The History of the World Podcast, written and presented by Chris Hasler.

Volume 3, The Classical World.

Episode 65, the Joe Dynasty. Oh, In this week's episode we're going to be picking up on a story that we left in

volume two about the history of China. During episode 30 of that volume we told the

story of the Chang Dynasty of China, who were an important

entity during the second millennium, B.C.E.

The center of the Chang's geographical area of influence was the lower yellow river,

but at their greatest extent they would stretch their domain southwards to the Yancey River.

The last monarch of the Chang dynasty was King Jo.

King Jo has a historically bad reputation. He is described as an alcohol

drinker, a womanizer and a gambler.

The problem with this description is that it may have suited his enemies and his conquerors

to portray him as such in order to shame him. He is still reported to have reined over his people

for almost 30 years during the 11th century B.C.

His enemies and his conquerors came from the west, the tribes of the Joe.

It is suggested that the scenario was not unlike that of the barbarian tribes around the Roman Empire,

where the barbarians would be learning and benefiting from being the neighbours of a more advanced society.

The Joe are believed to have advanced their own culture thanks to their closeness to the mighty

Chang dynasty. They became powerful enough to challenge the Shang and indeed they did.

The Shang and the Joe almost certainly had ethnic distinction that existed before the faithful Battle of

Muay and after.

The Chang are described as a people who used the Joe to conduct human sacrifices to their

...