Thank you so much for making this podcast. Its very hard to find detailed historical information in podcast form. Wonderfully narrated and opinionated in the appropriate contexts. This podcast is Storytelling at its best I love it !!

But then the entire show became an ad for a video game. Lame.

Cheerful and witty podcast that introduces the history of bronze-age Mesopotamia and the Levant. The host balances comprehensibility and comprehensiveness, and has clearly poured hundreds of hours into researching the content matter. Others may complain that the host isn’t a credentialed Assyriologist and occasionally slips up. I invite the critics to convince someone in this tiny field to put in the massive amount of time necessary to generate a comparably well-written podcast. Until then, I’ll keep listening to this one with pleasure.

This is a great Podcast if you love the Old Testament.

As a student of the Ancient Near East, this podcast is wildly offensive. Reductive and distorted tellings that are heavily editorialized by the podcast host whose interpretations and vocal performances are overly sexualized and somehow still boring. Do yourself a favor and follow Irving Finkel or get Frahm’s new book on Assyria.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I find the presenter’s attempt at humor to be rather tiresome. And I’ve found recent episodes have gone downhill. They have become overly reliant on the Hebrew Bible, referring to it as “scripture” which is an unwelcome tell tale sign. 2 stars down from 4.

Well presented, with wit. Not overly academic, but well researched,

The narrator’s candor, humor and self-deprecating wit make hearing about these interesting ancient stories mucho fun!

Anyone who has an interest in ancient history will enjoy this podcast. It takes a few episodes to get going, but I am fully hooked. Great stuff in every way. Also, the recent episodes about ancient Israel are fascinating, irrespective of your religious views (or lack thereof). The podcaster approaches the topic with a refreshingly open perspective.

Hugely enjoyable podcast! These are the best stories. From myth to history to theology, archaeology, military science and a good sprinkling of wit, James covers a wide range of topics with this engaging show. Thoroughly recommend for history lovers.

Really interesting and excellent pod. Thanks!!

Oldest Stories is one of those podcasts that is hard not to fall in love with. The ancient tales of Sumer, Akkad, Assyria, and especially the Hittites are stories so fascinating and thrilling and it is wonderful to have it presented in such a well presentation and engaging podcast. Host is fantastic and I love the lack of distracting music or ads. Right up there with THOR and all the best history podcasts

This is a fantastic podcast. The episodes are well narrated and include the uncertainties inherent in history as well as some wonderfully snarky comments about morality and endless recitations. James doesn’t shy away from the less palatable portions but he keeps it family friendly. For anyone interested in early history, theses are well worth a listen.

James breathes life and personality into ancient history in a way I have never before experienced. He is the professor I wish I’d had in university and the bard we are so very fortunate to hear now.

Would recommend

This is a truly excellent podcast. Even with a lifelong interest in mythology and decent background in ancient history I have learned a lot from each episode. This podcast has made me think a lot more deeply about the innovations of ancient cities (how they departed from earlier human societies, how they influenced later periods and what they tell us about human nature). I never before considered how strange and important some aspects of this period are (e.g. campaign seasons vs imperial expansion, deep rift between shepherds and farmers, tension between religious and military authority). The storytelling is also gripping and tightly written and demonstrates clear familiarity with sources, with great contextualization. Unlike most podcasts I give this one my full attention rather than listening while doing other things. This podcast reminds me of the 1902 Georges Méliès film A Trip to the Moon, which feels truly weird to me compared to most films because it preceded the canalization of cinematic conventions. You can see how film might have gone in other directions. This podcast has taught me about how human civilizations could have turned out differently.