Audiobooks narrated by Colin Fluxman

Akhenaten and Amarna: The History of Ancient Egypt's Most Mysterious Pharaoh and His Capital City

Africa may have given rise to the first human beings, and Egypt probably gave rise to the first great civilizations, which continue to fascinate modern societies across the globe nearly 5,000 years later. From the Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ancient Egyptians produced several wonders of the world, revolutionized architecture and construction, created some of the world's first systems of mathematics and medicine, and established language and art that spread across the known world. With world-famous leaders like King Tut and Cleopatra, it's no wonder that today's world has so many Egyptologists. Although the Egyptians may not have passed their civilization directly on to later peoples, the key elements that comprised Egyptian civilization, including their religion, early ideas of state, and art and architecture, can be seen in other pre-modern civilizations. Indeed, since Egyptian civilization represented some fundamental human concepts, a study of their culture can be useful when trying to understand many other pre-modern cultures. Part of the reason Egyptian history is so intriguing is because it is so enigmatic - even today, despite the wealth of written materials and countless monuments, Egyptologists constantly uncover more mysteries about ancient Egypt, even if many of those mysteries are somewhat mundane and appeal more to academics. For example, historians still debate precise chronologies of dynasties, theological nuances, and architectural details. One such mystery that shows no signs of going away is the history of the archeological site known as Amarna, which is actually the name of the modern village that is closest to the ancient Egyptian city of Akhet-Aten. Akhet-Aten was built during the reign of one of Egypt's most enigmatic pharaohs, Akhenaten (ruled ca. 1364-1347 BCE), and modern archaeological studies have shown it was hastily built and almost as quickly abandoned. Although the city had a brief lifespan, it was vitally important at the time, so much so that the late Eighteenth Dynasty has been named the Amarna Period by modern scholars. The importance is reflected in the changes that Akhenaten attempted to make to Egyptian religion, art, architecture, and society, all of which can be found among the ruins of Amarna, from texts that described the Aten as the one true god to the depictions of the royal family that were like nothing seen before or after in ancient Egyptian art. An examination of Akhenaten's rule and the life of the city of Akhet-Aten has helped modern scholars unravel some of the mysteries of the Amarna Period, but many still remain. Akhenaten and Amarna: The History of Ancient Egypt's Most Mysterious Pharaoh and His Capital City chronicles what's known and unknown about the Egyptian city and the pharaoh who was responsible for it. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Amarna like never before.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Albert Speer and Germania: The History of Nazi Germany’s Lead Architect and His Plans for a Future G

In 1933, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party took absolute control of Germany, and his new regime was known as the Third Reich (Third Empire). The first Germanic empire had been the Holy Roman Empire (800-1806), and the second was the German Empire (1871-1918). Hitler was determined the new Reich be more impressive and longer-lasting than any that had gone before, and the Nazis soon began referring to the Tausendjähriges Reich (“Thousand-Year Reich”). Naturally, the party’s leaders believed the new empire would require a suitably impressive new capital. Hitler dreamed of building Welthauptstadt Germania (“World Capital Germania”), a super-sized city that would dwarf everything that had come before it. The new metropolis would be built in the same location as Berlin, but it was expressly designed to be the most impressive city in the world. Its heart would be the seven-kilometer long Prachtstrasse, or Boulevard of Splendors, and the buildings there and elsewhere would not just be large but gargantuan. At one end of the boulevard would be a triumphal arch so large that six of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe could fit beneath it. At the opposite end would be the domed Grand Hall, containing the largest enclosed space in the world, capable of holding a staggering 180,000 people. So vast was the dome that there were concerns it might generate its own internal weather system, where clouds would form from the breath of the vast crowds below. Some predicted that rain might even fall. While Hitler may not have been an architect, there were people around who could implement his vision and put the plans to fruition. The most famous was Albert Speer, a real architect who became Hitler’s friend and confidante and rose to power within the Nazi hierarchy. Speer played several roles during the war, only one of which was the project that would enlarge Berlin.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Aleister Crowley: The Life and Legacy of the Notorious Cult Leader and Novelist

"What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!" - William Shakespeare. Hamlet Any work about the mercurial Aleister Crowley is better off being labeled a "story" than a "biography" thanks to the impossibility of being sure that anything one reads about him is true. The basic recorded facts, including birth date, educational records, and published works, are reliable indicators that can be likened to stars guiding a lost desert traveler if the sky is clear. For the rest, one is wandering in the wilderness. He has been labeled a Satanist, a sociopath, a drug addict, a murderer, and, not to put too fine a point on it; "the wickedest man on earth" by several prominent newspapers. He has also been hailed as the prophet of the New Age charged with bringing about the spiritual awakening of humanity, a brilliant writer, an intrepid mountaineer, a heroic MI6/MI5 agent, and a gifted magician. He even launched his own religion, called Thelema, which persists to this day. As such, a story about Aleister Crowley must include a timeline of important events in his life, at least as accurately as possible, while examining the several characteristics and aspects of his life and work that make him so influential. Once reviled and discarded by all but his most fervent followers, Crowley's writings reemerged as the subject of serious scholarship in the 1990s. Aleister Crowley: The Life and Legacy of the Notorious Cult Leader and Novelist profiles one of the 20th century's most colorful and controversial figures. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Crowley like never before.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Alexandria: The History and Legacy of Egypt's Most Famous City

Africa may have given rise to the first humans, and Egypt probably gave rise to the first great civilizations, which continue to fascinate modern societies across the globe nearly 5,000 years later. From the Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ancient Egyptians produced several wonders of the world, revolutionized architecture and construction, created some of the world’s first systems of mathematics and medicine, and established language and art that spread across the known world. With world-famous leaders like King Tut and Cleopatra, it’s no wonder that today’s world has so many Egyptologists. The 5th century BCE Greek historian Herodotus wrote that Egypt was “the gift of the Nile” because the river made its soil so fertile and thus helped create one of the first great civilizations. Indeed, the land of Egypt so impressed the Greeks that when Alexander the Great conquered the Nile Valley in the 4th century BCE, he decided that he would build a new city on its soil and name it Alexandria. After Alexander, the city of Alexandria grew and became the most important city in the world for centuries as it watched and played a role in the rise and fall of numerous dynasties. The city also became home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Lighthouse of Alexandria – and a center of culture and learning, which was exemplified by the Library of Alexandria. Truly, Alexandria was as unique as it was great; it was a Greek city built on Egyptian soil that was later ruled by the Romans and then became an important center of early Christian culture. Today, Alexandria is a teeming metropolis that, although much larger than it was in ancient times, is a shadow of its former self culturally speaking. So what made Alexandria stand apart from other ancient cities such as Rome and Babylon and how did it become the gift of the Mediterranean? The answer is complicated, but an examination of Alexandria’s history reveals that from the time the city was founded until the Arab conquest, the different dynasties who ruled there took the time and effort to foster and patronize arts, culture, and learning that made Alexandria famous. Alexandria was also an important center of trade in the ancient Mediterranean world as tons of grain, gold, and papyri sailed down the Nile River on barges to the harbors in Alexandria and then to the rest of the world, while exotic spices, silks, and other commodities were imported into Egypt via the same harbors in the ancient city. Some of the features of Alexandria changed throughout the centuries, but its most vital components remained consistent. Alexandria meant different things to different people, but for over 500 years all people saw the city as a center of culture. Ancient Alexandria: The History and Legacy of Egypt’s Most Famous City examines the history of one of the ancient world’s most important cities.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ancient Egypt's Most Famous Royal Family: The Lives and Deaths of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankha

Africa may have given rise to the first human beings, and Egypt probably gave rise to the first great civilizations, which continue to fascinate modern societies across the globe nearly 5,000 years later. From the Library and Lighthouse of Alexandria to the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ancient Egyptians produced several wonders of the world, revolutionized architecture and construction, created some of the world's first systems of mathematics and medicine, and established language and art that spread across the known world. With world-famous leaders like King Tut and Cleopatra, it's no wonder that today's world has so many Egyptologists. Although the Egyptians may not have passed their civilization directly on to later peoples, the key elements that comprised Egyptian civilization, including their religion, early ideas of state, and art and architecture, can be seen in other pre-modern civilizations. Indeed, since Egyptian civilization represented some fundamental human concepts, a study of their culture can be useful when trying to understand many other pre-modern cultures. Part of the reason Egyptian history is so intriguing is because it is so enigmatic - even today, despite the wealth of written materials and countless monuments, Egyptologists constantly uncover more mysteries about ancient Egypt, even if many of those mysteries are somewhat mundane and appeal more to academics. For example, historians still debate precise chronologies of dynasties, theological nuances, and architectural details. One such mystery that shows no signs of going away is the history of the archeological site known as Amarna, which is actually the name of the modern village that is closest to the ancient Egyptian city of Akhet-Aten. Akhet-Aten was built during the reign of one of Egypt's most enigmatic pharaohs, Akhenaten (ruled ca. 1364-1347 BCE), and modern archaeological studies have shown it was hastily built and almost as quickly abandoned. Although the city had a brief lifespan, it was vitally important at the time, so much so that the late Eighteenth Dynasty has been named the Amarna Period by modern scholars. The importance is reflected in the changes that Akhenaten attempted to make to Egyptian religion, art, architecture, and society, all of which can be found among the ruins of Amarna, from texts that described the Aten as the one true god to the depictions of the royal family that were like nothing seen before or after in ancient Egyptian art. An examination of Akhenaten's rule and the life of the city of Akhet-Aten has helped modern scholars unravel some of the mysteries of the Amarna Period, but many still remain. Akhenaten's most famous successor was Tutankhamun: he who is the living image of the god Amun, the image of rebirth, one of perfect laws, who pacifies the two lands, one who has raised the crowns, the pacifier of the gods, the god Ra is the possessor of forms; Tutankamun, Tut-mesut, Neferhepu-segerehtaui, Wetjes-khau-sehetep-netjeru, Nebkheprure. These are the names and titles of a king who died at a young age, but the mere mention of his name brings to mind visions of gold and splendor, and thoughts of a majestic kingdom. The reality of this once king is something quite different, as his fame has less to do with his position in history and nearly everything to do with the discovery of his tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. Ancient Egypt's Most Famous Royal Family: The Lives and Deaths of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamun chronicles what's known and unknown about the famous pharaohs and the famous queen. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamun like never before.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Egyptian Language and Writing: The History and Legacy of Hieroglyphs and Scripts in Ancient

Perhaps not surprisingly given how advanced they were in comparison to contemporaries, the Egyptians invented one of the first writing systems ever, and for centuries, people thought these ancient texts held some sort of secret, be it aliens, advanced technology lost to the world, or mystical cures for all of the world's ills. Even the ancient Egyptians saw their writing systems as full of mystery and hidden knowledge - according to Egyptian mythology, writing was invented by the ibis-headed god Thoth, the most intellectual of the gods. He was a scribe, also associated with mathematics, medicine, and astronomy, and could appear as either an ibis or a baboon. Thoth was originally a lunar god, strongly associated with recording events and time. He is more commonly known as the scribe who records judgment in the famous weighing of the heart scene in which a person's fate in the afterlife is decided To the Egyptians, writing was a gift of the gods and should be used accordingly. It was powerful and had the ability to create. For example, written formula offerings could provide sustenance in multiple ways, including being written, depicting the offerings, and read aloud. Each of these methods brought offerings to the recipient for all of eternity. Speaking words was especially powerful as shown in myths where the gods create in this fashion. One such myth is the "Memphite Theology," where the creator god Ptah creates other beings through the "thoughts of his heart and the words of his mouth." Furthermore, writing a person or a god's name gave them power, and erasing their names took the power away. By placing his name on it, a person or king could usurp a statue from someone else. Since writing was hieroglyphic, it was also art, and the images held power. This is evidenced by signs or images being disfigured in tombs or funerary settings, so as not to hurt the owners.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Ephesus: The History and Legacy of One of Antiquity's Greatest Cities

Although it is no longer quite as well remembered as it was thousands of years ago, one of the most important cities in the ancient world was Ephesus, a city that dates back nearly 3,000 years and can lay claim to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Moreover, while Sparta and Athens were often the centers of power in ancient Greece, Ephesus, located in present-day Turkey on the coast of Ionia, was an instrumental part of the Ionian League, which wielded power for a substantial period of time before the Classical Era. Thanks to its strategic location, Ephesus was an important city no matter who was in control of the region. In fact, while many of its most famous buildings were completed by 500 BCE, the city flourished after it became part of Rome’s domains, and the Romans respected the culture so much that they continued letting Ephesus use original coins. In turn, as the Western Roman Empire dissolved and the Eastern Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire maintained control in the area, Ephesus became an important religious center. In addition to a shrine inspired by the Virgin Mary, Ephesus was mentioned repeatedly in the Bible, including in the New Testament’s Revelations, and St. Paul even wrote some of the epistles in Ephesus. Ironically, and unfortunately, it was Ephesus’ role as an important place for early Christians that ensured the final destruction of its most famous feature: the Temple of Artemis. One of the oldest of the Wonders, construction began under King Croesus around 541 BCE, and it was constructed of marble in place of a previous structure that had been destroyed by a flood. The 3rd century Hellenic African scholar Callimachus of Cyrene believed the older structure had been built by the Amazons, but the original Temple of Artemis actually dated back to the late Greek Bronze Age around 1000 BCE. It may have been the first columned temple of its kind, but the site was not considered a Wonder of the World until after Croesus' version was built. A lot of information about the history of the Temple of Artemis remains unknown. It was built three times in all before its final destruction by the Goths in 262 CE, but the site's history thereafter is unclear before its rediscovery in 1869. It may have been repaired after the 3rd century CE, but this did not prevent it from being pillaged for building materials to construct Christian buildings in Constantinople a couple of centuries later. Early Christians resented the temple because of its cult and following, and stories in the New Testament survive of early saints praying to exorcise it, causing physical destruction, or being forbidden from entering the city due to citizens' fears of damage to the temple. These tales may reflect real-life instances of attempted arson or vandalism. Ancient Ephesus: The History and Legacy of One of Antiquity’s Greatest Cities looks at the influential city and the way it flourished for centuries.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Gaza: The History and Legacy of the Crucial Territory during Antiquity

The Gaza Strip is one of the most controversial hotbeds of conflict in the 21st century, but wars are nothing new to this area of the world. Like other places across the Middle East, it has exchanged hands for three millennia and seen empires rise and fall. In the same vein, the current borders of the area known as Gaza have ebbed and flowed, to the extent that the Gaza Strip didn't have its present borders until the 20th century. Before then, Gaza City and the land around it were linked strongly to the rest of Canaan, the Sinai Peninsula, and Egypt. Although borders changed, there has historically been a significant difference between the Mediterranean coast of Canaan and its hilly interior. Gaza has played a role as an integral part of the coastal system and was usually under the control of the political and cultural entity dominant there and in the nearby plains. This remains important in the modern world, because for many complex political, religious, and social reasons, the ancient history of the region plays a role in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Today, the Arabs living in Gaza City and the Gaza Strip (and many other parts of the Middle East and the world) are named Palestinians, but while they are indirectly named after the Philistines, they are not their descendants in any direct manner. The Philistines disappeared from the region around the 6th century BCE, but after putting down a Jewish rebellion in Judea, the Romans renamed the province Palaestina. The name was meant to snub the Jews and attempt to wipe their memory away after a particularly devastating revolt against the Roman Empire. At the same time, while no one living in Palestine or Israel today is directly descended from the Philistines, there are extremely close genetic ties between the Jews and Arabs in the area, a reminder of just how far back history stretches around Gaza.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Greek Cavalry: The History and Legacy of Classical Greece’s Forgotten Soldiers

Modern perceptions of ancient Greece are almost always based on Athens and Sparta, which is why other city-states and other military units besides the hoplites have been overlooked for thousands of years. For this reason, Greek cavalry forces, including their composition, purpose, techniques, equipment, and developments, are still not very well understood when compared with their naval or infantry counterparts. In fact, one of the most important epochs in the history of Greek warfare was the transition from the use of chariot warfare to mounted fighting and infantry-based action. The heroes of Homer’s epics, the Iliad and Odyssey, used chariots both on and off the battlefield as a means of transportation, but by the time Greece emerged from the Dark Ages, the chariot had almost entirely disappeared from Greek life. The main exception to this rule was in the world of athletics, where chariots continued to be used in competitive horse racing events, but the amount of public and private funds and the sheer effort which went into maintaining these expensive, highly-trained knights demonstrated how important the ancient Greeks themselves felt it was to have an effective cavalry. Indeed, even though they don’t often find themselves in the historical spotlight, Greek cavalry actually played a crucial role in many famous battles, from the fall of Troy to the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Jericho: The History and Legacy of One of the World’s Oldest Cities

