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Empire-Builders

by David Mainayar

Welcome to Empire-Builders, the podcast all about the rise and fall of the world’s imperial civilizations. We will take for the object of our investigation those civilizations which have something to teach us about what happens when human societies with distinct cultural traditions, histories, and mythologies converge, even if only for a single page in the story of mankind. And we will start from the beginning, when the very concept of civilization was only just ripening, for make no mistake — empires have been with us from the start. Before man was, empire awaited him.

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Episodes

  1. 7 Levels of US Presidents

    This isn't exactly journalism, is it? Mr. Beat:https://www.youtube.com/@iammrbeat/videosWhat makes a good president? | Mr Beat video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCAtED5DeSY&t=1291sDr. Justin...

  2. How (And Where) Did Romans Build Their Roads?

    They really were quite good at it.--Produced by David MainayarWritten by Eduardo D'Ambrosio & ‪David Mainayar3D visualization by Eduardo D'Ambrosio Edited by David Mainayar, kingfrick, ‪ @KnowHistory Music from Epidemic Sound & Total War: Rome

  3. 7 Levels of Roman Emperors

    Where are the Romans now? You're looking at em. 0:00 - Intro 1:20 - Level I: The Calamities 13:12 - Level II: The Blunderers 21:43 - Level III: The Benchwarmers 25:38 - Level IV: The Patriarchs 31:12 - Level V: The Firefighters 36:59 - Level VI: The Imperialists 43:49 - Level VII: The Founders

  4. Empires of the Normans: Makers of Europe, Conquerors of Asia

    Chapters: Intro - 0:00 Chapter I: The Early Normans - 1:26 Chapter II: The Italian Normans - 1:00:57 Chapter III: The English Normans - 1:53:51 Chapter IV: The Crusader Normans - 3:34:00 Chapter V: 4:29:56 Primary Sources: Adémar de Chabannes. Chronicon and related forgeries. Early 11th century....

  5. When Alexander Ruled 25% of the World's Population (Chapter III)

    The final installment in a three-part series on Alexander the Great. Sources: Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. Bolitho, William. Twelve Against the Gods. 1929. Freeman, Philip. Alexander the Great. 2011. Plutarch. Life of Alexander and Life of Caesar. Translated…

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  6. The 7 Levels of Empires

    1:10 - Level I: The Fakes 6:39 - Level II: The Traders 13:46 - Level III: The Exploiters 22:31 - Level IV: The Survivors 35:55 - Level V: The Meteors 38:49 - Level VI: The Superpowers 45:20 - Level VII: The Architects

  7. The 7 Levels of Empire-Builders

    0:00 - Intro 2:06 - Level I: The Frauds6:28 - Level II: The Pretenders9:16 - Level III: The Phantoms13:43 - Level IV: The Progenitors22:02 - Level V: The Icons30:25 - Level VI: The Comets34:30 - Level VII: The World-Builders

  8. How Alexander Conquered the Known World (Chapter II)

    The second installment in a three-part series on Alexander the Great. Sources: Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. Bolitho, William. Twelve Against the Gods. 1929. Freeman, Philip. Alexander the Great. 2011. Plutarch. Life of Alexander and Life of Caesar. Translated...

  9. The Making of Alexander the Great (Chapter I)

    The first installment in a three-part series on Alexander the Great. Sources: Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. Bolitho, William. Twelve Against the Gods. 1929. Freeman, Philip. Alexander the Great. 2011. Plutarch. Life of Alexander and Life of Caesar. Translated…

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  10. The Normans: Chapter III (England)

    The third installment in a four-part series on the Normans. This part is focused on William the Conqueror's life & times. Play War Thunder for FREE on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile! New & returning PC/console players get a massive bonus pack: premium vehicles, the “Eagle of Valor” decorator,...

  11. Burgundy: Chapter III (The Architect of Burgundy)

    The third chapter in a six-part docuseries on the Burgundians. This part is focused on Philip the Bold.

  12. The Normans: Chapter I (Normandy)

    The first chapter in a four-part series on the Normans. This one traces their journey from Scandinavia to Normandy.

  13. The Normans: Chapter II (Italy)

    The second chapter in a four-part series on the Normans. This one traces their journey from Normandy to Italy.

  14. Burgundy: Chapter I (Europe’s Lost Barbarian Kingdom)

    This is the FIRST chapter in a docuseries on the Burgundians, covering the events of 406-534. The series will culminate with the Grand Dukes of the West (the Valois).

  15. Frederick II (Antichrist of the Middle Ages): All Parts

    Frederick II (1194-1250) was once the most powerful ruler in Europe. He was a Renaissance Man before the Renaissance. A scientist before the scientific method. An enlightened despot before the Age of Enlightenment. Yet his wide-spanning interests and unconventional methods eventually brought him...

