History with Cy
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago -Come join me, Cy, as I uncover and explore the stories of the people and places that make up (or made up) our world. Whether through primary sources such as ancient inscriptions or interviews with some of the greatest scholars in the field of ancient and medieval history, this podcast will expose you to historical topics that are rarely covered in depth by others. Many of these programs will be supplements to the videos that appear on the popular History with Cy YouTube channel. You won't want to miss a single episode! Subscribe today!
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Episodes
Darius the Great: The Life and Times of the Great King of Persia in his Own Words
March 19, 2024 02:00 - 45 minutes - 32.2 MBIn 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: 00:0...
The World's First Superpower: Sargon of Akkad and the Mighty Akkadian Empire - Bronze Age History
March 01, 2024 23:00 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBThis 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, co...
Exploring Mycenaean Greece – Culture, Kingdoms and the Historical Context of the Trojan War
January 25, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 64.2 MBIn 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 Ea...
Babylon: The City at the Center of the World - The Concise History of Babylonia (2000-539 BC)
January 17, 2023 04:00 - 3 hours - 134 MBThis 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, Nebuchadnezza...
The Peloponnesian War - PART III: Revolt of Mytilene, Fate of Plataea, Civil War in Corcyra and more
July 14, 2022 14:00 - 26 minutes - 18.9 MBIn 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 ...
The Peloponnesian War - PART II: Pericles' War Begins
April 24, 2022 03:00 - 49 minutes - 34.9 MBWar 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.
The Peloponnesian War - PART I: The Gathering Storm
March 06, 2022 04:00 - 45 minutes - 32 MBThis 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.
Herodotus - A Quick Look at his Life and the Gold-digging Ants of India
July 04, 2021 22:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBHerodotus, arguably the ancient world's greatest historian...or storyteller. Perhaps a bit of both. In this episode, we take a look at his life, where he traveled and see what may have been the source for one of his more fantastical stories, namely the gold-digging ants of India. Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Support the Show.
History of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, Part II (486-330 BC; Xerxes I - Alexander the Great)
April 20, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 44.2 MBIn the second of this two part series on the Achaemenid Persian Empire, we continue with Darius the Great's son, Xerxes and some of the main events of the Greco-Persian wars, and then follow the lives of his successors up to Darius III and the fall of the Achaemenid Empire with its conquest by Alexander of Macedonia, a.k.a. Alexander the Great. Contents: 00:00 Intro and Recap 01:33 Xerxes (486-465 BC) 03:43 Xerxes Invades Greece 08:47 Battle of Thermopylae 11:18 Battle of Salamis 12:...
History of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, Part I (550-486 BC; Cyrus the Great - Darius the Great)
March 21, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBIn this first of a two-part series, we'll take a concise look at the history of one of the greatest empires in all of antiquity - the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Founded by Cyrus II and expanded by his successors Cambyses II and Darius I, the Achaemenid dynasty would not just go on to rule most of the known world at the time, but also transmit the ideas and innovations of its many subject peoples to from the shores of the eastern Mediterranean to the Indus River valley and beyond. We'll sta...
The Early Amorites of Mesopotamia (2600-1800 BC)
February 10, 2021 10:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBSome of you wanted to know a bit more about the Amorites and they're arrival into Mesopotamia, so I thought I'd do a quick podcast on it. This program will take a look at early references to Amorites in Sumerian, Elbaite and Akkadian documents. <!--more--> Contents: 00:00 Introduction 01:30 Who were the Amorites? 05:20 Earliest mention of Amorites in Sumerian texts 06:26 Amorites in texts from Ebla and other cities 12:25 Amorites and the fall of Ur 16:52 Letter of Ushashum the Amorite to B...
