David Mainayar

Empire-Builders

History EN ↓ 42 episodes

Welcome to Empire-Builders, the podcast all about the rise and fall of the world’s imperial civilizations. We will take for the object of our investigation those civilizations which have something to teach us about what happens when human societies with distinct cultural traditions, histories, and mythologies converge, even if only for a single page in the story of mankind. And we will start from the beginning, when the very concept of civilization was only just ripening, for make no mistake — empires have been with us from the start. Before man was, empire awaited him.

Author

David Mainayar

Category

History

Podcast website

linktr.ee

Latest episode

May 26, 2026

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Episodes

7 Levels of US Presidents 26.05.2026

This isn't exactly journalism, is it? Mr. Beat:https://www.youtube.com/@iammrbeat/videosWhat makes a good president? | Mr Beat video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCAtED5DeSY&t=1291sDr. Justin Vaughn:https://www.coastal.edu/academics/facultyprofiles/educationandsocialsciences/politics/justinvaughn/Dr. Brandon Rottinghaus:https://www.uh.edu/class/political-science/faculty-and-staff/profes...

How (And Where) Did Romans Build Their Roads? 19.10.2025

They really were quite good at it.--Produced by David MainayarWritten by Eduardo D'Ambrosio & ‪David Mainayar3D visualization by Eduardo D'Ambrosio Edited by David Mainayar, kingfrick, ‪  @KnowHistory  Music from Epidemic Sound & Total War: Rome

7 Levels of Roman Emperors 01.10.2025

Where are the Romans now? You're looking at em. 0:00 - Intro 1:20 - Level I: The Calamities 13:12 - Level II: The Blunderers 21:43 - Level III: The Benchwarmers 25:38 - Level IV: The Patriarchs 31:12 - Level V: The Firefighters 36:59 - Level VI: The Imperialists 43:49 - Level VII: The Founders

Empires of the Normans: Makers of Europe, Conquerors of Asia 23.09.2025

Chapters: Intro - 0:00 Chapter I: The Early Normans - 1:26 Chapter II: The Italian Normans - 1:00:57 Chapter III: The English Normans - 1:53:51 Chapter IV: The Crusader Normans - 3:34:00 Chapter V: 4:29:56 Primary Sources: Adémar de Chabannes. Chronicon and related forgeries. Early 11th century. Amatus of Montecassino. L'Ystoire de li Normant. ca. 1080. Anna Komnene. The Alexiad. ca. 1148. Dud...

When Alexander Ruled 25% of the World's Population (Chapter III) 06.09.2025

The final installment in a three-part series on Alexander the Great. Sources: Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. Bolitho, William. Twelve Against the Gods. 1929. Freeman, Philip. Alexander the Great. 2011. Plutarch. Life of Alexander and Life of Caesar. Translated by Rex Warner. “How Did Alexander the Great Sustain His Army?” https://www.historyhit.com/how-did-alexa...

The 7 Levels of Empires 05.09.2025

1:10 - Level I: The Fakes 6:39 - Level II: The Traders 13:46 - Level III: The Exploiters 22:31 - Level IV: The Survivors 35:55 - Level V: The Meteors 38:49 - Level VI: The Superpowers 45:20 - Level VII: The Architects

The 7 Levels of Empire-Builders 05.09.2025

0:00 - Intro 2:06 - Level I: The Frauds6:28 - Level II: The Pretenders9:16 - Level III: The Phantoms13:43 - Level IV: The Progenitors22:02 - Level V: The Icons30:25 - Level VI: The Comets34:30 - Level VII: The World-Builders

How Alexander Conquered the Known World (Chapter II) 05.09.2025

The second installment in a three-part series on Alexander the Great. Sources: Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. Bolitho, William. Twelve Against the Gods. 1929. Freeman, Philip. Alexander the Great. 2011. Plutarch. Life of Alexander and Life of Caesar. Translated by Rex Warner. “How Did Alexander the Great Sustain His Army?” https://www.historyhit.com/how-did-alex...

The Making of Alexander the Great (Chapter I) 04.09.2025

The first installment in a three-part series on Alexander the Great. Sources: Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. Translated by Aubrey de Sélincourt. Bolitho, William. Twelve Against the Gods. 1929. Freeman, Philip. Alexander the Great. 2011. Plutarch. Life of Alexander and Life of Caesar. Translated by Rex Warner. “How Did Alexander the Great Sustain His Army?” https://www.historyhit.com/how-did-alexa...

The Normans: Chapter III (England) 04.09.2025

The third installment in a four-part series on the Normans. This part is focused on William the Conqueror's life & times. Play War Thunder for FREE on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile! New & returning PC/console players get a massive bonus pack: premium vehicles, the “Eagle of Valor” decorator, 100,000 Silver Lions & 7 days of Premium.https://wtplay.link/empirebuildershttps://wtm.game...

