Come join me, Cy, as I uncover and explore the stories of the people and places that make up (or made up) our world. Whether through primary sources such as ancient inscriptions or interviews with some of the greatest scholars in the field of ancient and medieval history, this podcast will expose you to historical topics that are rarely covered in depth by others. Many of these programs will be supplements to the videos that appear on the popular History with Cy YouTube channel. You won't want…
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In the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Salamis (480 BC), both the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire are left facing a critical question: what comes next? In this episode, we explore the tense and uncertain months that followed one of the most decisive naval battles in ancient history. While the Athenians celebrate their victory, they must also confront the reality that the war is far…
In 480 BC, following the fall of Thermopylae, the Greek fleet withdrew from Artemisium and regrouped at Salamis. At the same time, Xerxes advanced through Boeotia virtually unopposed, while Athens prepared for evacuation under the so-called Decree of Themistocles. Ancient sources speak of a Persian attempt to plunder Delphi, but modern scholarship generally regards this as later propaganda…
It is the year 480 BC and the massive army and navy of the Great King of Persiam, Xerxes, is on the move. The Great King himself is personally leading the campaign and eager to witness his armed forces' triumph as they advance through northern and central Greece. Two battles, fought on land and sea, will test the resolve of a fragile but determined anti-Persian Greek alliance hastily formed to…
In this episode, we’ll explore the critical decade between the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and Xerxes’ invasion of Greece in 480 BC—a period that shaped the course of the Greco-Persian Wars. Following their defeat at Marathon, the Persians, under King Darius I, began preparing for a renewed campaign, but internal challenges, including rebellions and Darius’ death in 486 BC,…
In the last episode of this series, we covered the rise of the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great and its expansion into Anatolia and the eastern Aegean, including the predominantly Greek-speaking region of Ionia. Though much of Ionia prospered under their new overlords, in 499 BC, the Ionians revolted with their help of their allies, including the city-states of Athens and Eritrea.…
The great conflict that we know today as the Greco-Persian Wars between a few independent city-states of ancient Greece and mighty Achaemenid Persian Empire is, in my opinion, one of the most fascinating and consequential in all of history. More than just battles for territory and glory - they were clashes of culture, ideology, and power between East and West. The war saw legendary figures such as…
This is the episode that several of you have requested – a one stop shop on the history of ancient Canaan and its people, the Canaanites. In this program we’ll look at the history of this region and how it developed from the Bronze Age, Canaan’s relationship with Egypt and other parts of the world, and various Canaanite kingdoms such Moab, Edom, Ammon, Israel and Judah, as well as the Phoenician…
In this video we'll take a look at the pivotal period of Greek history known as the Archaic Period. It's this time frame that gave rise to the polis, hoplite warfare, increased colonization around the coasts of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, oligarchies, tyrannies and lot of other really interesting aspects of life in the Greek-speaking world from 750-500 BC. Contents: 00:00 Introduction and…
The Greek Dark Age, spanning roughly from 1100 to 750 BC, marks a mysterious chapter in the history of ancient Greece. Characterized by a sharp decrease in population, the abandonment of the once might Mycenaean palatial centers, disruption of trade networks, the loss of literacy and a steep decline in artistic endeavors, this time period was generally one of economic hardship and political…
In this program we'll take a look at the illustrious life of the great Persian King of Kings, Darius I, also known as Darius the Great. Regarded by many as the most powerful ruler of the Achaemenid Dynasty of ancient Iran, Darius I is also amongst its most controversial. We'll dive deeper into the life of great king, the contentious debate about his rise to power, and ultimately examine the words…