The Study of Antiquity and the Middle Ages

In this series Dr. David Miano starts off by briefly discussing the origins of the Ancient Mesopotamians and discusses how a variety of peoples came in over time such as the arrivals of Semitic Speaking peoples, the Hurrians, Sumerians and so many more. Get you ancient Sea Peoples, Hittite and Trojan shirts, hoodies and coffee mugs today! https://the-history-shop.myteespring.co/apparel https://the-history-shop.myteespring.co/mugs Subscribe to the channel of Dr. Miano at World of Antiquity here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64TYItcUS940vNWhQRnJWg Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrDavidMiano Get his free online book "Why Ancient History Matters" here: https://mailchi.mp/a402112ea4db/why-ancient-history-matters Academia Profile: https://ucsd.academia.edu/DavidMiano Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/antiquorum

In this episode that kicks off our series on the Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, we start off by examining the most important aspect of his history and that is historiography. From what the ancient sources | Roman historians told us to his often unfair treatment by later and modern historians, Dr. Andrew Traver does an excellent job in showing us the man behind the image, the real Claudius in all of his tragedies, ailments and triumphs.   Support Dr. Traver and his works at these links below! Academia Page: https://selu.academia.edu/ATraver Faculty Page: http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/depts/hist_ps/faculty/bio/traver.html Attribution: I, Claudius : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dvbX8imXnI&t=18s

Early nomads in the Eurasian steppes since the beginning of the 1st millennium BC played a key role in the formation of the cultural and genetic landscape of populations of a significant part of Eurasia, from Eastern Europe to Eastern Central Asia. Numerous archaeological cultures associated with early nomads have been discovered throughout the Eurasian steppe belt. The Tagar archaeological culture existed in the Minusinsk basin (Sayan Mountains, Southern Siberia, Russia) in the northeastern periphery of the Eurasian steppe belt from the 8th to 1st century BC during the pre-Scythian, Scythian, and Early Xiongnu-Sarmatian periods. In this study, we evaluated mtDNA diversity in the Tagar population based on representative series (N = 79) belonging to all chronological stages of the culture. The Tagar population had a mixed mtDNA pool dominated by Western Eurasian haplogroups and subgroups (H, HV6, HV*, I, K, T, U2e, U4, U5a, and U*) and, to a lesser degree, Eastern Eurasian haplogroups (A*, A8, C*, C5, D, G2a, and F1b). The Tagar population showed a similar mtDNA pool structure to those of other Iron Age populations representing the “Scythian World.” We observed particularly high similarity between the Tagar and Classic Scythians from the North Pontic region. Our results support the assumption that genetic components introduced by Bronze Age migrants from Western Eurasia contributed to the formation of the genetic composition of Scythian period populations in Southern Siberia. Another important component of the Tagar mtDNA pool was autochthonous East Eurasian lineages, some of which (A8 and C4a2a) are potential markers of the westward genetic influence of the eastern populations of the Scythian period. Our results suggest a genetic continuity (at least partial) between the Early, Middle, and Late Tagar populations. Maternal genetic features of the Iron Age Tagar population from Southern Siberia (1st millennium BC) https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204062

In this episode Dr. Mary Lefkowitz takes us into the ancient world while discussing modern conflicts to tell us not only who Thucydides was, but why he still matters today? From stagnated conflicts to strategic withdraws we explore a few of the failed conflicts of modern history and how ancient wisdom still holds many solutions to our problems today. Support Dr. Lefkowitz and her work below! Not Out of Africa Book: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Out-Africa-Afrocentrism-Republic/dp/046509838X Black Athena Revisited: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Athena-Revisited-jossey-Bass-Education/dp/0807845558 Faculty Page: https://www.wellesley.edu/classical/faculty/lefkowitz

In this mini episode recap Egyptologist Dr. Juan Carlos Moreno García guides us into ancient Egypt and its legacy in modern Egypt. Are there modern struggles that revolve around the legacy of ancient Egypt? Are there modern political motivations in the study of the ancient Egyptian past? What are experts like Zahi Hawass doing to encourage Egyptians to be proud of their past?  And lastly, is the history of ancient Egypt important in being used to establish stronger relationships between Egypt and other modern nations today?

In this mini recap episode I host Egyptologist Dr. Juan Carlos Moreno García on a very fascinating and sometimes controversial topic and that is ancient Egyptian identity, ethnicity and ancient DNA. We talk about when foreigners become Egyptians, what ancient DNA tells us and more importantly how we should view and treat studies related to ancient DNA with caution in order to not misrepresent or misconstrue findings to encompass entire periods of history and populations. We also explore a controversial topic and that is are the modern Egyptians direct representations of ancient Egyptians, or has that continuity been interrupted and changed by waves of migrations, inversions and conquests?

