The Digital Hammurabi Podcast

Mar 03 2025 16 ep. 46 mins 347
The Digital Hammurabi Podcast artwork

Digital Hammurabi is the creative outlet for two Assyriologists, Megan Lewis and Joshua Bowen. Driven by a passion for the ancient Near East and the belief that history is both important and relevant to modern life, Megan and Josh aim to break out of the ivory tower of academia and bring ancient Mesopotamia to the world! This podcast brings academic scholarship and interviews with researchers to your brain (via your ears) in an easily-understood format, so you can enjoy fascinating content wherever you are!

  Education
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The Hidden Voices of History: Dr. Amanda Podany on Non-Elite Experiences in the Ancient World

Mar 03 2025 48 mins  
In this episode of Digital Hammurabi, host Megan Lewis welcomes Dr. Amanda Podany, a renowned expert in ancient history, particularly focusing on Assyria and Mesopotamia during the Middle and Late Bronze Age. Together, they delve into the challenges of uncovering the lives of non-elite individuals in the ancient past, a topic Dr. Podany explores in her acclaimed book, "Weavers, Scr

The Art of Weaving Myths: Emily Wilson on Writing Historical Fantasy

Oct 25 2024 30 mins  
In this episode of Digital Hammurabi, host Megan Lewis welcomes back writer and journalist Emily Wilson to discuss her latest book, "Gilgamesh," the second installment in her epic trilogy about the Sumerians. Emily shares insights into the continuation of the story, which follows the goddess Inanna, her attendant Ninshubur, and the hero Gilgamesh, while introducing new characters a

Understanding Matthew, Mark, and Luke: A Journey into the Synoptic Gospels

Oct 09 2024 14 mins  
In this episode of Digital Hammurabi, host Megan Lewis welcomes Dr. Mark Goodacre, a Professor of Religious Studies at Duke University, to discuss the Synoptic Gospels. Dr. Goodacre, who has an extensive academic background including degrees from the University of Oxford and several published works, shares insights into his upcoming university-level course on the Synoptic Gospels t

Brewing History: The Role of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia

Oct 01 2024 37 mins  
Join us in this exciting episode of Digital Hammurabi as host Megan Lewis sits down with Dr. Tate Paulette, an Associate Professor at North Carolina State University and an expert in Near Eastern Archaeology. Dr. Paulette shares insights from his upcoming book, In the Land of Ninkasi: A History of Beer in Ancient Mesopotamia, set to be released on August 28th in the US and November

The Survival of Civilization: Insights from the Late Bronze Age

Jun 05 2024 65 mins  
Dr. Eric Cline, Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, discusses his new book "After 1177 BCE: The Survival of Civilization" and the graphic novel adaptation with host, Megan Lewis. They delve into the collapse of major civilizations in the late Bronze Age and the intriguing sequel to his award-winning work. Dr. Cline shares insights on biblical archaeology and in

Unpacking the Lives of Ancient Immigrants with Dr. Teodoro Alstola

Apr 05 2024 38 mins  
Dr. Tero Alstola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, discusses his work on ancient Near Eastern cultures and the social history of Babylonia in the first millennium BCE. He talks about his research on ancient immigrants, network approaches to historical data sets, and the use of computer-aided study of the Akkadian language. The conversation delves into his involvement in

Uncovering a Tablet in a Previously Unknown Language: Excavation Results Revealed

Dec 18 2023 46 mins  
In this episode of Digital Hammurabi, Dr. Daniel Schwemer, an expert in magic and witchcraft in the Ancient Near East, joins the host to discuss the recent excavation at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Boğazköy-Hattuša. The focus of the conversation is on a tablet written in a previously unknown language that was discovered during the excavation. Dr. Schwemer shares his journe

Faking It - Provenance, Antiquities, and eBay Interview with Dr. Erin Thompson

Nov 24 2020 39 mins  
Many people want to own a piece of the past, but eBay really the answer? Definitely not, and Dr. Erin Thompson, the nation's only full-time professor of art-crime, tells us why!

No, You Shouldn't Buy Stolen Objects! With Dr. Patty Gerstenblith

Sep 29 2020 58 mins  
With the Museum of the Bible rarely out of the news due to their stolen, smuggled, or faked artifacts, the antiquities market is getting more attention than ever. Dr. Patty Gerstenblith, research professor of law at DePaul University, founding president of the Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation, and former chair of the President's Cultural Property Advisory Commit

Fakes, Felonies, and the Museum of the Bible: Interview with Dr. Joel Baden

Jul 30 2020 50 mins  
The Museum of the Bible has a reputation for housing fakes and looted objects; most recently, the institution was in the news for their forged Dead Sea Scrolls, the arrest of their consultant, Dr. Dirk Obbink, and the revelation that the famous "Gilgamesh Dream Tablet" housed in the museum was removed from Iraq illegally. Dr. Joel Baden, Professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale Divinity S