Synopsis: Part 2 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century romp inspired by my […]
Episode S7 – Ascendo
Synopsis: Part 1 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century romp inspired by my […]
Episode C30 – The Death of Kings
Synopsis: Faced with a series of disloyal vassals, Sargon conquers the remaining Neo-Hittite kingdoms and absorbs them into his empire. The Cimmerian invasion of Anatolia leads to the deaths of two powerful kings. In their absence, the preservation of peace and stability falls to local […]
Episode C29 – City of the Raven
Synopsis: Rusa of Urartu wins early victories against Assyrian armies, but his intrigues in the Zagros kingdom of Mannea earn him Sargon’s wrath. After a crushing defeat by Cimmerian invaders, Rusa’s unable to prevent Sargon’s destruction of his kingdom. “I caused there to be lamentation […]
Episode C28 – The Fall of Carchemish
Synopsis: After defeating Syrian rebels at Qarqar and extending his dominion to the borders of Egypt, Sargon II labors to defend Tabal from the advances of Midas of Phrygia. Letters to Midas from Pisiri of Carchemish give Sargon a pretext to depose the Country Lord […]
Episode C27 – True King
Synopsis: Shalmaneser V succeeds his father to the thrones of Assyria and Babylonia, then deals with rebellions in Samaria and Tyre. But his reign is cut short by the violent coup of Sargon II. After losing his hold on Babylonia, Sargon marches west to confront […]
Episode C26 – Damascus
Synopsis: Tiglath-pileser crushes rebellions in Patin and Luash and annexes their territories to Assyria. King Rasyan of Aram-Damascus forms a coalition of southern kingdoms – including Israel, Edom, Phoenicia and Philistia – to challenge Assyrian dominance, but betrayal by allies and the brutal tenacity of […]
Episode C25 – Arpad
Synopsis: Matti’el of Arpad turns his back on the Treaty of Katikka and allies with Sarduri II of Urartu. The usurpation of Tiglath-pileser III heralds an Assyrian resurgence and the kingdom of Arpad’s destruction. “Matti’el the son of Attar-shumki (II) fomented a rebellion against Assyria […]
Episode C24 – A Kingdom of Sand
Synopsis: Sarduri II rules at the pinnacle of Urartian power, conquering lands from the Black Sea coast to the Zagros Mountains to the kingdoms of northern Syria. Matti’el of Arpad unifies Aramean lands north of Damascus then allies with Urartu against the Assyrians. His defeat […]