Plutarch's Greeks and Romans Podcast

We'd love to hear from you In this episode, we explore the lives of Agesilaus and Pelopidas , two towering figures from ancient Greece whose paths and principles could not be more different. Agesilaus, the disciplined and cunning Spartan king, rose to prominence through military command and political maneuvering—but his loyalty to Sparta may have come at Greece’s expense. Pelopidas, the fiery...

We'd love to hear from you Step into the fascinating world of Xenophon, a soldier, historian, philosopher, and adventurer from ancient Greece whose life reads like an epic tale. This podcast unpacks the extraordinary journey of Xenophon, a student of Socrates, a general in the Persian wilderness, and one of the earliest storytellers of history and leadership. Discover his role in the infamous...

We'd love to hear from you In this episode, we complete our dive into the life and legacy of Marcus Furius Camillus, one of Rome's most celebrated military leaders and statesmen, often hailed as the "Second Founder of Rome." Camillus played a crucial role in shaping the early Roman Republic, guiding it through some of its most challenging periods. We began in episode one by expl...

We'd love to hear from you Furius Camillus, whom many historians, Plutarch included, say is the second founder of Rome and in my opinion is one of the greatest Roman leaders at least up until the Empire, and even then, still holds his own!  Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and...

We'd love to hear from you Lysander's importance to history begins when he is appointed as admiral of the Spartan fleet in 407 BC.   At this point Athens's navy has experienced a resurgence with the return of Alcibiades. Lysander takes command of the Spartan fleet at Ephesus and resolves to do what it takes to make it a match for the Athenian navy.  A tall order - is Lysander up for...

We'd love to hear from you After suffering a disastrous setback in Sicily the situation once again looks grim for Athens.  The Athenians would continue the fight however and the story of the Peloponnesian War would see a number of surprising twists - with Alcibiades playing a key role in each new turning point in the conflict. Thanks for listening Chris & Ryan Support the show Thanks for s...

We'd love to hear from you In Part 2 of the Lives of Alcibiades and Nicias, these two polar opposites clash over Athenian foreign policy.  With Sparta still a looming threat, Athenians must choose whether to listen to the ambitious Alcibiades or cautious Nicias. Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay t...

We'd love to hear from you For this episode it's going to be another two-for-one special as we will be covering two lives at once, and we will be picking up basically right where we left off.   To jog everyone's memories, when we last left Athens the city had just been dealt a devastating blow in it's war with Sparta.  Athens's lead citizen Pericles had convinced the Atheni...

We'd love to hear from you Coriolanus was an orphan, a Patrician and a Roman with Roman-sized ambitions who wouldn't let anyone get in his way on the road to glory, fame and prominence.  Hope you enjoy! Chris & Ryan Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and exciting upcomin...

We'd love to hear from you Coriolanus was an orphan, a Patrician and a Roman with Roman-sized ambitions who wouldn't let anyone get in his way on the road to glory, fame and prominence.  Hope you enjoy! Chris & Ryan Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and exciting upcomin...

We'd love to hear from you  Pericles had reached heights of political power never achieved before in democratic Athens but the threat of war looms on the horizon for both the city and Greece as a whole. Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and exciting upcoming biographies Chris &a...

We'd love to hear from you  With Cimon out of the picture for a while, more democratic figures would step up to fill the leadership vacuum, and Pericles would end up becoming the most prominent of these, eventually establishing a legacy as arguably the greatest statesman in the history of Athens.  With Pericles as the lead voice in the Ecclesia, Athens would experience a Golden Age which conti...

We'd love to hear from you Having narrowly survived the invasion of Xerxes massive Persian army, Athens would lean on the leadership of Cimon as it looks to establish supremacy in the Aegean Sea with a new alliance and a powerful navy. Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and excit...

We'd love to hear from you With King Tarquin in exile, and support from the Roman people in hand, Poplicola is forced to play a high stakes game of diplomacy and warfare to secure the newly formed Republic and ensure the tyranny of the cruel monarchy would remain a past indulgence.  The life of Poplicola as described by Plutarch makes it clear how the desire for freedom always trumps tyranny. ...

We'd love to hear from you The Persians are coming and Athens is doomed to destruction if the bold and clever Themistocles, and his rival the honorable Aristides, can't find a way to stop them Chris & Ryan Plutarch's Greeks and Romans Podcast Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned f...

We'd love to hear from you Aristides and Themistocles came of age as tyranny in Athens was coming to an end and the world's first democracy was being established! It was a brave new world and would require brave new leaders. Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and exciting up...

We'd love to hear from you  Numa Pompilius , a man whom never wanted to be King, a man with a deep faith in the Gods topped off with a philosophy abhorrently against an aggression and anger driven society forever at war depriving Rome’s citizens of more Godly and more peaceful societal improvements. If it’s said, Romulus gifted the Romans with a grand military tradition and supporting institut...

We'd love to hear from you Solon was Athens' original wise man.  Can his guidance and prudent laws help the city avoid disintegrating into civil conflict? For the life of Solon we r eturn to Athens, where we started the podcast and learned about Theseus, the hero who the Athenians celebrate as their founder because he ended the tribute to King Minos of Crete, brought the people of Attica...

We'd love to hear from you The long awaited conclusion is here! Man or legend, you be the judge! Romulus begins the episode mounting a  daring rescue of his brother Remus, kidnapped by Numitors herdsmen, and most certainly headed for personal disaster. With Remus rescued, Numitor on the throne, Romulus will rise to his legend and found Rome, her politics, her military, societal structures and...

We'd love to hear from you Lycurgus was the man who gave Sparta it's laws and transformed it into a polis like no other - a warrior-society which would produce the most fearsome soldiers of the Ancient World.   Support the show Thanks for supporting our show Plutarch enthusiasts! Thanks to all our listeners, we appreciate your support! Stay tuned for more new and exciting upcoming biograp...

We'd love to hear from you In our very first episode, we covered Theseus, a legend himself, but today we get to meet the man whom most believe founded Rome, Romulus! Man or legend, you be the judge. Romulus was a towering figure to the ancient Romans who endured to bring glory to the Empire that Romulus set upon the world on April 21, 752 BC. Excerpt "Plutarch next moves to my favorite or...

We'd love to hear from you When Theseus arrives in Athens the city is in crisis.  Can this monster-slaying, serial womanizer take his rightful place and set Athens on the path to greatness?  Plutarch's Greeks and Romans is a bi-weekly podcast featuring biographies found in Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans! Checkout our blog and stay informed on new episodes and other fun...