🎧 Biological and Chemical Warfare
🎧 The Ancients • 30m
The origins of biological and chemical warfare stretch far back; modern technology has not brought about these terrifying weapons. Throughout antiquity we have cases of societies using poisonous gases, incendiary materials and living organisms against their enemies. From snake and scorpion bombs to the use of ancient naphtha grenades. But how did the ancients view these infamous weapons? Did they try to refrain from using them? And if they did use them, why? I was thrilled to be joined by Adrienne Mayor to chat through this extraordinary topic. Adrienne is a folklorist and historian of ancient science at Stanford University. She is the author of numerous books including Greek Fire, Poison Arrows and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World.
Up Next in 🎧 The Ancients
-
🎧 Housesteads and Hadrian's Wall
Housesteads Roman Fort is one of the great, surviving treasures of Roman Britain. Once an auxiliary fort, it occupied a dominant position on Hadrian’s Wall. The Fort has proven vital in helping archaeologists and historians achieve a greater understanding about life on Hadrian’s Wall. From the wo...
-
🎧 Stone Circles
From Cornwall to Orkney, prehistoric stone circles are scattered throughout the length and breadth of the British Isles. Their history stretches more than 2 millennia, during which time their use by prehistoric cultures changed dramatically. They are fascinating examples of how a monument's purpo...
-
🎧 Combat Trauma
From the 2000 historical blockbuster 'Gladiator' to the Total War series, brutal hand to hand warfare is something we commonly associate with antiquity. But do we have any ancient cases of psychological injury as a direct result of military service? Joining me to discuss this topic, focusing on c...
