The Thinking Traveller

damien@academytravel.com.au

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Egypt's Valley of the Kings

June 20, 2026

For more than five centuries, Egypt's pharaohs were buried in a remote desert valley on the west bank of the Nile. Hidden among barren limestone hills, the Valley of the Kings became the final resting place of some of the most well-known rulers of the ancient world, including Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramesses II.In this episode we are joined by Egyptologist Dr Bill Manley as he explores how and why the Valley of the Kings came into being, the extraordinary tombs cut deep into its cliffs, ...

Ravenna - A Capital in the Lagoon

May 09, 2026

Ravenna is one of Italy’s most quietly extraordinary cities – a place where the final centuries of the Roman world can still be read through intricate mosaics and imperial monuments.In this episode we are joined by Dr Eireann Marshall as she explores how this lagoon city rose to prominence, becoming first a Roman Imperial capital, then the seat of Ostrogothic power, and finally a key centre of the Byzantine world.At the heart of this story are not only Emperors and armies, but a remarkable gr...

King Louis XIV’s Favourite Composer - Jean-Baptiste Lully

April 18, 2026

At the glittering court of Louis XIV, where art functioned as an extension of power, no figure defined the sound of absolutism more completely than Jean-Baptiste Lully.Rising from modest origins in Florence to become the most influential musician in 17th century France, Lully crafted a distinctly French operatic style that mirrored the grandeur and discipline of the Sun King’s reign.In this episode we are joined by Dr Tarita Botsman as she explores explores how Lully secured his extraordinary...