The History of Ancient Greece

In this special guest episode, I am joined by Joe Goodkin, a Chicago-based singer/songwriter, who tours the country performing his one-man folk-opera interpretation of Homer's Odyssey. We discuss what it's like to be a modern bard and how that has shaped his understanding of the Homeric poems and ancient audiences, as well as what it means to be "non-traditional" classicists, and what we can do an...

In this special guest episode, Dr Johanna Hanink and I discuss her most recent book, How to Think about War: An Ancient Guide to Foreign Policy  (Princeton University Press, 2019), what it was like to translate Thucydides, and the deeper meaning behind many of his speeches Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/06/special-guest-episode-on-translating.html   Dr Johanna Hanink As...

In this episode, we discuss the years 427 and 426 BC of the Peloponnesian War, including the destruction of Plataia, civil wars in both Megara and Korkyra, and Athenian campaigns in Sicily, central Greece, and northwestern Greece Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/05/094-new-leaders-and-new-strategies.html   Intro by Trevor Culley of the History of Persia Podcast Website: ...

In this episode, we discuss the years 428 and 427 BC of the Peloponnesian War, including the introduction of Kleon and Nikias, the revolt of Mytilene (Lesbos) from the Athenian empire, and a "prison-style breakout" from Plataia Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/05/093-revolt-in-empire.html   Intro by Rachel and Aisling of the Good Book Podcast Website:  http://goodbookpod....

In this episode, we discuss the years 430-429 BC of the Peloponnesian War, including a failed Spartan invasion of Zakynthos and Akarnania, Phormio's naval victories at Rhion and Naupaktos, an Athenian debacle at Spartolos, the end of the siege of Potidaia, the deaths of Perikles and Phormio, and a Thrakian invasion of Makedonia Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/05/092-end-...

In this episode, we discuss the first year and a half of the war (431-430 BC), as both Sparta and Athens initiated their war strategies, including a Theban sneak attack on Plataia that began the war, Peloponnesian land raids on Attika, Athenian naval raids on the Peloponnesos and northwestern Greece, Athenian alliances with Odrysian Thrake, a famous funeral oration by Perikles, and a deadly plague...

In this episode, we discuss the two major events over 433/2 BC that led Perikles to claim that he could see war "coming out of the Peloponnesos" (the Potidaia revolt and the Megarian embargo); the speeches given by the Korinthians, Spartans, and Athenians on the eve of the Peloponnesian War; and both sides' financial and military resources, war aims, and tactical strategies   Show Notes: http://ww...

In this special guest episode, Dr Barry Strauss and I discuss the content and the methodology behind his new book, the Ten Caesars, his podcast Antiquitas, the importance of public history and writing for non-scholars, and leadership lessons from the ancient world. Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/04/special-guest-episode-on-ten-caesars.html   Dr Barry Strauss Professor o...

In this special guest episode, I am joined by Dr. Phoebe Segal ,  Mary Bryce Comstock Curator, Greek and Roman Art, at Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA). She gave me a one-on-one tour of their new  " Daily Life in Ancient Greece " exhibit (in Gallery 212A-B) and allowed me to record our conversation while doing it.   Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/03/special-guest-episod...

In this episode, we discuss the mid-5th century BC history of two areas that were important economically and politically to Athens—the west (including the Sikel Revolt, Syracuse's defeat of Akragas, the establishment of the panhellenic colony of Thourii, and the new Athenian alliances with Segesta, Leontini, and Rhegion) and the northeast (including the founding of Brea and Amphipolis on the Strym...

In this episode, we discuss the life, influences, drawbacks, and positives of the "Father of Scientific History," Thoukydides (ca. 460-395 BC); the nature of Athenian politics and political organizations in the time of Perikles; and the domestic political scene in Athens in the late 440s and early 430s BC, including Perikles' ideological clash with the conservative Thoukydides (not the historian)...

In this episode, we describe the development of  rhetoric in the ancient Greek world as an art that could be studied and employed in the law courts and politics, and its importance especially in Classical Athens; the roles and various opinions of the Sophists, who were  lecturers that traveled from city to city, teaching not only rhetoric but also all of the other subjects that were not being cove...

