History of Persia Podcast By Trevor Culley and HoPful Media cover art

History of Persia

History of Persia

By: Trevor Culley and HoPful Media
Listen for free

About this listen

A podcast dedicated to the history of Persia, and the great empires that ruled there beginning with the Achaemenid Empire of Cyrus the Great and the foundation of an imperial legacy that directly impacted ancient civilizations from Rome to China, and everywhere in between. Join me as we explore the cultures, militaries, religions, successes, and failures of some of the greatest empires of the ancient world.

HoPful Media Social Sciences Spirituality World
Episodes
  • 149: Theogonies

    149: Theogonies
    Jun 1 2025

    The Ancient Greeks had many ideas about the origins of the universe and humanity over the centuries. The best known is probably Hesiod's Theogony, but the Orphics developed many of their own versions of the story. Today, we explore some of those competing ideas about the dawn of Time.


    Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show!

    Support | BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram



    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations

    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    Show more Show less
    43 mins
  • 148: Orphic Mysteries

    148: Orphic Mysteries
    May 9 2025

    Continuing the story of Orphic religion, we take a break from mythology to talk about theology in one of ancient Greece's more unique mystery cults.


    Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show!

    Support | BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram



    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations

    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    Show more Show less
    32 mins
  • 147: Orpheus

    147: Orpheus
    Apr 15 2025

    We're taking a break from the historical narrative to focus on a mythological one: the life and times of Orpheus the Bard, from his many origin stories to the travels of the Argonauts to his eventual journey to the underworld.


    Visit https://HoPfulMedia.com.co to support this show!

    Support | BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram



    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donations

    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    Show more Show less
    38 mins
All stars
Most relevant  
I am enthralled as I have studying Persia and have learnt so much more....am thoroughly enjoying this study

a thorough recounting

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I'm so glad I found this podcast. If you have interest in the Persian empire you have come to the right place. I really appreciate how the host presents the history, sources for this time period are, shall we say, not terribly reliable. It takes a deft historian to weave the material into a plausible narrative, but Trevor Culley does just that. He is also not afraid to give his take, always thoughtful and insightful, and does not hesitate to admit when there simply are not enough facts to make a solid judgement.

I highly recommend, and many thanks to the host for the outstanding work he is doing.

Outstanding Deep Dive into Persian History

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
For anyone looking to fill in gaps in their knowledge of ancient history, Trevor Culley's History of Persia podcast is an excellent show. His research is extensive and his genuine fascination with the subject of Ancient Persia shines through each episode. Its a must-listen for anyone interested in the history of the Middle East, Greece, Byzantium, or even Biblical history.

The Opposing Side in Everyone Else's History

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
There are not much of historical books written about the Persian Empire, its history, and its legacy. The host has done great research through the history of other areas such as Greek and Roman and provides so much background and historical events, details, times, geography, and how the Persian Empire started and their contribution and significance to the society.

History of Persia

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I started out listening to this podcast with a mild curiosity about Achaemenid Persia, but Trevor Culley's enthusiasm for the topic has got me hooked on Iranian history. Culley does an excellent job covering not only the succession of the Persian king of kings, but also the religion, culture, and society of ancient Persia. This is especially commendable given that most of our sources for ancient Persia come from non-Persian sources. There are episodes covering Achaemenid foods, their views on gender, and the history of Zoroastrianism (plus even more on Patreon!). As a listener, these things give a greater understanding of what life was like in a distant time and helps give a better picture of not just what kings fought which wars, but why things happened as they did and how these ancient people may have considered the world around them. Overall, it's a high quality introduction to an incredibly vast and interesting topic.

Culley also maintains a pretty solid production value given his one-man operation. There's a marked improvement in audio quality as the show progresses (though many old episodes have been touched up), and the editing is good enough that you don't really notice it, (as it should be). Overall, it's got a bit of that indie rock vibe: the minor flaws add to the show's charm and general sense of earnestness. Trevor is also a great host for the show. He's funny without sacrificing accuracy and he treats sensitive topics with care without letting the mood drop too low. There are a lot of great history podcasts out there, but honestly that's the reason this show became my go-to for binge listening.

In short, it's a great podcast, and you're doing yourself a diservice by continuing to read this when you could be listening already.

Surprisingly thorough

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.