Podcasts about Aegean

mission trip jerusalem rev antioch acts 1:8 aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2026 20:42

Rev. Walt Marcum

The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 18 - The Aegean Mission & Paul's Trip Back to Jerusalem and Antioch

mission trip jerusalem rev antioch acts 1:8 aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2026 20:42

Rev. Walt Marcum

Turkey opposition worries that Europe is sacrificing democracy for security

International report

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2026 7:01

Turkey's main opposition says its Western allies are failing to respond as a widening crackdown by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government targets its leaders and elected mayors. The latest arrests this week followed a court decision to remove Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel and reinstate former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in an unprecedented move that was widely condemned by Turkish and international human rights groups. The European Union's response has been far more restrained. "There are some visits, there are some letters sent to us," said Ilhan Uzgel, the CHP's former deputy chair. "There are some public statements regarding the situation in Turkey, but the wording and language used is quite mild. [There's] no action." The CHP has faced more than a year of arrests targeting its mayors on corruption charges. This week, two more were detained, adding to a list that already includes jailed Istanbul mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu. HRW denounces Turkey arrests ahead of NATO summit Strategic partner Uzgel said the European Union can no longer stand by and should take a firmer stance. "Mr Erdogan has to be told, 'you're destroying democracy and what you're doing is against the rule of law,'" said Uzgel. "There could be some kind of a diplomatic isolation," he added. "So whenever Mr Erdogan meets a foreign leader, he's selling it to his own audience, the Turkish public, that he's a world leader. At least this opportunity could be taken from his hand." Yet Erdogan is expected to reinforce his international standing at next month's Nato summit in Ankara. "The two big allies of Turkey have decided not to make human rights an issue in the bilateral relationship," said Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. She notes that the EU and Washington have found rare common ground over Turkey. "For President Trump, this comes naturally; he doesn't care about human rights advancement globally," she said. "But now Europeans are also looking for some type of functional relationship with Turkey and wanting to disregard human rights as an impediment to bilateral relations." Turkey steps up as Europe's indispensable and uncomfortable defence partner Federico Donelli, an international relations expert at the University of Trieste, said the European Union's restrained response reflected Turkey's growing strategic importance. "The restraint of EU reaction is closely linked to an increase in recognition of Turkey's structural importance for European security." With Nato's second-largest army and a rapidly expanding defence industry, Turkey is increasingly seen as an important security partner as Europe faces the threat from Russia and uncertainty over the United States' long-term commitment. "The US is definitely less stable than in the past, so in this context Turkey is increasingly seen less as a [EU] candidate country and more as a strategic partner," said Donelli. Pressure on Greece and Cyprus Donelli said this shift could increase pressure on Greece and Cyprus, which have long used their vetoes to slow closer EU defence ties with Turkey because of disputes in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. "We know how much the two countries have conditioned EU-Turkey relations for many years," said Donelli. "These two countries cannot constrain broader EU strategic choices in the next few years, in the next decade." Amid the Russian threat and uncertainty over America's resolve, Turkey's opposition worries it is being sacrificed in the name of Europe's security. "Historically, Turkish EU relations were working for the democratisation of Turkey, but the equation has been reversed. The EU-Turkey ties have been working against Turkey's democratisation," said Uzgel. "The closer Mr Erdogan gets to the EU, [the more] we are losing democracy in Turkey." He nonetheless warned that Europe's approach is short-sighted and could have wider consequences. "Turkey is a country of 86 million, so if democracy fails here, it has to have some implications for other countries as well."

