Tamerlane's Captive Engineers: The Siege of Isfahan and the Towers of Skulls

In 1387, when the Persian city of Isfahan rebelled against Tamerlane's rule, the conqueror's response was swift and horrifying. Lucas and Luna explore the siege that saw engineers conscripted from across Central Asia construct massive mangonels and trebuchets, the use of captured citizens as human shields, and the aftermath where Tamerlane famously ordered towers built from 70,000 severed heads. They discuss the strategic calculation behind such terror, the logistical feat of gathering and arranging skulls, and how this event shaped the city's memory for centuries. The episode also touches on the role of Tamerlane's engineers, many of whom were prisoners of war from earlier campaigns in Khwarezm and Persia, and the mix of Mongol and Persian siege techniques that made his army so effective. Finally, they consider whether the skull towers were literal structures or symbolic propaganda, drawing on accounts from Ibn Arabshah and the Zafarnama. #Isfahan #Tamerlane #SiegeOfIsfahan #SkullTowers #IbnArabshah #Zafarnama #Mangonel #Trebuchet #Khwarezm #MongolSiege #PersianHistory #Timurid #CentralAsia #14thCentury #MilitaryHistory #WarCrimes #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo