In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explorE the Mediterranean's decline from civilization's epicenter to peripheral status, examining Islamic stagnation, Spanish-Ottoman authoritarianism, and Northwest Europe's technological and institutional ascendancy.

--

SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY

The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/genzcash⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at ⁠⁠https://shopify.com/cognitive⁠⁠

--

FOLLOW ON X:

@whatifalthist (Rudyard)

@LudwigNverMises (Austin)

@TurpentineMedia

--

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:42) The Problem with "Mediterranean Food"

(02:46) Geography of the Mediterranean

(05:00) The Mediterranean as America-Sized System

(06:28) Unity vs Division

(09:01) Atlantic Sailing Technology

(17:30) Marseille & Cairo: Civilizational Decline

(28:00) British Stranglehold on the Mediterranean

(37:18) Northwest Europe's Hermetic Switch

(45:12) Classical Civilization & The Roman Empire

(56:58) Ancient vs Modern Globalization

(1:03:17) Fernand Braudel & Historical Methodology

(1:16:18) The Fall of Rome & Rise of Three Civilizations

(1:27:00) Islamic Golden Age & Mediterranean Dominance

(1:37:27) Italian City-States & Renaissance

(1:44:32) Norman Sicily & Christian Reconquest

(1:52:06) CORE THESIS: The Islamic Dark Ages

(2:00:00) Spanish & Ottoman Empires Divide the Mediterranean

(2:07:38) Mediterranean Culture: Honor, Elites & Decline

(2:13:39) Why Mediterranean Europe Failed

(2:20:31) Two Democratic Traditions

(2:25:00) Wrap

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘Thank God we witnessed this’: Palestinians on the ceasefire deal - Today in Focus Extra

Today in Focus

Personal Impact of Two Years of War

The AI-powered Podcast Player