The History of Syria: One of the Oldest Civilizations on Earth — Fexingo History

The Hittite Treaty of Kadesh: Syria's First Peace Accord

This episode of The History of Syria explores the Treaty of Kadesh, the world's earliest known peace treaty, signed around 1259 BCE between Pharaoh Ramesses II of Egypt and King Hattušili III of the Hittite Empire. We examine the brutal Battle of Kadesh that preceded it, the intricate diplomatic negotiations involving silver tablets and marriage alliances, and the treaty's surprising longevity. Discover how this Bronze Age agreement was rediscovered on the walls of the Ramesseum and a Hittite clay tablet in Bogazkoy, and what it reveals about Syrian statecraft. We also compare it to modern peace processes and discuss its archaeological legacy, including a copy displayed at the United Nations. The episode touches on Hittite involvement in Syria, the role of the city of Kadesh (Tell Nebi Mend), and the treaty's provisions for extradition, mutual defense, and refugee returns. #Hittites #RamessesII #HattusiliIII #Kadesh #Syria #BronzeAge #PeaceTreaty #Egyptology #Hittitology #AncientDiplomacy #TellNebiMend #BattleOfKadesh #AmarnaLetters #UnitedNations #History #FexingoHistory #BronzeAgeCollapse #AncientMediterranean Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The White Palace: How Aleppo's Citadel Withstood Mongols and Earthquakes

Rising above Aleppo's ancient souk, the Citadel of Aleppo is one of the oldest and largest fortresses in the world. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore its staggering 4,500-year history — from Hittite temples and Seleucid barracks to Ayyubid palaces and Mamluk renovations. They focus on the Citadel's most dramatic moment: the 1260 Mongol siege, when the forces of Hulagu Khan breached the outer walls using Chinese siege engineers and trebuchets. They also discuss the devastating 1822 earthquake that collapsed much of the structure, and the 20th-century restorations that uncovered a Hittite temple to the storm god Teshub. Along the way, they touch on the Citadel's ingenious water system, its underground passages, and the propaganda inscriptions carved by the 12th-century ruler al-Zahir al-Ghazi. A story of power, survival, and the layers of history embedded in stone. #Aleppo #CitadelOfAleppo #SyriaHistory #MongolSiege #Hulagu #Ayyubid #AlZahirAlGhazi #Hittite #Teshub #SiegeWarfare #MedievalFortress #Mamluk #Earthquake1822 #SilkRoad #FexingoHistory #History #MiddleEastHistory #Archaeology Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Saladin and the Fall of Jerusalem 1187

In 1187, Saladin's Ayyubid army crushed the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem at the Battle of Hattin, leading to the city's surrender three months later. This episode follows the campaign from the clash at the Horns of Hattin—where Guy of Lusignan's parched troops were cut off from water—to the negotiated handover of Jerusalem itself. We examine Saladin's strategy, the role of Balian of Ibelin, and the aftermath: the city's return to Muslim rule after 88 years of Crusader occupation, remembered in both Islamic and Christian chronicles. The episode draws on Arabic sources like Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani and Western accounts such as the Old French Continuation of William of Tyre. #Saladin #BattleOfHattin #Jerusalem1187 #Ayyubids #Crusaders #GuyOfLusignan #BalianOfIbelin #HornsOfHattin #SiegeOfJerusalem #TrueCross #RaynaldOfChatillon #ImadAdDin #Tiberias #LactatingSisters #CrusaderKingdom #MedievalHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Silk Road's Syrian Spice: How Palmyra's Caravans Built an Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Palmyra's rise as a Silk Road powerhouse long before Zenobia's reign. They trace how the oasis city leveraged its central location between Rome and Parthia to tax and protect caravans carrying silk, spices, and incense from the East. Lucas explains the ingenious Palmyrene caravan system—inscribed tariffs, armed escorts, and a network of merchant families like the Bene Komare who dominated trade routes from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. They discuss the bilingual Palmyrene Aramaic and Greek inscriptions that reveal how the city's merchant class funded grand temples and towers. Luna wonders whether Palmyra's wealth made it a target, and Lucas reflects on how its commercial savvy ultimately led to its downfall when Rome demanded too much. A subtle donation moment ties today's fading trade of listener support to the ancient caravans that kept knowledge flowing. #Palmyra #SilkRoad #AncientTrade #Caravan #BeneKomare #PalmyreneAramaic #RomanParthianTrade #IncenseRoute #SpiceTrade #OasisCity #SyrianDesert #TempleOfBel #Zenobia #SeptimiusOdaenathus #CaravanTariffs #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Assassins of Masyaf: Syria's Ismaili Fortress

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the legendary Assassins of Syria—the Nizari Ismaili state centered at the fortress of Masyaf. They discuss the origins of the sect under Hasan-i Sabbah, the strategic use of assassinations against Seljuk and Crusader leaders, the relationship with the Templars, and the eventual destruction by the Mongols under Hulagu. The episode also examines the historicity of the 'Assassin' legends, the role of the fortress in the Syrian coastal mountains, and the fate of the community after the fall of Alamut. Specific figures include Rashid ad-Din Sinan, the 'Old Man of the Mountain,' and the Ayyubid sultan Saladin, who besieged Masyaf but failed to take it. The conversation touches on the use of hashish (the supposed origin of 'assassin'), the Persian roots of the movement, and the survival of the Ismaili community in Syria today. #Assassins #Masyaf #NizariIsmaili #Hasan-iSabbah #RashidadDinSinan #Saladin #Syria #Ismaili #Fortress #Crusades #Seljuk #Mongol #Hulagu #Alamut #OldManoftheMountain #Hashish #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]