Fall of Civilizations Podcast

Paul Cooper

A history podcast looking at the collapse of a different civilization each episode. What did they have in common? Why did they fall? And what did it feel like to watch it happen? read less

Our Editor's Take

The Fall of Civilizations Podcast is a history show about periods of collapse. Each episode of the show details a specific civilization and how it met its end. Host Paul Cooper chronicles civilizations that have fallen throughout history. He explores the connections and common themes of these places and their people. His calming and documentary-style tone creates an informative show.

Paul's narration is stoic and easy to listen to. He incorporates historical facts and important dates into his descriptions. Each Fall of Civilizations Podcast episode illustrates distinct time periods in vivid detail. Sharing every element of historical events makes this a fascinating show. It helps listeners picture scenery and immerse in the story. Some episodes even include audio clips of ancient languages and sound effects.

Paul covers a wide variety of unique cultures. He ensures that education about every society-no matter how ancient-fits into the modern context. While talking about these historical civilizations, the podcast references these places today. For instance, "The Assyrians-Empire of Iron" notes that this civilization is now northern Iraq.

The Fall of Civilizations Podcast details the world's once-great societies. It covers the Aztecs, Carthage, and Khmer Empire. It follows the mysteries of Easter Island and The Nabbateans in the Jordan Deserts. Examining The Bronze Age collapse and Byzantium, the podcast brings the past back to life.

In "Vijayanagara-The Last Emperors of South India," Paul talks about a forgotten empire. He details its failings and how it perished in flames. Listeners also learn how a battered poem teaches about the fall of Roman Britain. It even catalogs the final days of Petra. The show spans from cities once in the Mediterranean to the Sumerian's first cities. From fragments of pyramids in the Mayan Empire, the show goes on treks through time.

Paul reflects on those in history who witnessed the end of their world. He questions how it must have felt to watch crumbling temples where great cities once stood. Fall of Civilizations Podcast is a compelling listen.

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18. Egypt - Fall of the Pharaohs

18. Egypt - Fall of the Pharaohs

Far in the distance, three colossal shapes tower over the desert horizon… In this episode, we travel to the Nile Valley, and tell the story of one of the most iconic cultures ever produced by humankind – the civilizations of ancient Egypt. I want to show how this series of related cultures grew up in the floodplains of their great river, and built some of the most enduring and recognizable structures in the world. And I want to tell the story of what happened to bring the age of the Pharaohs finally and cataclysmically to an end. Credits: Michael Hajiantonis Nick Denton Paul Casselle Alexandra Boulton Tom Marshall-Lee Rhy Brignell Peter Walters Lachlan Lucas Narrated and produced by Paul Cooper Sound engineering by Alexey Sibikin Readings in Arabic by Nassim El-Boujjoufi Readings in reconstructed ancient Egyptian by Seqnenra (Mohammad Habib) and Doha Abd Allah Amin

Episodes

18. Egypt - Fall of the Pharaohs

18. Egypt - Fall of the Pharaohs

Far in the distance, three colossal shapes tower over the desert horizon… In this episode, we travel to the Nile Valley, and tell the story of one of the most iconic cultures ever produced by humankind – the civilizations of ancient Egypt. I want to show how this series of related cultures grew up in the floodplains of their great river, and built some of the most enduring and recognizable structures in the world. And I want to tell the story of what happened to bring the age of the Pharaohs finally and cataclysmically to an end. Credits: Michael Hajiantonis Nick Denton Paul Casselle Alexandra Boulton Tom Marshall-Lee Rhy Brignell Peter Walters Lachlan Lucas Narrated and produced by Paul Cooper Sound engineering by Alexey Sibikin Readings in Arabic by Nassim El-Boujjoufi Readings in reconstructed ancient Egyptian by Seqnenra (Mohammad Habib) and Doha Abd Allah Amin

