Tides of History

Latest Episodes:

The Greco-Persian Wars, Part 1: The Ionian Revolt to the Battle of Marathon Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

The wars between the Persians and the Greeks have become a cornerstone of the idea of "Western Civilization," a defining moment when Greeks became Greeks in opposition to the outside world. But this series of conflicts was far more complicated than a simple civilizational clash; it was born of a particular world, and to properly understand the Persian Wars, we need to grasp the background that made them possible.

Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoD

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Thinking Like a Persian King: Professor John Hyland on the Persian Perspective of the Greco-Persian Wars Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

When we think about the wars between the Persians and the Greeks, our perspective is quite explicitly that of the Greeks. But how did the Persians view these conflicts, and what were they after? Professor John Hyland explains his fascinating research on how the Persians understood war and their war with the Greeks.

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Persia Ascendant Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

While Cyrus the Great built the Persian Empire from the ground up, his successors expanded it until the new state stretched from the Indus Valley of Pakistan to the Upper Nile, Kazakhstan to the Aegean, the Balkans to the Hindu Kush. This new Persia was built not just to expand through conquest but to endure, becoming an empire that would last for 200 years.

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Midas, Croesus, and the Lost Kingdoms of Iron Age Anatolia Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

The kingdoms of Iron Age Anatolia survive only as whispers in the archaeological and historical record; others exist through enigmatic references and legends in the writings of foreigners; and still others left behind relatively abundant records, allowing us to reconstruct a thriving world of states that have been almost totally forgotten.

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The Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah: Interview with Professor Avraham Faust Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

What was life like in the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah? Few people are better qualified to answer that question than Professor Avraham Faust, who has excavated and written extensively about the archaeology of the ancient southern Levant, with a compelling blend of breadth and depth.

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Patrick is Hosting a New Show! Check out the "Pursuit of Dadliness" Now! Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to "The Pursuit of Dadliness." This is a podcast for folks who want to enjoy their passions and their hobbies, whatever those might be, and genuinely strive to get better at doing stuff and more knowledgeable about the world around them. That, to me, is the essence of Dadliness. If you like tall wooden ships, smoked meats, remembering mediocre athletes of yesteryear, home gyms, comfortable sneakers, and much more, then subscribe now to "The Pursuit of Dadliness" wherever you get your podcasts.

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Cyrus the Great and the Rise of the Persian Empire Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

The Persians were unlikely successors to the Assyrians and Babylonians, a fringe people of no particular importance, until Cyrus the Great became the most successful conqueror the world had ever seen. He built an empire stretching from Central Asia to the borders of Egypt, the Aegean to the Persian Gulf, and laid the foundations for a state that would last for 200 years.

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Theocracy, Fragmentation, and the Kushite Kings: Egypt after the New Kingdom Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Egypt's New Kingdom, the peak of its monumental building and international power, ended in the aftermath of the Bronze Age Collapse. Once again, Egypt fragmented into multiple smaller states. Yet millions of people still lived and died under the rule of those claiming the mantle of the ancient pharaohs, and Egypt in the Third Intermediate Period was far from a backwater.

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The Neo-Babylonian Empire and the Destruction of Jerusalem Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

Despite controlling a huge swathe of the Near East for the better part of a century, the Neo-Babylonian Empire is nearly forgotten today, aside from one key act: the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the people of the kingdom of Judah.

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The Rise of the Persian Empire: Professor Matt Waters on Ancient Empires and Cyrus the Great Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

The Persian Empire followed in the footsteps of the Assyrians and Babylonians, but it was a much different entity than its predecessors, and its founder - Cyrus the Great - deserves to be mentioned among history's most accomplished conquerors. Professor Matt Waters joins me to discuss Cyrus, the Persians, and the empires that shaped life for millions upon millions of people.

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