Greg Jenner

So it's like a Victorian schoolboy learning Latin so that he'd go and become a lawyer.

OK.

OK.

Is Aramaic derived from Akkadian and then Aramaic is the father of several languages? I think is that sort of the chain, is it maybe?

Is Aramaic derived from Akkadian and then Aramaic is the father of several languages? I think is that sort of the chain, is it maybe?

Yeah, so the Neo-Assyrian period. And then Persian comes in and then you're like, oh, there's a whole other language.

Yeah, so the Neo-Assyrian period. And then Persian comes in and then you're like, oh, there's a whole other language.

But they're still learning Sumerian scribes as kids. You're learning a dead, dead language by that point. It's like so dead.

But they're still learning Sumerian scribes as kids. You're learning a dead, dead language by that point. It's like so dead.

The scribes are sort of, they're also being used in religion, right? So religion is also important. And we talked about some of this when we did our Babylonians episode with Kay, but I think we just probably reiterate for Phil's benefit. What does cuneiform teach us about sacred texts and the understanding of gods and monsters, ghosts, planets and stars?

The scribes are sort of, they're also being used in religion, right? So religion is also important. And we talked about some of this when we did our Babylonians episode with Kay, but I think we just probably reiterate for Phil's benefit. What does cuneiform teach us about sacred texts and the understanding of gods and monsters, ghosts, planets and stars?

Would you take that? Would you mean two months living as a king if you know you're going to die at the end?

Would you take that? Would you mean two months living as a king if you know you're going to die at the end?

And there's also divination. So telling the future by using sheep. Phil, how would you go about telling the future with sheep?

And there's also divination. So telling the future by using sheep. Phil, how would you go about telling the future with sheep?

Yeah, it's the liver, isn't it? They're looking at the liver. But what I find really interesting is that writing is still very important in this process. Can you tell us why?

Yeah, it's the liver, isn't it? They're looking at the liver. But what I find really interesting is that writing is still very important in this process. Can you tell us why?

So you said that kinetic form is quite a stable technology. We had the earliest technology at 3,350. Mm-hmm. The absolute latest we go to is in the Roman era, right? The latest cuneiform is like, what, 79 CE?

So you said that kinetic form is quite a stable technology. We had the earliest technology at 3,350. Mm-hmm. The absolute latest we go to is in the Roman era, right? The latest cuneiform is like, what, 79 CE?

Which is the year Vesuvius erupted.