Angkor's Hidden Enemy: The Disease That Helped Topple an Empire

This episode explores a lesser-known factor in the Khmer Empire's collapse: disease. We dive into how the elaborate water management system—the barays and canals—created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, spreading malaria and dengue among the population. Recent research from the Greater Angkor Project suggests that chronic disease, combined with drought and political instability, may have silently depopulated the capital long before the Ayutthaya siege. We discuss the specific pathogens, the evidence from skeletal remains, and how ecological changes under King Indravarman III made Angkor unhealthy. The episode also touches on the shift to Theravada Buddhism and the abandonment of the god-king cult as responses to crisis. Along the way, we refresh context from earlier episodes, including the role of Jayavarman VII's hospitals and the megadrought of the 14th century. #KhmerEmpire #Angkor #Disease #Malaria #Dengue #History #SoutheastAsia #FexingoHistory #Collapse #Epidemic #WaterManagement #Baray #IndravarmanIII #TonleSap #Archaeology #TropicalDisease #Mosquito #PublicHealth Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo