In this episode Alice interviews Dr Seth Richardson, who is based at the University of Chicago and Managing Editor of the Journal of Near Eastern Studies. Seth’s research focuses on ancient Mesopotamia, and ranges widely over political and economic history, theories of state sovereignty, legitimacy, rebellion and insurgency, and all kinds of violence from war to non-state and community-level violence. He has published many articles and co-authored several books, including – most recently – ‘Monarchies and the Organization of Power: Ancient Egypt and Babylonia Compared, published by CUP in 2025. Seth is also a member of the Ancient Peace Studies Network, based at the University of St Andrews, and he has been bringing his expertise on ancient Mesopotamia to our project, helping to uncover aspects of ancient peace history which have not been excavated in much depth until now.

This episode focuses particularly on what ancient Mesopotamian omens can tell us about how war, peace and everything between were understood and experienced from the ground up. Seth contrasts what elite-focused sources tell us about military ambition and imperial conquest with the more complex story painted by thousands of cuneiform tablets that shed light on everyday concerns. As he explains, banditry, civil unrest, environmental crises and disease seemed to loom much larger than major armed conflicts. In fact, the omens suggest that many in ancient Mesopotamia lived in a state of recurring insecurity - what Seth refers to as 'hybrid peace'. Together, we discuss how excavating a 'people's history' of ancient peace can significantly change how we visualise antiquity.

We hope you enjoy the episode. For a version of our podcast with close captions, please use this link. For more information about individuals and their projects, please visit the University of St Andrews' Visualising War website and the Ancient Peace Studies Network.

Music composed by Jonathan Young
Sound mixing by Zofia Guertin