Historians Review & Ubisoft Developer Interview with Maxime Durand

In Assassin’s Creed Origins players can do what no tour group today can do: clamber all over and inside the monuments of Ancient Egypt, from the Sphinx to Cleopatra's Palace, from the temple at Karnak to the Great Pyramids.

In this episode, Matt Lewis and Dr Holly Nielsen review the game's adaptation of history, before interviewing Ubisoft resident historian and Assassin's Creed World Director, Maxime Durand, about how the game developers recreated Ancient Egypt.

Hosted by: Dr Holly Nielsen, Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell, Dr Holly Nielsen

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Sarah Schachner

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Ezio Auditore, the hero of Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Assassin’s Creed Revelations, travels from Venice to the Ottoman Empire.

For centuries, these two rivals in the Mediterranean were at war in one way or another. Today, Dr Gemma Masson returns to help Matt Lewis cover the key events that form the tense backdrop to Ezio’s adventures in the east.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell, Matt Lewis

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Lorne Balfe

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You’ve probably heard of Herodotus, and in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey you’ll have met the man himself. Variously called the Father of History and the Father of Lies, what do we know about the real Herodotus, and what do his writings reveal about life in the ancient world?

To answer all this and more, Matt Lewis is joined by Justin Marozzi - journalist, historian, travel writer and author of The Man Who Invented History: Travels with Herodotus.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Robin McConnell, Matt Lewis

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

A Happy Family by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

Passing The Torch by The Flight

Conversations by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

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Assassin’s Creed Syndicate transports us to the action-packed streets of London in 1868. Players set out on a quest to liberate the city from the grip of the criminal underworld. But they don’t do it alone. Supplying them with a healthy amount of ingenious gadgets to defeat their enemies, is none other than Alexander Graham Bell - best known as the inventor of the telephone.

Dr Holly Nielsen speaks to Brian Wood, curator at the Bell Homestead National Historic Site.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Dr Holly Nielsen

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Austin Wintory.

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Anno 117: Pax Romana is set in the year when the Roman Empire expanded to its greatest extent in all its history; and saw the death of Trajan, who is counted amongst the Five Good Emperors. Trajan was a general first and his military victories made him a mighty leader. But he couldn’t have won anything without the Roman Army, and the men who filled its ranks. While Trajan was getting all the glory, what was life like for the ordinary Roman soldier?

Dr Elizabeth M. Greene, Associate Professor of Classics at Western Ontario University, drills Matt Lewis in the essentials of ancient military life, including the surprising role of women in the Roman Army.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Dynamedion

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In the new game Anno 117: Pax Romana, the Emperor has appointed you as governor, tasked with developing new provinces in the Empire.

It’s tempting to think of the Roman Empire as, well, Roman. But by its very nature the Empire consisted of people from a diverse range of cultures, with their own languages, traditions and architecture. How did the Romans keep this hodge-podge of territories together? And how much of what we think of as “Roman” is really borrowed from other ancient peoples?

To help me grapple with the vastness of the Roman Empire, Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Benedict Lowe.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Dynamedion

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In the new game Anno 117: Pax Romana, the Emperor has appointed you as governor, tasked with developing new provinces in the Empire. The game is set in a big year for Rome: it marked the moment the Roman Empire expanded the furthest in all its history, and saw the death of Trajan, who is counted amongst the Five Good Emperors. 

But why was Trajan so popular? You’ve probably heard of Trajan’s Column, which celebrates his military might. But there are many building projects bearing his name all across Europe and the Middle East. Was Trajan just a construction addict, or did his provincial projects serve a practical purpose?

Prof. Maggie Popkin joins Matt Lewis to examine the blueprints of Trajan's grand schemes.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Dynamedion

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In the new game Anno 117: Pax Romana, the Emperor has appointed you as governor, tasked with developing provinces in the Roman-based Latium region and Celtic-inspired Albion. The game is set in a big year for Rome: it marked the moment the Roman Empire expanded the furthest in all its history, and saw the death of Trajan, who is counted amongst the Five Good Emperors. 

As the video game’s title indicates, this era was known as the “Pax Romana”: the “Roman Peace”. But what does that mean? Was this really a peaceful period in history? Or have we misunderstood its meaning for centuries? Dr Hannah Cornwell helps Matt Lewis with this classic puzzle.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Dynamedion

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Ubisoft Developer Interview with Raphael Lacoste

For nearly two decades, the Assassin’s Creed video games have transported players to worlds of the past. From the hot sands of the medieval Middle East to the frozen Arctic of 18th century Canada; the variety of periods, people and places of the past that have been built from scratch, in detail, is immense. But video games are also meant to entertain, and there are gaps in our knowledge of history which must be filled when creating these interactive worlds for players to escape into.

Today, Dr Holly Nielsen speaks to Raphael Lacoste, concept artist and art director on the very first Assassin’s Creed game and many more since, to recount the evolution of the series.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Dr Holly Nielsen

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Robin McConnell, Dr Holly Nielsen

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

City of Jerusalem by Jesper Kyd

Meditation Begins by Jesper Kyd

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The heart of the Assassin’s Creed franchise is the deadly rivalry between the brotherhoods of Assassins and Templars. These were real groups in history, whose power and influence in their lifetimes matched the longevity of their reputations. But how much of what we know of the two organisations is myth, and what is reality?

