Alongside listener messages, in this debrief we will be discussing which topics were the most popular in Volume 4, the ongoing question of how AI influences the podcast, and the possibility of the podcast becoming a physical book.

700 - 1610 - In this episode, we journey to the Sahel — the narrow frontier between desert and savanna where the fortunes of empires were made and lost. From its shifting landscapes emerged the Mali Empire, a realm of immense wealth and faith. Discover how geography, trade, and power shaped one of Africa’s greatest civilisations.

1000 BCE - 1897 CE - Two kingdoms, two legacies—Ifẹ and Benin shaped West Africa’s artistic soul and political power. From sacred bronze heads to sprawling palace complexes, this episode dives into the myths, monarchs, and masterworks that defined a civilisation. Discover how divine ancestry and dynastic ambition forged two of Africa’s greatest city-states. The past isn’t buried—it’s cast in bronze.

A look into the most recent batch of episodes about pre-colonial societies of the world and the role that AI plays in the production of the podcast. A brief explanation about the more recent slowdown in publications and some discussion about pronunciation of local names and the effect of European colonisers on the medieval age societies of the world, alongside many of your e-mails into the podcast.

900 - 1629 - Imagine a great city in Africa, a stone kingdom so powerful its wealth flowed across oceans. Great Zimbabwe, built by the Shona people without a single drop of mortar, was a hub of sophisticated trade. Its riches in gold and ivory connected Africa's interior to a global network of merchants. This is the story of its rise, its power, and the mysteries of its decline.

800 - 1600 - In this episode we explore the culmination of many millenniums of mound building cultures in the lands of the modern United States and find out what happened to them when European colonisers arrived in the sixteenth century.

3500 BCE - 1600 CE - Uncover the ancient earthworks of North America’s Pre-Columbian Mound Builders—exploring ritual, trade, astronomy, and society from the Adena to the Mississippians, in this immersive historical journey.

700 BCE - 1497 CE - Long before European contact, North America was home to vibrant civilisations. From the Ancestral Puebloans, Hohokam, and Mogollon in the Southwest to the Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian cultures of the Eastern Woodlands, these societies thrived. In the Arctic, the Dorset and Thule peoples adapted to the harsh northern climate, leaving behind remarkable legacies.

1325 - 1521 - The powerful Mesoamerican civilisation known for advanced city-building, military strength, religious rituals, and human sacrifices before their downfall to Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés.

950 - 1697 - The fall of the Classic Mayan cities did not spell the end for the Mayan culture who migrated northwards, established memorable settlements like Chichen Itza, and adapted to new circumstances until the arrival of the Spanish many centuries later.