Classical Wisdom Speaks

Should Ivanka Trump and Hunter Biden marry? Well, Plato might think that was a good idea...  Today’’s Classical Wisdom speaks podcast is with Melissa Lane, the Class of 1943 Professor of Politics and a faculty member of the Program in Classical Philosophy at Princeton University. She is author of many books, including most recently, “Of Rule and Office: Plato's Ideas of the Political.” We dis...

In the boom time in Roman Britain, 3rd century AD, one Roman Emperor made his mark on the chaotic island before he was canceled in his own time... and afterwards. But was the treatment of Magnus Maximus unfair? Was he just a usurper? Or absolutely pivotal in the history and mythology of Britain? Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is with Maxwell Craven, historian, archaeologist, and author of...

What do the ancient Greek goddesses reveal about ancient Greek culture? Why did people craft such immoral and often unlikeable gods? And what should we really think about Hera? Today's Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with  NATALIE HAYNES, author of several books, including Pandora’s Jar, Stone Blind and A Thousand Ships , which was a national bestseller and shortlisted for the 2020 Women’s...

The famed actor and comedian, Stephen Fry, discusses the ancient languages, etymology, and the joy of discovering the Classics through ancient Greek. We question whether Odysseus... or any of the other great names were really heroes and how these stories give us insight on AI and social media, among other things. Have a listen and let me know why YOU think myths are important... If you want to enj...

Flavius Claudius Julianus turned the world upside down.  Also known as Julian the Apostate as well as Julian the Philosopher, he ruled Rome as sole emperor for just a year and a half, from 361 to 363. Nonetheless, his impact was substantial. Despite the fact that he was the nephew of Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome, Julian fought to return Rome to the old gods who had le...

Is there evidence to the tales of Aeneas and the Trojan refugees migrating to Italian shores? Classical Wisdom presents Petros Koutoupis, as he explores this narrative and attempts to shed light on the archaeology of the region during the Late Bronze Age. Petros Koutoupis is an author and independent historical researcher, focusing predominantly on the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age periods of the...

Throughout the ages people have imagined “apocalypses”... but how they determined the end of the world shaped their philosophies... as is still the case. From natural disaster and moral revenge to our modern situation of increasing AI and anthropogenic concerns, contemplating the ‘end of days’ can help us cope with the world as it is... or prepare us for difficult times ahead. In an actually not m...

How aware are we when we make choices? From playing rock paper scissors and gambling to complex ethical decisions like the trolley problem and self-driving cars, game theory and choice theory are hugely important and impactful in our modern era... but so too did they play an essential role in the ancient world. Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with Josiah Ober, the Mitsotakis Professor i...

In 45 B.C., the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero embarked on an almost impossible task... He wrote a philosophical dialogue trying to understand the gods, their nature, how they interact with the world of human beings... and indeed, if they care about humans at all!  On the Nature of the Gods (De Natura Deorum) tries to answer these eternal questions through the ancient philosophical approac...

What is the future -as well as the past - of literary fiction? It is time for a Renaissance? Destined for the dustbin of history, to be discarded along with so many quaint anachronisms, or is the genre itself bound for a long overdue renaissance? Author and self-confessed “hopeless optimist,” Joel Bowman joins us for an in-depth discussion about these subjects in the context of his newest novel –...

Though it was the largest religion in the ancient world by both the number of adherents and geographical scope, Zoroastrianism is still vastly understudied in religion, history, and especially classics. What is Zoroastrianism? How has this Iranian religion impacted the Classical World? And why is one of the world's oldest organized faiths so often over looked?   Pablo Vazquez, a noted scholar...

How does the relationship between Odysseus and Telemachus play out? What does the son think about the murder of the suitors? And why exactly has this story of the Trojan Cycle captivated its listeners and readers throughout the millennia... to this very day?  Today’s Podcast is with TAD CRAWFORD, founder and publisher of Allworth Press as well as author of A Floating Life: A Novel, The Secret Life...

The saying “History is myth and myth is history” is something we have been discussing a lot of late at Classical Wisdom. Where does the story of Aeneas lie? Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is with  Anthony Adolph, a professional genealogist, broadcaster and writer of numerous books on ancestry and general history, including his most recent, In Search of Aeneas: Classical Myth or Bronze Age...

Marcus Aurelius is generally regarded as one of the "Five Good Emperors" and is often praised for his Stoic philosophy, particularly as expressed in his "Meditations." However, like any historical figure, he is not without criticisms both in his own time and in ours... But are these insignificant issues? Or do they undermine his position as a philosopher and disciple of Stoicis...

Plagiarism versus Forgery... Economic versus Individualistic Incentives... Virtuous copying versus pride in originality... In an era where the discussion of Plagiarism has become all the rage, it's important to look back over the history of Plagiarism, of institutions, of authority and of knowledge itself. Dr. James Hankins, professor of History at Harvard University and Peter Scott Adamson,...

What are Big and Little Caesars? Both in ancient and modern times? And are there certain political and social environments that are fertile for these sorts of Caesars in their rise to power? And should we know more about this topic before the next election series? This Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is with Sir William Robert Ferdinand Mount, British writer, novelist, and columnist for The Sunday...

Today children already have so many expectations. From excelling in school, practicing sports and hobbies, to learning languages that can give them the ‘competitive’ edge, there simply isn't enough time as it is to fit it all in. In their modern overloaded schedules, it's extremely difficult to see how ancient Greek and Latin feature in young people's lives. But if we can't ins...

How do you define a Rebel? Are should we glorify them? Or not? Are they heroes or anti-heroes? Have some done better in the history books than others? Today's Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with Stephen Dando-Collins, the award-winning and very prolific author of over 40 books, including Rise of an Empire, on which the major motion picture 300: Rise of an Empire was based, as well as his...

Why should we say “no”? What is the importance of being able to do so? And can the ancient philosophy of cynicism help us with our modern ills? Today we’ll look at one of the most controversial philosophers from the classical world - Diogenes the Dog - and how his example can be good for us...? Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with M. D. Usher is the Lyman-Roberts Professor of Classical...

Is Democracy dying? Polls show that Americans on both sides of the political spectrum feel it’s under attack... but does the situation have to be so dire? Professors Brook Manville and Josiah Ober offer a guide to democratic renewal in order to guarantee civic rights of freedom, equality, and dignity. Tracing the long progression toward self-government through four key moments in democracy’s histo...

Public bathhouses embodied the Roman way of life, from food and fashion to sculpture and sports. The most popular institution of the ancient Mediterranean world, the baths drew people of all backgrounds....but were all welcome there? Using the Roman bathhouse - a place suffused with nudity, sex, and magic - as a social laboratory, Professor Yaron Eliav reveals how Jews (and Christians) interacted...

What’s a day on one of the most exciting and famous archaeological sites in the world? Let’s take a tour with the man running the show at the Athenian Agora.. Today's Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with John K. Papadopoulos, Distinguished Professor of Archaeology & Classics, UCLA, and the newly appointed Director of the Athenian Agora Excavations. You can learn more about this excitin...

Why are video games set in the ancient world? What are some of the major examples? How are women represented in these games? And why does this matter?  I honestly know nothing about video games, with or without classical references. And yet, I enjoyed a fascinating conversation with Professors Cook and Draycott which revealed quite a lot about both the ancient world and the modern players who love...

From the Corporate to the Political - how can we find our modern values in ancient lessons? What if Plato ran Facebook? Or Socrates was in charge of Apple? Can you imagine Aristotle running Amazon or  General Motors? Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks' guest has thought of just that... and how these ancient thinkers can help with both the corporate and the political world today.... And maybe mor...

How did the ancient Egyptians handle war, plague and inequality? How did their unique geography shape their history? What was their community 'glue'? Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is with Dr. Kathlyn (Kara) Cooney. Professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture at UCLA, Kara Specializes in craft production, coffin studies, and economies in the ancient world. Cooney produced a compa...