On the outskirts of modern Istanbul, a line of ancient walls lies crumbling into the earth…

In this episode, we look at one of history’s most incredible stories of survival – the thousand-year epic of the Byzantine Empire. Find out how this civilization suffered the loss of its Western half, and continued the unbroken legacy of Rome right through the middle ages. Hear about how it formed a bridge between two continents, and two ages, and learn how the impregnable walls of Constantinople were finally brought crashing to the ground.

This episode, we’re joined by the choir from the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in London, and a number of musicians playing traditional Byzantine instruments such as the Byzantine lyra, the Qanun and the Greek Santur.

You can follow the podcast on Twitter at @Fall_of_Civ_Pod, and listen to the new episode here:

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This episode, we look back at the age of the Aztecs. Learn how this society grew from nothing to create one of the world’s largest cities in the middle of a lake. Discover Aztec riddles, poetry and songs, as well as the bloody ritual of the flower wars. And hear the remarkable story of how this thriving empire collapsed all at once, in a matter of days.

With Mexica riddles, songs and poetry, we look back at the age of the Aztecs, and find out what happened when the two sides of the world finally met.

You can follow the podcast on Twitter at @Fall_of_Civ_Pod, and listen to the new episode here:

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In this episode, we look at the Khmer Empire of medieval Cambodia, and the ancient mega-city of Angkor. I want to explore how this great civilization rose to a size and wealth virtually unprecedented in the world, how it overcame the challenges of its climate and landscape, and all the factors that led to its final, dramatic collapse.

You can follow the podcast on Twitter at @Fall_of_Civ_Pod, and listen to the episodes here:

iTunes // SoundCloud // Stitcher // Spotify // YouTube // RSS

One of the most unlikely tales of a society’s fall is the incredible saga of the Vikings of Greenland. Find out how these European settlers built a society on the farthest edge of their world, and survived for centuries among some of the harshest conditions ever faced by man. Discover how this civilization was able to overcome the odds for so long, and examine the evidence about what happened to cause its final and mysterious collapse. Including Viking poetry, Inuit folktales and thousands upon thousands of walrus.

You can follow the podcast on Twitter at @Fall_of_Civ_Pod, and listen to the episodes here:

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Episode 2 of the Fall of Civilizations Podcast is now live!

Sometime around the year 1100 BC, a wave of destruction washed over the Eastern Mediterranean. It wiped whole civilizations off the map, and left only ash and ruin in its wake.

This catastrophe, known as “the Late Bronze Age Collapse”, has become one of the enduring puzzles of archaeology. I want to explore how so many societies could collapse all at once, and seemingly without warning, as well as examine the lessons it might teach us in our increasingly globalised and interconnected world.

Coming soon to Spotify, Stitcher and iTunes.

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