In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE.

--

📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess

--

SPONSOR: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | ORACLE

More than 40,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning.

Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

--

FOLLOW ON X:

@whatifalthist (Rudyard)

@LudwigNverMises (Austin)

@TurpentineMedia

HIGHLIGHTS:

Iron Age Context

Followed Bronze Age collapse (~1000 BCE)
Iron was more abundant and accessible than bronze
Democratized warfare and society

Military Impact

Enabled cheaper armor and better infantry weapons
Undermined aristocratic chariot warfare
Empowered frontier societies

Cultural Changes

Sparked major philosophical/religious movements
Rise of Greek philosophy, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism
Led to "Axial Age" innovations

Geographic Spread

Similar developments across Eurasia
Parallel changes in Greece, Persia, India, China

New empires rose as old ones fell

Social Evolution

Development of monetary systems
Rise of merchant classes
Created tension between traditional and commercial values

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

E100: Livet`s berg og dalbane, åpent hjerte og feiring 🎉