The Ancient World

Episode C27 - True King

The Ancient World

Show Notes

Synopsis: Shalmaneser V succeeds his father to the thrones of Assyria and Babylonia, then deals with rebellions in Samaria and Tyre. But his reign is cut short by the violent coup of Sargon II. After losing his hold on Babylonia, Sargon marches west to confront a Syrian alliance under Yaubidi of Hamath. “With regard to the city Assur…Shalmaneser V, who did not revere the king of all the world, raised his hand against that city with evil intent…He oppressively imposed state service and corvee-duty upon its people and treated them as if they were of the lower class. At that time, the Enlil of the gods angrily overthrew his reign. As for me, Sargon…he exalted me and had me take hold of scepter, throne, and crown.” – The Assur Charter of Sargon II Map of the Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Iron Age Anatolia: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Anatolia.jpg Map of Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg Map of Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Regional Kings List: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C27_Kings_List.pdf Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C27_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C27_References.pdf Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from The Ancient World

Oct 11, 2026

Synopsis: The long-lived rulers of Egypt’s Twelfth Dynasty undertook the kingdom’s revitalization – restoring the depleted Faiyum Oasis and raising a massive chain of forts to subjugate Nubian lands. While the south Levant faced Egyptian raids, north Syria saw increased trade under newly-ascendant Amorite dynasties. The city of Assur on the upper Tigris took its first steps toward the economic domination of Anatolia.

Sep 27, 2026

Synopsis: The Sintashta way of life and death seeds aspects of Vedic Aryan Hinduism and Iranian Zoroastrianism, while their quest for a lucrative market for metals brings them into contact with the Oxus Civilization and – through them – the larger Near Eastern world. In post-Ur III Sumer, Amorite chiefs and military leaders begin to flex a newfound power and prestige.

Sep 13, 2026

Synopsis: Yamnaya migrations east and west carried their language and culture to the mountains of Siberia and plains of Hungary. Over the following centuries, their Corded Ware/Bell Beaker successors spread their daughter languages to the frontiers of Europe. As the Aridification Event began to take hold, increasing violence and declining herds drove some steppe tribes to migrate east of the Urals. The move gave rise to the metal-working, chariot-driving, Indo-Iranian-speaking Sintashta culture.

Aug 30, 2026

Synopsis: The fall of Old Europe and dissolution of the Cucuteni-Tripolye Culture left horse-riding steppe-herders the unchallenged paradigm on the Pontic-Caspian steppe. The introduction of the wagon around 3500 BC enabled their adoption of a fully-nomadic lifestyle, culminating with the complete dominance of the Proto-Indo-European-speaking Yamnaya horizon.

Aug 16, 2026

SEASON 3 PREMIERE

See all episodes →