105. The Last Great War of Antiquity

Who were the ‘Sea Peoples’? Was the Bronze Age Collapse caused by a single catastrophic event? How did the Egyptians try to adapt to the changing climate? From the scientific evidence hidden in ancient pollen to the first historical mention of "Israel" and the rise of the Philist ...  Afficher plus

The legendary ancient Greek poet, Homer, is a key source to our understanding of the Bronze Age Collapse, but did a single genius named Homer even exist? How could sophisticated poems like The Iliad and The Odyssey survive a "Dark Age" where even writing was destroyed? And what c ...  Afficher plus

In 972AD a princess of the Byzantine Empire was sent by her uncle, the Roman emperor in Constantinople, to marry the son of Otto the Great - Emperor of the Latin West. A tantalising and formidable figure, Theophanu became a major player in one of the most tumultuous and mysteriou ...  Afficher plus

What did it mean to be ‘born in the purple’? What lasting legacy did the empire have on how we eat dinner? And what does ‘Byzantine’ actually mean? Professor Judith Herrin responds to listener questions and internet search queries about the 1,000-year history of Byzantine empire, ...  Afficher plus

One of the most powerful, and feared, leaders of history - Attila the Hun's legacy has persevered over centuries. His consolidation of the Hunnic tribes helped play a significant role in shaping the ancient geopolitical landscape of 5th century Europe and Asia - ultimately hel ...

For a little over 200 years, the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across three continents, making it arguably the world’s first great superpower. At its peak, it stretched from its base in Persia - roughly analogous to modern-day Iran, all the way to India in the Ea ...  Afficher plus