17. Carthage - Empire Of The Phoenicians

17. Carthage - Empire Of The Phoenicians

Buried beneath the city streets of the Tunisian capital of Tunis, an ancient city lies forgotten... In this episode, we look at one of the most dramatic stories to come down to us from the ancient world: the rise and fall of the empire of Carthage. Find out how this city rose out of the Phoenician states of the Eastern Mediterranean, and set out on voyages of discovery and settlement that put them at the centre of the ancient world. And hear how the city of Carthage was destroyed, and its memory nearly wiped from the earth. SOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/posts/sources-for-17-81369494?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Credits: Written and produced by Paul Cooper Sound engineering by Alexey Sibikin Voice actors: Michael Hajiantonis Lachlan Lucas Alexandra Boulton Simon Jackson Tom Marshall-Lee Chris Harvey, Nick Denton Paul Casselle

16. Bagan - City Of Temples

16. Bagan - City Of Temples

In the lowlands of Burma lie the remains of thousands of crumbling temples... In this episode, we tell one of the most colourful stories of civilizational survival: the story of the Bagan Empire of Myanmar. Find out how this kingdom rose up in the Irrawaddy river valley of central Myanmar, and built one of the most remarkable series of monuments to have survived from the medieval world. Discover what life was like for the people who lived there, and find out what happened to cause its sudden and complete collapse.

15. The Nabataeans - The Final Days Of Petra

15. The Nabataeans - The Final Days Of Petra

In the deserts of Jordan, a city lies hidden for centuries in a valley of rose-red stone... In this episode, we look at one of the most peculiar stories of civilizational survival to come down to us from the ancient world, the story of the Nabataeans. Find out how these once humble traders rose to become masters of the desert sands, and to defy empires. And discover what happened to finally bring down the empire of Nabataea.

14. Vijayanagara - The Last Emperors Of South India

14. Vijayanagara - The Last Emperors Of South India

On the rocky banks of South India's Tungabhadra River, an enormous ruined city lies crumbling... In this episode, we look at the Vijayanagara Empire of Southern India, a civilization that has all but faded from memory in many parts of the world. Find out how this remarkable society rose up out of an age of conflict and fragmentation, how it built one of the largest and most impressive medieval cities in the world, and developed an identity that was both South Indian in nature, and global in its outlook. With readings in Sanskrit, and the sounds of traditional Carnatic music, find out what happened to bring the great stone temples of Vijayanagara crashing down in fire and flame. ---------- Credits: Voice actors: Peter Walters Michael Hajiantonis Kim Heron Nick Denton Paul Casselle Sound engineering by Alexey Sibikin Original music performed and composed by Aruna Sairam.

13. The Assyrians - Empire of Iron

13. The Assyrians - Empire of Iron

In the lowlands of Northern Iraq, a series of enormous cities lies crumbling in ruins... In this episode, find out about one of the most remarkable ancient civilizations: the society known today as the neo-Assyrian Empire. Discover how the Assyrians built their empire out of the ashes of the Bronze Age, and built an empire of iron that lasted for centuries. Explore the extraordinary flourishing of art and technology that they fostered. And finally, discover what happened to cause their final, devastating collapse.

12. The Inca - Cities in the Cloud

12. The Inca - Cities in the Cloud

High up on the craggy peaks of the Urubamba Canyon, a lost city lies wreathed in cloud... In this episode, we explore the mountains of the Andes, and tell the story of the Inca Empire. Find out how these mountain people built the largest empire in the Western Hemipshere, in one of the toughest terrains on earth. With Inca poetry, Quechuan hymns and authentic Andean instruments, discover the unique culture of the Inca. And find out what happened to bring their society crashing down around them. Sound engineering: Thomas Ntinas & Alexey Sibikin Voice actors: Annie Kelly Jamie Tanner Gerald Condlin Lachlan Lucas Peter Walters Jimmy Lai Original music by Pavlos Kapralos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzgAonk4-uVhXXjKSF-Nz1A Also heard: “Andean illusion” by Kanti Quena (Carlos Saldana) and "Ollantay" by Leandro Alviña. Kanti Quena (Carlos Saldana): Quena, Quenacho, Tarkas, Bombo, Charango Phaxsi Coca (Jeanettte Rojas): Siku Malta, Siku Zanka, Jach'a Siku, Bombo, Chajchas Ana Maria Ramirez Bautista: Quena Maya McCourt: Cello Pavlos Kapralos: Chajchas, Palo de Lluvia

