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The Non-Khmer Peoples of Angkor: Slaves, Traders, and Neighbors
Season 1
Episode 9
Published 3 months, 1 week ago
Description
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the lives of the non-Khmer peoples who lived within the Khmer Empire—not just slaves, but traders, soldiers, and diplomats from Champa, China, India, and even as far as the Middle East. Drawing on Chinese court records, Sanskrit inscriptions, and archaeological finds like the Srah Srang platform, they discuss how the Angkorian state managed a multicultural population, the role of the 'khlon' or slave class, and the surprising mobility of labor and ideas across Southeast Asia. They also touch on the 'Madagascar hypothesis'—the controversial theory that Southeast Asians may have settled the island a millennium ago. No territory already covered; everything here is fresh for the podcast.