Edessa: A Roman Defeat, A Persian Victory

A captured emperor. A Persian king. One battle that shattered Rome’s illusion of invincibility.In this milestone episode of Lit Epic History, Lev and Mina explore the Battle of Edessa in 260 CE — the moment when Shapur I of the Sasanian Empire of ancient Persia defeated and captured the Roman Emperor Valerian, something Rome believed was impossible. From imperial propaganda and cliff-carved monuments to the forgotten power of ancient Persia, this episode uncovers how one battle reshaped Roman confidence and why the legacy of Persian civilizational identity still echoes in the geopolitics of the modern Middle East.Because sometimes the past isn’t ancient history — it’s the foundation of the world we’re living in right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.