The Story of the Ancient Middle East
Writing, cities, law codes, empires, an enormous amount of what we call civilization got invented here first.
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Some of the topics covered in this episode
- The birth of civilization in ancient Mesopotamia and the world's earliest cities
- Sumerian writing, cuneiform, and how the first texts were created
- Hammurabi's Code and the ancient roots of law and justice
- The Assyrian Empire and its libraries, artwork, and military campaigns
- The Neo-Babylonian Renaissance and the legendary Hanging Gardens
- The Persian Empire under Cyrus and Darius and the Achaemenid legacy
- Daily life, trade, temples, and mythology across three thousand years of history
Writing, cities, and law codes all started somewhere, and there's something quietly calming about falling asleep to exactly where. So, sleep well tonight, and may you wake up feeling calm and clear-headed.