A weekly series about people who have been called “The Great,” where we try to get past the honorific and understand who they were, what they did, and why some people seem to like them so much.
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Time to get Alexander out of the Hellenic world and have him square off with his Persian counterpart, Darius III.By Phillip Barlag
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Let's get Alexander on the throne, and track his early years as king. Also, I make a killer dad joke about a psychic.By Phillip Barlag
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Let's set the stage for the most famous "Great" of them all.By Phillip Barlag
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Bonus Episode: Three New Things I've Learned About Nebuchadnezzar II
11:41
11:41
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You'd think that by now, I would be able to spell Nebuchadnezzar on the first try. Here's a quick look back at an old friend, and a few new things I've learned since his episodes aired a little while back.By Phillip Barlag
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So Darius managed to become King of Kings. Now what? Let's find out, and while we are at it, we'll take a look back at the meaning and importance of the Persian Empire. (P.S. Get over yourself, Greece.)By Phillip Barlag
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Confession time: I didn't want to do this one. Have a listen to find out why. (Oh, and I am glad I did.)By Phillip Barlag
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Bonus Episode: Three New Things I've Learned About Ramesses II
18:41
18:41
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I have a few new things about Ramesses II to share since his episode aired a little while back. Have a listen, and let's keep learning together. After all, Ramesses would expect, or even demand, that we keep paying attention to him.By Phillip Barlag
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Let's find out what Cyrus is up to. Spoiler alert: it's a lot, and much more than simple conquest and martial glory.By Phillip Barlag
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A brief announcement about the show and a way we can help each other out.By Phillip Barlag
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The successors of Nebuchadnezzar weren't quite up to the task; Neo-Babylonians might be in trouble. But there is about to be a new, new sheriff in town. Time to say hello to the Persians.By Phillip Barlag
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Bonus Episode: Three New Things I've Learned About Thutmose III
12:35
12:35
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12:35
Because learning a few new things about Sargon of Akkad was so much fun, I thought I would explore whether or not there were any fun new facts about Thutmose III that we could uncover together. Turns out, there are!By Phillip Barlag
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Let's spend some time with a ruler who preferred hanging out at home to marching on campaign, and who built what might be the greatest city in human history.By Phillip Barlag
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Let's meet and, hopefully, say goodbye to one of the most terrifying civilizations in human history. While we're at it, let's track the rise of someone who might just be the greatest builder in the ancient world.By Phillip Barlag
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Bonus Episode: Three New Things I've Learned About Sargon of Akkad
13:49
13:49
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13:49
Just because we have already published an episode about Sargon, does not mean we've stopped learning about him. In fact, I wanted to share three new things that I have learned since his episode aired. These serve as an extension of the episode about our first "Great" in this series. He lived more than four millennia ago, but his story is still bein…
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You know who thought that Ramesses II was Egypt's greatest pharaoh? Ramesses II. You get to decide for yourself!By Phillip Barlag
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Let's catch up on our friends the Egyptians, in between the death Thutmose III and the rise of our next great, Ramesses II.By Phillip Barlag
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Part two of our episode of Thutmose III. I'm not going to lie; I am really starting to like this guy.By Phillip Barlag
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Let's meet Thutmose III, either the first, or something like the hundredth pharaoh of the mighty Egyptian civilization.By Phillip Barlag
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We meet our first "great" of the series, Sargon of Akkad, whom history records as the first person to rule an Empire. In a related note, "Lugalzaggisi," is not an easy name to pronounce.By Phillip Barlag
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Alexander the Great. Pompey the Great. Catharine the Great. For nearly all of recorded human history, people have been called “great.” But what does it mean to be great? To be called “great?” In this introduction, we set up the series and frame out its exploration of these people, and what they did - or didn't do - to be called "great."…
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