11. Byzantium - Last of the Romans

11. Byzantium - Last of the Romans

On the outskirts of modern Istanbul, a line of ancient walls lies crumbling into the earth... In this episode, we look at one of history’s most incredible stories of survival - the thousand-year epic of the Byzantine Empire. Find out how this civilization suffered the loss of its Western half, and continued the unbroken legacy of Rome right through the middle ages. Hear about how it formed a bridge between two continents, and two ages, and learn how the impregnable walls of Constantinople were finally brought crashing to the ground. This episode we're joined by members of the St Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral Choir in London, and a number of musicians playing traditional Byzantine instruments. Support Fall of Civilizations on Patreon: http://patreon.com/fallofcivilizations_podcast Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Nicolas Rixon Joey L Annie Kelly Cleo Madeleine Original Compositions and music supervision: Pavlos Kapralos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzgAonk4-uVhXXjKSF-Nz1A Chanters of The St Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral: Michael Georgiou Alexandros Gikas Matthew Tomko Stephanos Thomaides Pavlos Kapralos Traditional Musicians: Monooka (Monica Lucia Madas), vocals Alexandros Koustas, Lyra (other names: Byzantine Lyra/ Lyra of Istanbul/ Kemence) Konstantinos Glynos, Kanonaki (other names: qanun; in Byzantine Greek: psaleterion) Theofilos Lais, Cretan Lyra Dario Papavassiliou, Santouri (other name: Greek Santur) Pavlos Kapralos, Oud Other music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/ Title theme: Home At Last by John Bartmann. https://johnbartmann.com/

10. China's Han Dynasty - The First Empire in Flames

10. China's Han Dynasty - The First Empire in Flames

A city in ruins. A dynasty in tatters. An empire in ashes... This episode, we look at the remarkable story of the first empire of ancient China, the Han dynasty. With ancient Chinese poetry, songs and folk music, we look back at the first empire's rise, its remarkable technological advances, and its first, tentative attempts to make contact with the empires of the west. Finally, we look at all the reasons behind the first age of Imperial China's final, dramatic fall. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Claire Hynes Jake Barrett-Mills Shem Jacobs Alex Peattie Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/

9. The Aztecs - A Clash of Worlds

9. The Aztecs - A Clash of Worlds

Beneath the busy streets of Mexico City, a buried god lies waiting to be discovered... This episode, we look back at the age of the Aztecs. Learn how this society grew from nothing to create one of the world's largest cities in the middle of a lake. Discover Aztec riddles, poetry and songs, as well as the bloody ritual of the flower wars. And hear the remarkable story of how this thriving empire collapsed all at once, in a matter of days. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Jake Barrett-Mills Rhy Brignell Shem Jacobs Annie Kelly Lou Millington Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/

8. The Sumerians - Fall of the First Cities

8. The Sumerians - Fall of the First Cities

In the dusts of Iraq, the ruins of the world's first civilization lie buried. This episode, we travel into the extremely distant past to look at the Sumerians. These ancient people invented writing and mathematics, and built some of the largest cities that the world had ever seen. Find out about the mystery of their origins, and learn how they rose from humble beginnings to form the foundation of all our modern societies. With myths, proverbs and even some recreated Sumerian music, travel back to where it all began, and find out how humanity's first civilization fell. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Jake Barrett-Mills Rhy Brignell Shem Jacobs Nick Bradley Emily Johnson Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/ Sumerian Music kindly provided by Gayle and Philip Neuman, of Ensemble De Organographia. Their CD, "Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks," is available from northpacificmusic.com.