BONUS! Building and Living an Archaeological Fieldwork Project with Luca Bombardieri

The History of Cyprus Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2026 18:47

Luca Bombardieri, Associate Professor in Aegean and Cypriot Archaeology at the University of Siena in Italy and the scientific director at the Erimi Archaeological Project in Cyprus, explores what it really means to direct an archaeological excavation. He highlights his unique philosophy of living on-site at Erimi and walks listeners through the complex, behind-the-scenes work that goes far beyond digging -- surveying, soil sampling, conservation, documentation, and required coordination with institutions like the Cyprus Museum. He also tackles major challenges such as looting, the race to secure discoveries before the season ends, and growing development pressures that threaten even protected sites.

university project italy associate professor cyprus archaeological fieldwork aegean

The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 18 - The Aegean Mission & Corinth

mission rev corinth acts 1:8 aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2026 34:54

Rev. Walt Marcum

The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 18 - The Aegean Mission & Corinth

mission rev corinth acts 1:8 aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2026 34:54

Rev. Walt Marcum

Ottoman conquest of Lesbos

random Wiki of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2026 3:03

rWotD Episode 3328: Ottoman conquest of Lesbos Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Sunday, 14 June 2026, is Ottoman conquest of Lesbos.The Ottoman conquest of Lesbos took place in September 1462. The Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Mehmed II, laid siege to the island's capital, Mytilene. After its surrender, the other forts of the island surrendered as well. The event put an end to the semi-independent Genoese lordship that the Gattilusio family had established in the northeastern Aegean since the mid-14th century, and heralded the beginning of the First Ottoman–Venetian War in the following year.In the mid-14th century, the Gattilusio family had established an autonomous lordship under Byzantine suzerainty on Lesbos. By 1453, the Gattilusio domains had come to include most of the islands in the northeastern Aegean. In the aftermath of the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, however, Mehmed II began reducing the Gattilusio holdings. By the end of 1456, only Lesbos remained in Gattilusio hands, in exchange for an annual tribute to the Sultan. In 1458 Niccolò Gattilusio seized control of the island from his brother, and began preparing for an eventual Ottoman attack. Despite his appeals, however, no help was forthcoming from other Western powers. Mehmed II began his campaign against Lesbos in August 1462, and the Ottomans landed on the island on 1 September. After a few days of skirmishing, the Ottomans brought up their artillery and began bombarding the Castle of Mytilene. By the eighth day, the Ottomans had captured the harbour fortifications, and two days later, they seized the lower town of Melanoudion. At this point, panic set in among the defenders, and their will to continue resisting collapsed.Niccolò Gattilusio surrendered the castle and the rest of the island on 15 September, on promises of receiving estates of equivalent value. He was taken to Constantinople, where he was soon strangled. Despite promises, many of the defenders were executed, and a large part of the inhabitants were carried off for slavery in the Ottoman Empire, as servants in the Sultan's palace, or to help repopulate Constantinople. Ottoman rule on Lesbos lasted, with minor interruptions, until 1912.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:58 UTC on Sunday, 14 June 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Ottoman conquest of Lesbos on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Justin.

