Akkad and expanded by his descendants Rimush, Manishtushu and Naram-Sin, the Akkadian Empire was the first hegemonic state and superpower of the early Bronze Age.  This program will examine Akkad's beginning, it's rise and expansion to the far corners of the known world, its economy, administration, collapse and legacy.   Contents: 00:00 Introduction: The World Before Sargon of Akkad 04 ..read more

In this video we'll journey back to the late Bronze Age and explore Mycenaean Civilization in Greece and the wider Aegean world.  We'll also delve into the historical events that may have led to armed conflicts between Mycenaeans and Hittites and that may have ultimately served as the basis for Homer's great epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey.  Contents: 00:00 Contents and Introduction 02:43 Helladic Chronology Explained 03:42 Discovery of Mycenaean Culture 05:35 Geography of Greece 07:28 Early Mycenaeans 10:58 “Mycenae, Rich in Gold” 13:32 Linear B 16:54 Mycenaean Society and Materi ..read more

This program explores the history of the ancient city of Babylon and the land once known as Babylonia.  We'll uncover the story of this great city over the course of fifteen centuries and learn about its impact and why it was so beloved as well as hated by so many in the ancient world.   We'll also meet an interesting and rather eclectic cast of kings including Hammurabi, Zimri-Lim, Rim-Sin, Samsu-iluna, Marduk-apla-iddina II, Sargon II, Sennacherib, Ashurbanipal, Nabopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar I & II, Nabonidus, Cyrus the Great and many more.  Contents: 00:00 Introduction 0 ..read more

In this podcast, we take a look at the fabled king, Croesus of Lydia, at least from the point of view of Greek writers such as Herodotus and Xenophon.  Croesus was a king who during his day (r. 560-546 BC) was deemed to have been the wealthiest sovereign in the world. However, he lost it all to the Persian king Cyrus the Great while finally learning the lesson that the great Athenian sage, Solon, was trying to convey to him.  It's an interesting tale and fun to examine.   Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Facebook Twitter Website  Support the show (h ..read more

In this third installment of the Peloponnesian War podcast, we take a look at life after Pericles and the years 428 and 427 BC.  Leaders of Mytilene's oligarchy have decided that now is the time to leave the Athenian-led alliance.  The conflict in Plataea also finally comes to an end while another bloody civil conflict between factions in Corcyra gets out of hand and shocks the Greek world.  At the end of it, the Athenians head west to see if they can exert their influence in southern Italy and Sicily.  The war is really heading up and who knows where the fires will spread ..read more

War begins!  In this episode, we take a look at the start of the great war and the Athenian statesman Pericles' strategy to keep Athens and it's empire safe from the attacks of the Spartan general Archidamos and the Peloponnesian forces.  Find out in this episode of the Peloponnesian War Podcast.  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/historywithcy ..read more

This is the first episode of the podcast series on the Peloponnesian War.  How did it start?  What does Thucydides, the war's great historian, tell us about the reasons and motivations of Athens, Sparta, Corinth and the different parties involved? Could the conflict have been prevented?  We'll take a look at these questions and more as we go through the story of the greatest internal conflict of ancient Greek history, the Peloponnesian War!    Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/historywithcy ..read more

I thought that this might be a fun topic for those of you who are into examining ancient primary sources.  For those of you who may not know, the Amarna Letters are a collection of 14th century BCE correspondence between three pharaohs of Egypt and other great kings or their vassals and mayors in the Levant.  They're interesting and actually fun to read for what they reveal about international relations in the Near East during the period.  The program is divided up into the following sections: 0:00 - Introduction to the Amarna Letters 3:55 - Bargaining for royal brides 11:30 - A ..read more

In this podcast episode of The Epic of Ancient Assyria, we'll take a look at the beginnings of the Assyrian people, their early kings and life in the city of Ashur and the Anatolian colonies.   Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/historywithcy ..read more