Best Punic Wars Podcasts (2025)

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Episode III.20 - The Second Punic War VI: The Invasion of Africa 51:52

Play Pause

15d ago51:52

51:52

Scipio and Hannibal finally come face to face in Africa. Carthage is totally defeated. The Roman Senate takes another step to becoming the governing body of the known world.By Robert Paxton

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Past Lives: Nanaya'ila'i and the Bleeding Edge of the Assyrian Empire 24:21

15h ago24:21

24:21

Check out a scripted episode of Patrick's new show, Past Lives! Nearly 2,700 years ago, a woman and her daughter were ripped away from their homes in what is now Iran by the soldiers of the Assyrian Empire. Nanaya'ila'i was one of thousands upon thousands of people to experience the violence that accompanied conquest, but she's one of the very few …

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Episode XIB.015 - The Story of Jacob: Part One 34:01

1d ago34:01

34:01

The scriptures transition from the grand story of Abraham to the very human, realistic story of a family torn, a dying father, a scheming mother and two brothers in conflict. The tale of Jacob and Esau begins.By Robert Paxton

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The Economic Life of Megakles, Farmer of Classical Athens 35:40

5d ago35:40

35:40

We've talked about how rich classical Athens was, but what did that mean for an average person living at the time? In this episode, we follow the life of a composite character, an Athenian citizen farmer named Megakles, to see how the economic developments of the classical age shaped daily life in Athens. Patrick launched a brand-new history show o…

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Doing History through Movies: Interview with Dr. Jason Herbert 48:25

12d ago48:25

48:25

Like many of you, I first fell in love with history through the movies. Dr. Jason Herbert hosted a podcast called Historians at the Movies, now retitled Reckoning with Jason Herbert, that focuses on films depicting the past and what historians think about them. We have a delightful conversation about some of our favorite history movies, what makes …

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Listen to Patrick's New History Podcast, Past Lives 19:56

13d ago19:56

19:56

Patrick has a new history podcast, Past Lives! It's all about the experiences of real, everyday people throughout the human past, people just like you. Listen to the first full episode, "On Historical Storytelling," right here, and then go subscribe to the Past Lives feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast platform of choice. Past Lives is…

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Why Was Classical Athens So Rich? 38:17

19d ago38:17

38:17

Ancient Greece was rich compared to other ancient societies, and Athens was the richest place of all within ancient Greece. But why? The answer lies not just in the silver lodes of Attica or access to the sea; it was about democracy, law, and institutions, which made people feel safe doing business in Athens. Patrick is launching a brand-new histor…

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Listen Now: American Scandal | The West Memphis Three 7:49

21d ago7:49

7:49

On May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas. The tiny local police department launches an investigation but finds little physical evidence to lead them to a suspect. Eventually, outside pressure pushes them to charge someone with the killings, whether or not the evidence supports their conclusions. America…

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Intelligent Speech 2026 0:35

23d ago0:35

0:35

The Alexander Standard will be at Intelligent Speech 2026! Join us as Dustins presents and Meredith holds up time cards. Tickets are one sale now: https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ Discount Code: ALEXBy Meredith and Dustin

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Patrick's New History Show, Past Lives, Launches December 3rd! 2:37

25d ago2:37

2:37

From Patrick Wyman (host of Fall of Rome and Tides of History) comes Past Lives, a brand new podcast! Every week, we’ll focus on the lived experiences of real people from the past, bringing their stories to life. The first season of Past Lives is available December 3rd! Be sure to subscribe to the feed now (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pas…

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Why the Hundred Years War Actually Lasted Two Hundred Years: Interview with Professor Michael Livingston 39:34

26d ago39:34

39:34

The Hundred Years War was the defining conflict of the Middle Ages, but today's guest - Professor Michael Livingston of the Citadel - argues that it actually lasted for 200 years. That's just one problem with the way we've learned about the Hundred Years War, and Livingston's new book, entitled Bloody Crowns: A New History of the Hundred Years War,…

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Episode III.19 - The Second Punic War V: The War in Spain 37:30

1M ago37:30

37:30

Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger, someday to be known as Scipio Africanus, engages and defeats the Carthaginians in Spain. He stands for election to the consulship, demanding the right to carry the war into Africa. The charismatic young hero is elevated to high command. Hannibal, worn down, lingers on in Italy. Fabius Maximus and Marcellus both…

