Amanda H. Podany

Shows

Episodes

  1. The World's Oldest Letters

    11/27/2025

    The World's Oldest Letters

    What do the world’s first letters reveal about life in the Bronze Age? Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Amanda Podany to uncover the remarkable written culture of ancient Mesopotamia, when clay tablets carried messages across vast distances and a proto-postal system linked cities like Ur and Babylon. From royal correspondence and diplomatic negotiations to worried family notes and furious consumer complaints -including the iconic rant against the merchant Ea-Nasir for terrible copper - these texts offer a vivid, relatable window into everyday life 4,000 years ago. Step into the earliest age of writing and discover how humanity first learned to communicate across time and space. Translations in this episode taken from A. Leo Oppenheim, Letters from Mesopotamia (1967) & J. M. Sasson, From the Mari Archives (2015). Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds The Ancients is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  2. The Bronze Age Brotherhood of Kings

    07/07/2024

    The Bronze Age Brotherhood of Kings

    More than 3,000 years ago, a coalition of Bronze Age rulers existed across the Near Eastern world. Kings reigning over great Bronze age powers like New Kingdom Egypt, Babylon and the Hittites coexisted and interacted with each other. They exchanged precious goods, signed treaties and even married into each other's families. But how exactly did this brotherhood of kings emerge? And how important was it to the history of the ancient Near East? In today's episode of The Ancients Tristan Hughes is joined by Prof. Amanda Podany to talk about what has come to be known as the first ‘international age’. Together they uncover how the brotherhood of kings ruled supreme across the Near Eastern world and explore why they built such a sophisticated and intricate web of diplomatic ties and connections. Presented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. The Ancients is a History Hit podcast. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘ANCIENTS’. https://historyhit.com/subscription Vote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here. You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  3. Hammurabi: Rise of the Babylonians

    12/15/2022

    Hammurabi: Rise of the Babylonians

    2000 BC saw the famed city of Babylon begin to flourish under the rule of a King called Hammurabi. Renowned for his famous law code, the stele of which still survives today, is there anything else to be learnt about this mysterious figure? In this episode Tristan is joined by Professor, and author, Amanda Podany from California State Polytechnic University. Together they discuss the life of this famed Babylonian King, from his origins as a ruthless warlord, to his contributions in helping Babylon ascend to the momentous civilisation we know it as today. Amanda's new book, Weavers, Scribes, and Kings: A New History of the Ancient Near East, is out now! For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min
  4. How to Survive in Babylonia

    04/06/2024

    How to Survive in Babylonia

    Would you be able to survive in ancient Babylonia? In this episode, Tristan is joined once again by Amanda Podany from California State Polytechnic University to discuss the realities of daily life in this fascinating empire. Together, they discuss everything from clay tablet literature and ancient board games to crime, slavery and female entrepreneurship in the era of King Hammurabi c. 1750 BC. Produced by Joseph Knight. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code ANCIENTS sign up now for your 14-day free trial HERE. You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min
  5. Babylon: The Most Important City of Antiquity

    03/17/2025

    Babylon: The Most Important City of Antiquity

    The urban cultures of ancient Mesopotamia formed the foundation for so much of our modern world. Nowhere exemplifies this better than the city of Babylon, which was the cultural seedbed for the Greek and Roman civilisations that in turn left such lasting legacies. On this episode, Dan is joined by Amanda Podany, professor emeritus of history at the California State Polytechnic University. Amanda draws on an astonishing breadth of original documents and objects to explain just how foundational this civilisation was, and how people learnt to live side by side with one another. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  6. Babylon: Myth vs Reality

    05/30/2024 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Babylon: Myth vs Reality

    As one of the most famous cities in history, Babylon is shrouded in mystery and myth. Located in ancient Mesopotamia, now modern Iraq, it was one of the epicentres of ancient culture, architecture, and the home of famous figures such as the warlord-turned-king Hammurabi. Join Tristan Hughes in this special subscriber edition of The Ancients as he considers what we actually know about Babylon, from its mythical Hanging Gardens to the famed Babylonian King who raised the city to the height of civilisation. Discover what's real and what's myth, and the legacy Babylon has left behind. Featured in this episode: Dr. Stephanie Dalley Professor Grant Frame Professor Amanda Podany This episode was produced by Joseph Knight. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code ANCIENTS - sign up here. You can take part in our listener survey here.

    2h 16m
  7. Weavers, Scribes, and Kings in the Ancient Near East: Interview with Professor Amanda Podany

    12/15/2022

    Weavers, Scribes, and Kings in the Ancient Near East: Interview with Professor Amanda Podany

    The sheer amount of time separating the establishment of the first cities in the ancient Near East, and the invention of cuneiform writing, from the end of the period that they define is mind-boggling: almost 3,000 years, far longer than the span that separates us today from the end of that period. Professor Amanda Podany has written a fantastic book on this whole age, entitled Weavers, Scribes, and Kings, that looks at both kings and everyday people in a fascinating time and place. Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    52 min
Amanda H. Podany on Apple