In this special guest episode, Dr Amy Pistone and I have a lively discussion about ancient Greek drinking culture with a side of sports, aka how college students can relate to the ancient Greeks.   Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2019/01/special-guest-episode-on-drinking-and.html     Dr. Amy Pistone Visiting Professor of Classics at Notre Dame University Website:  https://www...

In this episode, part four of four on a series on Greek philosophy, mathematics, and science in the 5th century BC, we describe the earliest astronomical observations and calculations in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt and their influence on ancient Greek astronomy; the various planets and star constellations found in Greek literature, as well as the origins of the Zodiac; the earliest Greek astrono...

In this episode, part three of four on a series on Greek philosophy, mathematics, and science in the 5th century BC, we describe the lives, influences, and various theories and discoveries made by Greece's earliest mathematicians, including Thales, Pythagoras, Hippasus and the early Pythagoreans, Oenopides, Hippocrates, Antiphon, Bryson, Democritus, and Theodoros Show Notes:  http://www.thehistory...

In this episode, part two of four on a series on Greek philosophy, mathematics, and science in the 5th century BC, we describe the lives, influences, and various theories put forth by the so-called Pluralist School (Anaxagoras, Empedokles, and Archelaos), as well as various other Pre-Socratic physiologoi (aka natural philosophers) not associated with a particular school, such as Hippon and Diogene...

In this episode, part one of four on a series on Greek philosophy, mathematics, and science in the 5th century BC, we describe the lives, influences, and various theories put forth by the Eleatic School (Parmenides, Zeno, and Melissos) and the so-called Atomists (Leukippos and Demokritos) Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2018/11/083-eleatics-and-atomists.html   Intro by Josh H...

In this episode, we discuss the myths, iconography, and cultic worship of Apollo, the god of music, poetry, prophecy, truth, healing, medicine, plague, light, and knowledge, who served as a kind of symbol for young Greek boys to emulate Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2018/10/082-leader-of-muses.html   Intro by M.C. Williams of Myths Your Teacher Hated Podcast Website:  http:...

In this special guest episode, Dr Rebecca Futo Kennedy and I have a lively discussion about race, ethnicity, immigration, and multiculturalism in the ancient Mediterranean in the first hour. Along the way we point out many of the misconceptions that there are on these topics, and in the second hour we discuss how these misconceptions were shaped by early modern European and American political thou...

In this special guest episode, Dr Donna Zuckerberg and I talk about her role as Editor-in-Chief of  Eidolon, which is   an online journal for scholarly writing about Classics that isn't formal scholarship. This leads us into a discussion about the importance of public-facing history. More importantly, though, we discuss her new book titled "Not All Dead White Men: Classics and Misogyny in the Digi...

In this episode, we discuss the myths, iconography, and cultic worship of Orpheus and his Mysteries; the Orphic Hymns and the Orphic Theogony; the Orphic Hymn to Melinoe and her connection to the Mysteries, Hekate, and Hermes Psychopompos; the roles of omens, divination, and itinerant seers (including the mythic figures of Teiresias, Mopsos, and Kalchas, as well as historical figures like Lampon);...

In this special guest episode, Fiona and I discuss slavery in the ancient Roman Republic and Empire and compare/contrast it with ancient Greece (plus lots on gladiators and Spartacus!) Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2018/09/special-guest-episode-on-roman-slavery.html   Fiona Radford Co-Host of the Partial Historians Podcast Website:  https://partialhistorians.com Facebook: ...

In this episode, we discuss the myths, iconography, and cultic worship of Hekate, the goddess associated with magic, sorcery, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, crossroads, entrance-ways, ghosts, and necromancy; including her connections and/or syncretizations with Iphigenia, Artemis, Selene, the Erinyes (also known as the Furies), the Keres, the Semnai Theai, Empousa, Lamia, Kir...

In this episode, we discuss what life was like for the elderly in ancient Greece, the liminal stage between life and death, the rituals and importance of the funeral and burial, the archaeology of the Kerameikos in Athens and its significance in our understanding of Greek funerary practices, the importance of the demosion sema and epitaphios logos in Athenian democracy, and the evolution of Greek...

In this episode, we discuss healing and medicine in the ancient Greek world by looking at Asklepios, his healing sanctuaries known as Asklepieia, and the earliest physicians, including Hippokrates of Kos, the Hippokratic School of Medicine, and the Hippokratic Corpus; and bacterial/viral diseases, mental diseases, and disabilities Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2018/08/078-h...