Living with the Gods

Ruling with the Gods


Listen Later

Neil MacGregor continues his series on shared beliefs with a focus on earthly rulers and the gods.

Queens and kings may be priests of the gods, or their representatives. They may be incarnations - or even gods themselves. Or the relationship may be so close that to divide spiritual from temporal power at all would simply make no sense.

Neil examines these ideas, with the help of objects including a bronze staff belonging to the Oba of Benin, and a bronze vessel from China, whose inscription suggests that its dynastic leaders enjoyed a mandate from heaven.

Producer Paul Kobrak

The series is produced in partnership with the British Museum, with the assistance of Dr Christopher Harding, University of Edinburgh.

Photograph (c) The Trustees of the British Museum.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Living with the GodsBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

187 ratings


More shows like Living with the Gods

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,412 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,842 Listeners

F1: Chequered Flag by BBC Radio 5 Live

F1: Chequered Flag

785 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,909 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

501 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,782 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,050 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,141 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

899 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

963 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,925 Listeners

A History of the World in 100 Objects by BBC Radio 4

A History of the World in 100 Objects

1,169 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,081 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

722 Listeners

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

292 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,979 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,043 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

13,053 Listeners

Gone Medieval by History Hit

Gone Medieval

1,762 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,288 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

989 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: US by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: US

2,300 Listeners