  16. Cadaver Synod

    In January 897, Pope Stephen exhumed the corpse of Pope Formosus and put it on trial. He had a deacon serve as Formosus’ voice and proceeded to scream at the corpse at the top of his lungs...Why did he do it? And could it be that this infamous trial, known as the Cadaver Synod, invalidates the...

  17. Burgundy: Chapter II (The Missing Piece of Medieval Europe)

    This is the SECOND chapter in a docuseries on the Burgundians. This chapter covers the events of 534-1361. Remaining parts will focus on the Valois Dukes, continuing to the 16th century.

  18. The Napoleon Film We SHOULD Have Gotten

    Video essay about THE GREATEST MOVIE NEVER MADE

  19. Why America Is The New Roman Republic

    Audio-only. Video is available on YouTube. Sources: Arendt, Hannah. On Revolution (1963) Gay, Peter. The Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Paganism (1995) Hamilton, Alexander; Madison, James; Jay, John. The Federalist Papers (1788) Polybius. The Histories (c. 2nd century BC) Ricks, Thomas. First...

  20. Why Did Gladiators Willingly Fight In The Colosseum?

    Audio-only. Video is available on YouTube. Sources: Beard, Mary & Hopkins, Keith. The Colosseum (2011) Futrell, Alison. The Roman Games: Historical Sources in Translation (2008) Futrell, Alison & Scanlon, Thomas. The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World (2021) Jacobelli,...

  21. Before You Watch Gladiator II—Here's the Real History

    When I have issues with historians, I ask: "Excuse me, mate, were you there? No? Well, shut the fuck up then." Sources: Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome (2016) Brauer, George C. The Young Emperors, Rome, A.D. 193-244 (1967) Dio, Cassius. Roman History, Book 79 (3rd century) Dunstan,...

  22. Why Guys Should Think About The NEW Roman Empire

    MUSIC: 'Shadows and Dust' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au 'The Distant Sun' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Remaining tracks sourced from Epidemic Sound & Motion Array. SOURCES: Brownworth, Lars. Lost to the West: The...

  23. The Bloodless Crusade: Life & Times of Frederick II

    The second part in a trilogy about the life & times of Frederick II, the Hohenstaufen Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Sources: Alighieri, Dante. Divine Comedy: Inferno & Paradiso (1321) Casady, Richard. The Emperor and the Saint: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Francis of Assisi, and Journeys to...

  24. The Holiest of the Holy Roman Emperors (Compilation)

    Sources & further reading: Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) The Medieval Empire in Central Europe: Dynastic Continuity in the Post-Carolingian Frankish Realm, 900–1300 (Herbert Schutz) Weinfurter, Stefan (1999) [1992]. The Salian Century: Main Currents in an…

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  25. Birth of the Antichrist: Life & Times of Frederick II | Video Documentary

    The first part in a trilogy about the life & times of Frederick II, the Hohenstaufen ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. -- Sources: Alighieri, Dante. Divine Comedy: Inferno & Paradiso (1321) Casady, Richard. The Emperor and the Saint: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Francis of Assisi, and Journeys to...

  26. The Battle For Christendom | Video Documentary

    Sources & further reading: 1. Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) 2. The Medieval Empire in Central Europe: Dynastic Continuity in the Post-Carolingian Frankish Realm, 900–1300 (Herbert Schutz) 3. Weinfurter, Stefan (1999) [1992]. The Salian Century: Main…

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  27. The Pope Who Made A Pact With The Devil

    This is the story of Pope Sylvester II, born Gerbert d'Aurillac: wandering monk, imperial tutor, cathedral canon, one-time abbot, Ottonian spy, siege engineer, archbishop, and pope. His remarkable rise was attributed to a pact with the Devil. Sources & further reading: - The Letters of Gerbert,...

  28. How One Family Made the Dark Ages Less "Dark"

    This is the story of the Ottonians, the descendants of Otto the Great, who steered Germany and Italy through the dawn of a new millennium. Sources & further reading: - Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) - Otto III (Gerd Althoff) - Death and Life in the Tenth...

  29. How Otto the Great Restored the Holy Roman Empire

    The Saxons were Charlemagne's greatest foe, yet it was a Saxon family that restored his empire. This is the story of the first Ottonians: Henry the Fowler & Otto the Great. Sources & further reading: - Warfare in Medieval Europe c.400-c.1453 (Bernard S. Bachrach, David S. Bachrach) - Warfare in...

