668. Greece vs Persia: The Rise of the First Superpower (Part 1)

This episode is brought to you by Lloyds, which has been backing British ambition for over 250 years. Now, when you think about it, every dynasty in history has boiled down to two important elements. Aspiration, and action. And a classic example of this from British history, uh, the rise of the House of Wessex, the family of Alfred the Great and his heirs, who between them established the United Kingdom of England.

Yeah, it's a great story, isn't it, Tom? But a great lesson in leadership, I think, for anybody. So Alfred and his heirs, they marry idealism and pragmatism. They're brilliant at alliances, they're brilliant at managing power, they're brilliant of course at managing their money, which is a key part of political leadership, and of course we are all reaping the rewards of their wisdom and foresight. When it's time to make your next move, you can bank on Lloyds to be ready when you are.

Because from new businesses, to new homes and new life chapters, backed by generations of hope and ambition, you can see, Tom, why 14 million people trust Lloyd's to help make their dreams a reality. Based on Lloyd's internal customer data from March 2026. A report of the capture and torturing of Sardis by the Athenians and Ionians was brought to King Darius. It is said that the king's initial response to this news was to dismiss the Ionians as being of no account, since he knew full well that they had no prospect.

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