Countries That Don't Exist Anymore

Ed's getting married, so this time we're digging out an episode from the archive - the Inca Empire. Hopefully this will Quipu you entertained before normal service is resumed.

We met up with comedian and CTDEA alumnus Mike Shephard at a pub in Forest Hill, South London - the place where Bertie Sheldrake was offered the crown of Islamestan. What were Bertie's motivations? Why would anyone want to be a king? And what happened to Europe's leftover royalty? Join us for an enjoyable pint-fuelled ramble.Visit ctdeapod.com and contact us on Instagram, X, Facebook and Bluesky @ctdeapod

It's a CTDEA double king double bill! First, we hop to Patagonia Auracania, where a French lawyer in a tries to become champion of the Mapuche people. Then we head East to find a London pickle maker try to become overlord of the Chinese Islamic kingdom of Islamistan. It's a king-king situation!Head to ctdeapod.com for articles and more. Follow us @ctdeapod on Facebook, X, Bluesky and Instagram.

Phil & Ed pop to Rochester Castle, an original Norman conquest castle in Kent, to experience the epic scale of an 11th century castle.From a 1215 siege by King John that brought down a tower to a hook up spot for Henry VIII, Rochester Castle has seen it all. So now it's our turn. Follow along with pictures on our blog:https://www.ctdeapod.com/post/ctdea-on-the-road-rochester-castle

In part 2 of our Gwynedd epic, we find out how Gwynedd deals with the Norman Kings - from William the Conqueror to Edward I. We also meet a couple of Llewellyns and loads of Dafyds. And we ask the question - how did the Welsh come to be Welsh?

The Kingdom of Gwynedd was a Medieval powerhouse from the departure of the Romans right up to the conquest of Edward I. It helped establish the things that helped the Welsh find a distinctive identity, including cattle-based revenge and Hywel's Law of Wales. Join us for blindings, burning and castle building.Check out our website at ctdeapod.com and follow us on X, Facebook & Bluesky @ctdeapod.Leave a review and send your questions and answers to ctdeapod@gmail.com.

Ed & Phil explore some of the ways Angkor Wat has been used in film. From a split second cameo on Transformers to a Tomb Raider trope.Phil then uncovers some of the darker aspect of the Khmer Rouge and Ed watches Jungle Atlantis to find out just how much he got wrong about Angkor Wat.Please send in questions and answers to ctdeapod@gmail.com or go to ctdeapod.com

We cover the temple-addicted, hydraulic super power known as the Khmer Empire. How did they tame the monsoon to become the greatest power in Southeast Asia?Not only does Angkor Watt remain a wonder if the world, but its suburbs stretched for miles and miles - making it the largest city in pre-industrial history. How did they achieve such power and organisation - and where did it go wrong?Website: ctdeapod.comFollow us on X and Facebook @ctdeapod

Phil and Ed visit take a sailing tour of the Dalmatian coast, hitting up some of the key places featured in the history of the Republic of Ragusa. Starting outside the Republic in Split, we then visit Hvar, Korcula, Mijet, Dubrovnik and even Cavtat. Read our travel blog at: https://www.ctdeapod.com/post/ctdea-croatia-sailing-diary Check out our top historical spots in Dubrovnik: https://www.ctdeapod.com/post/dubrovniks-top-historical-sites

Imagine King's Landing from Game of Thrones without the dragons and poor pacing. That's better isn't it? Welcome to the Republic of Ragusa, the maritime power focused on Dubrovnik that sprung out of the Roman Empire, flourished in the Medieval period and lasted to the modern age. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com Website: ctdeapod.com X and Facebook: ctdeapod

Put more historical entertainment into your 2025 with season 6 of Countries That Don't Exist Anymore. Forget dieting and fitness. Focus on ancient Cambodian culture and Welsh medieval kingdoms instead! Plus join us on a virtual yacht trip off the coast of Croatia. Coming at you soon....

Was Atlantis really an Ice Age super advanced civilisation? Or was the Atlantis described by Plato really a confused account of the ancient Minoans? We dip into conspiracy theories, pseudo-history and a world of legendary bull. Leave us a review or get in touch at ⁠ctdeapod.com⁠.

Who were the Minoans of Crete? Were they really Europe's first civilisation? Ed travels to the Palace of Knossos for CTDEA On The Road to find out if it was the real home of the Minotaur or if the Greek myths were a load of old bull. Check out ctdeapod.com and follow us @ctdeapod on Facebook or X. Please leave us a review wherever you listen.

Ed & Phil watch the 1964 Christmas classic Zulu starring Michael Caine. Does it hold up in 2024, did Caine ever say "Stop chucking those bloody spears at me?" and more importantly - is it historically accurate? Please leave us a review or donate at our website: ctdeapod.com.

How did a cow-obsessed pastoralists go from 1500 people to a fighting force that could defeat the British Empire? Who were the Zulus, why were they called the Black Spartans and why were they so into cow poetry? Follow us at @ctdeapod on Facebook and Twitter. Or leave a donation at ctdeapod.com.

