214. The Empire of Frankincense & Myrrh

Empire

Jack Davenport

History

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“The Nabateans are a silent partner in everything that goes on in the high summer of the Ancient period” - Bettany Hughes By the time of Jesus’ birth, a mysterious empire had built its wealth through trading two of the gifts present at the Nativity: frankincense and myrrh. Aromatic crystals harvested from the sap of gnarled trees, frankincense and myrrh were highly desirable commodities known as the tears or the breath of the gods. Based along the coast of the Red Sea, the nomadic Nabatean people were engineers, mariners and savvy traders, and they cleverly placed themselves as the middlemen in the trade of this incense. The Nabateans gave the world Arabic, and had a kingdom that even Alexander the Great could not siege - so why do so many of us know nothing about them? Listen as Anita and William are joined by Bettany Hughes to discuss how the Christmas gifts of frankincense and myrrh powered a mysterious and innovative kingdom… Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: [email protected] Goalhangerpodcasts.com Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Evan Green Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you want access to bonus episodes reading lists for every series of Empire, a chat community.
0:06.7	Discounts for all the books mentioned in the week's podcast, add free listening and a weekly newsletter,
0:12.5	sign up to Empire Club at www.empowerpoduk.com.
0:26.1	How would you like a free case of wine this Christmas?
0:34.5	That's exactly what our very good friends at Wine 52 are offering exclusively to Empire listeners.
0:43.0	Simply go to Wine52.com slash Empire and just cover the postage to receive three beautiful wines straight to your door. Wine 52 is a wine club with a difference. As a true
0:50.8	wine discovery club, their expert Somaliers curate a new case from a different region each and every month.
0:58.6	They focus on native grape varieties, independent wineries,
1:02.0	and highlighting lesser-known regions alongside the icons of global winemaking.
1:07.8	You have the choice of a mixed, red-only or white-only case. Also included
1:12.8	is my old favourite Glug magazine, which delves into the region's wine history and culture,
1:18.4	as well as two tasty snacks. Implausible as it is to imagine that you are still unsatisfied.
1:24.3	You can simply pause or cancel any time. So remember, that is www.
1:29.9	w.w.w.w.52.com slash empire to claim your free case of delicious wine today. That's
1:36.6	wine 52.com forward slash empire. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.
2:02.0	Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense
2:08.1	and of my.
2:11.2	Hello, welcome to Empire with me Anita Arden.
2:14.6	And me David Atterborough.
2:16.1	Yeah, well, exactly.
2:17.3	What are you doing, auditioning for some kind of narration thing?
2:20.2	I'd rather like that, yeah.
	...

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