There are many facets of history to enjoy - the exploits of rulers and generals, the intrigue of court politics and power, or the day-to-day activities of average people whose lives seem so alien from our own. Yet for some history buffs, the greatest fascination lies in learning how things fell apart. Listeners in this latter group will want to check out the deeply researched and evocative storytelling of the podcast Fall of Civilizations. Even with just over a dozen episodes produced (as of this writing), this long-form podcast provide hours of history to dive into, covering topics such as the collapse of Byzantium (Episode 11), the saga of the Greenland Vikings (Episode 4), and the fall of the Han Dynasty, China's first empire (Episode 10). Best of all, each episode examines, complicates, and even challenges received narratives about why some civilizations fell, such as an episode on Easter Island (Episode 6) that casts doubt on the popular theory that the Rapa Nui caused their island's ecological collapse. All episodes can be found on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, or other podcatchers. Fall of Civilizations is written, produced, and hosted by Paul M.M. Cooper. Listeners can stay in touch and hear about new episodes by following on Twitter (@Fall_of_Civ_Pod) and Facebook (@FallofCivilizationsPodcast).
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