Veritas Antiqua

Aytuğ Asım Dikyol

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Discover the myths of ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia with Veritas Antiqua. From Hittite storm gods to Sumerian creation stories, each episode brings ancient narratives to life and explores the beliefs, rituals, and human questions behind them. Join us for stories and discussions of power, fate, love, and mortality—and the worlds that gave them meaning.

Apr 16

The Song of Release: Debt, Fables, and the Storm God's Ultimatum

A deer blames a stone, a grinding stone rebels, and the Storm God confronts the rulers of Ebla. This discussion of the Song of Release connects ancient fables with questions of responsibility, labor, debt, and freedom. Veritas Antiqua follows the hosts’ interpretation of how the opening parables prepare the listener for a divine demand for release and a warning about a society’s dependence on its most vulnerable people. Hurrian-Hittite Mythology — Season 1, Episode 41. Discussion. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: the Storm God’s warning 03:16 The deer and the stone 06:30 The grinding stone and its owner 09:49 From fables to the divine assembly 11:00 Debt and the demand for release 12:40 The Storm God’s ultimatum 14:14 Connecting the fables with the fate of Ebla 16:26 Closing reflections
Apr 13

Elkunirsa and Ashertu: The Spindle Lie

A rejected advance becomes a threat, a lie, and a cycle of divine revenge. In this discussion, Veritas Antiqua follows Elkunirsa, Ashertu, and the Storm God through a tale of hospitality, loyalty, accusation, and betrayal preserved in the Hittite tradition. The hosts examine the spindle’s role in the story, Ishtar’s intervention, and parallels with the Potiphar’s wife motif in other ancient narratives. Hittite Mythology — Season 1, Episode 40. Discussion. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: the spindle and the threatened lie 03:18 Elkunirsa, Ashertu, and the Storm God 05:16 The encounter in the tent 06:11 Bread, salt, and loyalty 07:21 Rejection, the spindle, and accusation 10:48 The Storm God’s retaliatory lie 12:28 Seven years and a plan for revenge 14:04 Ishtar’s intervention 15:47 Parallels across ancient stories 18:02 What imperfect gods reveal
Apr 11

The Lord of the Tongue: A Monster Made of Words

What happens when harmful words become a monster? Veritas Antiqua explores the Hittite Lord of the Tongue and the ritual strategies used to confront destructive speech, impurity, and misfortune. This discussion follows the boastful figure’s verbal trap, the use of physical analogies in ritual, and the episode’s account of Zuwi’s response to illness associated with thunderstorms. Hittite Mythology — Season 1, Episode 39. Discussion. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: a monster made of gossip 01:25 Words, pollution, and the Hittite worldview 05:21 The ritual expert confronts the monster 08:06 Turning the monster’s boasts against him 08:59 Physical analogies and ritual props 11:00 Human vulnerability in the ritual 13:12 Zuwi’s ritual and the use of taboo 16:58 The meaning of ritual control
Apr 9

Zalpa and the Queen of Kanesh: 30 Sons, 30 Daughters

Thirty sons are sent down a river; thirty daughters grow up in the palace. This discussion follows the Queen of Kanesh legend and asks how stories of kinship, taboo, and divine intervention can serve political purposes. Veritas Antiqua examines the brothers’ return, the donkey riddle, the hosts’ reading of the story as propaganda, and the debate over Zalpa’s location. Hittite Mythology — Season 1, Episode 38. Discussion. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: thirty sons in the river 01:30 The Queen of Kanesh 04:36 The donkey riddle 06:23 The brothers’ return and the tragic twist 08:24 The youngest brother and the meaning of the tale 11:13 Conquest and the theft of a city’s god 13:29 Where was Zalpa? 16:49 Stories and political power
Apr 7

The God Who Curled Like a Hedgehog: Hittite Healing Myths

Why does a withdrawn fire god curl up like a hedgehog? In this discussion, Veritas Antiqua explores Hittite healing narratives through the missing god, the Storm God’s rescue, and a sick man’s place at the Sun God’s banquet. The hosts consider the stories’ imagery of vulnerability, recovery, and belonging, and offer modern psychological interpretations of their ritual setting. Hittite Mythology — Season 1, Episode 37. Discussion. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: a divine rescue 02:15 The missing fire god 03:09 Curled up like a hedgehog 05:12 The cosmic search and the Storm God 06:16 Ritual performance at the bedside 07:48 The Sun God’s banquet 09:41 What the healing stories mean
Jan 2

Kessi: Fatal Love and the Wrath of the Gods (Discussion)

Can love become a curse? In this episode of Veritas Antiqua, we travel back 3,500 years to the Hittite Empire to explore one of the earliest "novels" in history. Meet Keşşi, a master hunter whose obsessive love for his wife, Shintalimeni, leads him to neglect his duties to his family and the gods. But in the ancient world, neglecting the gods comes with a terrifying price. From vanishing animals to nightmarish stone monsters called "Uditi," discover the psychological depth of this ancient myth.
12/31/2025 · Bonus

The Hittite Purulliya Festival (Holiday Special)

Explore the Hittite Purulliya festival through a discussion of ritual journeys, royal authority, masked performances, and renewal. This holiday special of Veritas Antiqua follows the episode’s account of how myth, ceremony, and theatrical action come together in ancient Anatolia. The conversation also considers sacred trees and fertility imagery. Similarities to modern holiday customs are comparisons, not proof of a direct historical origin for Christmas. Hittite Mythology — Season 1. Bonus discussion.
12/30/2025

Kessi: The Story

Can love become a curse? What happens when passion blinds a man to his duties, his family, and even the gods? In this episode of Veritas Antiqua, we travel back 3,500 years to the heart of Ancient Anatolia to explore one of the earliest examples of the "Deadly Love" motif in world literature: The Legend of Keşşi. Meet Keşşi, a master hunter whose obsessive love for his beautiful wife, Shintalimeni, leads him down a dangerous path. By neglecting his hunts and refusing to offer sacrifices, he incites the wrath of the gods. The consequences are terrifying: a famine that strikes the mountains, game animals that vanish into thin air, and nightmarish encounters with stone monsters known as "Uditi." Join us for a journey into the psychological depths of Hittite mythology, where we uncover a story about the fragile balance between human passion and divine order.

Discover the myths of ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia with Veritas Antiqua. From Hittite storm gods to Sumerian creation stories, each episode brings ancient narratives to life and explores the beliefs, rituals, and human questions behind them. Join us for stories and discussions of power, fate, love, and mortality—and the worlds that gave them meaning.

Creator

Aytuğ Asım Dikyol
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

43
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Aytuğ Asım Dikyol
Show Website

Veritas Antiqua