Dura-Europos: The Syrian Pompeii
The Ancients29 Nov 2020

Dura-Europos: The Syrian Pompeii

When we think of Pompeii, we remember the city which became frozen in time after a natural catastrophe. Well, in 1920, exactly 100 years ago, another 'frozen city' was rediscovered. This time it was Dura-Europos, and rather than falling victim to a volcano, this city was destroyed after a bloody siege in 256 AD. Whilst there is no historical record of life in the Hellenistic, Parthian and Roman border city and garrison, its remains have proven to be a rich source for archaeologists since the 1920s. Between the only complete example of the semi-cylindrical Roman legionary shield and the perfect oval shields with beautiful paintings of Greeks and Trojans or Greeks and Amazons; beyond the regimental records and complete horse armour and the Palmyrene Gate; archaeologists have uncovered the story of the city.


Tristan was joined on the podcast by Simon James from the University of Leicester, who talked through what we now know about life in Dura-Europa and the relationships between the Roman garrison, their dependents and the other inhabitants. He also offers a play-by-play of the battle which brought this city to a halt, and possibly one of the earliest examples of chemical warfare, all discovered through archaeology.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(618)

The Age of Dinosaurs with Henry Gee

The Age of Dinosaurs with Henry Gee

Before Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, Earth was rebuilding from catastrophe. Out of the ashes of the Great Dying rose a new prehistoric world and with it came the age of the dinosaurs.In this episode ...

5 Mars 1h 17min

Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty

Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty

“Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” Ramesses II reigned as Egypt's unchallenged champion for more than sixty years. But within decades the dynasty of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh had fallen apart....

1 Mars 56min

Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia

Alexander the Great | Lord of Asia

As friendships fracture and old alliances break, Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy chronicle the epic downfall of Alexander the Great. Alexander’s relentless campaigns from Bactria to Babylon p...

26 Feb 1h 16min

The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?

The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?

The name of Ramesses the Great is etched deeper into Egypt than almost any other ruler. Colossal statues moulded in his image tower over the Nile. Reliefs of his victories are carved into countless te...

22 Feb 58min

The Fall of Persia | Alexander the Great

The Fall of Persia | Alexander the Great

Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy continue the special series on Alexander the Great, delving into the epic sieges of Tyre and Gaza in 332 BC, and Alexander's triumphant campaign through Egypt....

19 Feb 1h 13min

The Skulls of Jericho

The Skulls of Jericho

In the depths of ancient Jericho, beneath layers of earth dating back 10,000 years, archaeologists uncovered something extraordinary: human skulls cast in plaster, their faces carefully reconstructed ...

15 Feb 53min

The Invasion of Persia | Alexander the Great

The Invasion of Persia | Alexander the Great

In spring 334 BC, a young Macedonian king sets out to conquer the Persian Empire.Tristan Hughes and Dr Adrian Goldsworthy explore Alexander the Great’s early campaigns, from the daring crossing into A...

12 Feb 1h 4min

How to Write Cuneiform with Dr. Irving Finkel

How to Write Cuneiform with Dr. Irving Finkel

More than 5,000 years ago, a revolutionary script emerged in the fertile lands of Mesopotamia that would transform how people counted, governed, worshipped and told stories. This was cuneiform, the wo...

8 Feb 1h

Populärt inom Historia

massmordarpodden
kod-katastrof
historiska-brott
historiepodden-se
olosta-mord
motiv
p3-historia
rss-historien-om-2
rss-historiska-brottslingar
rss-seriemordarpodden
rss-massmordarpodden
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
krigshistoriepodden
bedragare
obskyr-historia
militarhistoriepodden
nu-blir-det-historia
vetenskapsradion-historia
mannen-utan-spar
palmemordet