I might as well

November 20th, 2013 at 8:47:56 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Mike Duncan's "The History of Rome" podcast spawned a number of admirers and imitators. There are several worth listening to, and several more are on my list. There's "The History of Byzantium," as a direct sequel to Duncan's original. "The History of Alexander the Great" and "The History of Hannibal" are pretty much self-explanatory as to contents. There's a "The History of England" and "The history of Iran." And more.

With reservations, I will mention Communio Sanctorum, The History of Christianity and the Church.

I say with reservations because the guy who produces it is a Christian apologist (look up the word before accusing me of anything; it's exactly the correct term), and propagandist as well. But he does narrate a comprehensive, if non-chronological, history of his religion. If you can ignore the rather crude propaganda, it may be worth your while to listen.

I hasten to add my two reasons for delving into this podcast. 1) I knew very little concerning Christianity, after all I was raised Jewish in a rather insular community at that. 2) The old maxim: know your enemy.

It does bear mentioning, too, that Mike Duncan is back podcasting a new series. It's called "Revolutions." I forget exactly what the description and schedule is, but he will be taking an in-depth look at various revolutions in history. He began with the English Civil War of the 17th Century, and in fact is still on it as of now.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
November 25th, 2013 at 2:44:58 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
I take it no one else here is a fan of history podcasts. That's too bad. We're pretty much in a golden age of history podcasts, with competent amateurs posting their work largely for free.

Also Audible has several goof offerings. There's Gibbon's monumental "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," to be sure, but also many others. Just now I'm listening to a series of lectures on US History from The Great Courses. These are lectures by college proffesors. This course is more an overview, but it's already filled many gaps I had concerning American history, in particular how the US constituted itself beforeand after the war of independence against the Brittish.

Listening to history podcasts and books is a much better use of my commute time than listening to the news or music, as I used to do.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
November 25th, 2013 at 4:40:04 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Is there a specific URL for this sort of stuff?
January 8th, 2014 at 1:36:53 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
I found a new podcast: The Ancient World. I forget the author's name, but I'll post it later. He's yet another amateur hisotiran inspired by Mike Duncan's grand original "The History of Rome." Anyway, this one tackles developments from around the inception of writing to 500 BC.

Of course the problem is having too many podcasts to listen to. I'm thiking about downloading all I can to my PC just in case. I'd stopped doing that because the tablet app does it for me, then I just delete the old ones. But I will also want to listen to each series again (and again). Even given the best will in the world, and the generosity of these authors posting their work for free, the sites won't be up forever. So better to grab with both hands whiel they are available.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER