In this episode we pick up with the Babylonian Captivity. We discuss the rise of Cyrus the Great and the Achaemenid empire. We examine the origins of the Persians and their consolidation into an empire that conquers the Neo-Babylonians. We talk about the policy of religious pluralism instituted by Cyrus the Great and its links to Zoroastrianism. We discuss the ideals of universal kingship espoused in the Cyrus Cylinder and its consequences for world history. We examine the major tenets of faith of Zoroastrianism and its adoption into the Achaemenid empire. Finally we conclude with how the ideology of Zoroastrianism shaped the imperial structure and programs.

In this episode we examine the complexities of ancient Israelite religion by placing it within the historical context. We put forth theories about the origins of the religions while situating it within the broader ancient near east and Mediterranean religious traditions. We talk about the establishment of temple religion and the historical experience of empires that shaped Israelite religion and set the conditions for the emergence of monotheism. We explore the history and evolution of monotheism and the role of centralized kingship in spreading it. We also examine how monotheism is shaped by and attempts to explain the experience of exile via the Babylonian Captivity.

Today we discuss the rise of the Assyrian empire. From the Old Assyrian Empire to the Neo Assyrians we discuss how the technological developments of the Iron Age radically transformed the empire-building powers of the ancient world and the ways it impacted the religious ideologies of the Assyrians. We dissect the militaristic culture and its consequences for gender relations, sexuality, and concepts of law. We discuss the imperial tactics of the Assyrians and how kingship and religion intersect to produce the visage of the heroic or imperial king who demonstrates his divine right through conquest and great hunts. We analyze the text of Ashurbanipal and the adoption of law back by the threat of violence. Finally we conclude by setting the stage of the ancient near east divided between the Hittites, Egyptians, and the Neo-Assyrians and the context for ancient Israelite religion.

In this episode we dive into the world of ancient Egypt. We start with a discussion on religion in the ancient world and the difference between our modern assumptions of religion. We discuss the impact of the Nile as a stable irrigation system on Egyptian society and religion. We compare and contrast the Pharaohs with the Mesopotamian counterparts and relate the myth of Osiris and Set from the Pyramid Text. We analyze the mythology of ancient Egyptians and the way it intersects with their notions of government and kingship. We discuss the deities of Isis, Hathor, Horus, and the concept of Egyptian afterlife.

Today we take a look at the Babylonian empire and the rise of Hammurabi. We analyze the way kingship and religion worked hand-in-hand to justify rule. We take a close look at the Code of Hammurabi and what it tells us about Babylonian religion. We examine the cosmology of the Enuma Elish and the Babylonian pantheon and how in turn it impacted the formation of the empire. We discuss the way in which the Babylonian empire built on what can before and the ways it built ideological structures that would be borrowed by later empires and religions. We discuss the connections of Babylonian religion to the Hebrew Bible and explore the ordained just kingship at the heart of Babylon. Finally we conclude with a brief discussion of ancient magic and the role of demons.

Welcome to season 4 of Head on History: Empires of Faith. This season we are going to discuss the ancient world up to the arrival of Islam through an examination of the intersection of empire and religion. In this episode we establish the basic outline of complex societies, the common characteristics of the early civilizations, and introduce the Akkadian Empire and Sargon of Akkad. We discuss the likely theories for how civilizations emerge, the environmental influence of early Sumerian religion. We analyze the myth of Inanna and Damuzi and the Epic of Gilgamesh, setting the stage for the coming of the Hammurabi.

With the recent tragic news of Jamal Khashoggi's murder likely at the hands of Saudi officials, it is imperative we take a look at the long history of Saudi Arabia's troubled past and its relationship with the United States. In this episode we examine the founding of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the alliance between the House of Saud and Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab to its rebellion against the Ottomans. We discuss the relationship of Saudi Arabia with Great Britain and the United States and the oil and military interests in the region. We examine the contours and shifts of relationships from the Suez Crisis to the first gulf war and the invasion of Kuwait. We discuss the exportation of Wahhabism abroad and the consequences for Middle East history and international relations. Finally we conclude with the take over of the Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman and his changing relationship with Wahhabism, his encouragement of Saudi nationalism, the war in Yemen, his close ties to the Trump administration and its impact on the region.

In this special episode of Head On History we discuss the history, origin, and practices of Muharram and Ashura. We start with the Battle of Karbala and the lead up to the schism in the nascent Muslim community. We talk about the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali and the consequences for the community. We then explore how mourning and commemorating the tragedy emerged as a practice from the Buyids to the Safavids. We examine how Muharram and Ashura become pivotal in shaping communal identity. We discuss some of the major practices like pilgrimages and Taziyeh plays and the way in which Muahharm and Ashura historically was a point of commonality between Shia and Sunni groups, but how that history has been forgotten.

In the last episode of season 3 we look at the Male Revolt and dig deeper into the history of Islam in South America. We look at the slave trade to Brazil and the formation of Muslim communities. We examine the unique rituals and authority African Muslims were able to forge and how they secretly continued their faith. We look at the backdrop to the revolt and the interpersonal relationships that endangered it. Finally we conclude with the consequences of the event for the remaining communities. We conclude season 3 and we’ll be back in winter

From colonial America to 20th century, Islam has a long history in the United States. We start with the transatlantic slave trade and tracing some of the demographics that made up the colonial US. We examine material evidence, paintings, and written sources to uncover the lives of African Muslims living the United States. We talk about Muhammad Bilali who left behind religious treatise and became the forefather of the Sapelo Islands. We discuss Yarrow Mamout who as a freeman became a black Muslim entrepreneur in DC. We spend some time with Omar ibn Said, the great religious scholar who left behind a body of work including his biography and texts of Islam. We look at these lives as evidence of how Muslims in America forged a new life for themselves. We also examine the relationship between the United States and Muslim countries, the debate on religious liberty and religious freedom, and trace the history of Muslim migration. From Muslims in the Civil War to the famous Hot Tamale Louis. This is a story of Islam in America.