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The Phoenicians, the Greeks, and the Iron Age Mediterranean 38:02

1M ago38:02

38:02

As the Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age, the economy of the Mediterranean shifted dramatically. It expanded to encompass the entire sea for the first time, everywhere from the Levant to Iberia, and laid the foundations for what would eventually become the Roman Empire. Patrick's new book - Lost Worlds: The Rise and Fall of Human Societies from t…

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Love, War, and Diplomacy in the Late Bronze Age: Interview with Professor Eric Cline 53:44

1M ago53:44

53:44

Professor Eric Cline, author of the outstanding book 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed, returns to the show to discuss his new book: Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Revealed. We talk about the dynamics of Bronze Age states, how such an extraordinary treasure trove of texts was disco…

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Episode IX.06 - The Tyranny of Mediocrity 55:40

1M ago55:40

55:40

In which the speaker meanders from topic to topic, skirts dangerously close to misogyny, espouses various unorthodox viewpoints and talks a lot about sex. Mostly, though, he rages against the walls of the prison that he built around himself.By Robert Paxton

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Episode III.18 - The Second Punic War IV: The Deadlock Years 45:56

2M ago45:56

45:56

The Second Punic War spreads into Greece, Sicily, Africa and Spain. The Illyrian Wars and the Macedonian Wars break out. Fabius and Marcellus are not alone among the men who come forward to serve Rome in this moment of need. Publius Cornelius Scipio dies fighting deep in Carthaginian territory in Spain. His son, who will someday become known simply…

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Halloween Re-Release 18:33

2M ago18:33

18:33

Happy Halloween! Let's take a journey back in time to our Halloween episode from our first year of the podcast! More from the Alexander Standard Sources Patreon Blue Sky Facebook Instagram Twitter [email protected] Meredith and Dustin

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Building the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings 43:55

2M ago43:55

43:55

Millions of people called ancient Egypt home, and the vast majority of them weren't kings or high priests; they were humble farmers and laborers making their living from the rich black soil surrounding the Nile. That extraordinary land produced so much surplus grain that thousands upon thousands of people could be spared from agricultural labor and…

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Finale: Philip V (Part Four) 1:28:16

2M ago1:28:16

1:28:16

Someone tell Dustin to shut up about Philip V... but only after listening to this awesome episode about losing a war, being a good/bad friend, and your kids literally annoying you to death. Oh, and somehow elephants show up again. More from the Alexander Standard Sources Patreon Blue Sky Facebook Instagram Twitter [email protected]…

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Part Three: Philip V 1:34:11

2M ago1:34:11

1:34:11

Philip gets mean... real mean. But is it actually his fault or society's? Also, what's with all this noise coming from Athens, and WHAT IS ROME DOING HERE?!!! More from the Alexander Standard Sources Patreon Blue Sky Facebook Instagram Twitter [email protected] Meredith and Dustin

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The Story of Carbon Dioxide is the Story of Everything: Interview with Journalist Peter Brannen 42:33

2M ago42:33

42:33

Carbon dioxide is central to the story of Earth from its beginning more than 4 billion years ago all the way up to the present. Peter Brannen joins me to discuss his new book - The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World - an extraordinarily long-term view of the planet's past and future, and why our current path …

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Episode III.17 - The Second Punic War III: To the Defeat at Cannae 49:22

2M ago49:22

49:22

Rome commits to the war, raising more troops than ever before and pushing the limits of their constitution. Hannibal is victorious over Rome again and again. Fabius Maximus manages to slow the destruction, until Carthage's greatest general finally obliterates Rome's largest army at the battle of Cannae.…

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Living and Working in Imperial Babylonia 40:40

2M ago40:40

40:40

We don't usually think of the Neo-Babylonian Empire as one of the economic powerhouses of the ancient world, but this short-lived state actually oversaw one of the most stunning periods of economic growth anywhere before the Industrial Revolution. Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook t…

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Update: Philip V Coming Soon 2:23

2M ago2:23

2:23

Hello everyone, we appreciate the continued support and patience and just wanted to give you all a brief update. More from the Alexander Standard Sources Patreon Blue Sky Facebook Instagram Twitter [email protected] Meredith and Dustin

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Episode III.16 - The Second Punic War II: The War Begins 36:40

