Elam

In this episode, we explore Elam, the ancient civilization that flourished in what is now southwestern Iran and parts of Iraq from roughly 3200 to 539 BC, tracing its long development through the Proto-Elamite, Old, Middle, and Neo-Elamite periods. We examine the importance of major centers such as Susa and Anshan, and follow Elam’s shifting relationships of trade, diplomacy, and conflict with powerful neighbors in Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The episode also highlights the distinctive Elamite language, the role of polytheistic worship centered on deities like Inshushinak, and the artistic legacy of the culture through seals, sculpture, and bronze works, before considering how Elam’s identity and influence continued into the age of the Achaemenid Empire.