History of Persia

After the death of Alexander IV, the former friends and generals of Alexander the Great held their breath, waiting almost a year to resume their wars. The Fourth War of the Diadochoi saw them claim their royal titles as the Successors as Cassander, Ptolemy, and Demetrius battled for dominance. Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

History of Persia dips its toes into the infamous Ancient Greek mystery cults to explore their role in Hellenistic religious life and what exactly makes them so mysterious anyway. Secret rituals, week long parties, and ancient drugs feature in the Eleusinian Mysteries. Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Shortly before the end of the Third War of the Diadochoi, Seleucus set out with a small army to retake his satrapy in Babylon. After several years of neglect by Antigonus Monophthalmus, Seleucus retook the region easily. Before long he held all of the Upper Satrapies against Antigonus, but by the end of the Babylonian War, events in Macedon sundered the empire of Alexander the Great. Download Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

No sooner did the Second War of the Diadochoi end, than the Third began when Antiognus Monophthalmus attempted to seize control of the whole empire. Ptolemy, Seleucus, Cassander, and Lysander rallied against their former comrade as war spread from Palestine to Greece to Thrace.Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show!Support | Twitter | Facebook | InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

While Cassander and Polyphercon fought for the regency of Macedon, Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes of Cardia fought for supremacy in the Upper Satrapies. The initially reluctant Peithon and Seleucus joined Antigonus to defeat the traitor Eumenes, and in the process, turn Antigonus into the most powerful man in the empire. Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

With the sudden death of Antipater, the Empire of Alexander the Great is thrown into chaos once again as the late regent's son, Cassander forges and alliance to seize the reigns of power. Antigonus is hunting Eumenes. Polyphercon struggles in Greece. Ptolemy and Egypt are just quietly expanding, and titanic figures of ancient history are washed away. Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Within just two years of Alexander the Great's death, the conqueror's empire shattered into civil war as Perdiccas threatened the most powerful nobles in the empire to solidify his own power as regent. Together with Eumenes, Alkestas, and a host of loyalists generals, the Perdiccid faction faced down Antipater, Antigonus, Craterus, and Ptolemy. It was the First War of the Diadochi, the First War of the Successors. Download Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

History of Persia is back as we enter the Hellenistic Age. From a veterans' revolt in Bactria to the Lamian War in Greece, Perdiccas became the new regent of Alexander the Great's Empire in a chaotic time of shifting allegiances. Download The Hellenistic Age Podcast https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/ Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I sat down for a chat with Derek from the Hellenistic Age Podcast (@HellenisticPod) so he could explain the basics of Hellenism and this new era that emerged in the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests. The Hellenistic Age Podcast https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/ Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show! Support | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Before launching into the actual warfare between the Persian Empire and Greek city states, it's worth examining how the Greeks prepared for war. Athens prepared by building a navy, everyone prepared by planning to deploy their armies, and we'll explore the whole history of the famous "300" Spartans. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This time I have something a little different. In place of a regular narrative episode this week, I have my recent interview with Dr. Michael Bonner, author of the new book: The Last Empire of Iran. This jumps far ahead of our current point in the narrative story, all the way to the Sassanid Persian Empire of the 4th-8th centuries CE. Dr. Bonner and I discussed the origins, sources, conflicts, and fall of Iran's last pre-Islamic dynasty. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

To celebrate the Persian New Year's festival of Nowruz, check out the 2nd Sort-of Annual Holiday Special, exploring the New Year's celebrations of the Achaemenid Empire. Called Navasarda at that time, many of the traditions associated with the modern holiday were still developing during the Achaemenid period. The origins and original purpose of the holiday season are hazy and changed and developed as Iranian society evolved over centuries. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Happy Holidays Everyone! In place of a regular episode this week, we have the first annual History of Persia Holiday Special. Regardless of what holidays you're celebrating, or not, I have a surprise topic to cover by audience request this week. Please enjoy! Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to introduce religion into the mix, starting with the origins and background of ancient Iranian traditions in general, and then narrowing in on the most famous and significant: Zoroastrianism. This episode explores the traditions and gods of the Indo-European steppe peoples as they migrated and became the Iranians, Persians and Medes included. I'll also discuss the reforms and doctrines of the ancient prophet Zoroaster who established a religion centered around a single supreme god, Ahura Mazda. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This time we're taking a break from the narrative for a bit. Now that this show has all of Cyrus's major conquests under its belt, its probably worth getting a sense of what these Persians were actually like. This episode covers art, architecture, clothing, and the major cultural influences of the early Persian period, under the Teispid kings. Let's see what the world around Cyrus the Great might have looked like. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Cyrus the Great has finally completed his conquests in our narrative. I break down the Cyrus Cylinder, the official record of what he did next, one section at a time. In this episode, I shamelessly take advantage of current events and link Persian history to both Easter and Game of Thrones. Listen and explorer official Persian propaganda, an expanding royal family, the historic and religious legacy of Cyrus, and all the titles of the Persian King. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Babylon, October of 539 BCE began in the 17th year of the reign of Nabonidus, but it ended in the 1st year of Cyrus. In this episode Cyrus the Great carries out his final campaign against Babylon. Our sources tell us that after a few short battles, the greatest city of the ancient world through open its gates and the Persians won the day. Of course, ancient history is never quite that clean. This time, we explore Cyrus's greatest conquest, and the troubled, but fascinating, reign of Babylon's last king. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/history-of-perisa/support Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Cyrus's generals take the reins for a bit and the Persian conquerors face their most grueling task yet: subduing the Ionian Greek city states. Persia's first interaction with the Greek speaking world was a drawn out, and possibly brutal conquest of the western coasts of Anatolia, but when they were done the empire was larger, more secure, and ready to keep pushing its boundaries south into the wealthy territory of Babylon. Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Just as Cyrus the Great, now officially the King of Persia, was consolidating his hold over the recently conquered Median Empire, a new war started. This time, the Persians were facing Lydia, the fabulously wealthy Anatolian kingdom ruled by King Croesus. This war really had it all. Deceptive strategies, surprising alliances, strange tactics, and wildly confused ancient sources to tell the story, but in the end it was just one achievement for Cyrus. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/history-of-perisa/support Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Around 550 BCE, King Cyrus II of Anshan went into revolt against the Median King Astyages. The young Cyrus was aided by a rebellious Median general called Harpagus and conquered the whole Median Empire in one war. Then, Cyrus declared himself King of Persia, and took his first step on the path to becoming "Great." Our Sponsors: * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy