The Maritime History Podcast

By Brandon Huebner

What's The Maritime History Podcast about?

The Maritime History Podcast is a chronological look at maritime history and its numerous facets. Beginning with ancient history, the podcast looks at trade, exploration, boat and ship-building, economics, and the relationship between the ocean and the development of society and culture throughout history. Learn more about the podcast at https://maritimehistorypodcast.com.

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The Maritime History Podcast episodes:

03.25.2022
*Unlocked* Member Ep. 015 - The Ship(s) of Theseus
Welcome, crew. This is a temporarily unlocked member episode, open to everyone for the remainder of March since I was unable to record a regular episode this month. It will revert to subscriber-only access on April 1. Today we depart...
03.01.2022
043 - The Delian League: High and Dry in Egypt
Today we continue following the evolution and exploits of the Delian League. In the 450s BCE, they become embroiled in two theaters of conflict. The first saw them begin to more squarely meet Sparta and many other allied cities of...
01.28.2022
042 - The Delian League v. Persia: Eurymedon
Now that we have witnessed the birth of the Delian League, in today's episode we trace their exploits in the 470s BCE. The league does a good job landing more blows against the Persian Empire, but at the same time...
12.05.2021
041 - A League of (Our) Own: The Delian League
As we kick off Series 3, it's now time to examine one of the most recognizable institutions that existed in Ancient Greece: The Delian League. To make sense of things, we'll compare the Peloponnesian League and Sparta's motivations there, against...
11.15.2021
Series 2 Recap
This episode is a recapitulation of the 20 episodes that make up Series 2 of the Maritime History Podcast. The season as a whole examined the high points of maritime history during the early Iron Age, with a specific focus...
11.08.2021
Pod Update - November 2021
A brief update on the state of the podcast, our sailing shape, and what lies ahead.
10.31.2021
The Boats of the “Glen Carrig” by William Hope Hodgson (Part 4)
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson is a horror/survival novel where survivors of a shipwreck, clinging to the remaining lifeboats, contend with the weird and terrifying elements of a strange land. Part 4...
10.29.2021
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson (Part 3)
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson is a horror/survival novel where survivors of a shipwreck, clinging to the remaining lifeboats, contend with the weird and terrifying elements of a strange land. Part 3 contains chapter 9 through...
10.27.2021
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson (Part 2)
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson is a horror/survival novel where survivors of a shipwreck, clinging to the remaining lifeboats, contend with the weird and terrifying elements of a strange land. Part 2 contains chapter 5...
10.25.2021
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson (Part 1)
Halloween is again upon us! This year we have a nautical horror novel to keep us company. The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson is a horror/survival novel where survivors of a shipwreck, clinging to the remaining...
04.30.2021
040 - A Themistoclean End
Today we bring our time with the Athenian leader Themistocles to a close. The character qualities we've seen throughout his career continue to pop up even in the later stages of his life. And although the Greek world continued on...
05.09.2020
039 - Aftermath and Mycale
The Greek victory at Salamis was monumental. But in the aftermath of that victory, Greece and her leaders still had many decisions to make. It is here that we begin to see a divergence between the naval-minded leaders and their...
01.17.2020
038 - The Naval Battle at Salamis
We have finally arrived at the Battle of Salamis. There's a lot of buildup before the battle, and surprisingly, this phase is where a lot of the important pieces were moved into place by the wily Themistocles. We witness scenes...
03.27.2019
Mini Ep - Ship 17 at Thonis-Heracleion
In this first of what will be ongoing mini-episodes, we examine the discovery and study of Ship 17 at the ancient Egyptian city of Thonis-Heracleion. After running through the history of this city and it's significance to maritime history, we...
02.18.2019
037 - The Naval Battle of Artemisium - Part II
In Part II of our look at the naval Battle of Artemisium, we finally get into the heat of battle. The episode is bookended by some trickery and psychological warfare courtesy of the inimitable Themistocles. In the middle, though, we...
01.01.2019
036 - The Naval Battle of Artemisium - Part I
