Share

Fan of History
214. 510s BC part 4: Wu Chu War!
The Vengeance of Wu Zixu: Blood Feud in the South
The Spring and Autumn period just got personal. Wu Zixu watched his family fall at the hands of King Chu—and now, serving King Helü of Wu, he’s coming for payback. This episode dives into the explosive campaigns against Chu in the 510s BCE, with a certain strategist named Sun Tzu lurking at the edge of the battlefield. Revenge, war, amphibious assaults, and the art of patience—this is Part 2 of the chaos of the 510s.
And Dan has some classic lines for Fan of History style good times!
This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.
If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory
Custom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% off
Contact information:
E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.com
http://facebook.com/fanofhistory
https://twitter.com/danhorning
https://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/
Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.
Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020
More episodes
View all episodes
What´s New In History: The 40,000-Year-Old Maritime Revolution
16:16|Long before the Greeks launched triremes or the Egyptians built reed boats, ancient Southeast Asians were already mastering the sea. In this episode, Bernie and Dan dive into new archaeological findings that challenge the entire timeline of technological progress. Stone tools, deep-sea fish bones, and microscopic plant fibers tell the story of a forgotten seafaring culture—one that may have built boats, caught tuna, and navigated open waters 40,000 years ago. Were the world’s first sailors islanders?Article Links:https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a63870396/ancient-boats-southeast-asia/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352409X25000525?via%3DihubIf you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offThis is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Contact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020216. 510s BC part 6: Legends Fall, Cities Burn, Tyrants Die
32:58|It’s a wild ride through the 510s BCE in Greece—where legends fall and the ground starts to shift beneath the ancient world. We kick things off at the Olympics of 512, where a new champion takes all three footraces and Milo of Crotone suffers his final Olympic defeat. But Milo isn’t done—he goes to war, becomes a symbol of Crotone’s might… and eventually meets a famously gruesome end. Meanwhile, Pythagoras is tossed from the city he helped shape, and over in Athens, murder sets democracy in motion. This is the storm before the storm.This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020What´s New In History - Into Persia with Xenophon and Alex Petkas
01:03:32|We march into the Persian Empire with Xenophon and Alex Petkas to break down the opening of Anabasis—a story of betrayal, survival, and leadership born from failure. This isn't just ancient military drama; it’s a mirror for modern challenges: how to lead when no one else will, how to make decisions in chaos, and how to earn trust in a world of uncertainty.https://www.costofglory.com/Retreat infohttps://greece.costofglory.com/This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryYou can also get all the old episodes if you subscribe to Fan of History+ at https://fanofhistory.supercast.com/Custom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020215. 510s BC part 5 "Oye! Greeks!"
40:06|“If they are free men, they are the basest cravens in the world; but if they are slaves, none would love their masters more.” — Herodotus, on the IoniansA Persian army on the run. A desperate warning from the Scythians. And a group of Greek tyrants who choose despotism over defiance. In this episode, we follow the moment Darius I almost lost it all—plus Megabazus’ ruthless conquest of Thrace and the Persians’ first awkward dinner with Macedon and a guy named Alexander.Great episode... don't miss it!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020What's New In History - LazRus Podcast
06:48|Introducing the first ever LazRus Podcast by the creative genius Aniello Dougherty - who is also a teenager!Something different. Something New. Check it out and let us know what you think.This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020213. 510s BC part 3: Zhuan Zhu Making King Helü the King of Wu
31:55|We follow a mysterious figure named Zhuan Zhu, chosen by a rebellious prince to carry out a job that could change the future of Wu. There’s a banquet. There’s a blade. And you’ll want to hear what happens next.This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020What´s New In History - Dead Scrolls Society: AI vs. Vesuvius
18:14|A volcanic eruption in 79 CE buried a villa. Two thousand years later, an AI read its scrolls.In this episode of What’s New in History, we dive into the jaw-dropping breakthroughs that let artificial intelligence peek inside the carbonized scrolls of Herculaneum—and actually read the ink no human eyes could see. Ancient philosophy meets cutting-edge code in one of the most exciting historical reveals of our time.ARTICLE LINK:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uVTWmvm0p-dwpmFd55IkNx8ICwkGaAQCby7zTlqbdQM/edit?usp=sharingThis is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020212. 510s BC part 2: The Empire Strikes First: Darius’ Persian Machine and the Scythian War
54:55|Darius the Great wasn’t just a king—he was the architect of the Persian Empire. In the 510s BC, he faced two major challenges: conquering the Scythians, and organizing the largest empire the world had ever seen. But what happens when you try to conquer an enemy that never stands still?In this episode, we break down his Scythian campaign against these nomadic warriors , and then we turn to how Darius revolutionized taxation, governance, and infrastructure, ensuring his empire would last for centuries. Was Darius the ultimate empire builder or just another king who bit off more than he could chew? Let’s find out!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020