The 27 BCE Roman Invasion of Kush (Episode 42)

Strap on your sandals and join us for a trip to the Nubian kingdom of Kush, where, in 27 BCE, the rapidly expanding Roman Empire bit off slightly more than it could chew. This isn't a story of legions marching into battle - instead, this is the tale of Queen Amanirenas, the one-eyed warrior queen who stopped the might of the Roman war machine with courage, strategy, and a handful of golden arrows. On this episode, we're getting into archery vs. siege engines, matrilinear lines of succession, The Candaces, and why an amazingly preserved bust of Cesar Augustus (glass eyes and all!) was buried underneath the front steps of a Kushite temple.

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Sources:

The One-Eyed African Queen Who Defeated the Roman Empire by Adhiambo Edith Magak

The Land of Nubia by Janice Kamrin and Adela Oppenheim

Kandake Amanirenas from Lisapo Ya Kama African History

Decapitated head of Emperor which amazed archaeologists in Sudan in 1910 goes on display by Ben Miller