20. Persia - An Empire in Ashes
Summary
This episode explores the rise of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, beginning with Spanish ambassador Garcia da Silva y Figueroa’s 1618 discovery of Persepolis. Host Paul Cooper details how Cyrus the Great united Persian tribes to overthrow the Median Empire, leveraging the collapse of Assyria. The narrative examines early Persian culture, military tactics, and the complex historical sources, particularly Herodotus, that shape our understanding of this ancient superpower.
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