The Drunken Night When Alexander the Great Burned Persepolis

Criminalia

Shondaland Audio and iHeartPodcasts

True Crime, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 20 June 2023

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Alexander the Great burned Persepolis to the ground during a night of drunken revelry, after being encouraged to do so by a Greek courtesan named Thaïs. It's said she told Alexander torching the royal palace would be among his crowning achievements, and it's said she inspired his soldiers and followers to take up torches. That is, at least, according to legend. Let's talk about the downfall of the Persian Empire and why anyone would have wanted to torch Persepolis.

Executive Producers: Maria Trimarchi and Holly Frey

Producer & Editor: Casby Bias

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, I'm Jess Weiner, host of Dominant Stories.
0:05.7	The podcast that helps us reclaim and rewrite the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.
0:11.4	Our feelings are like a compass, they tell us what direction to go, and if we don't
0:15.8	pay attention to them, it's like walking around with a faulty GPS.
0:19.0	You have no idea where you're going.
0:21.0	Our guests include composer Alex Lachemor of Hamilton, the incredible musician Sarah
0:26.3	Bareilles, actor Rachel Bloom for my crazy ex-girlfriend, and the celebrated poet,
0:31.4	Azure Antoinette.
0:33.3	I didn't like my body in the first place.
0:36.3	When I got the diagnosis, it just pissed me off even more.
0:40.0	And I was like, you always let me down.
0:42.1	Here from your favorite celebrities, storytellers, and experts about what's shaping them.
0:50.4	Listen to Dominant Stories with me, Jess Weiner, on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast,
0:54.9	or wherever you listen to podcasts.
0:55.9	Hi, this is Allie Wentworth, host of Go Ask Allie.
1:04.0	My listeners want more, so we are digging in, comedian Amy Schumer.
1:08.7	As far as cancel culture goes, I think that the people who are the most afraid and complaining
1:12.9	about cancel culture are the ones who are in danger of being canceled, and they need
1:16.6	to take a look at themselves.
1:18.2	I agree with you.
1:19.2	You know, I'm not worried about it, because I know my intentions and I know that I'm
1:22.2	like open to evolving.
	...

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