Today we open a chapter onto the naval Battle of Artemisium. We begin by considering a prophecy which illustrates the plight that Greece found herself in as the Persian army and navy entered Europe. We discuss the state of preparation...
06.20.2018
035 - The Eve of War
In today's episode we take a look at the final moves that both Greece and Persia made on the eve of their war. Themistocles and Aristides take center stage as they maneuver through the political scene of Athens, but with...
03.04.2018
034 - Marathon and Persian Naval Power
A substantial portion of the Persian fleet was wrecked in a storm in 492 BCE, but after Darius ordered it to be rebuilt, they set sail for Greece in the summer of 490. Today's episode examines the state of the...
01.09.2018
033 - A 'Heraldless War' and a Man Named Themistocles
In today's episode the curtain rises on a young man named Themistocles. He's always recognized for the role that he played at Salamis and in the Greek navy's stand against Persia, but today we go back to the earliest we...
10.29.2017
Halloween Ep. - The Ghost Ship by Richard Middleton
Welcome to our third annual Halloween special here at the Maritime History Podcast. Rather than choose a grim, frightening, or eery tale, this year I felt that a more lighthearted fare was in order. This story was written by an...
09.21.2017
032 - The Letdown at Lade
If Episode 031 covered the heady, opening stages of the Ionian Revolt, then today's episode covers the denouement and rather anticlimactic conclusion of the revolt. At the start of the episode we follow Aristagoras as he goes on a recruiting trip...
08.14.2017
031 - A Persian Navy, an Ionian Revolt
In today's episode we begin our look at the events that directly contributed to the beginnings of the Greco-Persian War. After a brief summation of the events that brought the early Persian Empire into contact with the Ionian Greeks, we...
06.03.2017
030 - Trireme 101: How to Build, Sail, and Ram and Ancient Greek Warship
Today we have a lengthy primer focused only on the trireme. After a jaunt through some of the evidence related to when the trireme first came into use on the seas of ancient Greece and the Near East we then take...
03.28.2017
029 - Trade with Egypt, Conflict with Carthage
In this installment, we continue to follow the Greeks as they expand yet further. Our first destination is Egypt, where the Greek emporion at Naukratis was set up by a diverse group of mercenaries and traders. The recently discovered port of Thonis-Heraklion...
01.31.2017
028 - Unlocking the Pontus Euxinus
In today's installment, we'll tell a tale of two cities in one sense. The age of colonization in Greece had an early leader in the island of Euboea, but as the Euboeans were stretched thin, Corinth and Miletus rose to...
10.31.2016
Halloween Ep. 2.0 - Manuscript Found in a Bottle by Edgar Allan Poe
Welcome to our second annual Halloween special here at the Maritime History Podcast. This year I opted for a nautical tale by the ever-popular American author of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. Some people love this tale, some hate it,...
10.30.2016
027 - Odysseus Builds a Boat
Today we fill in some gaps concerning Greek colonization, looking first at the founding of colonies along the eastern coast of Sicily. The Greeks colonized by force more so than did the Phoenicians, so we'll draw some distinctions there and...
09.18.2016
026 - Sailing Advice from Hesiod, the Farmer-Poet
At long last we make first contact with the Greeks! Today we try to cover the earliest periods of Greek colonization and expansion into the central Mediterranean. Hesiod's writings can give us some insight into the socio-economic conditions in Greece...
07.15.2016
025 - Carthage: A New (City) Hope
This week we follow the fleeing Elissa, princess of Tyre, to Qart-ḥadašt, the "New City" that would come into wider fame as Carthage. We start with some talk of the mythical founding of Carthage, some conjecture about when the city was really...
06.17.2016
024 - Go West, O Tyre, Go West
This week we follow the Phoenicians to the western extremity of their trade network and colonization. While it is difficult to paint a chronological picture of when each colony was established, the city of Cadiz, or Gadir, quickly became the...
05.04.2016
023 - Setting Up Shop in the Central Med
The Phoenicians are now on the move, pushing the scope of our podcast to the west. While they were mainly concerned with expanding their access to natural resources like copper, iron, and silver, they weren't entering a vacuum. The Nuragic...
04.02.2016
022 - Rise of the Phoenicians
The Phoenicians have finally arrived on the historical stage, at least as our humble podcast is concerned. In today's episode, we look at their place in the post-Bronze Age world, along with the rise of the island city of Tyre....
03.12.2016
021.5 - The Report of Wenamun
This supplemental episode is a reading of the Report of Wenamun, also called the Misadventures of Wenamun.
03.12.2016
021 - Wenamun's Journey & Early Iron Age "Balkanization"
Today's episode is a transition, of sorts. As Season 1 concluded, the Sea Peoples had attempted an invasion of Egypt and the Late Bronze Age Collapse had wreaked havoc on many cultures of the ancient world. Now, we look at...
02.28.2016
Series 1 Recap
This episode is a recapitulation of the 20 episodes that make up Series 1. The season as a whole examined the high points of maritime history during the Bronze Age, with a specific focus on Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley,...
01.29.2016
Interlude - Boats of Prehistory
This 'interlude' episode sits in the gap between Seasons 1 and 2 of the podcast. While Season 1 began with ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and the Mediterranean, we didn't really go back further than written history allows. Today we'll take...
01.13.2016
020 - The Sea Peoples Sail South: Vol. II
Today we wrap up our look at the Late Bronze Age Collapse. We focus heavily on Egypt's naval clash with the Sea Peoples in 1177 BCE. Our main sources are the inscriptions and relief at the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses...
12.16.2015
019 - Ugarit in Flames
This episode will conclude with the city of Ugarit in flames. Before we get there, we'll look at two Hittite invasions of Cyprus using borrowed ships, Egypt's first battle with the Sea Peoples, and the practice of using human hands...
12.01.2015
018 - The Beginning of the End
In today's episode we take a look at just what the title suggests, the beginning of the end for the cultures and powers of the Bronze Age world. We'll make our first visit to the Levantine trade center of Ugarit,...
11.17.2015
017 - Black Ships on Trojan Shores
Today we delve into a grey area between myth and history: the Trojan War. The Homeric epic poem The Iliad is now one of the most well known Greek myths. Before the discoveries of Mycenae and Troy around the turn of the...
10.28.2015
Halloween Ep. - The White Ship by H.P. Lovecraft
Hi crew. Yes, this is the Maritime History Podcast, but as this week is the week of Halloween, I figured a somewhat creepy ship tale would be fitting. Credit where credit is due, Jamie at the British History Podcast was...
10.27.2015
016 - Old Money: The Ulubururn and Gelidonya Wrecks
Our dual focus in today's episode are shipwrecks from the same region of southern Turkey. The Cape Gelidonya wreck was discovered first, making it the first ancient shipwreck to have ever been fully recovered from the sea floor. The Uluburun...
09.29.2015
015 - The Advent of the Mycenaean Galley
Today we discuss the rise of the Mycenaean galley, a style of ship characterized by oared propulsion and a long, narrow hull built for speed and power rather than for transport. Depictions are numerous, so we focus on a few...
08.07.2015
014 - The Amarna Letters and Some Lukkan Pirates
This time around we take a look at a few select cuneiform tablets from a collection known as the Amarna Letters. Discovered in Amarna, Egypt, these letters are a rare insight into the communication between the pharaoh and the rulers...
06.28.2015
013 - Akrotiri, Atlantis, and the Thera Eruption
Today's episode will focus on three main topics, all related to the Minoan Civilization in the Aegean. First, we'll talk in detail about the exquisite Fleet Fresco fount in the West House at Akrotiri. Then we'll consider the volcanic eruption...
05.30.2015
012 - Minoan Thalassocracy
In today's episode, we'll take a look at the evidence from early Minoan history, beginning with pre-history and working up to the Neo-Palatial period. While the items we'll discuss are beautiful and tell us a lot about the artistic focus...
05.24.2015
Guest Ep. - Grace Dieu and Henry V's Proto-Royal Navy
This episode originally aired on David Crowther's wonderful History of England podcast. Please check it out here if you haven't yet. His episodes regarding Henry V may help put this specific episode in context, as well. This episode covers the military aspirations...
03.30.2015
011.5 - The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
This supplemental episode is a reading of the 'Periplus of the Erythraean Sea' in its entirety. Be sure to check out the show notes for maps and links to more info about the text, if you're curious. Show Notes...
02.23.2015
011 - Harappa and the Erythraean Sea
In today's episode we shift our focus east and look at the earliest identifiable civilization on the Indian subcontinent. The Harappan people were known to have had contacts with Egypt and Mesopotamia thanks to Harappan artifacts that have been discovered...
01.26.2015
010 - Taking Care of Business (on the Nile)
In today's episode we're going to look at the evidence of heavy-transport shipping throughout Egypt's history. Their many monumental building projects required the transportation of staggering amounts of material, and there is evidence from Pliny the Elder and Herodotus that...

What's The Maritime History Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Maritime History Podcast episodes:

*Unlocked* Member Ep. 015 - The Ship(s) of Theseus

043 - The Delian League: High and Dry in Egypt

042 - The Delian League v. Persia: Eurymedon

041 - A League of (Our) Own: The Delian League

Series 2 Recap

Pod Update - November 2021

The Boats of the “Glen Carrig” by William Hope Hodgson (Part 4)

The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson (Part 3)

The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson (Part 2)

The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" by William Hope Hodgson (Part 1)

040 - A Themistoclean End

039 - Aftermath and Mycale

038 - The Naval Battle at Salamis

Mini Ep - Ship 17 at Thonis-Heracleion

037 - The Naval Battle of Artemisium - Part II

036 - The Naval Battle of Artemisium - Part I

035 - The Eve of War

034 - Marathon and Persian Naval Power

033 - A 'Heraldless War' and a Man Named Themistocles

Halloween Ep. - The Ghost Ship by Richard Middleton

032 - The Letdown at Lade

031 - A Persian Navy, an Ionian Revolt

030 - Trireme 101: How to Build, Sail, and Ram and Ancient Greek Warship

029 - Trade with Egypt, Conflict with Carthage

028 - Unlocking the Pontus Euxinus

Halloween Ep. 2.0 - Manuscript Found in a Bottle by Edgar Allan Poe

027 - Odysseus Builds a Boat

026 - Sailing Advice from Hesiod, the Farmer-Poet

025 - Carthage: A New (City) Hope

024 - Go West, O Tyre, Go West

023 - Setting Up Shop in the Central Med

022 - Rise of the Phoenicians

021.5 - The Report of Wenamun

021 - Wenamun's Journey & Early Iron Age "Balkanization"

Series 1 Recap

Interlude - Boats of Prehistory

020 - The Sea Peoples Sail South: Vol. II

019 - Ugarit in Flames

018 - The Beginning of the End

017 - Black Ships on Trojan Shores

Halloween Ep. - The White Ship by H.P. Lovecraft

016 - Old Money: The Ulubururn and Gelidonya Wrecks

015 - The Advent of the Mycenaean Galley

014 - The Amarna Letters and Some Lukkan Pirates

013 - Akrotiri, Atlantis, and the Thera Eruption

012 - Minoan Thalassocracy

Guest Ep. - Grace Dieu and Henry V's Proto-Royal Navy

011.5 - The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea

011 - Harappa and the Erythraean Sea

010 - Taking Care of Business (on the Nile)

Unlocked Member Ep. 015 - The Ship(s) of Theseus