15. The Nabataeans - The Last Days Of Petra
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN mentions it for its stunning visuals of Petra and as background on Nabataean water engineering and history.
What it is
A two-hour episode of Fall of Civilizations on the Nabataeans, from humble desert traders to masters of Petra, and what finally brought down their empire.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2022 to 2024.
What Hacker News said
Recommends viewtransform · 2024-10 · on “In Jordan, a ‘stunning’ discovery under Petra’s ancient stone”
For those who cannot travel, the Fall of Civilizations episode 15. The Nabataeans - The Final Days Of Petra has stunning visuals in 4K [this video]
Cites pfdietz · 2022-10 · on “The Moorish invention that tamed Spain's mountains”
It wasn't in the Sahara, but the civilization at Petra (in what is now SW Jordan) was built around sophisticated hydraulic engineering. It eventually collapsed when earthquakes damaged the system beyond their capacity to repair. Being subjugated by Rome didn't help. [this video]
Cites INTPenis · 2024-11 · on “The Submerged Nabataean Temple in Puteoli at Pozzuoli, Italy”
I just listened to the Fall of Civlizations podcast about the Nabateans. So I immediately realized why this is interesting, to find a nabatean temple so far away in Naples. [this video]