Episode 5: Wasteful wars

The reign of Abu Bakr lasted a little over two years, and he kept Omar close in order to prepare him for the role of caliph. But the leadership of the community Omar inherited came with the burden of waging two simultaneous wars against empires that had bordered the Arabs for as ...  Show more

We mentioned many of the accomplishments of Omar ibn il Khattab in our last episode, and in this one we continue our discussion of the second caliph's reign. There was no going back for the Arabs after their historic victories had altered their world irreversibly, and a strong le ...  Show more

Eurasia is divided into two great superpowers. Khusrow II rules the Sassanian Empire. Maurice, the last of the Justinian dynasty, rules their mighty rivals, the Byzantines. When he is overthrown, Khusrow looks to capitalise upon the chaos, invades his neighbour, and begins to swe ...  Show more

Description: Could militaries separated by ten centuries compete on a battlefield? In this alternative history experiment two armies that successfully invaded Britain a millennium apart are matched. Which side would you bet on? Show Notes: 1. The Landmark Julius Caesar: The Compl ...  Show more

What do a camel, a bucket and an ear all have in common? Each was, at some point, responsible for starting a war. In today's Classic episode, join Ben and Noel as they dive into true stories of weird wars fought over cartoonishly dumb things.See omnystudio.com/listener for privac ...  Show more

Kanishk Tharoor and Maryam Maruf, the presenter and producer of the new radio series Museum of Lost Objects, highlight some of the antiquities that have been destroyed during recent conflicts in Iraq and Syria. Meanwhile, we’re joined by historian Tom Asbridge to explore the even ...  Show more