Who Was Xerxes the Great? | The Ancients
The Ancients
•
54m
He is one of the most famous rulers of the ancient world, remembered for leading a vast Persian invasion of Greece. Yet Xerxes the Great was far more than just a battlefield king.
In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to explore the life and reign of Persia's most revered king, who ruled the largest empire the world had yet seen. From his royal upbringing and court politics to religion, monumental building projects and imperial power, this episode goes beyond Greek battle narratives to uncover who Xerxes really was — and how the Achaemenid empire functioned at the height of his power.
Up Next in The Ancients
-
Ancient DNA Reveals New Truth About O...
What can ancient DNA tell us about the first homo sapiens to arrive in Arabia over 50,000 years ago? Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof. Pierre Zalloua to delve into the groundbreaking advances in ancient DNA research that illuminate the complex journeys of these early human populations.
They dis...
-
Why Did Medea Kill Her Children? | Th...
She helped Jason win the Golden Fleece, betrayed her own family, and became one of the most feared figures in Greek myth. Medea’s name has echoed through the ancient world for over two millennia, a byword for passion and revenge but was she really a villain?
In this episode of The Ancients, Tri...
-
Eric Cline On The Sea Peoples Invasio...
Sea Peoples, Bronze Age Collapse, and Eric Cline are the focus of today's deep-dive podcast. Tristan Hughes is joined by world-renowned archaeologist and author Eric Cline to interrogate the enigmatic groups that allegedly brought the "G8 of the ancient world" to its knees. We explore the primary...
