8. The Sumerians - Fall of the First Cities

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In the dusts of Iraq, the ruins of the world's first civilization lie buried.

This episode, we travel into the extremely distant past to look at the Sumerians. These ancient people invented writing and mathematics, and built some of the largest cities that the world had ever seen. Find out about the mystery of their origins, and learn how they rose from humble beginnings to form the foundation of all our modern societies. With myths, proverbs and even some recreated Sumerian music, travel back to where it all began, and find out how humanity's first civilization fell.

Credits:

Sound engineering by Thomas Ntinas

Voice Actors:

Jake Barrett-Mills
Rhy Brignell
Shem Jacobs
Nick Bradley
Emily Johnson

Sumerian Music kindly provided by Gayle and
Philip Neuman, of Ensemble De Organographia. Their CD, "Music of the Ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks," is available from

[JohnBartmannMusic]

Hey thanks for crediting my music properly! couple ppl showing me love thanks to you

[lgorenc]

I think I watched and listened to this particular one over 50 times. Masterpiece.

[deathdoor]

Like some already said, this is the "definitive" Sumerian podcast, the one to recommend if you can choose only one.

[Viperzka]

What is the most amazing about this is remembering that they lived at the bottom of history. They didn't have eons of civilizations to tell them how they should live, they didn't have ancient ancestors so old they were forgotten. They were the first (or nearly the first).
How extra terrifying it must have been to watch civilization fall. Did they wonder if humans would ever rise up again? Did they wonder if this was the end of cities and farming? One could easily see how they may have been scared that this great experiment of civilization was about to fail forever.

[sergeyignatev]

Even though english is not my native language i still can understand about 95% of your podcasts. These podcasts are not only interesting, but also easy to listen and understand.

[davekaiser]

As someone who his homework on the Sumerians and so many podcasts that we go through this is by far the best well put together very informative you do not miss anything please keep up the great work thank you

[AbbeyRoadkill]

I'm a connoiseur of history podcasts and yours is one of my favorite. You're very thorough and, while other podcasts do a great job of helping me understand what happened in the past, yours does a great job of taking me inside the past as if I'd been there. Great work. Thanks

[griffingrinnell]

This episode rocked my world. absolutely fascinating. I never knew I could stare at one image for so long in rapt attention while listening.

[chronicn]

This is superb. I have been a youtube guy since the early 2000's. As time has gone on, and youtube has evolved, I have seen many things. One thing I have come across is my own declaration of youtube "golden gems". This is one of them. You cannot find this anywhere else and I truly believe that without youtube this quality content could not exist. Than you, once again my friend. This benefits all of mankind.

[wendigo]

I didn't notice a goat in this video. So, here is a goat.

I am in love with this Channel! I wish i had those when i was a kid and studying world history.

[ML-rzhb]

Absolutely the best history of the Sumerians I have heard - and it's because the narrative is so well done and characters are developed and it is all so well paced. Everything from presentation to the occasional aside shows a loving care and great storytelling. Thanks again!

[pmApostic]

This is my favorite video on YouTube. I Love listening to these vivid descriptions of the ancient world. Thank you so much

[sckaatran]

Thank you, this was profound. The amount of work and research that was put into this is impressive. The way you bring these peoples voices, music and culture back to life is mesmerising, at the end I felt like I could empathize with their dismay over the loss of their way of life. This is one of the best history podcasts I have heard and I am joining the patreon today.

[kaarlimakela]

I was struck by the analogy of cities having an attraction akin to gravity or accretion that created heavenly bodies.
The juxtaposition with the diminishing wooly mammoth was amazing and news to me!

[MrSimeonk]

Glad you mention the much older Indus Valley civilization and the trade between these 2 ancient fore bears of our modern cities.

[danamatula]

I know I'm repeating what others have said already, but this podcast - without pictures and graphics - has brought this distant, seminal age to life like no other. History is usually seen through the eyes of the victors; here we see it through the eyes of those who witnessed the slow collapse of their civilization. An informative and deeply touching account.

[jameswagstaff]

Brilliant - two and a half hours well spent. You are the Ken Burns of podcasts.

[FenixDown]

Love this Theory starting @ 22:43, Re-listening again the next day. Would make such an epic saga of human history, the slow migration away from constantly rising oceans over hundreds of years. How strange it would have been to see the waves consuming towns and forests year after year. Imagine how much history of coastal civilizations has been consumed by the oceans. Freakin Epic

[JR-tstf]

I listen to these at night but I never make it through one because...😴 So relaxing and educational.