🎧 King Midas
Archive of Dan Snow's History Hit 🎧
•
49m
As Shirley Bassey once said, "He's the man. The man with the Midas touch." But who was the man that's inspired stories from Greek myths to Bond bangers?
In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist and classicist Professor Brian Rose to discuss the real King Midas, ruler of the Phrygian Kingdom in West Central Turkey between 740 and 700 BCE. They delve into the two sides of Midas: the historical and the mythical, explaining the origins of the both the Golden Touch myth, and why Midas is sometimes depicted with donkey's ears, and what we know about the real man and his kingdom based on Rose's excavations at the site of Gordian.
The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie
Script written by Andrew Hulse
Voice over performed by Lucy Davidson
The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe
Edited by Joseph Knight
Up Next in Archive of Dan Snow's History Hit 🎧
-
🎧 How The Weather Shaped Medieval Nor...
One of the most consequential eras in North American history was the Medieval Warm Period of 800-1300 CE, when the continent was shaped by climate change or – as its peoples then believed – controlled by gods of wind and water. A great religious movement swept Mesoamerica, the Southwest, and the...
-
🎧 J.R.R. Tolkien and the First World War
J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continues to influence the work of writers, film-makers, musicians and artists to this day. He first conceived of the idea during the First World War, and built his world to examin...
-
🎧 Lilith: Mesopotamian Demoness
Perhaps a name better known for recent appearances in horror films - Lilith is a woman who's origins go far beyond that of the Hollywood screens. Often blamed for illnesses, ailments, and male embarrassment - Lilith is force to be reckoned with. So just where does Lilith come from, and can ancien...
