173: Senatus Populusque Romanus

Roman and Carthaginian territory after the Second Punic War via Wikimedia

After expanding to dominate most of the central Italian Peninsula, Rome was quick to take advantage of political crises to the south to expand their influence. From Pyrrhus’ invasion on behalf of Tarentum to the final defeat of Hannibal in the Second Punic War, we bring Rome up to speed with the Seleucid narrative.
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172: Meet the Romans (Rome Check 1)

Map of early Roman expansion via Wikimedia

The Roman Republic has finally arrived in our narrative after negotiating with Antiochus the Great on behalf of Ptolemy V. Today we begin our introduction to Rome from their earliest origins to their rise as the masters of central Italy in the 3rd Century BCE.
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171: Syria Five

Coin featuring the young Ptolemy V, via Wikimedia

Following his return from Mesopotamia and Arabia, Antiochus the Great was poised to begin a Fifth Syrian War with the goal of conquering Koile Syria. To prepare for this, he would settle Anatolia, fully annex Armenia, and forge a secret alliance with Philip V of Macedon. Then it was time to plunge the eastern Mediterranean back into a storm of conflict that would ultimately bring a new power into the Hellenistic World.
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166: Meet the Egyptians

Gold tetradrachm featuring Ptolemy IV Philopator via Wikimedia

Following the Fourth Syrian War, Ptolemy IV Philopator went back to Egypt to enjoy his victory and leave administration to his advisers, at least until native Egyptian revolts brought Egypt’s royal party to a screeching halt.
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Interview 01: Dr. Michael Bonner

Sassanid plate with a hunting scene from the tale of Bahram Gur and Azadeh

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.
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The Last Empire of Iran by Michael Bonner

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