Empire: World History

Latest Episodes:

294. Gaza & The Islamic Conquest (Part 4) Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

How did the expansion of Islam out of the Arab peninsular affect Gaza in the seventh century? Who was ‘Amr ibn al-As and how did he ambush the Byzantines in Gaza? Why is the Islamic Conquest described as the “invisible conquest” by some historians?

William and Anita are joined once again by Peter Sarris, Professor of Late Antique, Medieval and Byzantine Studies at the University of Cambridge, to discuss the Arab Conquest of Gaza in the seventh century.

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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293. The Gaza Erotic Literature Festival: Byzantine Gaza (Part 3) Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

How did Gaza become a centre of learning and festivals during the Byzantine era? Who was St. Porphyrius of Gaza, and why did he destroy pagan temples in the city? Why is the Early Christian period considered a Golden Age for Gaza?

Anita and William are joined by Peter Sarris, Professor of Late Antique, Medieval and Byzantine Studies at the University of Cambridge, to discuss Byzantine Gaza and the rise of Christianity in the region.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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292. Ancient Gaza: From The Assyrians to The Romans (Part 2) Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Why did the Assyrians spare Philistine port cities like Gaza when they conquered The Levant? How did the Persians overthrow the Babylonians in the region? What did Alexander The Great send back to his tutor after he sieged Gaza City?

William and Anita are joined once again by Josephine Quinn, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Cambridge and author of How The World Made The West, to discuss the five ancient empires that conquered Gaza.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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291. Ancient Gaza: The Philistines (Part 1) Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Gaza is one of the oldest urban centres on Earth, and in this series we are exploring its long history. It was first referred to by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC when it was known as Ghazzati. In this episode we ask: Who were the Philistines? Why did Egyptian pharaohs put monopolies on Gazan sweet wine? And what was 'The Bronze Age Collapse'?

William and Anita are joined by Josephine Quinn, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Cambridge and author of How The World Made The West, to discuss the ancient history of Gaza.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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290. Medieval India’s Alexander The Great: The Cholas (Part 2) Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

Who was South India’s equivalent to Alexander The Great? How did the Chola dynasty conquer Southeast Asia? And what was life like for the enslaved “service women” in the Chola court?

William and Anita are joined once again by Anirudh Kanisetti, author of Lords of Earth and Sea: A History of the Chola Empire, to discuss Rajaraja I and the development of the Chola dynasty.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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289. Medieval India’s Game of Thrones: The Cholas (Part 1) Sep 10, 2025

Show notes

Who were the Cholas who ruled in South India from the 9th century? How was a Hindu symbol of a Chola queen the inspiration behind the Christian hymn “Lord of The Dance”? What was the Medieval Indian equivalent of the “Iron Bank” in Game of Thrones?

William and Anita are joined by Anirudh Kanisetti, author of Lords of Earth and Sea: A History of the Chola Empire, to discuss the beginnings of the Chola dynasty.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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288. Suez Crisis: The End of The British Empire (Part 5) Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

How did the Suez Crisis end? Why did the Suez Crisis mark the end of the Anglo-American “special relationship”? And was it Egypt or India that marked the nail in the coffin of the British Empire?

William and Anita are joined for the final time by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World, to discuss the end of the Suez Crisis, and how its legacy continues to shape global attitudes today.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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287. Suez Crisis: Lies, Cyanide Pills, & Soviet Tanks (Part 4) Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Who was Dulles Airport named after and why was he instrumental in de-escalating the Suez Crisis? Why did Nasser order cyanide pills for his military generals during the crisis? How did the Egyptians use beer bottles to block the Suez Canal?

William and Anita are joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World, to discuss the height of the Suez Crisis, and how the Soviets quashed the uprising in Budapest.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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286. Suez Crisis: Hungary Revolts & Britain Bombs Egypt (Part 3) Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

What did the Queen think about Britain’s humiliating failures in Suez in 1956? Why did France and Britain not inform their American allies of the invasion? What was simultaneously going on in Hungary that sent the UN into crisis mode?

William and Anita are joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World, to explore the chaos that Britain and France inflicted on Egypt in 1956.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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285. Suez Crisis: The Secret Meeting Between Israel, Britain & France (Part 2) Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

Why did France & Britain secretly collude with Israel against Egypt? What did America think was going on in Suez? Why did the Soviets think the US was behind an uprising in Hungary?

William and Anita are joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World, to discuss the second chapter in the unfolding Suez Crisis of 1956…

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Neil Fearn

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