Wrap up of WDC 2026 in Athens

Diplomacy Games

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2026 122:38

Gavin landed back in Australia just the day before recording, and he and Ken settle in for a full debrief on WDC 2026 in Athens. From the venues and the social activities to all four of Gavin's games and the top board, this one covers it all. Intro Ken sets up the episode – this one is going to be almost entirely about WDC 2026 Athens, because Gavin was there and has only just landed back in Australia (as at the time of recording) (15 secs) He notes the DBN coverage gave a strong account of the boards and Ed's player interviews, but plenty of the magic from Spyros Dovas and his organising team didn't make it to the stream (45 secs) Drinks are introduced: Ken is on one of his home-brew lagers with a kick, and Gavin is working through a leftover Sicilian Nero d'Avola that has turned a little sour – a fitting metaphor, he suggests, for how his first round went (1 min 45 secs) The tournament in aggregate Ken asks Gavin to give a broad overview – location, numbers, facilities, atmosphere (2 mins 45 secs) Around 106 players registered, though some didn't show due to last-minute issues. Approximately 5 Australian players couldn't attend because their original flights were routed through the Middle East (3 mins 30 secs) The geopolitical context: as of recording, the Middle East airspace situation was in week nine of its shutdown, forcing Australian travellers to reroute via Singapore, Hong Kong, or Malaysia. Some also baulked at the US transit option due to the documentation requirements (4 mins 30 secs) Despite the drop-outs, the turnout was excellent and genuinely representative – a heavy European component split between the UK and the rest of Europe, a strong French contingent, players from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Norway, a good number of Americans and a couple of Canadians (including Chris Brand), around 10 Australians, and a couple of Kiwis (Dominick Stephens and Craig Purcell). The local Greek contingent, given the Athens club had only been running for about 18 months, was especially impressive (3 mins 30 secs) Tournament format: three regular rounds followed by a fourth round of tiered top boards. Rather than a single top board, the format featured seven simultaneous top boards – the top 7 players went to the premier board, players 8–14 played the second tier, 15–21 the third, and so on down through the field. Crucially, players who volunteered to sit out for round four to help with numbers kept their ranking position (7 mins) Ken and Gavin discuss how the tiered format means the fourth round is never a dead rubber – every board is still competing for something meaningful (8 mins 15 secs) Discussion of the central clock arrangement: effectively federation-based rather than a literal single clock, with the two main venues coordinating their start times by communication (9 mins 30 secs) The venues The main venue was the upstairs function space of a beachside restaurant operation – excellent location right on the waterfront, but somewhat cramped for negotiations once all the boards were in (9 mins 45 secs) As a result, boards were redistributed to the secondary venue: the Anchor bar, about 150–200 metres down the road. Gavin played two games in each location and considered the Anchor the better play space – more open, well ventilated, and with a large covered outdoor area next to a (drained) pool (11 mins) The colour-coded sash system made it easy to identify players by country but created the amusing challenge of locating your specific Italy in a room full of Italys from different boards (13 mins) The third venue – an outdoor shaded area – was reserved for the premier top board. Unlike Milan's car park, this one had good shade and plenty of room for spectators around the giant shadow board (13 mins 30 secs) Pre-tournament social activities Gavin outlines the structure: you could do as much or as little as you liked. He landed well due to a useful 5.5-hour Singapore layover that helped reset his body clock, and flew over on the same flight as tournament director Jamal Blakkarly (16 mins) They were met at Athens airport by Spyros, his wife, and daughter, who drove them to breakfast at a beautiful harbour-side restaurant in one of the small inlet bays east of Piraeus (18 mins 15 secs) Pre-tournament island stay: Gavin spent two days on Serifos, the island Spyros recommended and which has personal significance to his family (his grandfather was christened there). Spyros provided a detailed Google Map of the best spots. With the tourist season barely starting, Gavin got excellent last-minute accommodation at a family-run hotel and had the beaches almost entirely to himself (18 mins 45 secs) The island was so off-season that locals were literally still painting their furniture and kerbs in preparation. Gavin did the recommended hikes and swims, and the hotel gifted him a dry-bag left behind by a previous guest (20 mins 30 secs) Back in Athens overnight, Gavin caught up with a multinational squad of players including Shane, Brandon, Max, Zoe, Justin Law, Bradley Grace, and Karthik. