116. Isfahan: The City of Dreams

Is the current invasion of Lebanon a direct ancestor of the 1982 Israeli invasion? How did broken American promises lead to the tragedies of the Sabra and Shatila massacres? Who was Ariel Sharon and why did he spearhead attacks on Beirut? Anita and William are joined by Kim Ghatt ...  Show more

**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** In November 1977, Egyptian President Sadat shocked the entire Arab world by boarding a flight to Israel. After refusing to acknowledge its existence, Egypt was seeking to make peace with its neighbo ...  Show more

A Man Living Alone. In the midst of Akhenaten's whirlwind reforms, and his radical decisions, it's easy to forget the impact this probably had on ordinary people. How did the folks who followed Akhenaten adjust to life in a completely new city? A few letters and texts, excavated ...  Show more

This is the story of a city that laid the foundations for our modern world. Sitting at the intersection of East and West, Alexandria has been home to many of humanity's greatest architectural and cultural achievements, like the famous Lighthouse and the storied Great Library. ...

Nineveh was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia. Situated on the eastern bank of the River Tigris, it rivalled cities like Babylon and Persepolis as the capital of the great Assyrian Empire and the seat of power for towering figures like Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal ...

Amarna (Part 2): Akhenaten's Priorities and Mindset. A short side episode, concerning Akhenaten's mind-set around the time he moved to Amarna. Did the King always plan this city? Did he want to live here forever and never leave? And how did he think about the community he was de ...  Show more