7. The Songhai Empire - Africa's Age of Gold

7. The Songhai Empire - Africa's Age of Gold

Today, the Songhai Empire is all but forgotten by history. But this medieval kingdom was once the most powerful force in Africa. Find out how this civilization grew up on the fringes of the Sahara Desert, among some of the most extreme conditions that nature can throw at us. Discover how it grew and flourished, passing through a process known as the imperial cycle, and learn about what ultimately caused its sudden and dramatic collapse. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Jake Barrett-Mills Rhy Brignell Bryan Tshiobi Pip Willett Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/

6. Easter Island - Where Giants Walked

6. Easter Island - Where Giants Walked

On one of the world’s most isolated islands, hundreds of vast stone statues lie mouldering in the grass. In this episode, we take a look at one of archaeology’s most enduring puzzles: the mystery of Easter Island. Find out how this unique community grew up in complete isolation, severed from the rest of the world by a vast expanse of ocean. Discover the incredible story of how it survived for so many centuries, and examine the evidence about what happened to finally bring this society, and its statues, crashing down. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Jake Barrett-Mills Jacob Rollinson Annie Kelly Shem Jacobs Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/

5. The Khmer Empire - Fall of the God Kings

5. The Khmer Empire - Fall of the God Kings

Deep in the Cambodian Jungle, a ruined city crumbles among the roots of banyan trees. In this episode, we look at the history of the Khmer Empire of medieval Cambodia, and the ancient mega-city of Angkor. I want to explore how this great civilization rose to a size and wealth virtually unprecedented in the world, how it overcame the challenges of its climate and landscape, and all the factors that led to its final, dramatic collapse. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Rhy Brignell Lou Millington Sebastian Garbacz Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/

4. The Greenland Vikings - Land of the Midnight Sun

4. The Greenland Vikings - Land of the Midnight Sun

One of the most unlikely tales of a society’s fall in is the incredible saga of the Vikings of Greenland. Find out the history of how these European settlers built a society on the farthest edge of their world, and survived for centuries among some of the harshest conditions ever faced by man. Discover how this civilization was able to overcome the odds for so long, and examine the evidence about what happened to cause its final and mysterious collapse. Including Viking poetry, Inuit folktales and thousands upon thousands of walrus. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Jacob Rollinson Jake Barrett-Mills Sebastian Garbacz Special thanks to Jordan Ashley Moore (Ancient Literature Dude) for his readings of Old Norse poetry. Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/

3. The Mayan Collapse - Ruins Among the Trees

3. The Mayan Collapse - Ruins Among the Trees

In the tropical forests of Central America, vast stone pyramids slowly crumble beneath the trees. In this episode, we look at one of history's great romantic mysteries: the fall of the Classic Maya Civilization. Find out how this great civilization grew up among environmental conditions that no other civilization has ever contended with, learn about the fatal flaws that lay beneath its surface, and what happened after its final, cataclysmic collapse. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Bryan Thsiobi Jacob Rollinson Jake Barrett-Mills Helena Bacon Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: http://incompetech.com/

2. The Bronze Age Collapse - Mediterranean Apocalypse

2. The Bronze Age Collapse - Mediterranean Apocalypse

Around the year 1100 BC, a wave of destruction washed over the Eastern Mediterranean. It wiped whole civilizations off the map, and left only ash and ruin in its wake. This catastrophe, known as “the Late Bronze Age Collapse”, has become one of the enduring puzzles of history. I want to explore how so many societies could collapse all at once, and seemingly without warning, as well as examine the lessons it might teach us in our increasingly globalised and interconnected world. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Shem Jacobs Jacob Rollinson Jake Barrett-Mills Bryan Tshiobi Helena Bacon Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-fre…isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: incompetech.com/ Additional music (The Hurrian Hymn) by Michael Levy

1. Roman Britain - The Work of Giants Crumbled

1. Roman Britain - The Work of Giants Crumbled

A vast ruined bath house, a fire-damaged poem and a world teetering on the brink of collapse. In this episode, we look at the history of the collapse of Roman Britain. Find out how a great civilization grew up almost overnight on the island of Britannia, how it endured the test of centuries against barbarian invasions and foolish rulers, and what happened after its final dramatic collapse. Credits: Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas Voice Actors: Shem Jacobs Jacob Rollinson Jake Barrett-Mills Music by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100209 Artist: http://incompetech.com/