Classical Wisdom Speaks

What is the role of philosophy in history? Do philosophers come up with ideas that spread and influence the world? Or are their works the cumulation of the advances of society? How do good ideas spread? And is this a time for optimism? Today’s episode of Classical Wisdom Speaks is with Robert Tracinski, editor of Symposium, a journal of liberalism, author of the The Tracinski Letter ( https://trac...

 Vitaliy Katsenelson, a podcaster and expert on value investing, and the author of a recent book on Stoicism called Soul in the Game, discusses how Stoicism has influenced his perspective, his book and his investing.  To learn more about Vitalyi’s work,  please check his website: https://contrarianedge.com/ You can learn more about Classical Wisdom and sign up for our free newsletter here:  https:...

The story of Medusa has captivated us for thousands of years, that of the beautiful woman turned into a monster... Why has this myth permeated culture so much... and why do we need to revisit this ancient tale? This week's Classical Wisdom Speaks Podcast is with Natalie Haynes, author of several books, including A Thousand Ships, which was a national bestseller and shortlisted for the 2020 Wo...

Is the West in Decline? Is it the end of days or media hype? And what is the "West" anyways? In this episode of Classical Wisdom Speaks with Spencer Klavan, we discuss how ancient wisdom is necessary to solve modern crises, why ordinary people are the essential component to the solution and whether we can/should save the West. Spencer Klavan is a classicist with a Ph. D. from Oxford, and...

Whether you are planning a trip to Greece, if you've been and want to see if you got the 'must-see' spots, or you fancy some fun armchair travels, this Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is a MUST LISTEN for ancient history lovers. Leading us through the archeological sites is veteran guide, Aristotle Koskinas. With 20 years in the field and hundreds of sites under his belt, Aristotle...

How do the major ancient Greek philosophies really compare? Are some more applicable to our modern lives than others? Today we'll try to step back and get the 'bigger' picture in our attempt to understand, analyze and compare the major ancient Greek philosophies... all in one podcast. Fortunately, we have none other than the very gifted and knowledgable Gregory Sadler, the President...

What does the ancient Greek philosophy have to do with African Proverbs and the concept of Ubuntu? Perhaps in more ways than you may think... This week's Classical Wisdom Speaks episode is with Tiišetšo Maloma from South Africa, who is an Innovation Scholar, Product Creator, Entrepreneur and author of several books, including ‘ Introducing Ubuntu Stoicism: Gain Joy, Resilience, Productivity,...

How can we be more virtuous? Can we teach our children virtue? And what about politicians? Well, the latter is probably the most difficult, but continuing our current cycle of cynicism isn't exactly helping us out either... So what can we *actually* do to make a better society for ourselves... and for the next generation? Today’s Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is with Massimo Pigliucci, the...

Are you ready to take on a musical journey from the Patagonian Mountains that will immediately transport you to the ancient world? This is a podcast unlike any you have heard before... We know the importance of music in ancient Greece; the backdrop to every ceremony, festival and religious endeavor it also accompanied dinners, symposiums, and literature itself. Indeed, the plays and poems we love...

How to Grieve: From Cicero and Stoicism to Modern practices, How Can Philosophy HELP US Handle Loss? Panel Discussion In 45 BCE, the Roman statesman Cicero fell to pieces when his beloved daughter, Tullia, died from complications of childbirth. But from the depths of despair, Cicero fought his way back. In an effort to cope with his loss, he wrote a consolation speech―not for others, as had always...

From the highway killers confronted by the Greek hero Theseus, such as Procrustes, who tortured and mutilated their victims to the Sphinx, or “strangler,” from the story of Oedipus.. Or child-killing demons and witches and historical figures such as Locusta of Gaul, the most notorious poisoner in the early Roman Empire....Who are the serial killers of the ancient world?  From the highway killers c...

Not just for dinner parties and sleepy children, learning how to tell a story is an essential component of understanding literature... but do we only become great at it when we break the rules? We discuss Aristotle's necessary components for storytelling... and why...or why not they matter. This week's Classical Wisdom Speaks podcast is with Phillip Freeman, Professor of Humanities and F...

Mark Antony and Cleopatra on one side... Octavian and his brilliant general on the other. It's one of the most riveting, decisive and climatic moments in ancient history... and yet still such a mystery. How was it that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were defeated... when they had much larger forces? What were the pivotal - never discussed - moments beforehand that gave Octavian the upper hand? And...

Many people don’t see the connection between the key ancient philosophers, Plato, Socrates and Aristotle and the growing trend of Stoicism - but how was Stoicism influenced by these earlier thinkers? Nancy Sherman, who holds the rank of a distinguished University Professor at Georgetown university, and has been elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, discusses the pract...

Has our modern system of education become obsessed with the practical and technical to the detriment of a contemplative view of education? Can we help students find awe, curiosity, contemplation - and most important of all - meaning? It’s time to recover the role of Beauty in education, to show how a liberal arts education can form us as integral persons—mind, body, and soul. Featuring Margarita M...

In 2021 Princeton University scrapped the Ancient Greek and Latin requirements for Classics students... and this sparked a huge debate, both within the classics community and the general classics loving public as well. We ask: Should ancient Greek and Latin be required for Classics students? What is the future of ancient languages? It used to be that you couldn't even enter university without...

If Seneca said Luck is when preparation meets opportunity... is Resilience when preparation meets struggle? Even if you aren't suffering pain, loss, or anxiety now... the reality is one day you will, and how you handle it can be greatly influenced by how you prepare for it... Aka, it's always worthwhile to do the 'work', philosophically speaking that is... 😉 Stoicism can help...

The Time has come... to tell the other side of the myth... the one where Medea isn't so bad... but Penelope is. What if Pandora didn’t have a box? And it wasn’t even filled with evils? What if Helen of Troy (nay Sparta) wasn’t really the face that launched a thousand ships? Perhaps it’s time to look at the Greek myths a bit more carefully... and see what versions we are choosing to reiterate....

Donald Robertson's upcoming Graphic Novel tells the tale of Marcus Aurelius like never before... How did Marcus Aurelius get his nickname? And why was it such a slap in the face... to his brother? And how does this new medium teach about both the Roman emperor and Stoic philosophy at the same time? We delve into the man, the legend, and who exactly should play Marcus Aurelius in the next Holl...

The Myth of Atlantis has captured the imagination since ancient times... when even then people questioned whether it was true or not. Renowned British philosopher and academic, Angie Hobbs delves into the validity of Plato's myth... and what it means for us today. More about Angie: Angie Hobbs is Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield.  She contribu...

Sarcophagus comes from Greek, with "sarco" meaning flesh and "phagus" meaning eater... but what can a flesh eating box tell us about the ancient Romans? Dr. Ferst drove a hundred thousand miles across four continents in over fourteen expeditions in search of the remaining 2000 stone Sarcophagi scattered across the globe. Barry Ferst is Professor of Ancient Philosophy, Islam: Ph...

Why doesn't Homer mention Thebes? It was a powerful city-state, at one point the most powerful in the Mediterranean... and yet it's conspicuously not prevalent in the great epics. Perhaps its absence speaks volumes... This Classical Wisdom Speaks episode is with Elton Barker and Joel Christensen, joint authors of both Homer’s Thebes: Epic Rivalries and the Appropriation of Mythical Pasts...

It was said her poetry will be sung as long as there are boats on the nile... There are still boats on the nile (last I checked) and yet almost no one know her works... So who exactly was Sappho? Why was she so controversial and what happened to her prolific body of work?  Discover the remarkable life, work and loss of the 7th century BC poetess who was considered equal to Homer in this week'...

Skepticism has woven its way throughout the entire history of philosophy... and yet as a formal school of thought it was (and still is) fairly niche and unknown. Why is that? What does Skepticism REALLY entail? And what can we learn from the remaining Skeptic works (of which there are so few) that can help us bridge our political divides? Richard Bett, Professor of Philosophy and Classics at Johns...

It's not the most intuitive comparison: Alexander the Great and Hernán Cortés... but what does the Macedonian Conquerer and the Spanish Conquistador have in common? We look at their commanding abilities, motivations as well as some of the larger questions that emerge from comparing the conquests of the Persian and Aztec Empires.... Featuring Justin D. Lyons, Associate Professor of Political S...