The rise of the Khmer Empire is a tale of power and divine rulers, with Jayavarman II uniting clans to create a civilization richer than Byzantium. Angkor Wat’s architectural marvels reflect this grandeur, blending divine king symbolism with intricate design. As the podcast dives into the significance of the god-kings, their godlike status intertwined with Brahmin influence is revealed. The discussion also highlights Cambodia’s cultural evolution, emphasizing the deep ties to Hinduism while contrasting this majestic past with the dark shadows of more modern history.
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Birthplace of the Khmer Empire
William Dalrymple describes the Phnom Kulen mountains as a sacred space for Cambodians.
It's the birthplace of the Khmer empire and its holy rivers.
insights INSIGHT
Khmer Rouge vs. Khmer Empire
The Khmer Rouge's association with the term "Khmer" obscures the ancient Khmer empire's true nature.
The empire was a hierarchical, divinely-ruled kingdom.
insights INSIGHT
The Khmer Empire's Wealth and Power
The Khmer empire was the richest and most powerful state of its time, boasting the largest cities and temples.
Angkor Wat alone is four times the size of Vatican City.
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The Laws of Manu, also known as the Manava Dharma Shastra, is a significant Hindu text that provides guidelines on social conduct, legal procedures, and moral obligations. It is divided into twelve chapters, covering topics such as the creation of the world, caste duties, and the roles of kings and women in society. The text is attributed to Manu, the mythical first man in Hinduism, and is considered a key source of ancient Indian law and customs.
In the 9th century AD, two years after the Holy Roman Empire was established in Western Christendom, another world-shaking empire was rising in the east, more powerful even than that of Charlemagne and far wealthier. Born in what is today Northern Cambodia but long before the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, the mighty Khmer empire dominated most of mainland Southeast Asia, stretching as far north as southern China, and far outsizing the Byzantine empire and its peak. In 802 a mighty warrior king, Jayavarman II, united the warring clans, made dynastic alliances and conquered his way to supremacy. His descendants would become God Kings…Meanwhile, in the famed city of Angkor, the divine kings of the Khmers built a temple of such epic proportions and complexity, such beauty, that its fame - like the temple itself - would endure across the ages: Angkor Wat. But what is the truth of Angkor Wat’s origins? And how much does it owe to the example of India?
Join William and Anita as they discuss the extraordinary Khmer empire and the divine kings who raised her, illuminating as they do, one of the greatest lost history’s in all the world.
Empire 