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant with the Acropolis lit up above them (22 mins 30 secs) Hydra day trip (Wednesday): players caught the fast ferry from Piraeus out to Hydra (about 1.5 hrs). The island has a refined Venetian-Greek port feel, with rustic paths and rock beaches beyond. The group visited the Museum of the 1821 Greek Revolution, full of local history and artefacts. Gavin wore one of his Diplomacy shirts and ended up being an ambassador for the hobby to an American grandmother and her debate-champion granddaughter from North Carolina – and pointed them towards David Hood and the local hobby there (24 mins 15 secs) The water temperature at the beach was about 4–5 degrees colder than Australia, which meant the Europeans loved it and Gavin did not go in (26 mins 30 secs) Acropolis and Athens tour (Thursday): guided tour of the Acropolis by what Spyros described as the best guides operating there, followed by a walk through the Plaka and past the Panathenaic Stadium (venue of the first modern Olympics in 1896), then a seafood lunch at a beautiful harbourside restaurant (30 mins) Temple of Poseidon (Thursday evening): the most popular activity – the bus was packed. About halfway there, Spyros took everyone on an unannounced detour to a beach bar where they had the place to themselves, a wonderful surprise. The Temple itself sits on a peninsula with 270-degree sea views. Spyros told the story of how the Aegean got its name from that location, and a huge group photo was taken (31 mins 15 secs) Tournament production values Gavin describes the production as setting new high-water marks for tournament organisation – high enough that the Chicago 2027 organising team would be wondering how to match it. Every player had a colour-coded sash matching their country, a branded WDC Athens notepad in their country colour, and a matching pen for every round (33 mins) The awards were 3D-printed Greek god statues for the podium finishers, complemented by a full suite of themed awards for the top players in each country and for notable gameplay (34 min) Special awards included: the Ajax Award for 8th place overall (the brilliant fighter who just missed out); the Archimedes Award for the most innovative play; the Leonidas Award for the player who fought on against insurmountable odds; and professionally screen-printed awards for best performance as each of the seven Great Powers (35 mins 45 secs) Gavin's games Round 1 – France – Board: Agkystri (View game) Gavin introduces his first game and the board composition: he played France, with Danae Stamataki (Austria-Hungary, local Greek player who topped the board on 10 supply centres and won best Austria), Sabrina Ahuja "Sabi" as England, Brian Ecton as Germany, Jean-Louis Delattre as Italy, Teo Ananiadis as Russia, and Frank Oosterom from the Netherlands as Turkey (37 mins 15 secs) The plan was a Western Triple working with England and Germany, with the goal of neutralising a strong-looking Italy early. It didn't come together as intended (37 mins 45 secs) The infamous mis-order: Gavin had two builds and intended fleet Brest plus a second build. Instead he built fleet Brest and placed the build directly in MAO, effectively waiving his second build. The DBN commentators interpreted this as a genius strategic waive; Ken's interpretation was somewhat more grounded. Gavin confirms Ken was correct (39 mins) The other players on the board didn't share DBN's generous reading of the situation. Germany immediately moved into Burgundy and kept flipping between fronts as his position allowed. Italy kept pressing France throughout. Gavin found himself squeezed down to a single unit in the English Channel (40 mins 30 secs) Final turn plan: England agreed to convoy an army across to Picardy to support Gavin back into Brest. Instead, Sabi walked into an open Paris. Gavin ended the game with zero supply centres and was eliminated (42 mins 15 secs) Gavin notes he made his disappointment known professionally, and that he subsequently had a drink with Sabi – but not that night (44 mins 15 secs) Round 2 – England – Board: Lemnos Not covered by DBN. Gavin played England; the board included Dominick Stephens (New Zealand) as Germany, Chris Brand (Canada) as Russia, Ruben Sanchez as Italy, Roberto Perego (Italy) as France, Robert Schuppe as Turkey, and Anastasia "Nastja" Styles as Austria-Hungary (46 mins) The plan was a Northern Alliance of England, Germany, and Russia. It unravelled immediately when Chris opened Moscow to Livonia and Dominick interpreted it as aggressive – resulting in a Germany-Russia war from the outset (46 mins 15 secs) Gavin adapted: knowing Germany was occupied in the east, he gave Russia some space and opened into Belgium, with Dominick and Chris both honouring his request to take Norway unopposed via fleet (46 mins 45 secs) Dominick and Gavin worked to grind down Roberto Perego's France, who ground out a hard-fought game staying alive on 2 centres. Ruben Sanchez's Italy played a deft game, flipping between alliances with Turkey and Austria (49 mins 15 secs) Dominick topped the board on 10; Ruben came in at 9; Gavin finished at 7. The game was meant to run to 1909 but drew earlier when the position stabilised. Gavin reflects he may have drawn too early, with both Dominick and Ruben suggesting he had room to push for another two centres (50 mins) Round 3 – Germany – Board: Symi (View game) Gavin played Germany. The board included Shane Armstrong (Australia) as France, Mikalis Kamaritis as Italy, Alex Maslow (USA) as Russia, Steven Hogue (USA) as Austria, Alex Lebedev (Russia) as England, and Jack Johns as Turkey (51 mins 15 secs) The strategic context: only Mikalis Kamaritis and Alex Lebedev were realistically in contention for the top board from this game. Shane and Gavin identified this early and committed to supporting the player they believed deserved to be there (52 mins 45 secs) Shane and Gavin opened with a Sealion against England, while Gavin also walked a careful line with Alex Lebedev, who initially felt more threatened by France than Germany. Austria was eliminated in 1903, and England in 1904 (53 mins 45 secs) A notable moment: Gavin slipped an army from the North Sea into an unoccupied London – a move he acknowledged was unnecessary, created friction with Alex Lebedev, and which he would not make again. He apologised on the day (56 mins 15 secs) Mikalis told Gavin and Shane to wait until 1905 – and delivered. He launched from his eastern position, took two dots off Russia and one off Turkey in a single year, then steamrolled from there. Alex Maslow was a strong and enjoyable player who nearly flipped the alliance but ultimately couldn't (56 mins 15 secs) The game agreed to a draw of 10-10-14 (Shane-Gavin-Mikalis), which the three felt would get Mikalis comfortably onto the top board. In the final adjudication Mikalis took one extra dot away from Shane, making the final scores 15-10-9 (58 mins 15 secs) Round 4 – Austria – Board: Myconos (View game) Gavin made it onto the fourth round, placed into the 6th top board. The board featured Shane Armstrong again as Turkey, Emmett Wainwright as England, Patrick Jacobson as France, Nathan Lester as Germany, Cameron Taylor as Italy, and Richard Bolton as Russia (59 mins 30 secs) The standout introduction: Nathan Lester, son of Dan Lester (who Gavin played against at Bangkok WDC). Same voice, same playing style, same persuasive meta-game arguments – but with a mullet and dressed like he's in an 80s rock video, and without the beard-stroking (1 hr 0 mins 45 secs) Gavin and Shane, having just played together in Round 3, ended up as Austria and Turkey respectively – not a natural alliance. Gavin didn't trust it but it held. Italy and France both kept fighting hard throughout (59 mins 45 secs) The game drew in 1906, with Shane and Emmett both finishing on 8, Gavin on 6 as Austria. Everyone then rushed across the road to watch the top board (1 hr 3 mins 45 secs) The top board Ken asks about Mikalis's diplomatic style. Gavin: exceptional situational awareness, communicates clearly and directly, asked and answered the "what do you want from this game?" question in a way that built immediate trust, and was good to his word on timing (1 hr 4 mins) Gavin arrived at the top board mid-1906 (his own game had just drawn). The top board was played outdoors under a well-shaded tree with plenty of room for negotiations, guarded by two or three people ensuring other players and passing members of the public couldn't crowd the board (1 hr 5 mins) The giant shadow board: a massive life-size replica board was set up nearby so all spectators could follow the game without approaching the real board. Andrew Goff read out the orders and the shadow board was updated after each adjudication – the same setup used at Milan WDC (1 hr 7 mins 45 secs) When Gavin arrived, he felt Bradley Grace had the game. The shift came late – Mikalis made a decisive move in the endgame that separated him from a closely matched France/Germany contest (1 hr 9 mins) Congratulations to Mikalis Kamaritis – well deserved, Gavin says. And to Bradley Grace: so close, but it will happen (1 hr 9 mins) The awards ceremony included Mikalis receiving both the championship belt and a traditional olive laurel wreath – a detail that was not captured in the DBN stream. Ken flags this as something future broadcasts should consider covering (1 hr 11 mins 15 secs) A Best Shane Cubis Award was also created – won by a Greek player who loudly lobbied Spyros for an award on the basis of how much he'd helped out. An AI-generated image of Shane Cubis in 1901 attire featured on the award, to the complete bafflement of the European and American contingents (1 hr 12 mins 50 secs) Game hobby and future WDCs The Chicago Windy City Weasels delivered a presentation promoting WDC 2027, enthusiastically received by the assembled players (1 hr 13 mins 15 secs) The 2028 bid: Melbourne was the only bid, and it was unanimously approved. Andrew Goff (Goffy) presented it. WDC 2028 Melbourne will be held at the MCG – the Melbourne Cricket Ground – with the conference rooms used for regular play, and the premier top board played on the MCG wicket itself. The countdown timer will run on the MCG scoreboard. Notionally scheduled for the last weekend of February 2028 – the weekend after the Formula One Grand Prix and the weekend before the first AFL round (1 hr 14 mins 30 secs) For international context: roughly equivalent to playing at Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, the Camp Nou, or Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. English players will recognise the MCG as where English cricket hopes traditionally come to die (1 hr 15 mins 15 secs) Also at the game hobby: a unanimous vote to amend and modernise the WDC charter, which dates from around 2000–2001 and doesn't reflect current online play, email communication, or the organisational structures of the Asia-Pacific and European hobbies. Four representatives (from NADF, the Asia-Pacific Diplomacy Association, and the European and UK hobbies) will draft amendments to be presented at WDC 2027 Chicago, with ratification at WDC 2028 Melbourne (1 hr 18 mins) Wrap up Gavin acknowledges the full organising effort: approximately 10 people working behind the scenes alongside Spyros and Jamal to make everything run. The Greek hobby and Athens Diplomacy Club can be enormously proud (1 hr 20 mins 30 secs) The Armistice Party: held between rounds three and four in the venue near the pool area. A DJ with a custom app allowed all attending players to nominate up to 10 songs each, with the crowd then voting in real time from four options for what came next. Gavin describes it as stunningly well thought through (1 hr 22 mins) Ken summarises: meticulously planned, wonderful venue, brilliant location, great games, fantastic people. Gavin: you got it in one. Thank you to Spyros, Jamal, and everyone they played with (1 hr 23 mins) Addendum – recorded one week later Ken and Gavin explain the addendum: a few things were either forgotten or lost in the original recording, so they've caught up a week later to cover them (1 hr 25 mins 45 secs) The Cane Toad The Cane Toad tournament will not run in 2026 – Gavin has made the decision to rest it for the year and bring it back bigger and better in 2027 (1 hr 26 mins 30 secs) Reasons: Gavin no longer lives in Brisbane where the tournament has historically been based, and several attempts to get a local game going have been completely unsuccessful. He feels it would be unfair to interstate players to travel to Queensland only to play mostly other interstate players rather than a meaningful proportion of locals (1 hr 27 mins 30 secs) He also flags cost-of-living pressures and fuel costs as factors, noting that the fuel excise which had been removed is about to be reinstated (1 hr 28 mins 45 secs) Ken and Gavin have a brief riff on whether cane toads actually hibernate, and whether the tournament might one day move to a different Queensland location (1 hr 28 mins 45 secs) Gavin shares a long-held dream of running the Cane Toad on the beach under a sun-safe setup. Council regulations require public liability insurance – but the Asia Pacific Diplomacy Association is in the process of organising exactly that for tournament directors, which may open the door in future (1 hr 29 mins 15 secs) Tournament news The Sydney Cup is on the weekend of 4–5 July. Gavin would love to go but has used up his diplomacy credits between Greece and starting a new job – it'll have to stay in the bank for now (1 hr 30 mins 45 secs) A New Zealand tournament is being discussed for the week before WDC 2028 Melbourne (late February 2028). Three New Zealand players who attended WDC 2026 in Athens have flagged interest in hosting something, on the logic that if you're travelling all the way from Europe or the US, a short hop across the Tasman to New Zealand is well worth building into the itinerary (1 hr 32 mins) Ken enthusiastically endorses the idea and encourages anyone planning for WDC 2028 Melbourne to factor in a week in New Zealand beforehand (1 hr 33 mins 30 secs) Challenge for next episode Over his birthday lunch, Gavin's son surprised him with an accurate recall of his WDC result. This leads Gavin to issue a challenge for the next episode: both Ken and Gavin will do some homework and come back with three or four online diplomacy resources that people may not know about, to raise awareness of what the community has put together over the years (1 hr 34 mins 45 secs) Around the grounds VDiplomacy gets an introduction for any listeners who aren't familiar: a sibling platform to WebDiplomacy, it hosts classic games but is particularly known for its range of variants (1 hr 36 mins 30 secs) The Dionysus Reimagined game recap – the ancient Greece variant Ken and Gavin set up in the lead-up to WDC Athens. Ken soloed, eliminating Gavin in the final year. Gavin notes that technically his last dot was taken so late that his result registers as a survive rather than an elimination (1 hr 38 mins 45 secs) Gavin played Athens and found himself defending on all fronts from early on: Sparta (who built only armies and had nowhere to go but north), the Macedonians pressing from the north, Byzantium late in the game, and Rhodes. Ken played Byzantium and credits his early token luck as a key advantage, picking up all his bid supply centres including one he expected to bounce – giving him fleet dominance in the Aegean from the start (1 hr 40 mins) The bid mechanics are recapped for any listeners unfamiliar with the variant: each player has 4 tokens to bid on non-core supply centres; outbid or bounce and you don't get the build. Ken's fortunate opening bids gave him a decisive early position (1 hr 40 mins 30 secs) A practical tip for vDiplomacy players: always open the large map after adjudication. The small map can omit orders that didn't go through, making moves look different from what was actually played. Ken noted several instances in the Dionysus game where support orders that failed simply weren't visible on the small map (1 hr 45 mins 45 secs) Ken congratulates himself on the win and notes the ratings gap between the two has now closed to around 100 points (1 hr 47 mins 30 secs) New game announced: Gavin has set up a Pirates game titled Ahoy Mateys on vDiplomacy. Gunboat, 2-day 2-hour phase length. Ken explains the extra 2 hours: it gradually shifts the adjudication time back toward Australian time zones in games where everyone readies up early (1 hr 48 mins) Pirates variant overview: a 13-player variant set in the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean, created by Gavin in collaboration with Ollie (the vDiplomacy site administrator). The 13 players are broken into three factions (1 hr 51 mins 45 secs): Europeans – Spain, England, France, and Holland, who nominally control supply centres across the map but must capture them to make them count Pirates – five pirates, four historical (Montbas, Brasiliano, de la Cueva, and Johnson) and one fictitious: El Guapo, borrowed from the movie The Three Amigos Privateers – one per European power, operating as private navies with letters patent. They can attack anyone except their sponsoring power (and vice versa). The Dunkirkers serve Spain, Henry Morgan serves England, François Le Jones serves France, and the Rocherson serves Holland Unit rules: all units are fleets, but there are two types – Clippers (move up to two spaces, standard attack strength) and Frigates (move one space, attack at 1.5x strength). A single clipper cannot defend against an attacking frigate, but a clipper supported by another clipper can. Five marked spots on the board allow transformation between unit types (1 hr 57 mins 45 secs) Special rules: a voodoo witch's hut in Cuba allows a fleet on the north coast to teleport to the south coast and vice versa. And a 14th non-playing character – a Hurricane – spins up each storm season in a random sea territory, moves randomly in the fall turn, and destroys anything in its path with an effectively unstoppable attack strength, also resetting any supply centre it passes through to neutral (1 hr 59 mins) Ken commits to reading the full rules before play begins, notes Pirates has a genuine following on vDiplomacy with games regularly in progress, and suspects he may get slaughtered (2 hr 1 min 15 secs) Gavin and Ken wrap up the show (2 hr 2 mins 15 secs) Venue: At home Drinks for the interview: Ken: One of his home brews – a lager with a bit of a kick Gavin: A Baliamo Nero d'Avola from Sicily – opened two weeks prior, which he noted had become a little sour and bitter compared to its fresh opening, much like his first round at the tournament Just a reminder you can support the show by giving it 5 stars on iTunes or Stitcher. And don't forget if you want to help pay off the audio equipment… or get the guys more drunk, you can also donate at Patreon, plus you get extra podcast episodes! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe so you get the latest Diplomacy Games episodes straight to your phone. Thanks as always to Dr Dan aka "The General" for his rockin' intro tune.