2M ago36:40

36:40

Hannibal sacks the Roman-allied city of Saguntum. Rome and Carthage officially declare war. The Gauls rebel in northern Italy. Hannibal marches eastward to glory or defeat.By Robert Paxton

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The Ancient Economy from Assyria to Augustus 40:08

2M ago40:08

40:08

What was the ancient economy? Can we even speak of such a singular thing? Today, I introduce the next block of episodes on Tides, an in-depth examination of the cutting edge of knowledge on the ancient economy in the first millennium BC. Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World i…

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Interview with Dr. Owen Rees (Book, The Far Edges of the Known World releases 9/30/25) 47:18

2M ago47:18

47:18

The ancient world was a lot bigger than Greece and Rome. Dr. Owen Rees joins me to discuss his new book on this broader conception of antiquity - The Far Edges of the Known World - and we traverse the globe from Africa to Vietnam to the Black Sea, tracking the contours of a stranger, more diverse, and far more interesting world than we ever knew ex…

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Thucydides, the Greatest Historian of All Time: Interview with Robin Waterfield and Professor Polly Low 41:17

3M ago41:17

41:17

Thucydides is perhaps the greatest historian to ever live, a man whose work on the Peloponnesian War has been read, digested, and debated for more than 2400 years. Robin Waterfield and Professor Polly Low have produced a wonderful new translation of Thucydides, and we dicuss the historian, his life and times, and why his history has exercised so mu…

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The Celts Invade Greece 40:52

3M ago40:52

40:52

The Celts invaded Greece in 280-279 BC, an entirely unforeseen breakthrough of a nearly unknown people into the mainstream of the Hellenistic world. Tens of thousands of Celts poured through the passes of the Balkans, killed a Macedonian king in battle, and ravaged huge swathes of the heart of the Greek world. How and why did this happen Patrick's …

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Alexander's Successors and the Danube Frontier 41:09

3M ago41:09

41:09

While Alexander the Great's successors were fighting over control of his empire, Celtic-speaking migrants were moving east along the Danube River, mostly unseen and unnoticed by the Greeks to their south. The Macedonian kings should've been paying more attention, because soon, those Celts would launch one of the largest invasions of Greece in recor…

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Episode III.15 - The Second Punic War I: A Violent Interlude 30:49

3M ago30:49

30:49

This episode covers the fragile peace after the First Punic War, focusing on Carthage’s internal rebellions, Hamilcar Barca’s campaigns in Spain, and Rome’s expansion in northern Italy. It introduces key figures like Hamilcar, young Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, and Marcus Claudius Marcellus, and explains how political, military, and social changes set…

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Part Two: Philip V 1:42:20

3M ago1:42:20

1:42:20

We felt a little wacky this episode, and we're sticking to it. We learn how loud our cat drinks water, lots of familiar people die, and we have a revelation about Game of Thrones! Oh yeah, and stuff about Philip V. This episode is brought to you by sleep deprivation! More from the Alexander Standard Sources Patreon Blue Sky Facebook Instagram Twitt…

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Episode XIB.014 - Genesis 20-26: Abraham and Isaac 33:04

3M ago33:04

33:04

Abraham and Isaac as types of God the Father and His son, Jesus. The love story of Isaac and Rebecca. The death of Abraham and Sarah.By Robert Paxton

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The First Cities North of the Alps: Interview with Professor Manuel Fernandez-Götz 41:46

3M ago41:46

41:46

The European Iron Age is known almost solely through archaeology, and the material record of the period is still showing us fascinating new aspects of ancient life. Professor Manuel Fernandez-Götz of Oxford joins me to talk about his incredible research on the Iron Age and the first cities to ever appear north of the Alps. Patrick's book is now ava…

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The Celts of the East and the Iron Age Balkans 39:32

4M ago39:32

39:32

We're most familiar with the Celts of the west, the people who eventually fought Julius Caesar in Gaul and left their languages along the Atlantic fringe. Yet thanks to mass migrations to the east, the Celtic world also extended all the way to the Black Sea. Today, we'll try to understand the world these Celtic migrants found in the Balkans, full o…

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Episode XIB.013 - Genesis 21-22: The Birth of Isaac 50:51

4M ago50:51

50:51

Isaac is finally born to Sarah. Almost immediately, Abraham‘s legacy is threatened when God commands him to sacrifice his newborn son.By Robert Paxton

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Rome's Deadliest Enemies: The Gauls of Italy 38:42

