034 - Rising Tensions

In this episode, we discuss the Persian conquest of Thrace, their failed invasion of Scythia, and the submission of Macedon that brought Persia right up to the foothills of Mt Olympus, at the very borders of mainland Greece; the diplomatic follies of the Athenians; and whether war was or was not inevitable, at least in the last decade of the 500s BC

Primary Sources:

Text/Herodotus' Histories (Book 3)

Supplementary Resources (Videos, Photos, Other Podcasts)

Video/Rise of the Persians (History Den)

Video/Why were the Iranian Empires so Successful? (Kings and Generals)



Map/The Achaemenid Empire's Growth

Map/Provinces of Persian Empire (at its greatest extent)

Map/The Achaemenid Empire (ca. 500 BC)

Video/Horse Lords: A Brief History of the Scythians (History Time)

Video/History of the Scythians (History Den)

Video/Herodotus & the Scythians: The First Hotbox in History (Sand Rhoman)

Photo/Stele of Letter from Darius to Gadatas

Recommended Podcast Episodes:
***The Ancient World Ep 33 Democracy and Republic, Part 1
***Head on History - Achaemenid Empire and Universal Kingship
***History in the Making Ep 04 The Tension

***The History of Persia Ep 09 Who Are You Again?

***The History of Persia Ep 10 Governing an Empire

***The History of Persia Ep 11 King of Kings

***The History of Persia Ep 12 Iranian Religion

***The History of Persia Ep 13 Kingship 101

***The History of Persia Ep 15 The Army that Conquered the World

***The History of Persia Ep 21 The Faith of the Magi

***The History of Persia Ep 26 The Grand Tour
***The History of Persia Ep 27 The Grand Tour, Part 2
***The History of Persia Ep 28 The Grand Tour, Part 3
***The History of Persia Ep 29 The Grand Tour, Part 4
***The History of Persia Ep 30 Persia City

***Wonders of the World Ep 20 The Staircases of Persepolis