The Early Amorites of Mesopotamia (2600-1800 BC)
February 10, 2021 10:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBSome of you wanted to know a bit more about the Amorites and they're arrival into Mesopotamia, so I thought I'd do a quick podcast on it. This program will take a look at early references to Amorites in Sumerian, Elbaite and Akkadian documents. <!--more--> Contents: 00:00 Introduction 01:30 Who were the Amorites? 05:20 Earliest mention of Amorites in Sumerian texts 06:26 Amorites in texts from Ebla and other cities 12:25 Amorites and the fall of Ur 16:52 Letter of Ushashum the Amorite to B...
The Complete and Concise History of the Sumerians and Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia (7000-2000 BC)
February 04, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 52.4 MBThe history of ancient Sumer and the Sumerians, from the first notable farming communities to occupy their land to their magnificent cities, innovations, great kingdoms and empires. If you want to get a good grasp of who the Sumerians were, this is the program for you! Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Support the Show.
Croesus of Lydia and the Lydians (plus Herodotus' tale of Croesus meeting Solon the Athenian)
December 24, 2020 18:00 - 24 minutes - 17.3 MBIn 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 wit...
Cambyses II and the Persian Conquest of Egypt (Achaemenid Persian Empire)
December 03, 2020 19:00 - 16 minutes - 12.1 MBThe Achaemenid king, Cambyses II of Persia, was the son and successor of Cyrus the Great. Though Cyrus is lauded by friend and foe alike as the ideal ruler, his son Cambyses in many written sources has been portrayed as just the opposite - a cruel, intolerant and unjust tyrant. But are these accusations true or simply the result of anti-Persian propaganda that was spread by some of their dissatisfied subject peoples, most notably in Egypt? Most of what we know about Cambyses II comes from...
Cyrus the Great and the Birth of the Achaemenid Persian Empire
October 22, 2020 04:00 - 41 minutes - 29.9 MBWith this video we start a series of programs and podcasts all dealing with ancient Persia and the beginnings of the Achaemenid Persian Empire of Cyrus II, better known to the world as Cyrus the Great. We'll first take a quick look at the history of the region around the time when the first Iranian tribes entered the region, followed by the Medes and how they laid the groundwork for the rise of one of history's greatest rulers, Cyrus the Great, founder of Persian Achaemenid Empire. We'll a...
The Neo-Elamite Period - Elam vs. Assyria (1100 - 550 BC) | Supplemental Podcast #6
September 30, 2020 20:00 - 42 minutes - 29.6 MBIn this podcast we cover the last centuries of what was once an independent and powerful Elam. During what's known as the Neo-Elamite period (1100-550 BC), Elam went on a steady decline until it's near destruction at the hands of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This is the story of the last kings of Elam and the final end of their conflict with the peoples and empires of neighboring Babylonia and Assyria. Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Support t...
Popular Religion in Canaan and the Levant (Bronze Age Canaanite Religion)
July 29, 2020 16:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBI thought it'd be a good idea to take some time and discuss the basic religious beliefs and practices that were prevalent in ancient Canaan and the Levant during the Bronze Age. In this program, you'll learn about the basics of how Canaanite religion developed as well as how it impacted the lives of the people who practiced this form of worship. Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Support the Show.
Popular Religion in Canaan and the Levant (Bronze Age Canaanite Religion)
July 29, 2020 16:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBI thought it'd be a good idea to take some time and discuss the basic religious beliefs and practices that were prevalent in ancient Canaan and the Levant during the Bronze Age. In this program, you'll learn about the basics of how Canaanite religion developed as well as how it impacted the lives of the people who practiced this form of worship. Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/historywithcy)
Dark Days in Babylon - The Lost Centuries (1021-732 BCE)
July 08, 2020 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MBThis podcast is for all of your fans of Babylonian history! In it, we take a look at the some of the most obscure centuries in Babylonian history and the events as well as the dynasties that shaped them, namely the Second Dynasty of the Sealand, the Bazi Dynasty, the Elamite Dynasty and the mysterious Dynasty of E. This is the history of Babylon that you were not taught in school. Sources and Suggested Reading ► https://bit.ly/3e8qWI6 Follow History with Cy: YouTube Channel Instagram Fac...
The Early Medes and the Median Empire (History of Ancient Iran)
June 19, 2020 00:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBIn this video podcast, we'll take a look at one of the most overlooked peoples of ancient history, the Medes, and reconstruct their early history using Assyrian, Babylonian and Greek sources, namely Herodotus (the Medes don't have any primary sources of their own). It was the Medes and the Median Empire that laid the foundation upon which the Achaemenid Persian Empire of Cyrus the Great and his descendants rested upon. Sources and Suggested Reading ► https://bit.ly/3ehWgov Follow History ...
The Amarna Letters - Conversations between Kings and Canaanites
May 31, 2020 20:00 - 25 minutes - 17.5 MBI 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 sectio...
Life of a Scribe in Mesopotamia, Scribal Schools and the Ultimate Ancient Diss Track
April 11, 2020 23:00 - 19 minutes - 13.1 MBScribes played an extremely important role in the history of the ancient world, especially in Mesopotamia. As purveyors of the written word, they were responsible for all sorts of tasks - recording knowledge, drafting and writing edicts for their rulers, copying works of ancient literature, keep tab of grain inventories, writing up contracts between different parties, solving everyday mathematical problems, translating documents and much more. In this episode, you'll get a glimpse of the wo...
Life of a Scribe in Mesopotamia, Scribal Schools and the Ultimate Ancient Diss Track
April 11, 2020 23:00 - 19 minutes - 13.1 MBScribes played an extremely important role in the history of the ancient world, especially in Mesopotamia. As purveyors of the written word, they were responsible for all sorts of tasks - recording knowledge, drafting and writing edicts for their rulers, copying works of ancient literature, keep tab of grain inventories, writing up contracts between different parties, solving everyday mathematical problems, translating documents and much more. In this episode, you'll get a glimpse of the wo...
The Empire of Aksum (Axum)
April 11, 2020 09:00 - 10 minutes - 6.92 MBThe Kingdom and later Empire of Aksum (also spelled Axum) was one of late antiquity's most influential, wealthiest and powerful states. The Aksumites built incredible monuments, minted their own gold coins, traded with lands as far away as India and China, and were influential in spreading Christianity throughout eastern Africa. They are also arguably the people from whom the inhabitants of modern Ethiopia and Eritrea draw their cultural and religious identity from. Check out the video to...
The Epic of Ancient Assyria - 004 - Adad-nirari I, Shalmaneser I and Tukulti-Ninurta I
March 24, 2020 03:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBIn the fourth podcast of the series "The Epic of Ancient Assyria," the story of Assyria's rise continues with Adad-nirari I, Shalmaneser I and powerful and eccentric Tukulti-Ninurta I and his conflict with Babylon. Sources and Suggested Reading ► https://bit.ly/39dZxSv Follow History with Cy: Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/historywithcy/ Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/historywithcy/ Twitter ► https://twitter.com/historywithcy Website ► http://www.historywithcy.com Suppo...
The Epic of Ancient Assyria - 003 - The Middle Assyrian Empire (Beginnings)
March 07, 2020 07:00 - 14 minutes - 9.9 MBIn the third podcast of the series "The Epic of Ancient Assyria," we continue where we left off and take a look at the beginnings of what's known as the Middle Assyrian period. The star of this show is the ambitious king, Ashur-uballit I. He basically takes Assyria from a petty kingdom that has just attained its independence and turns it into a respectable regional power. He also set the foundation for what would become the Middle Assyrian Empire. Check out the episode for details. Support ...
The Epic of Ancient Assyria - 002 - Ashur during the Age of Shamshi-Adad
February 19, 2020 08:00 - 21 minutes - 14.5 MBIn the second podcast of the series, we examine the life of the Amorite king, Shamshi-Adad and his reign as king of Assyria. Who was this man and why is he so important in the annals of Assyrian history? Check out this episode to find out! Support the Show.
The Epic of Ancient Assyria - 001 - Early Assyria and the Anatolian Merchant Colonies
February 10, 2020 05:00 - 24 minutes - 16.8 MBIn 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.