Alexandria, or Alexandria-by-Egypt as it was called, was the easily the greatest city of the Hellenistic Age. Founded by Alexander the Great in 332/331, it became the pet project of the Ptolemaic dynasty, who turned it into the capital of their mighty empire. Through the dynasty's direction and enormous amounts of money, the city was endowed with magnificent works of art and architecture, all the while playing host to an great body of scholars and artists. From the cosmopolitan makeup of its population to its legendary monuments like the Lighthouse of Pharos and the Library, I will be giving a sightseeing tour of Alexandria during its heyday under the reign of the Ptolemies.

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Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/05/14/060-ptolemaic-egypt-a-travelers-guide-to-alexandria/)

Episode 060 Transcript:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/060-ptolemaic-egypt-a-travelers-guide-to-alexandria-transcript.pdf)

The History of North America Podcast

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After facing decades of civil wars and invasions following the death of Alexander, peace was restored in Macedonia by the capable Antigonid king Antigonus II 'Gonatas', who strengthened the kingdom's hegemony over the Greek Peninsula in a reign that lasted an impressive 40 years. Despite this, we know very little about the man and his exploits. Author and independent scholar Robin Waterfield ("Dividing the Spoils", "Taken at the Flood") joins the show to discuss his new book "The Making of a King: Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon and the Greeks", which seeks to chronicle the life of Antigonus and provide a guide through the often-hazy period of the 3rd century BC.

Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/04/18/interview-on-antigonus-ii-gonatas-w-robin-waterfield/)

Robin Waterfield

Website:

(https://www.robinwaterfield.com/)

"The Making of a King: Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon and the Greeks"

University of Chicago Press:

(https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo35461992.html)

Amazon:

(https://www.amazon.com/Making-King-Antigonus-Gonatas-Macedon/dp/022661137X/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Making+of+a+king&qid=1618777213&sr=8-5)

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Herodotus described Egypt as the gift of the Nile River, and without a doubt the Ptolemaic rulers took full advantage of the land’s agricultural prosperity. In addition to their exploitation of the Nile’s annual inundation, the Ptolemies would introduce the most rigorously developed (or exploitative) taxation system ever seen in Egypt, and would enable them to become the wealthiest people in the world of the 3rd century BC. We will take a look at the administrative layout of Hellenistic Egypt in order to see how the Ptolemaic dynasty oversaw such a financial juggernaut, ranging from the day-to-day operations of their many officials to grand imperial projects such as the reclamation of the Fayyum Oasis.

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Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/04/12/059-ptolemaic-egypt-kingdom-of-gold-kingdom-of-the-nile/)

Episode 059 Transcript:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/059-ptolemaic-egypt-kingdom-of-gold-kingdom-of-the-nile-transcript.pdf)

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Throughout the three centuries of Ptolemaic control over Egypt, their dynasty can be best described as having a split identity. Ruling from Alexandria, the new intellectual and cultural capital of the Greek-speaking world, the Ptolemies were very much Hellenistic kings and queens. But Egypt was an ancient land, and they needed to come to terms with the pharaonic tradition that had dominated Egyptian life for the better part of 3,000 years. As the longest reigning dynasty in Egyptian history, the Ptolemies adopted the role and iconography of the pharaoh to great success. They were also capable of developing new ways to project their power, whether through the establishment and promotion of royal cults and new deities like Serapis, or incorporating the image of splendor and abundance as part of their propaganda. In this episode, we will see how the Ptolemies successfully legitimized their rule in the eyes of both Greeks and Egyptians alike.

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Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/02/27/058-ptolemaic-egypt-two-lands-two-peoples-one-ruler/)

Episode 058 Transcript:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/058-ptolemaic-egypt-two-lands-two-peoples-one-ruler-pdf.pdf)

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Among the many colorful characters of the Wars of the Diadochi, Demetrius I Poliorcetes ("the Besieger") stands out as one of its most prominent, portrayed by the likes of Plutarch as a skilled commander and larger-than-life personality. Dr. Charlotte Dunn, who recently co-authored a biography entitled "Demetrius the Besieger", joins the show to discuss her work on the early Hellenistic period. From our sources on the city-taker to his abilities as a king and general, Dr. Dunn helps illuminate one of the main players caught in the struggle for Alexander's empire.

Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/02/14/interview-on-demetrius-i-poliorcetes-w-dr-charlotte-dunn/)

Dr. Charlotte Dunn's Links:

"Demetrius the Besieger" (https://global.oup.com/academic/product/demetrius-the-besieger-9780198836049?cc=us&lang=en&)

University of Tasmania Australia Profile:

(https://www.utas.edu.au/profiles/staff/humanities/charlotte-dunn)

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The troubled reigns of Seleucus II Callinicus and Seleucus III marked over 20 years of instability for the empire. A 3rd Syrian War led by a vigorous Ptolemy III Euergetes would penetrate into Syria and Mesopotamia, Parthia saw the invasion of the nomadic Parni, and rebellious officials in places like Pergamon would test the limits of the Seleucid rulers to maintain their quickly fracturing realm. Above all else would be the "War of the Brothers", as the usurper Antiochus Hierax ("the Hawk") would challenge his brother Seleucus II and help bring the dynasty to the point of extinction less than a century after its foundation.

Show Links

Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/01/31/057-the-seleucid-empire-my-brothers-keeper/)

Episode 057 Transcript:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/057-the-seleucid-empire-my-brothers-keeper-episode-transcript.pdf)

Family Tree - From Seleucus I to Seleucus III:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/from-seleucus-i-to-seleucus-iii-1.pdf)

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Alexander the Great is easily one of the most popular subjects for writers and artists throughout antiquity. In addition to the many biographies that present wildly different views on the man, there are a dazzling number of depictions of the conqueror in coinage, statues, and various other works of art. Joining us is Meg Finlayson who discusses her research on the image and legacy of Alexander, breaking down the historiography of writers like Plutarch and Arrian while also extensively analyzing pieces such as the so-called "Alexander Sarcophagus".

Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/01/22/interview-alexander-the-great-in-ancient-art-literature-w-meg-finlayson/)

Meg Finlayson Links:

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(https://twitter.com/agameganon)

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The relatively brief reign of Antiochus II Theos is noted for his conflict with Ptolemy II Philadelphus and his controversial marriage with Berenice Phernophoros (“the dowry-bringer”). But the true focus of this episode is the convoluted yet critically important events that took place in the eastern satrapies of Parthia and Bactria. The rebellions of governors-turned-kings like Andragoras and Diodotus was followed by an invasion of steppe peoples known as the Parni, led by their king Arsaces, which led to the creation of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and the Parthian Empire.

Title Theme: Seikilos Epitapth with the Lyre of Apollo, played by Lina Palera (https://soundcloud.com/user-994392473)

Show Links

Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2020/12/27/056-the-seleucid-empire-a-royal-wedding-a-bactrian-revolt-a-parthian-invasion/)

Episode 056 Transcript:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/056-the-seleucid-empire-episode-transcript.pdf)

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Though the longest-lived and most wealthy of the Hellenistic "Big 3", the Ptolemaic rulers in Egypt have never really held the distinction as a major military player in the violent struggles of the Hellenistic period, instead often seen as decadent and lazy as per the writings of those like Polybius. Dr. Paul Johstono joins us to discuss his new book “The Army of Ptolemaic Egypt, 323-204 BC: An Institutional and Operational History”, which seeks to challenge this claim and reassert the role of the Ptolemaic kingdom as a significant military force in the Mediterranean, capable of meeting the demands of maintaining a large land and sea empire amidst powerful rivals and often inhospitable environments.

Episode Notes:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2020/12/21/interview-on-the-army-of-ptolemaic-egypt-w-dr-paul-johstono/)

"The Army of Ptolemaic Egypt, 323-204 BC: An Institutional and Operational History" Links:

Pen & Sword (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Army-of-Ptolemaic-Egypt-323-to-204-BC-Hardback/p/17980)

Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Army-Ptolemaic-Egypt-323-Institutional/dp/1473833833)

Dr. Paul Johstono Links:

Twitter (https://twitter.com/ProfPaul_J)

Academia.edu (https://air-af.academia.edu/PaulJohstono)

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As the most prolific of city-founders, the Seleucids sought to dramatically reshape the lands of the Near East and most especially North Syria, which would become the dynasty's new imperial heartland and something of a stand-in for their ancestral homeland of Macedonia. We will cover the creation of these sites, but we'll also assess the impact of Seleucid rule and the response to Greek culture from the vast number of peoples of the empire, whether the native inhabitants of Babylonia and Jerusalem or the thousands of immigrant Greeks who now called these lands home.

Title Theme: Seikilos Epitapth with the Lyre of Apollo, played by Lina Palera (https://soundcloud.com/user-994392473)

Show Links

Website/Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2020/11/26/055-the-seleucid-empire-syrian-nights-macedonian-dreams/)

Episode 055 Transcript:

(https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/055-the-seleucid-empire-syrian-nights-macedonian-dreams-transcript.pdf)

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