The Rashidun caliphate, from 632-661, completely changed the history of the world. Learn the story of the greatest imperial expansion of the first millennium, together with the complex political an...
The Qur'an has deep roots in the Bible and in the unique religious climate of Late Antique Mecca. Learn about its many references to the Bible and ancient Arabian religion in this episode. Kevin S...
Learn about the foundations of Islamic Law in the Qur'an - the 350 or so verses that tell believers what they're required to do, and what's prohibited. Episode 118 Quiz: https://literatureandhisto...
Learn the basics of the Qur'an - its size, structure, how and when it came together, and the book's most important contents. Episode 117 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-117/ Episode ...
During the final years of the Prophet Muhammad's life and the immediate aftermath of his death, the Muslims conquered Mecca, the first caliph Abu Bakr came to power, and the stage was set for the g...
Between 622 and 628, Muhammad and the first Muslims made a home from themselves in Medina, fended off assaults from the Quraysh and others, and changed the course of history forever. New Spotify B...
An orphan and caravan trade agent, Muhammad (570-632) lived a fairly ordinary life up until the age of 40. Then, everything changed. New Songs Page: https://literatureandhistory.com/songs/ Episo...
Antarah ibn Shaddad, a killer, a lover, and an epic hero, was also one of early Arabic literature's most famous poets. Parker's Song: https://youtu.be/bTVWrxfb5wk Episode 113 Quiz https://litera...
Prior to the dawn of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula had a great poetic tradition, with many genres, and many poets who are still celebrated and studied today. Episode 112 Quiz https://literatureandh...
Leading up to the birth of the Prophet Muhammad in about 570 CE, the Arabian Peninsula was an increasingly populous and globally interconnected region. Episode 111 Quiz https://literatureandhistor...
In Episode 110, Literature and History host Doug Metzger answers dozens of listener questions about making the show, books, and how and why the podcast came to be. Literature and History's Upcomin...
Episode 109 brings our long season on Late Antiquity to a close, reviews the past 24 programs on the beginnings of the Middle Ages, and introduces our new season on early Islamic History. The Actu...
One of the great scholars of Late Antiquity, Isidore (c. 560-636) left behind a compendium called the Etymologies, an encyclopedia of his epoch's knowledge, a book second only to the Bible during t...
The Merovingian court poet Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530-600), at work in Francia in the late 500s, shows us the world of the Middle Ages blooming from Roman ruins. Episode 107 Quiz https://literat...
The second half of the History of the Franks (591) is a deep dive into the grime and intrigue of the Merovingian dynasty, written in a style that's as medieval as it is classical. Episode 106 Quiz...
Gregory of Tours (c. 539-594) completed The History of the Franks in 591. The long book's account of Clovis and the Merovingian Dynasty has been one of our most important sources on early Medieval ...
Second only to the Tanakh, the 63 Tractates of the Talmud are the main text of Rabbinic Judaism, containing the teachings of thousands of ancient rabbis. Upcoming Seasons: https://literatureandhis...
In the twilight of the Western Empire, Boethius (c. 476-523) served as consul, but ended his life imprisoned by the Ostrogothic King Theodoric, writing The Consolation of Philosophy. Episode 103 Q...
Augustine's City of God, Part 2 of 2. The second half of the City of God contains some of Late Antiquity's most influential writings – most notably Augustine's take on Original Sin. ...
Augustine's City of God, Part 1 of 2. The first half of the City of God is a broadside against paganism – its culture, religion, and history, subjects about which Augustine had much to say. Episod...