Burgundy: Chapter III (The Architect of Burgundy) 01.07.2025

The third chapter in a six-part docuseries on the Burgundians. This part is focused on Philip the Bold.

The Normans: Chapter I (Normandy) 01.07.2025

The first chapter in a four-part series on the Normans. This one traces their journey from Scandinavia to Normandy.

The Normans: Chapter II (Italy) 01.07.2025

The second chapter in a four-part series on the Normans. This one traces their journey from Normandy to Italy.

Burgundy: Chapter I (Europe’s Lost Barbarian Kingdom) 01.07.2025

This is the FIRST chapter in a docuseries on the Burgundians, covering the events of 406-534. The series will culminate with the Grand Dukes of the West (the Valois).

Frederick II (Antichrist of the Middle Ages): All Parts 01.07.2025

Frederick II (1194-1250) was once the most powerful ruler in Europe. He was a Renaissance Man before the Renaissance. A scientist before the scientific method. An enlightened despot before the Age of Enlightenment. Yet his wide-spanning interests and unconventional methods eventually brought him into conflict with the papacy, who declared him "the forerunner of the Antichrist." Was he as...

Cadaver Synod 01.07.2025

In January 897, Pope Stephen exhumed the corpse of Pope Formosus and put it on trial. He had a deacon serve as Formosus’ voice and proceeded to scream at the corpse at the top of his lungs...Why did he do it? And could it be that this infamous trial, known as the Cadaver Synod, invalidates the whole papal succession from Formosus to Francis?

Burgundy: Chapter II (The Missing Piece of Medieval Europe) 01.07.2025

This is the SECOND chapter in a docuseries on the Burgundians. This chapter covers the events of 534-1361. Remaining parts will focus on the Valois Dukes, continuing to the 16th century.

The Napoleon Film We SHOULD Have Gotten 01.07.2025

Video essay about THE GREATEST MOVIE NEVER MADE

Why America Is The New Roman Republic 01.12.2024

Audio-only. Video is available on YouTube. Sources: Arendt, Hannah. On Revolution (1963) Gay, Peter. The Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Paganism (1995) Hamilton, Alexander; Madison, James; Jay, John. The Federalist Papers (1788) Polybius. The Histories (c. 2nd century BC) Ricks, Thomas. First Principles: What America's Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country...

Why Did Gladiators Willingly Fight In The Colosseum? 01.12.2024

Audio-only. Video is available on YouTube. Sources: Beard, Mary & Hopkins, Keith. The Colosseum (2011) Futrell, Alison. The Roman Games: Historical Sources in Translation (2008) Futrell, Alison & Scanlon, Thomas. The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World (2021) Jacobelli, Luciana. Gladiators at Pompeii (2003) Mellor, Ronald. The Historians of Ancient Rome (1997) Wiede...

Before You Watch Gladiator II—Here's the Real History 04.11.2024

When I have issues with historians, I ask: "Excuse me, mate, were you there? No? Well, shut the fuck up then." Sources: Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome (2016) Brauer, George C. The Young Emperors, Rome, A.D. 193-244 (1967) Dio, Cassius. Roman History, Book 79 (3rd century) Dunstan, William E. Ancient Rome (2010) Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,...

Why Guys Should Think About The NEW Roman Empire 05.10.2024

MUSIC: 'Shadows and Dust' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au 'The Distant Sun' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Remaining tracks sourced from Epidemic Sound & Motion Array. SOURCES: Brownworth, Lars. Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization (2009) Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roma...

The Bloodless Crusade: Life & Times of Frederick II 05.10.2024

The second part in a trilogy about the life & times of Frederick II, the Hohenstaufen Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Sources: Alighieri, Dante. Divine Comedy: Inferno & Paradiso (1321) Casady, Richard. The Emperor and the Saint: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Francis of Assisi, and Journeys to Medieval Places (2011) Haskins, Charles H. "Science at the Court of the Emperor Frederick II" (...

The Holiest of the Holy Roman Emperors (Compilation) 05.10.2024

Sources & further reading: Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire (Peter H. Wilson) The Medieval Empire in Central Europe: Dynastic Continuity in the Post-Carolingian Frankish Realm, 900–1300 (Herbert Schutz) Weinfurter, Stefan (1999) [1992]. The Salian Century: Main Currents in an Age of Transition. Translated by Kaiser, Denise A. Wolfram, Herwig (2006) [2000]. Conrad II, 990–103...

Birth of the Antichrist: Life & Times of Frederick II | Video Documentary 12.09.2024

The first part in a trilogy about the life & times of Frederick II, the Hohenstaufen ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. -- Sources: Alighieri, Dante. Divine Comedy: Inferno & Paradiso (1321) Casady, Richard. The Emperor and the Saint: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, Francis of Assisi, and Journeys to Medieval Places (2011) Haskins, Charles H. "Science at the Court of the Emperor Frederick II" (...

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