To help separate fact from fiction, Matt Lewis is joined by Dr Steve Tibble, author of Assassins and Templars: A Battle in Myth and Blood.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Elitsa Alexandrova

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The first Assassin's Creed game puts players in the thick of the Siege of Acre during the Third Crusade. We can climb its battlements and fight in the shadow of its mighty walls. In this episode, Dr Nicolas Morton returns to help Matt Lewis explore how the confluence of cultures in the Holy Land produced unique features to Crusader Castles, and what methods could be used to overcome their defences, as demonstrated in the truly epic Siege of Acre.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

City of Jerusalem by Elitsa Alexandrova

Meditation Begins by Elitsa Alexandrova

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The very first Assassin's Creed video game takes us back to the Third Crusade, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. As Saladin's Islamic armies tried to reconquer the Holy Land, the Christian rulers of Jerusalem faced as many threats from within as without - perhaps none moreso than Sybilla and Isabella, women who ruled in a men’s world.

Matt Lewis is joined by Katherine Pangonis to help understand how these women rose to power - and held onto it - at such a perilous time.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

City of Jerusalem by Elitsa Alexandrova

Flight Through Jerusalem by Elitsa Alexandrova

Meditation Begins by Elitsa Alexandrova

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Ubisoft Developer Interview with James Nadiger

Assassin’s Creed Rogue lets players explore the frozen world of the Arctic coastline of North America. Players inhabit the memories of Shay Cormac, an Irish Assassin who switches sides to join the Templars, against the backdrop of the Seven Years’ War, or as its American theatre is known, the French-Indian War.

Dr Holly Nielsen is joined by James Nadiger, scriptwriter on Assassin’s Creed Rogue, to shed light on the dramatic shifts behind this unusual entry in the series.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Dr Holly Nielsen

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Robin McConnell, Dr Holly Nielsen

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

The Streets by Elitsa Alexandrova

I Am Shay Cormac by Elitsa Alexandrova

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Assassin's Creed Rogue and Assassin's Creed III let us sail through the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage at the most dangerous time in history.

From Hudson Bay to Hawaii, the coasts of Canada and the USA were mapped as an unintended consequence of history’s greatest explorers trying to find a navigable path from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Just what was it that made this route so hard to find? And how did explorers overcome the fatal challenges it posed? Historian and adventurer Ken McGoogan helps Dan Snow discover the answers.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Dan Snow

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Elitsa Alexandrova

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Assassin’s Creed Rogue allows players to explore the icy landscapes and freezing oceans of the Arctic as it was during the Seven Years’ War. Appropriately, it also lets players hang around with one of history’s greatest explorers: Captain James Cook.

What made Cook an exceptional navigator? And how does his depiction in the video game compare to the reality of the man? Historian and adventurer Ken McGoogan helps Dan Snow get under the skin of the celebrated sailor.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Dan Snow

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Elitsa Alexandrova

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Assassin's Creed Rogue takes us back to a time when the troubles of royal houses in Europe violently affected the lives of people across the Atlantic Ocean. When the Old World and the New World violently collided in the French-Indian War. But that was just one part of a clash of empires.

Professor Emma Hart joins Dan Snow to explain the complex causes and events of an 18th century conflict that was so huge, it might truly claim the title of the first world war: the Seven Years' War.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Dan Snow

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by Elitsa Alexandrova

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Historians Review & Ubisoft Developer Interview with Benjamin Hall

For the past few weeks, we have investigated the history behind Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In this episode, Matt Lewis joins historian and video game writer Holly Nielsen to step into the Animus and uncover how history and gaming interact. Holly speaks exclusively to Benjamin Hall, World Director of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, about how the developers met the challenge of bringing the past to life.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Matt Lewis, Dr Holly Nielsen

Edited by: Justin Keating

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell, Dr Holly Nielsen

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music by The Flight

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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Assassin’s Creed Odyssey immerses players in the mythology of Ancient Greece. In particular, they can walk in the footsteps of Theseus through the Labyrinth and come face to face with the mythical Minotaur.

Commonly associated with the maze-like Knossos palace on Crete, how much of the myth is rooted in reality? Prof Nicoletta Momigliano guides Tristan Hughes through the pathways between myth and reality of the Minoan Labyrinth.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Tristan Hughes

Edited by: Alex Jones

Produced by: Robin McConnell, Anne-Marie Luff

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Phoibe the Orphan by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

The Minotaur by The Flight

Barnabas by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

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Assassin's Creed Odyssey lets players spend time with renowned philosopher Sokrates - but it also lets us meet his surprisingly younger and outspoken wife, Xanthippe. Sources are clear that Sokrates valued her independent mind and argumentative nature. This raises the interesting question, to what extent was Sokrates’ worldview influenced and shaped by Xanthippe’s honest companionship?

Prof Michael Griffin helps Tristan Hughes to understand this dynamic relationship. Watch Michael's videos about philosophy on the Delphic Philosophy YouTube channel.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Tristan Hughes

Edited by: Alex Jones

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Odyssey (Greek version) by The Flight, Michael Georgiades, Fanny Perrier-Rochas

Barnabas-Master by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

Phoibe the Orphan by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

Markos by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

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Assassin's Creed Odyssey puts us at the heart of the expansive conflict that occurred when Athens went to war with Sparta: the Peloponnesian War. Guest host Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Roel Konijnendijk to recount the causes, events and legacy of this pivotal war in the ancient Greek world.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. 

Hosted by: Tristan Hughes

Edited by: Michael McDaid

Produced by: Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Manager: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Delphi by The Flight

Pirates, Thugs and Bandits by The Flight, Michael Georgiades

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Tell us your favourite Assassin's Creed game or podcast episode at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

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