Ancient Civilisations

From the end of the 15th century, the Conquistadors changed the face of the Americas. Invading first the Caribbean and Mexico, they then plunged on into the rest of the continent and plundered the Pacific seaboard. So what do we know of these Europeans and their quest to expand a burgeoning empire? And who were the indigenous people that resisted invasion, negotiated with strangers, and fought off barbarians?  This is a Short History of the Conquistadors.   Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Professor Matthew Restall, Director of Latin American Studies at Penn State University and author of Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest and When Montezuma met Cortez. 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 subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The last of the Ptolemaic Pharoahs, the enduring legend of Cleopatra has captivated imaginations for centuries. Though some write her off as a manipulative femme fatale, her competence as a ruler restored her country to a world superpower. But what were the early experiences that shaped her? How did she form both political and personal alliances with two great Roman generals? And what is the true story of her dramatic death?   This is a Short History of Cleopatra. Written by Lindsay Galvin. With thanks to Joyce Tyldesley, archaeologist and author of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt. 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 subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Older than the pyramids and just as cryptic, the prehistoric British site of Stonehenge has dominated its landscape for thousands of years. But what is Stonehenge? A celestial clock? An ancient computer to predict eclipses? Was it a temple, a cemetery, or a site of execution? And who were the people who lived and died to create this Stone Age masterpiece? This is a Short History of Stonehenge. Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Julian Richards, archaeologist, broadcaster and author of the official Stonehenge guidebook. 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 subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo spent decades travelling the world. His adventures took him from his home in Venice as far east as the Yellow Sea, where he was a valued courtier of the legendary Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Later, in prison, he wrote the world’s first travel book. But how did his name become synonymous with adventure? What compelled him to stay away for so long? And why is his story still remembered almost eight centuries later? This is a Short History of Marco Polo. Written by Chris McDonald. With thanks to Denis Belliveau: author and Emmy-nominated filmmaker of In The Footsteps of Marco Polo. 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 subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 480BC, the Spartans secured their place in history when 300 of their soldiers fought to the death against the mighty Persian army at Thermopylae. Their reputation for brutal decisiveness and simple living have been admired for thousands of years. But what about the darker side of Spartan ideology, a society that culled weak babies, forced children to fight, and enslaved its neighbours? Was Sparta really a utopia? Or was Aristotle right when he said that Spartans simply made men into machines? This is a Short History of the Spartans. Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dr Andrew Bayliss, Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Birmingham, UK, and author of The Spartans: A Very Short Introduction. 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 subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices