<![CDATA[Tomes of the West]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west Journey through the original books that built Western civilization – one ancient chapter at a time.

Beginning with Herodotus in 440 BC and marching forward through Thucydides, Xenophon, Polybius, Livy, Tacitus, Bede, Froissart, and more. Every episode we'll cover chapters distilled into gripping detail. No fluff. No modern commentary. Just the greatest stories, battles, speeches, and ideas as they were written 2,500 years ago – brought to life with cinematic sound and a voice that feels like it stepped straight out of antiquity.

Whether you’ve always meant to read the classics but never found the time, or you’re already a history lover who wants to hear the originals in a whole new way, this is the the ancient world you never got – until now.

Start from the very beginning with Herodotus Book 1, or jump in anywhere – the story never stops

Subscribe, follow and walk the same pages that shaped our world.

]]> RSS.com 2026.401.141116 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:21:32 GMT en 822b78dc-c01d-5fe7-844b-be204bf350a9 https://media.rss.com/tomes-of-the-west/20251204_081232_f4cf7fbd6ac2551bb43e693a4f7e8f6c.jpg Tomes of the West https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west yes Devin Moore Devin Moore Devin Moore false episodic 402686b0-cf2d-11f0-bb6b-cb6c6dc5118c podcast Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[Mycale]]> While the Persian army is defeated at Plataea, the Hellenic fleet shadows the Persian fleet across the Aegean in Ionia waiting for an opportunity to strike the death knell.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2575741 81ae7d28-fdb7-468a-b785-7bd4e08b428d 1997 full 1 1 20 20 false Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Plataea]]> After Xerxes' hasty retreat from Greece, Mardonios remains with his army to bring the defiant Greeks to heel.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2575718 0ebf36b2-8b40-4296-9d4d-44d6b01a872c 3898 full 1 1 19 19 false Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Salamis]]> After the victories at Artemision, the Greek fleet falls back to the island of Salamis giving the Athenians time to evacuate before the Persians reach the cradle of democracy.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2575679 eea7197a-b74a-4ed2-99b2-f0a7d6f9ba9a 4806 full 1 1 18 18 false Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Artemision]]> With the fall of Leonidas opening the pass of Thermopylae, the Athenians and the rest of the Greek fleet remain as the last bulwark against the rising tide of the Persian invasion.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2575664 3e73c821-dd95-40d7-bff6-b98c54eb1997 1956 full 1 1 17 17 false Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Thermopylae]]> At a narrow pass, 300 Spartans and their allies will stand against the inexorable horde of the King of Asia.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2494209 0c215e3d-91da-4c67-bc7d-e8e436710291 2808 full 1 1 16 16 false Thu, 19 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[The Gathering Storm]]> The Greeks send envoys to every corner of the Greek world to call for aid as Xerxes marches his forces slowly towards Hellas.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2494188 1fdd75fc-32bb-40af-8cae-2d1398ff8eb0 2921 full 1 1 15 15 false Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[The March to Greece]]> Xerxes ascends the throne and after putting down a rebellion in Egypt, assembles the greatest army the world as ever seen and marches to finally subdue the meddlesome Greeks.

MUSIC CREDIT:

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2488592 b95b7a06-5ee7-4c47-b336-3011479a955d 2657 full 1 1 14 14 false Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Marathon]]> As the Persians try and consolidate their power after the revolt, King Darius decides it's finally time to enact his revenge on the Athenians for meddling in their affairs.

MUSIC CREDTI:

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2458435 5475ce88-22a8-4ee4-8497-ec8041455f65 3186 full 1 1 13 13 false Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Stifled Blaze of Rebellion]]> The Ionian revolt continues to blaze. As Histiaios' plan comes to fruition and he is released to deal with the rebels, Artaphrenes easily figures him out, forcing him to try carve out his own Kingdom amidst the chaos.

MUSIC CREDIT:

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2458413 ba00f270-46e6-455a-96fa-04e694979eff 1661 full 1 1 12 12 false Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Ionian Revolt]]> Aristagoras, to save himself, ignites a revolt that engulfs the west of Asia, where free Greeks aid their kin, lighting the fires of vengeance in the halls of Susa.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2415112 d279b5bc-be3d-4ade-ae2f-55e81a2da95d 3010 full 1 1 11 11 false Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Ambitions of Aristagoras]]> Reeling from the Scythian campaign, Darius sets his sights on conquering the rest of Europe as a Tyrant's deputy tries his hand and forming his own empire.

Music and Sound Credit:

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2400610 eff29c99-c81f-4dcb-b30b-bb68d6155476 1679 full 1 1 10 10 false Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Conquest of Scythia]]> King Darius marches a vast army north to conquer the mighty Scythians in revenge for their invasion of Asia a century before.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2397383 57f8e092-5d97-4c86-92b2-49c87e4ad6c8 2738 full 1 1 9 9 false Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[Scythia]]> Herodotus describes the strange land of Scythia, the great steppe with its nomadic horselords and fierce warriors before King Darius' invasion.

