Literature and History Podcast
1) Episode 115: The Life of Muhammad, Part 2: Community
Between 622 and 628, Muhammad and the first Muslims made a home from themselves in Medina, fended off assaults from the Quraysh and others, and changed the course of history forever. New Spotify Bonu...Show More
2) Episode 114: The Life of Muhammad, Part 1: Cobwebs
An orphan and caravan trade agent, Muhammad (570-632) lived a fairly ordinary life up until the age of 40. Then, everything changed. New Songs Page: https://literatureandhistory.com/songs/ Episode ...Show More
3) Episode 113: Antarah ibn Shaddad
Antarah ibn Shaddad, a killer, a lover, and an epic hero, was also one of early Arabic literature's most famous poets. Parker's Song: https://youtu.be/bTVWrxfb5wk Episode 113 Quiz https://literatur...Show More
4) Episode 112: Pre-Islamic Arabic Poetry
Prior to the dawn of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula had a great poetic tradition, with many genres, and many poets who are still celebrated and studied today. Episode 112 Quiz https://literatureandhist...Show More
5) Episode 111: Pre-Islamic Arabia
Leading up to the birth of the Prophet Muhammad in about 570 CE, the Arabian Peninsula was an increasingly populous and globally interconnected region. Episode 111 Quiz https://literatureandhistory.c...Show More
6) Episode 110: Questions
In Episode 110, Literature and History host Doug Metzger answers dozens of listener questions about making the show, books, and how and why the podcast came to be. Literature and History's Upcoming S...Show More
7) Episode 109: Cornerstones
Episode 109 brings our long season on Late Antiquity to a close, reviews the past 24 programs on the beginnings of the Middle Ages, and introduces our new season on early Islamic History. The Actual ...Show More
8) Episode 108: Isidore of Seville
One of the great scholars of Late Antiquity, Isidore (c. 560-636) left behind a compendium called the Etymologies, an encyclopedia of his epoch’s knowledge, a book second only to the Bible during the ...Show More
9) Episode 107: Venantius Fortunatus
The Merovingian court poet Venantius Fortunatus (c. 530-600), at work in Francia in the late 500s, shows us the world of the Middle Ages blooming from Roman ruins. Episode 107 Quiz: https://literatur...Show More
10) Episode 106: Gregory of Tours, Part 2
The second half of the History of the Franks (591) is a deep dive into the grime and intrigue of the Merovingian dynasty, written in a style that's as medieval as it is classical. Episode 106 Quiz: h...Show More