4M ago38:42

38:42

When we think of Rome's most dangerous foes, our attention usually turns to Hannibal and his ilk, but it was really the Gauls of northern Italy who troubled Romans the most, and for the longest period. Who were they, and what made them such a consistent threat to the safety of the Roman Republic? Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Refo…

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Episode XIB.012 - Genesis 18-19 47:11

4M ago47:11

47:11

Abraham meets the Holy Trinity by the sacred trees of Mamre. Lot is saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.By Robert Paxton

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Celts and the European Iron Age 39:30

4M ago39:30

39:30

We have long thought of the Celts (or Gauls) as the antithesis of the ""civilized"" cultures of the Mediterranean, but new research shows that they were building cities and states at the same time as cities like Rome and Athens were becoming the places we know today. Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Fort…

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Conspiracy of Apelles 1:44:29

4M ago1:44:29

1:44:29

There’s been a conspiracy… in Macedon! Ever wonder what it would look like if Dustin got WAY out of control while researching? This episode. We’re traveling back in time and doing a deep dive on the “Conspiracy of Apelles” in 218. In today’s episode we have court intrigue, Aratus of Sicyon, biased sources, and Meredith investing in a cattle prod th…

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The Forgotten Power-Broker of the Roman Republic: Interview with Professor Douglas Boin 46:32

4M ago46:32

46:32

Most people today remember the Roman aristocratic woman Clodia as the target of one of Cicero's nastiest works, but Douglas Boin has written a wonderful new book - Clodia of Rome - that recovers just how central she was to the political networks of the late Roman Republic. Clodia was a woman in a world of men and a truly principled reformer, and ex…

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Episode XIB.011 - Genesis 15-17: The Covenant 56:29

4M ago56:29

56:29

Abram deepens his relationship with God. Rituals of animal sacrifice and human circumcision seal the covenant. Abram becomes Abraham, the father of nations.By Robert Paxton

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How the Horse Changed the World: Interview with Author David Chaffetz 40:08

5M ago40:08

40:08

David Chaffetz, author of the recent and truly outstanding book Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires, joins Tides to talk about the long and intertwined history of horses and people in Central Asia and beyond. The trade in horses, not silks and spices, was the true connective tissue joining together the ancient and mediev…

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Part One: Philip V 1:46:56

5M ago1:46:56

1:46:56

Rule number one: When the Aetolians agree to a peace treaty, it means they are getting ready to declare war again. In other news, the scion of the House of Antigonos has appeared, on whom the fate of Macedon rests! And all he has to do is not to make friends with the wrong people. Come hear the tale of Philip V! More from the Alexander Standard Sou…

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Why Did Rome Win? 42:51

5M ago42:51

42:51

Why did Rome win? It's a simple question, but the answer is anything but. To figure it out, we have to look not only at what made Rome special but also at its adversaries. Only then can we understand how, in such a short time, the Republic conquered the entire Mediterranean, a feat that had never been accomplished before and never would be again. P…

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Episode III.14 - The First Punic War III - To the Peace of Catullus 31:41

5M ago31:41

31:41

Rome fights on until Carthage must beg for peace. Catullus and Hamilcar Barca.By Robert Paxton

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Guerrilla Warfare and Insurgency in the American Civil War: Interview with Professor Andrew Fialka 51:23

5M ago51:23

51:23

We usually think of the American Civil War as a conflict fought between massive armies at famous battlefields like Gettysburg, but that's not really accurate: Much of the war was actually made up of guerrilla attacks, insurgencies, and the kind of violence between neighbors that wouldn't be out of place in seminars on the US in Iraq and Afghanistan…

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Mini (?)- Sode: First and Second Punic Wars 52:29

5M ago52:29

52:29

A not so "mini" minisode! As we continue to prep for Philip V, let's learn about the first and second Punic Wars! Did Rome bully Carthage? Was Hannibal a dumb-dumb with his Dumbo's? Did Dustin ever turn the ringer off on his phone? Find out today! More from the Alexander Standard Sources Patreon Blue Sky Facebook Instagram Twitter Alexanderstandard…

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Encore: Jakob Fugger: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived? 52:48

5M ago52:48

52:48

At the end of the fifteenth century, the center of European banking suddenly swung from its birthplace in Italy to south Germany. The key figure in that transition was Jakob Fugger of Augsburg, maybe the richest man who ever lived. Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hard…