Music and Sound Credit:

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2387381 26a13439-0bd0-4273-9cb0-3d471ef972c6 4005 full 1 1 8 8 false Thu, 25 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Rise of Darius]]> The Magians have usurped the Persian throne but seven nobles will conspire to win it back and crown a King among their own.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2383159 6b3cd6c6-23f7-4c8a-8ef0-4a299d7b20ce 3307 full 1 1 7 7 false Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Conquest of Egypt]]> Cambyses, son of Cyrus, King of Persia, turns his attention to the west, crossing the great desert and invading Egypt.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2378378 ee5e44f1-7942-4092-b946-a6f7a22586a4 3147 full 1 1 6 6 false Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT Egypt, Egypt United States, USA <![CDATA[The Kings of Egypt]]> The priests of Egypt recount their Pharaohs from Min to Amasis, the fated king tasked with withstanding the coming Persian invasion.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2376974 9dc45b65-50a7-430a-bb0b-f7121db45e04 3579 full 1 1 5 5 false Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT Egypt, Egypt United States, USA <![CDATA[Egypt]]> Herodotus steps foot in the ancient land of the Nile and describes the people and culture as it was in his time.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2376955 9e151493-6c46-4301-87fa-c02a123e805b 3225 full 1 1 4 4 false Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:00:11 GMT Egypt, Egypt United States, USA <![CDATA[Cyrus the Great]]> From the fall of Croesus to the blood-soaked plains east of the Caspian: Cyrus mocks the Ionian Greeks, turns proud Lydians into harp-strumming shopkeepers, and storms the walls of Babylon.

Music and Sound Credit:

Lord of the Land by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400022

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Sound Effect by freesound_community">https://pixabay.com/users/freesound_community-46691455/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=14467">freesound_community from Pixabay">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=14467">Pixabay

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2373886 334b3526-56fd-4d9f-a330-1022cdf8c41d 2644 full 1 1 3 3 false Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:00:24 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[The Rise of Persia]]> From scattered shepherds in the high Zagros to the ashes of Nineveh: the cunning rise of the Medes, the seven-ringed fortress of Ecbatana, and the birth of an empire.

Fulfilling a prophecy and refusing to die, and a man fulfills his destiny and claims his throne.

Music and Sound Credit:

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Sound Effect by freesound_community">https://pixabay.com/users/freesound_community-46691455/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=14467">freesound_community from Pixabay">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=14467">Pixabay

Sound Effect by Marco">https://pixabay.com/users/time-traveling-city-14158975/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=390796">Marco Zenki from Pixabay">https://pixabay.com/sound-effects//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=390796">Pixabay

Sound Effect by freesound_community">https://pixabay.com/users/freesound_community-46691455/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=36354">freesound_community from Pixabay">https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=36354">Pixabay

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2368317 2932c496-c7c7-4459-aea7-f9126fb89ecc 2181 full 1 1 2 2 false Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:42:49 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[Croesus]]> The richest man who the Greeks ever knew meets the oracle that destroys him.

Herodotus begins his Histories with Croesus of Lydia: golden rivers, a doomed prophecy, and the first great clash between East and West.

The chapter that starts it all.

Episode 1 MUSIC

Folk Round by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100357

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2364076 e181b3e0-cbdd-4da2-9542-2b1326c8e62a 1032 full 1 1 1 1 false Tue, 02 Dec 2025 07:57:55 GMT Greece, Greece United States, USA <![CDATA[Herodotus' The Histories]]> The very first history book ever written – read distilled as Herodotus wrote it 2,500 years ago.

In 440 BC, a curious traveler from Halicarnassus set out to preserve “the great and marvelous deeds of both the Greeks and barbarians” before they vanished from memory. What he produced is The Histories: nine books that sweep from the palaces of Lydia and the pyramids of Egypt to the nomad horsemen of Scythia and the epic war between the Greeks and the Persians.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2363956 1dd7db9d-2c66-40e3-b5df-5ef2523213ae 146 trailer 1 1 false Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:53:55 GMT Europe United States, USA <![CDATA[Welcome to Tomes of the West]]> Welcome to Tomes of the West – an epic journey through 2,500 years of Western history, beginning with the father of history himself, Herodotus. From the dawn of recorded inquiry to the present day, we’ll journey the epic long road of ideas, battles, discoveries, and revolutions that shaped our civilization. Join us as we open the great books, dust off the ancient voices, and follow the story of the West, one tome at a time.

]]> https://rss.com/podcasts/tomes-of-the-west/2363281 7d62533e-b8fe-4031-b5a6-b9554a7820fb 66 trailer 1 1 false Tue, 02 Dec 2025 02:25:45 GMT Europe United States, USA