In this episode I once again host a channel favorite Mr. Razib Khan on a widely studied subject and that is the Origins of the Indo Europeans and how ancient DNA answers and possibly concludes the question of who were the Indo Europeans and where did they come from? We start off by discussing what comes to mind when we hear the term "Indo European?"  Such images like vast language family trees, trilateral religious worship and the chariot may instantly spring to mind and then we look at their legacy? What lingers on today that is an echo of the peoples we have come to describe as Indo Europeans? We explore traditional viewpoints based on archaeology and historiography as we examine what historians over the past century thought about these groups and where they thought they had derived from originally? And finally we come to ancient DNA itself and what studies have shown us about the ancient Indo Europeans, their geography and their neighbors in the wake of expansion, migration, violence and assimilation. The phrase "history is written by the victor" springs to mind when examining this history and this victory was achieved in many ways as the Indo Europeans spread out and eventually settled as ancient peoples and their world, cultures and languages seem to slowly wash away through time leaving us with in some cases more questions than answers.  Support Mr. Khan and his awesome work below! Website: https://razib.substack.com/ Razib Khan: https://www.razib.com/bio/wordpress/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/razibkhan To my dear subscribers, thank you all. You have my love and appreciation.  My latest history merch! Sea Peoples meet Late Bronze Age humor! I thought this was pretty amusing. https://teespring.com/new-sea-peoples-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102908 Celebrate the birthplace of civilization and get our Sumerian Shirt | Hoodie | Coffee Mug today! CLOTHES: https://teespring.com/Sumerian-Clothing?pid=212&cid=5818 COFFEE MUGS: https://teespring.com/sumerian-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102908 Check out our new store! https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-shop Get your Sea Peoples | Late Bronze Age Merch below! Mugs: https://teespring.com/new-sea-peoples-mediterranean?pid=658&cid=102950 Hoodies | Shirts | Tank Tops: https://teespring.com/get-sea-peoples-mediterranean?pid=212&cid=5819

In this episode we explore the latest and amazing archaeological findings at Stonehenge, the very heart of the British Isles.     Bronze age graves, Neolithic pottery and the vestiges of a mysterious C-shaped enclosure that might have been a prehistoric industrial area are among the finds unearthed by archaeologists who have carried out preliminary work on the site of the proposed new road tunnel at Stonehenge.  One of the most intriguing discoveries is a unique shale object that could have been part of a staff or club found in a 4,000-year-old grave. Nearby is the resting spot of a baby buried with a small, plain beaker.   Ditches that flank the C-shaped enclosure contain burnt flint, suggesting a process such as metal or leatherworking was carried out there thousands of years ago.  Just south of the site of the Stonehenge visitor center, archaeologists came upon Neolithic grooved ware pottery possibly left there by the people who built the stone circle or visited it.   We end this episode by discussing the controversial tunnel being built close to Stonehenge and the impact and destruction that it can have on archaeology, artifacts and our history.    To my dear subscribers, thank you all. You have my love and appreciation.    My latest history merch! Sea Peoples meet Late Bronze Age humor! I thought this was pretty amusing.  https://teespring.com/new-sea-peoples-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102908  Support the channel below! Celebrate the birthplace of civilization and get our Sumerian Shirt | Hoodie | Coffee Mug today! CLOTHES: https://teespring.com/Sumerian-Clothing?pid=212&cid=5818   COFFEE MUGS: https://teespring.com/sumerian-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102908  Check out our new store! https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-shop Get your Sea Peoples | Late Bronze Age Merch below!  Mugs: https://teespring.com/new-sea-peoples-mediterranean?pid=658&cid=102950  Hoodies | Shirts | Tank Tops: https://teespring.com/get-sea-peoples-mediterranean?pid=212&cid=5819    Get your Hittite Merch below!   Mugs: https://teespring.com/HittiteEmpireMug?pid=658&cid=102950&sid=front  Shirts | Tank Tops | Hoodies: https://teespring.com/hittite-empire-shirt?pid=2&cid=2397    Trojan War Merch Below!  Mugs: https://teespring.com/trojan-war-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102950  Tank Tops | Shirts | Hoodies: https://teespring.com/TrojanWarShirt?pid=2&cid=2397  To support the channel, become a Patron and make history matter!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/The_Study_of_Antiquity_and_the_Middle_Ages  Donate directly to PayPal: https://paypal.me/NickBarksdale  Enjoy history merchandise?  Check out affiliate link to SPQR Emporium! http://spqr-emporium.com?aff=3  *Disclaimer, the link above is an affiliate link which means we will earn a generous commission from your magnificent purchase, just another way to help out the channel!   Article Attribution: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/04/archaeologist-unearth-bronze-age-graves-stonehenge-a303-tunnel-site?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other  Music Attribution:  Kevin MacLeod | Kevin MacLeod [Official] - Hidden Past - incompetech.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmWG3NUgbQ&t=0s

