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The Mari Archives provide us with a glimpse of the Amorite culture. They reveal the close links between that culture and the Israelites. But more than anything else, they allow us into the emotional worlds of real people. Fathers, sons, wives, and daughters, as they navigate the cutthroat world of dynastic politics. 

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The Amorites are remembered in Deuteronomy as a race of giants. The most notable Amorite there is Og of the Bashan. Og also appears in Phoenician and Islamic mythology. Who was he? Where did the Amorites come from and how did they become the most powerful people in the region? 

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Byblos was the closest ally of Egypt in the land of Canaan. For generations, they traded and influenced each other. They even shared gods. But their alliance was tested when a group of bandits rebelled against the king. Would Egypt come to the aid of its ally, or would it stand alone?

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The Egyptian Old Kingdom collapsed, leading to a period of turmoil and instability in the Nile Delta. But in Canaan, the good times rolled. The middle bronze age is known as the "Canaanite golden age," a time of unparalleled freedom and prosperity in the Land of Israel. We recount their incredible achievements. 

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After the unexplained collapse at the end of the copper age, a new culture emerges from the ashes of the Chalcolithic. The Canaanites would dominate the land in the Bronze Age and bring give it a new name and identity. But almost immediately, they faced incursions from imperialist neighbors. 

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The Land of Israel was a pioneer in agriculture. However,  when Egypt unified it found itself with the most powerful empire the world had ever known on its doorstep. How did Egypt go from a backwater to the powerful land of the pyramids? 

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The Copper Age was one of astounding advances in the Land of Israel. It saw the first kingdoms and hierarchies emerge. It also had organized religions and incredible treasures. In this episode, we focus on two fascinating stories. The life of a pastoral shepherd and an amazing treasure hidden for thousands of years.  

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The walls of Jericho are best known from the story of Joshua Ben-Nun's reconquest of the Land of Israel. The Book of Joshua tells a memorable story. But did that really happen? There were indeed ancient walls in Jericho. But the story is not so simple.

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The Natufians were the first genuinely agricultural society in the world. They brought social stratification, religion, and jewelry to the Land of Israel. Some Palestinians even claim Natufian heritage. This is their story. 

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20,000 years ago, the Ice Age entered one of its worst periods, the chilling Last Glacial Maximum. The humans in the Land of Israel tried desperately to survive. They pulled together and made it through, and in the process changed the history of humanity forever. 

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