The ancient world was full of wonders.
Engineering marvels like the Great Wall of China and Stonehenge.
Remarkable peoples like the Aztecs, the Romans and the...
Though he ruled for just 13 years, Alexander the Great is as famed for his hedonistic lifestyle as his military genius. But how did he become one of the best known military leaders in history? What inspired such loyalty among his troops? And what drove this young man in his endless quest to conquer the known world?
A Noiser production, written by Linda Harrison. With thanks to author Philip Freeman, a professor of humanities at Pepperdine University, Malibu.
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47:59
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the architectural wonders of the world. Stretching for over 21,000km - as far as London to New York and back, twice - it follows what used to be the border between China and Mongolia. Built over a period of 2,000 years by millions of conscripted workers, it’s been the subject of myths and legends for centuries. But who really built the Great Wall, and how? Is it true that those who died at the Wall were buried within it? What purpose did it serve? And can this incredible structure really be seen from space?
A Noiser production, written by Fiona Veitch-Smith. With thanks to William Lindesay, a geographer, explorer, conservationist, and leading expert on the Great Wall of China.
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53:05
Genghis Khan and the Mongols, Part 2 of 2
The leader brings reforms to his newly unified Mongol nation. The man formerly known as Temüjin will now conquer an empire bigger than any before in recorded history. But what are the innovations that underpin his supremacy? And how will history judge him - as a cruel tyrant, or a great leader?
A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.
This is part 2 of 2.
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51:59
Genghis Khan and the Mongols, Part 1 of 1
We're in the Mongol lands of Central Asia in the late 1100s. This is a place of nomadic warriors, a region divided between tribes. But one man will emerge to unite them. Armed with the greatest military mind of his age, he will lead the Mongol peoples far beyond their own borders. A terror to his enemies, he will build a reputation unmatched for cruelty and barbarism. So how does a boy from humble origins come to rule an empire twice the size of Ancient Rome's?
A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.
This is part 1 of 2.
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53:44
The Rosetta Stone
In 1799, French soldiers in Egypt unearthed what would become one of the world’s most famous artefacts. After a desperate race to decipher its symbols, the Rosetta Stone provided the key to understanding Egyptian hieroglyphs, casting new light on the culture and history of this lost civilisation. But why was the Rosetta Stone made in the first place? How did it end up in the hands of the French occupiers, thousands of years after it was created? And when the battle to decode was over, what secrets did it reveal?
A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Richard Bruce Parkinson, Professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford.
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The ancient world was full of wonders.
Engineering marvels like the Great Wall of China and Stonehenge.
Remarkable peoples like the Aztecs, the Romans and the Mongols.
Infamous leaders such as Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Herod the Great.
Inventors, explorers, builders, pioneers and philosophers who shaped the world we live in today.
Welcome to Ancient Civilisations - the podcast that takes you back in time to discover the ancient world, one story at a time.
A Noiser production, narrated by Paul McGann and John Hopkins.
As featured on Short History Of... and Real Dictators.
For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a free trial.