In this lecture by Dr. Jacob Lackner we are taken into the very heart of violence, martyrdom and intolerance within Medieval Europe.   We explore Christian and Jewish reactions to forced conversion and baptism with the sword as we enter into a controversial subject that split the church and society of the Medieval world.   From seeing different stances within the church and the head of the papacy to watching as Christians attempt to defend their Jewish neighbors from radical crusaders an intense and bitter image develops as we watch an older society attempt to discover what it believes about a minority within that society.   What I found most interesting is that in this world of child abduction, forced conversion, mass murder and martyrdom we watch as the Jewish faith evolves into three forms of martyrdom which will include those who go humbly to the slaughter, suicides often including entire families who rather than being forced to convert to what they viewed as idolatry chose to die righteously and finally we come to my personal favorite and that is the Jewish Martyrs who decided to make a stand and meet violence with violence, armor with armor and sword with sword.   From powerful stories to tragedy and triumph, once again the superb Dr. Lackner makes the already complicated medieval world even more complicated.  

In this episode I pose a controversial question that I constantly see online to Dr. Louise Hitchcock and that is "did ancient Egypt provide the foundation of Minoan Civilization?" She points out this theory derives primarily from Black Athena and that Bernal believed that the ancient Egyptians conquered Crete and how and why he was wrong.  She goes on to say that there was contact and influence between ancient Egypt and the Minoans but that they were in fact different peoples and cultures who interacted with each other. Celebrate the birthplace of civilization and get our Sumerian Shirt | Hoodie | Coffee Mug today! CLOTHES: https://teespring.com/Sumerian-Clothing?pid=212&cid=5818 COFFEE MUGS: https://teespring.com/sumerian-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102908 Check out our new store! https://teespring.com/stores/the-history-shop Get your Sea Peoples | Late Bronze Age Merch below! Mugs: https://teespring.com/new-sea-peoples-mediterranean?pid=658&cid=102950 Hoodies | Shirts | Tank Tops: https://teespring.com/get-sea-peoples-mediterranean?pid=212&cid=5819 Get your Hittite Merch below! Mugs: https://teespring.com/HittiteEmpireMug?pid=658&cid=102950&sid=front Shirts | Tank Tops | Hoodies: https://teespring.com/hittite-empire-shirt?pid=2&cid=2397 Trojan War Merch Below! Mugs: https://teespring.com/trojan-war-coffee-mug?pid=658&cid=102950 Tank Tops | Shirts | Hoodies: https://teespring.com/TrojanWarShirt?pid=2&cid=2397 Donate directly to PayPal: https://paypal.me/NickBarksdale Check out the awesome work of Dr. Hitchcock at these links below! Academia profile where you can access her work that is free to the public. https://unimelb.academia.edu/LouiseHitchcock Get her books here! Aegean Art and Architecture: https://global.oup.com/ukhe/product/aegean-art-and-architecture-9780192842084?cc=au&lang=en& Minoan Architecture: A Contextual Analysis: http://www.astromeditions.com/books/book/?artno=PB155 Theory for Classics: https://www.routledge.com/Theory-for-Classics-A-Students-Guide-1st-Edition/Hitchcock/p/book/9780203932919 DAIS: The Aegean Feast https://www.peeters-leuven.be/detail.php?search_key=9789042924277&series_number_str=29 Follow her on Twitter : https://twitter.com/ashlarblocks To support the channel, become a patron and make history matter!  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/the_study_of_antiquity_and_the_middle_ages  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/thestudyofantiquityandthemiddleages/  twitter: https://twitter.com/nickbarksdale  instagram: https://www.instagram.com/study_of_antiquity_middle_ages/  facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164050034145170/  Attribution: Music is by Pawl.D Beats https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQTzTYM6-58Ef0Igkg3DJFw