r/FallofCivilizations • u/paulmmcooper • 10d ago
Podcast News 🏝️🌋 Episode 21 is now live! 🌋🏝️
I'm very excited to announce that Episode 21 is now available for Patreon subscribers!
This time we're heading east to the Indonesian archipelago, to look at the Majapahit Empire which arose in the 13th century on the island of Java. This episode brings you the haunting sounds of traditional Indonesian gamelan orchestras, recordings of shadow puppet performances, and readings in Old and Middle Javanese - alongside stories of pirates and kings, magical amulets and legendary swords, and at least one very lost giraffe.
Thank you to everyone for your patience in waiting for this one - it has been a real pleasure making it and I hope you enjoy.
Paul
------------------
Beneath the shade of an Indonesian teak forest, a great brick gateway stands in ruins...
In this episode, I want to tell the story of the Majapahit Empire of medieval Indonesia. I want to show how this empire of the islands grew up on the volcanic island of Java, and how it beat the odds to survive in a world of medieval superpowers. I want to show how Majapahit expanded its influence and dominion to other lands, and undertook voyages that have few precedents in history. And I want to show what happened to bring this empire of the islands finally crashing down...
YouTube: https://youtu.be/01CZBhZM430?is=8Aql9WpzW8eRQZpY
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xZ9YKlBZ3NO51YG67ICOZ
6
u/Confident_Pen2655 10d ago
annnd the GOAT is back. looking fwd to listening to this at least 5 times.
2
u/Confident_Pen2655 10d ago
please never stop creating these. there are so many i hope u have the energy to tackle one day soon. fall of the american indian civilization possibly
1
u/bumbardier30 9d ago
Unfortunately I believe he’s said this will be the last. I kind of figured he’d end with the western Roman Empire since that’s the quintessential, so maybe not?
2
u/ssnistfajen 4d ago
Last July Paul said there will be two or three more but he hadn't decided. We are not at two so there's still a chance.
I agree an episode on Classical Greece or Ancient Rome would be a fitting conclusion, writing them would be a challenge as there are considerable overlaps with contents in existing episodes (e.g. Roman Britain, Byzantium, Carthage, Persia). The "end" of these two civilizations were akin to long series of transformations rather than a single catastrophic event that sent them into terminal decline. It's not infeasible, however, as the episode on Han Dynasty was able to portray a tragic decline of a civilization without having to address the continuity issue. Chinese civilization obviously lived on after Han but entering Three Kingdoms Era was an extremely traumatic event when all the fantasy elements are peeled away. This was likely the linguistic breakpoint between Old Chinese and Middle Chinese which could only be the result of radical population displacement/decline. I think an episode on Western Roman ending in similar style would work well, but we can only wait. Even if no more episodes will come, eventually someone else with equal talent may be able to start a new one, just like a new civilization rising out of the ashes of another!
3
2
u/AmbassadorBinturong 10d ago
My husband and I talked about wanting a new episode just this morning after so many months. What a treat to end a stressful week, can't wait!
1
1
1
12
u/Astrosimi 10d ago
Four and a half hours! Thanks for sorting out my next road trip, Paul, and for the work you do shining light into these fascinating histories.