In From Here to History's first ever Halloween episode, spirits, demons, and the bodies they try to possess are the topic. Join Chris and Jason as they discuss an  anthology of stories and beliefs about possession and exorcism from across time and cultures. Follow us on Facebook and XThere are a lot of sources on the subject out there, here were some of ours:The Penguin Book of Exorcisms  A great anthology of exorcism stories from across time and from different culturesA History of Exorcism in Catholic Christianity by Francis YoungThe Devil is Afraid of Me by Fr. Gabrielle AmorthAn Exorcist Tells his Story by Fr. Gabrielle AmorthEntertaining Satan by John Demos. This one centers on witchcraft in 17th Century New England but the material on possession, the worldview of the Puritans, and how these cases were often handled is worth a plungeSpirit Possession Around the World by Joseph LaycockThe Devil Came to St. Louis by Troy Taylor. Excellent summary of the Ronnie Hunkeler caseDemonic Possession and Exorcism in Early Modern France by Sarah FerberThere are also great books on the Anneliese Michel case, we recommend the one by Felicitas Goodman, and The Devils of Loudun is a classic on the Loudun possessions 

The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III inaugurated the golden age of his empire's power between 745 and 727 BC. Just over a century later, Sin-Summu-Ishkin watched as that empire took its dying breaths. It was a meteoric rise and cataclysmic fall for the now largely forgotten Assyrian Empire. In this episode, Chris and Jason discuss the story arc of the Neo-Assyrians: their kings and armies, their conspiracies and palace coups, and then, ultimately, the enemies who brought them down. Follow us on X @HeretoHistoryNotes on sourcesOne big caveat when it comes to reading material on Assyria is that it is mostly a field for specialists. The academic material is vast, but there are very few 'popular' histories of the Ancient Assyrians. That means much of what is available may be reasonably inaccessible (and a bit pricey) for the reader with a general interest in Assyrian history.But if you wish to forge ahead, we relied heavily on the following works:Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire by Eckart FrahmAncient Assyria: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford Very Short Introduction Series) by Karen Radner A Companion to Assyria (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Ed by Eckart FrahmThe Imperialisation of Assyria: an Archaeological Approach by Bleda DuringHappy history hunting!

Massive statues of winged bulls with human heads, stone reliefs depicting gruesome lion hunts and mass executions of captured soldiers, ancient history's most impressive library, kings with complex names, the famous Lost Tribes of Israel. All of these elements and more come together in Ancient Assyria. Some historians credit them as being the world's first true empire. But today, outside of specialists in the field or anyone with a deep familiarity with the Hebrew Bible, the Ancient Assyrians are largely forgotten.In the first of 2 episodes devoted to this incredible society, Chris and Jason discuss how a minor city-state on the Tigris first appeared in history and became a wealthy trading hub. How a few visionary kings forged the city of Ashur's place in the world of ancient Mesopotamia and laid the foundations for the empire that was to come. 

One episode just wasn't enough to capture the Spartans, so we settled on two episodes. Now, looking back, two episodes probably weren't enough, either. They were a major force in the ancient Greek world for nearly half a millennium, but eventually the regime of Lycurgus failed and Sparta faded into history.In this episode we take a quick tour of some of Sparta's most colorful personalities, a few of their battlefield clashes, and their ultimate downfall. Follow us on X @HeretoHistoryMusic credit: Ancient Mystery Waltz by Kevin Macleod

They were controversial in their own time as well as ours. A society capable of impressive discipline and moments of jaw-dropping heroism. They were also a rigidly hierarchical culture who could use brutal suppression to maintain their preferred social order. With this episode, we're beginning a series on some of history's famous warrior civilizations and we chose one of the most notorious of those as our jumping off point: the Ancient Spartans. Music credit: Kevin Macleod Ancient Mystery WaltzFollow us on Twitter @HeretoHistory

Back in March we hosted our second annual tournament of history on our campus. Styled after the NCAA March Madness tournament, our students considered 16 names and voted their way to a champion. Last year the tournament was about the greatest US president. This year, in honor of Women's History Month, our competitors were significant and influential women in history. If you'd like to know how it all turned out, tune in as Chris, Jason and Elizabeth review the tournament and reveal the winner.

The Vietnam War era is often remembered as the most divisive conflict in US history. In classes across the US students will learn about the draft, the internal divisions in the US over civil rights, imperialism, and the Cold War. Those are all important. Far less often, if at all, will students learn about the individual soldiers who went off to fight in the war.In this episode, Chris and Jason interview their long time friend Steve Quesinberry. Steve just wrote a book that traces the lives of 23 boys from our local county who went to Vietnam and never came home.  He didn't just tell their war stories, he attempted to tell each individual's life story. And in the process, he demonstrated how large geo-political events in far away places can have lasting impacts on so many anonymous people in small towns all across America. Buy the book on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Better-Men-Coweta-Georgia-Vietnam/dp/B0BJ4QSGPZWe are grateful, as always, to our producer, Nate Davidson

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still interest and inspire us today. In this episode we reflect on our tour of the Wonders with a few footnotes  to wrap up the trip. Then we take a look at a few modern structures and natural features that are awesome wonders in their own right.  Thanks as always to our sound producer, Nate Davidson

It's that time of year when much of the US goes a little crazy with bracket fever: the NCAA tournament. In 2022 we tried our hand at a March Madness of US presidents and this year we're trying a tournament again.  But the 2023 edition will honor Women's History Month by pitting 16 women in a contest for the title most significant, interesting, or influential woman in history (at least according to our unofficial and largely unscientific poll)!In this episode, Chris, Jason, and their friend Elizabeth introduce the 16 contenders, weigh the matches, and try to predict the outcome.Special thanks, as always, to our editor and producer, Nate Davidson, who always does a stellar job.Follow us on Twitter @HereToHistory if you wish to vote in the tournament!

DISCLAIMER! If you're listening to this episode, first, thank you! But second, this is an early episode. It was recorded and edited when we really didn't know what we were doing. We've gotten a lot better since then so, please, bear with us! We're so glad to have you along.Hello again everyone! We're so sorry for the long hiatus since our last episode. A few production glitches slowed us down but we're happy to be back.In this episode, Chris and Jason finish their tour of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  In Babylon they muse on whether or not those famous Hanging Gardens actually existed while taking in the sights and sounds of one the ancient world's most entrancing cities. Then over at the beautiful island of Rhodes they consider the Colossus, the great statue of Helios in the harbor that only stood for 54 years.We thank Nate Davidson for producing the episode!Follow us on Twitter @HeretoHistoryMusic credit Ancient Mystery Waltz by Kevin Macleod