Past Phil and Ed sat down to watch the movie Edge of the World, featuring James Brooke, the Raj of Sarawak (S03 E05). In real life, James Brooke was a towering pillock, but can Jonathan Rhys Myers do him justice? No. Check out our orginal episode on the Raj of Sarawak: S03 E05 Raj of Sarawak - Countries That Don't Exist Anymore | Podcast on Spotify and visit our website: ctdeapod.com

When the sons of Louis the Pious separated the Holy Roman Empire into three, everybody thought it would be temporary. But it wasn't. But why did Middle Francia look so weird? And was it the most important kingdom in European history? Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com where you can donate to the show. Follow us @CTDEApod on X and Facebook and never miss another update.

You might know that Alexander the Great invaded India, but did you know that Greek colonists and founded their very own Athens in Afghanistan? We find out about the Ancient Greeks of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Plus we learn if melon oil is as good as olive oil. Spoilers: no. Check out our website: ctdeapod.com where you can read articles, get in touch or donate to the show. Follow at @ctdeapod on Facebook or X/ Twitter. If you like the show, please leave a review! This episode was greatly inspired by The Hellenistic Age Podcast.

Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com where you can donate to the show. Follow us @CTDEApod on X and Facebook and never miss another update.

It's the long-awaited series 5 of Countries That Don't Exist Anymore! Ed & Phil head to sub-Saharan West Africa to check out the glittering Medieval empire of Wagadou (AKA the Ghana Empire). Did a 7-headed python god really rain gold? Did the fun-hating Almoravids end it all? We examine on the myths and mysteries of Wagadou! Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com where you can donate to the show. Follow us @CTDEApod on X and Facebook and never miss another update.

We discuss Prey, the latest movie in the Predator franchise very unexpectedly set in 18th century Comancheria. (Never would have predicted that one.) In this movie we follow Naru, a Comanche hunter who takes on an alien visitor...and our preconceptions. Oh yeah! We give our verdict, talk historical accuracy and wonder whether Jordan Peterson would like it. Spoilers: no. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

We return to Comancheria to follow the Comanche as they take on first the Texas Rangers and then the US Army. And we follow the story of the charismatic Quanah Parker - half Texan, half Comanche - as he leads the last stand of the Quahadi band. Warning: mild language. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

Who were the finest light cavalry in the world in the early nineteenth century? Who were the toughest and most brutal of the "Plains Indians"? Whose very name meant "man who wants to kill me all the time"? Meet the Comanche and their prairie empire of Comancheria. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

Phil & Ed chat through their favourite countries in the show so far: Alt Clut Sarawak Bavarian Soviet Republic Aksum Taiping Inca Empire What's yours? Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

We have a very informal fireside chat with comedian and writer Mike Shephard about Alt Clut, British identity and the underwhelming lives of Medieval saints. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

Don't miss the greatest hits of Countries That Don't Exist Anymore, the giant platinum mega hit edition. Coming soon to Patreon! New regular episode of next Thursday. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com and read the history games article. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

What was the last great Brythonic kingdom of the Old North? Alt Clut, the Kingdom of the Rock. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

Imagine forming own country...but it only lasting a day? In 1939, this is was the Ruthenians of Czechoslovakia did to defend themselves against Hungarian aggression. These days, they're part of Ukraine and having to fend off yet another tyrant. But looking back, who was Avgustyn Voloshyn? What was the Sic? And why did their governor work out of a museum giftshop? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

We're joined by historian, author and podcaster, Anirudh Kanisetti. He's a Deccan expert thanks to his brilliant book Lords of the Deccan. He talks us through historical video games, fashionable pineapples and why history is too often told from a Western perspective. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com and read the history games article. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

This time, the Mughal Empire goes from ruling almost all of India to a suburb of Delhi. And they face new challenges from the always troublesome Deccan, the Persians and just about everyone else. Meanwhile the East India Company shows us capitalism at its best... i.e. asset stripping. All the while, there is much poking of eyes, strangling of mothers and pushing of elephants into crevices. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com and read the history games article. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

We travel to the Indian subcontinent to explore the mighty Mughal Empire. As the descendants of the Mongols, they created a mighty Islamic state which dazzled the world with illuminated tapestries, incredible buildings and a moralising parrot. Find out about Akbar the Great who ruled in splendour and Humayun the Lucky, who fell down some poorly lit stairs and died. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com and read the history games article. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

We chat to one-time lost child and now bonafide Bonaparte expert, Everett Rummage - host of The Age of Napoleon podcast. We delve into the psychology of Bonaparte to ask if he could ever have been happy with exile on Elba, plus Everett gives us the sordid details of Bonaparte's spreadsheet love life. On CTDEA, we never shy away from the difficult questions, like what's the best name for a podcast - History on Horseback or Emperors on Surfboards? Find out! Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com and read the history games article. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

When Napoleon Bonaparte lost the battle of Paris he was punished - with his own country! Lasting less than a year, Bonaparte became the emperor of the Principality of Elba and its 12,000 inhabitants. But was Bony N really going to be happy on a small Mediterranean island, and why was he so obsessed with fish pranks? Find out right here! Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

We're dangerously close to the release of series 4! Expect more of everything CTDEA - more history, more jokes, more songs and more guests as we cover The Principality of Elba, the Mughal Empire and many more. Well, 4 actually.