  30. Superpower of the Dark Ages: the Frankish Empire

    The Franks were arguably the most successful barbarian people that emerged in the late antique period. Though they helped bring an end to the Western Roman Empire, they later restored it under Charlemagne, even as they laid the primitive foundations for a new age and order. This is the story of…

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  31. How did the Carolingian Empire Collapse?

    This episode focuses on the last chapters of the Carolingian Empire, in the days of Charlemagne's grandsons and great grandsons. What were the last Carolingians really like, and how did they navigate this time in flux? Our story coincides with the Viking Age, the birth of feudalism, and the…

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  32. Charlemagne's Enigmatic Successor: Louis the Pious

    This episode focuses on Louis the Pious, Charlemagne's deeply misunderstood son and heir. This is the fifth episode in a series covering the Holy Roman Empire. Sources & further reading: - Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) - The Carolingian World (Marios...

  33. Why Guys Should Think About the Russian Empire

    We all saw the interview. Sources & further reading: The Story of Russia (Orlando Figes) Peter the Great: His Life and World (Robert K Massie) The Romanovs: 1613-1918 (Simon Sebag Montefiore) Catherine the Great & Potemkin: The Imperial Love Affair (Simon Sebag Montefiore) Stalin: The Court of…

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  34. Charlemagne & the Carolingian Renaissance

    In this episode, we cover Charlemagne's coronation, the Carolingian Renaissance, the administrative aspects of his vast realm, and conclude with an examination of Charlemagne the man. We start with his coronation... By this point, Charlemagne had mastered the art of wartime logistics and...

  35. Charlemagne & the Carolingian Art of War

    The founder of the Carolingian empire, Charlemagne, is often called the “father of Europe.” For the French and German people alike, he’s a little bit like a medieval George Washington. But unlike Washington, Charlemagne was not just statesman and general. He was an empire-builder living in a very...

  36. The Merovingians: Charlemagne's Infamous Predecessors

    In the course of only twenty five years, Clovis -- the first of the Merovingians -- had united the Frankish people, adopted Roman Christianity, and laid the foundations for a kingdom that would last about two and half centuries. In the vision of Clovis' father, Childeric, he imagines that the...

  37. Why Guys Should Think About the Holy Roman Empire

    So there’s a lot of guys thinking about the Roman Empire lately, but that’s nothing new. Though the western half of their empire fell more than 1500 years ago, the Romans have never really gone away, leaving behind traces -- material and immaterial -- of their achievements in so many different...

  38. The Pinnacle & Fall of the Akkadian Empire

    Following in the footsteps of greatness is never an easy thing, especially at the dawn of history. This was the Bronze Age, when glory could not be bought or borrowed or bartered, except with the price of blood. Sure, there was praise to be earned for building roads and consecrating temples and...

  39. A Tour Through the Akkadian Empire

    Let us, just for the moment, take a brief respite from the epic tales of gods, great men, and battles that dominate our narrative. Rest assured that we will return to these subjects soon enough because of how prominently they figure in the two centuries of Akkadian rule, so much so that normally...

  40. Sargon of Akkad: Lord of Lies, King of Battle, Prophet of Empire

    What kind of man does it take to build an empire? And not just any empire, but the very first in the history of man? What would it take to bring it into being when only kingdoms and cities had come before? For an answer, we can look at the story of Sargon of Akkad: Lover to Ishtar, Father to...

  41. The Sumerian Heritage of the Akkadian Empire

    Since there can be no firm understanding of the Sargonic empire without a passing familiarity with the Sumerian city-states that preceded it, this episode is devoted to them, their leading representative being Uruk. With this context established, we will be able to make sense of the Akkadians as...

  42. Why Study the Empires of the Past?

    An introduction to the Empires podcast. Theme track used: The Age of Empire (Zero Project)

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Welcome to Empire-Builders, the podcast all about the rise and fall of the world’s imperial civilizations. We will take for the object of our investigation those civilizations which have something to teach us about what happens when human societies with distinct cultural traditions, histories, and mythologies converge, even if only for a single page in the story of mankind. And we will start from the beginning, when the very concept of civilization was only just ripening, for make no mistake — empires have been with us from the start. Before man was, empire awaited him.

HOSTED BY

David Mainayar

CATEGORIES

history

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Empire-Builders have?

Empire-Builders currently has 42 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Empire-Builders about?

Welcome to Empire-Builders, the podcast all about the rise and fall of the world’s imperial civilizations. We will take for the object of our investigation those civilizations which have something to teach us about what happens when human societies with distinct cultural traditions, histories, and...

How often does Empire-Builders release new episodes?

Empire-Builders has 42 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Empire-Builders?

You can listen to Empire-Builders on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Empire-Builders?

Empire-Builders is created and hosted by David Mainayar.
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