Why history matters in an ahistorical age | Sarah Irving-Stonebraker

Was Queen Zenobia more successful than Cleopatra?In the third century AD, as Rome struggled against invasion, political chaos and a devastating military defeat, an extraordinary woman emerged from the Syrian desert to build an empire.Mike Bird is joined by historian Dr Nathanael Andrade, author of Zenobia: Shooting Star of Palmyra, to explore the dramatic rise of Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra.From the assassination of her husband to her remarkable military expansion across the Roman East, discover how Zenobia seized power, protected her young son and challenged the might of Rome itself.Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Subscribe to History's Last Stand to discover what happened when Rome finally fought back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was a sensational discovery of the earliest Gospel of Mark too good to be true?When rumours emerged of a first-century fragment of Mark's Gospel, biblical scholars and Christian apologists were electrified. Such a discovery could bring us astonishingly close to the original New Testament writings. But the manuscript's story took an extraordinary turn.Dr. Mike Bird is joined by Dr Stephen Carlson of Australian Catholic University to investigate the First Century Mark controversy, involving a renowned Oxford papyrologist, American manuscript collectors, allegations of stolen antiquities and a multimillion-dollar legal dispute.From the dating of ancient papyrus to the ethics of the antiquities trade, they explore how a genuine and important manuscript became the centre of a scandal, and what it reveals about the search for the earliest Christian texts.History's Last Stand with Michael Bird explores the extraordinary, controversial and sometimes unbelievable stories that shaped our world. Subscribe for a new episode every Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Jesus have a wife? For a brief moment, a tiny piece of ancient-looking papyrus appeared to offer extraordinary new evidence.

A lost gospel. A missing manuscript. And an extraordinary accusation of forgery.Mike Bird talks to New Testament scholar Stephen Carlson about the Secret Gospel of Mark, the sensational text discovered by Morton Smith in 1958.Was it an authentic window into early Christianity, an ancient fake, or an elaborate modern hoax?Carlson reveals the linguistic clues, anachronisms and apparent “Easter eggs” that led him to make the case against one of biblical scholarship’s most controversial discoveries.Subscribe & Support👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the History's Last Stand podcast at https://www.premier.plus/historys-last-stand-with-michael-bird🎙️🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com/ 📢 Follow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why does Paul say women will be “saved through childbearing”?