Podcast Episodes

Mesopotamia and the Occult: The Passionate Woman in Depth

Inanna, queen of heaven, who descended into the underworld. It is among the oldest stories of the mythology of the world, but also one of the most significant. James Bleckley of the Oldest Stories Po…

Published on 8 hours ago

The Four Failures of Tiglath-Pileser III

Season 3 Episode 6

In this episode of Oldest Stories, we explore the later reign of Tiglath-Pileser III, one of the most transformative kings of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. By the late 8th century BCE, Assyria’s power see…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Deportation, Castration, and Education - The Foundations of Neo-Assyria

Season 3 Episode 5

What do mass deportation, smashed testicles, and elite boarding schools have in common? In this episode, we take a hard look at the shockingly effective—and horrifyingly brutal—bureaucratic machine t…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

The Full Story of Ea-Nasir's Copper

Season 3 Episode 4

You have seen the memes, and maybe you are even familiar with them, but today we look at who was the famous Ea-Nasir, why people would buy from him, and what scams he was probably running. We ask how…

Published on 2 months ago

Establishing Assyrian Dominance

Season 3 Episode 3

In 743 BCE, Tiglath-Pileser III—known in the Bible as Pul—led the Assyrian Empire into its most powerful and centralized form. This episode of Oldest Stories chronicles the dramatic military and poli…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

Tiglath-Pileser's Revolution

Season 3 Episode 2

This episode is the essential starting point for understanding the Neo-Assyrian Empire. In 745 BCE, a relatively obscure man named Tukulti-Apil-Esharra—better known by his biblical name Tiglath-Piles…

Published on 3 months ago

The Assyrian Deep State

Season 3 Episode 1

This is where to start for the Neo-Assyrian Empire’s epic tale. In this foundational episode, we return to the heartland of Assyria at its lowest point—between the conquests of Shalmaneser III and th…

Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago

OS 168 - The Golden Age of Urartu

Season 2 Episode 168

In this episode of Oldest Stories, we return to the Armenian Highlands in 786 BCE to witness the death of King Menua of Urartu (Biainilli) and the rise of his son Argishti I—a transition that begins …

Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago

OS 167 - The Northern Wars: Etiuni, Urartu, and Diauehi

Season 2 Episode 167

Buy the Oldest Stories books!: https://a.co/d/7Wn4jhS :In this episode of Oldest Stories, we explore the complex military and political history of Urartu during its northern campaigns in the early 8t…

Published on 4 months, 1 week ago

OS 166 - The Forges of Urartu

Season 2 Episode 166

Sorry for the late post - Spotify had this scheduled, but didn't post it on the correct day.

Today we look at the daily life and industry of the Armenian highland kingdom of Urartu through the eyes of…

Published on 4 months, 2 weeks ago