People associate the story of ancient Jericho with walls, and for those who are Biblically inclined, they think of the walls that God brought tumbling down to the sound of trumpets. For historians who are more archaeologically oriented, it may suggest the prehistoric walls uncovered by Ernst Sellin and Carl Watzinger between 1907 and 1911. To modern societies, walls suggest the division between people and defenses erected out of hatred and mistrust. However, while the story of Jericho does indeed involve walls, they represented something far different than that. More than anything else, ancient Jericho was a point of convergence between cultures, kingdoms, religions, and societies. The reality of that ancient city, possibly the oldest city in human history, was nothing like the story presented in the Bible. Jericho: The History and Legacy of One of the World’s Oldest Cities examines the knowns and unknowns about the ancient city, along with its long history over nearly 12,000 years.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Ancient Smyrna: The History and Legacy of the Influential Greek City in Anatolia

Smyrna was one of the various cities that enjoyed brief yet important periods of influence in which they spawned important dynasties, were the scenes of history-changing battles, and were the sites of great advances in philosophy, science, and economics. However, despite the fact it endured in influence for more than 2,000 years, Smyrna never truly gained the reputation of better-known locales in the ancient world. Located on the west coast of what is today the nation-state of Turkey, at its height, Smyrna was a relatively stable and influential Greek city that embraced cultural influences from its Anatolian neighbors. Today, ancient Smyrna is known for being the location of one of the “Seven Churches” of the New Testament’s Book of Revelation, and archaeological and textual studies of the city and its surrounding area reveal that its history and influence go back centuries before the apostle Paul walked through its streets and converted the masses to the new religion of Christianity. Long before Smyrna was a part of the Ionian League, and even before it took on a Greek identity and the name “Smyrna,” the area in and around Smyrna was inhabited by people who were part of various Indo-European cultures and pre-Indo-European cultures of Bronze Age Anatolia. The early people of Anatolian Smyrna had contact with the fabled city of Troy and the Hittites of central Anatolia and were probably part of one of two powerful Indo-European kingdoms in the Late Bronze Age. When the Bronze Age collapse took place after 1200 BCE, the region around Smyrna was affected, but the people continued on and formed closer ties with the Greeks on the other side of the Aegean. Thus, Smyrna eventually became an important Greek city, even as it was ruled by the Lydians, Persians, and finally the Romans.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Anglo-Saxon England Before the Norman Conquest: The History and Legacy of the Anglo-Saxons during th

Shortly after Emperor Hadrian came to power in the early 2nd century CE, he decided to seal off Scotland from Roman Britain with an ambitious wall stretching from sea to sea. To accomplish this, the wall had to be built from the mouth of the River Tyne – where Newcastle stands today – 80 Roman miles (76 miles or 122 kilometers) west to Bowness-on-Solway. The sheer scale of Hadrian’s Wall still impresses people today, but as the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the late 5th century, Hadrian’s Wall was abandoned and Roman control of the area broke down. Little is known of this period of British history, but soon the Anglo-Saxons – who had been harassing the Saxon Shore as pirates – showed up and began to settle the land, creating a patchwork of little kingdoms and starting a new era of British history. Several early medieval historians, writing well after the events, said the Anglo-Saxons were invited to Britain to defend the region from the northern tribes and ended up taking over. The Venerable Bede (672 or 673-735) said in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (“Ecclesiastical History of the English People”) that in the year 449, “The British consulted what was to be done and where they should seek assistance to prevent or repel the cruel and frequent incursions of the northern nations. They all agreed with their king Vortigern to call over to their aid, from the parts beyond the sea, the Saxon nation. … The two first commanders are said to have been Hengist and Horsa.” However they came to control most of England, the Anglo-Saxons became the dominant power in the region for nearly 500 years, and the strength of their cultural influence could be felt even after William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings and became the first Norman ruler on the island.

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Colin Fluxman