A Tour of Dur-Sharrukin

Oldest Stories by James Bleckley

Dec 31, 202500:41:34Society & Culture

Today we attempt an immersive historical reconstruction of Dur-Sharrukin, the short-lived but astonishing capital built by Sargon II of Assyria in the late eighth century BCE. Set primarily in 706 BCE, this episode takes...

Related Episodes

Continue listening to more episodes from Oldest Stories.

Esarhaddon and the Empire That Ran Itself

Aug 26, 2026 - 00:43:23

Esarhaddon inherited the Neo-Assyrian Empire at the height of its power—but his kingship looked very diff...

The Lessons of Ahiqar

Jul 29, 2026 - 00:44:37

The ancient story of Ahiqar follows a legendary wise man and royal adviser at the court of the Assyrian k...

Sennacherib’s Last Omen

Jul 15, 2026 - 00:38:03

In the final years of Sennacherib’s reign, the Neo-Assyrian Empire entered a strange period of peace. Aft...

The Bottom of the Mesopotamia Iceberg

Jul 1, 2026 - 00:51:43

An examination of the deepest level of the Ancient Mesopotamia iceberg, commonly labeled "Theories and Sp...

Sennacherib Builds a Paradise in Nineveh

Jun 17, 2026 - 00:39:06

Sennacherib is remembered as one of the most powerful kings of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but his greatest...

Lachish and How an Assyrian Siege Worked

Jun 3, 2026 - 00:51:35

Its the siege of Lachish, but also a much more wide ranging explanation of Assyrian siegecraft more gener...

Sennacherib vs Hezekiah in 701 BCE: Isaiah and the Battle of Eltekeh

May 6, 2026 - 00:44:55

In 701 BCE, Assyrian king Sennacherib launched his western campaign against Judah, bringing him into dire...

Babylon Had It Coming

Apr 22, 2026 - 01:03:22

Babylon had survived five destructions before Sennacherib tried to erase it for good. Why did Assyria's m...