Ben returns to CTDEA to discuss Jet Li blockbuster The Warlords about the crushing of the Taiping Rebellion (Series 2, episode 1). Is it historically accurate, is it a good movie and what's with all the flying bread rolls? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

The CTDEA Team chat to friend Ben about citizenship, the Principality of Sealand and the pros and cons of life as a subject of Peppa Pig. Plus, Ed and Been try to answer questions so they can remain British citizens. Will they succeed or does deportation loom? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update.

Is the North Pole a country? And if not, who could claim it? In the first episode of our in-between series catch ups, Phil and Ed cover the North Pole, the history of Christmas and the man they call Santa Claus. Merry Saturnalia to all you CTDEAers! Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

For our series 3 finale, comedian and CTDEA regular Mike Shephard joins us to chat about why high-tech ancient aliens built mud-brick Sumer...or they did they? Plus, Mike and Ed go head to head with an ancient cultures quiz. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com.  Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

What has Sumer ever done for you? How about writing, wheeled vehicles, bureaucracy, the plough, urban civilisation, key Old Testament stories and mathematics? But it's not all bad. They also helped establish beer as an important way to fritter away your wages. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

The CTDEA Team watched 2003's The Last Samurai - based at the time of the Satsuma Rebellion and starring Tom "Xenu" Cruise as Nathan Algren - a re-imagining of the Republic of Ezo's Jules Brunet. Is The Last Samurai a realistic depiction of Japan in the late nineteenth century or is it a Nipponian Braveheart? We found out. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

What happens when supporters of the Shogun try to set up their own American-style republic? Don't worry. We'll samurai-se it for you. So nippon down and join us for a tale of honour, bravery and way too much suicide. It's the Republic of Ezo. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

We're joined by anthropologist, travel writer and witty raconteur, Nigel Barley. We talk the life and times of Sir James Brooke, the oddities of empire and his excellent book, White Rajah. We also introduce Nigel to the other great shyster, L Ron Hubbard. Could there be a book in that? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

What happens when a spoilt British brat decides to travel to Borneo and start his own kingdom? Why that would be the Raj of Sarawak. Follow James Brooke as he sets up a kingdom based on mood swings and hangs a crocodile for murder.

Joining us on Countries That Don't Exist Anymore is historian, comedian, presenter and author Iszi Lawrence. We talk suffragettes, historical oddities and the life and times of Dido, Queen of Cathage. Can Iszi beat Phil in our one-on-one Carthage quiz? Yes, probably. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

In our final part of our Carthage epic, we meet Hannibal Barca as he runs rings around the Romans before going toe to toe with ultimate nemesis, Scipio - whose earliest claim to fame was that he was never barked at by a dog. But who will win? We also learn how to pay off war indemnities in a super quick time and why juicy fig jealousy can lead to the destruction of a city. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

Who was the only power that the Romans were really afraid of? Join us for the first of a two parter on the EPIC North African powerhouse - Carthage. We'll find out why Dido didn't go down with her ship, why you shouldn't get a war elephant drunk and why Hamilcar "Flash" Barca was the ultimate PR man. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

We sat down with Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast to talk about the Dublin Vikings in the context of Irish history and why you can't get a good pint of Guinness in many of the world's Irish pubs. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

When the Vikings set up Dublin as a raiding and trading station, little did anyone expect it to turn into a kingdom that lasted 300 years! Least of all the warring factions of Celtic Ireland. Load up your longboat with axes and craic, it's the Viking Kingdom of Dublin. Deadly! Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com.  Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

We asked you to ask us questions, and (some of) you sure did! Plus, Ed tests to see if Phil has been paying attention in the CTDEA Big Fat Quiz of the Year...and a half. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/ctdeapod. Contact us at ctdeapod@gmail.com or at our website: ctdeapod.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and Facebook and never miss another update. Review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you complain about stuff.

To kick off series 3 of CTDEA, we travel to the steamy jungles of Brazil to check out the Quilombo dos Palmares - the state founded by runaway slaves that gave the King of Portugal sleepless nights - and Zumbi, its charismatic zombie king and Brazilian national hero. Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. Get in touch with questions for our AMA next episode. Email ctdeapod@gmail.com. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter and give us a like on Facebook and never miss another update.

We're very nearly back! Stay tuned for series 3, where you'll hear about the Viking Kingdom of Dublin, Quilombo dos Palmares, Carthage, Sumer, the Raj of Sarawak and the Republic of Ezo! Plus great guests, songs, sketches and even more Phil than ever before!