• Episode 1: The Birth of a Legend

  • Mar 27 2025
  • Length: 29 mins
  • Podcast

Episode 1: The Birth of a Legend

Listen for free

View show details

  • Summary

  • Episode 1: The Birth of a Legend Title: El Dorado: Chasing Shadows of Gold - Part 1: The Birth of a Legend Summary: Jack Maddox traces the evolution of El Dorado from a ritual involving a gold-dusted Muisca chieftain to a fabled city of gold. Broadcasting from a boat on Venezuela's Orinoco River, Maddox explores how Spanish conquistadors like Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and Gonzalo Pizarro launched brutal expeditions in pursuit of this golden phantom, transforming a simple ceremony at Lake Guatavita into an ever-shifting geographical fantasy. The episode examines how European gold lust collided with indigenous realities, including the infamous story of Lope de Aguirre's descent into madness, while reflecting on the psychological forces that drove explorers to endure unimaginable hardships based on mere rumors of gold.
    Show more Show less
Show more Show less

What listeners say about Episode 1: The Birth of a Legend

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com reviews

Amazon reviews
No Reviews are Available