american game ai chicago europe australia english uk france england olympic games americans french germany canadian dj russia european italy australian north carolina italian spain new zealand wrap greek 3d turkey middle east temple anchor hong kong museum melbourne netherlands council caribbean singapore cuba greece hurricanes poland norway stitcher belgium pirates austria holland tournament congratulations athens moscow malaysia drinks los angeles clippers brisbane queensland madison square garden google maps rhodes diplomacy asia pacific afl sicily approximately sparta mao hydra bayern munich yankee stadium great powers english channel north sea burgundy macedonian mcg brest addendum camp nou crucially cueva dionysus byzantium karthik sabi tasman aegean acropolis allianz arena livonia austria hungary wdc dbn el guapo melbourne cricket ground henry morgan cane toads piraeus france germany david hood spyros formula one grand prix picardy northern alliance gunboat ahoy mateys frigates greek revolution cameron taylor andrew goff ken one diplomacy games

The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 17 - The Aegean Mission & Thessalonia and Athens

mission rev athens acts 17 aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2026 41:43

Rev. Walt Marcum

The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 17 - The Aegean Mission & Thessalonia and Athens

mission rev athens acts 17 aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2026 41:43

Rev. Walt Marcum

Greek News Global – 4 June 2026 – Turkey dealt a double blow in the Aegean.

Ouzo Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2026 18:37

Welcome to Greek News Global for 4 June 2026, with legendary Greek-Australian journalist, John Mangos. In this bulletin; the EU and Israel weigh in on Turkey's Blue Homeland. Turkey dealt a blow on their Turkaegean campaign. Greek tensions with Albania escalate. And heavy metal causes an earthquake in AthensSend us Fan MailSupport the showEmail us at ouzotalk@outlook.comSubscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OuzoTalkFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OuzoTalkFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ouzo_talk/

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Train Travel in Türkiye: A 12-Day Family Trip on a Budget

Global Travel Planning

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2026 36:56 Transcription Available

£25 for a 14-hour sleeper train with beds, a sink, and power points. £6.50 for a seven-hour scenic ride across central Türkiye. If you've ever assumed Türkiye is a fly-and-spend destination, this episode is here to change that picture entirely.Tracy is joined by Sinead, a York-based travel blogger and passionate train traveller, to walk through her family's 12-day loop: Istanbul, down to the Aegean coast and the ruins of Ephesus, overnight to Konya, across to Cappadocia, up to Kayseri, into Ankara, and back to Istanbul. Mostly by train, on a real budget, with honest advice on what it actually costs.✅ Building a Türkiye itinerary around each person's must-sees ✅ Booking Turkish rail through TCDD, sleeper availability, and mid-route delays ✅ What train travel is actually like, from sleepers to high-speed first class ✅ Visiting Ephesus and why the scale and preservation stand out ✅ Hiking in Cappadocia, finding cave churches, and watching balloons at sunrise for free ✅ A low-cost mosaic lamp workshop that turned out to be a trip highlight ✅ Eating well for less and saving money on flights with a reverse search strategy ✅ Packing light, carrying lira, using Revolut or Wise, and choosing an eSIMIf this episode has got you thinking about your own adventure, our free workbook, Plan Your Dream Trip with Ease, is a brilliant place to start.If you enjoyed the show, leaving a review on your favourite podcast app helps more travel lovers find us.Guest - Sinead Camplin from Map Made Memories and York Travel ExpertShow notes - Episode 97Support the show

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The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 16 - The Aegean Mission & Paul's New Life Begins

mission rev new life acts 16 life begins aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2026 32:55

Rev. Walt Marcum

The Acts of the Apostles: Acts 16 - The Aegean Mission & Paul's New Life Begins

mission rev new life acts 16 life begins aegean acts of the apostles apostles acts

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2026 32:55

Rev. Walt Marcum

Dressing a Bronze Age Warrior: Arming an Ancient Hero

The Dirt Diaries

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2026 62:46

Welcome back to the Dirt Diaries! It is finally the time you all have been asking for: we are delving into the era of ancient Greek heroes and examining the helmets and shields available to Bronze Age warriors in the Aegean. And now that the full trailer is out, it's time we chatted about what we could have had. From me to you, I wish you all could see how incredible this time period is, and maybe one day we will get the epic armor we deserve. So what shields did they have? Do we have any surviving armor, and, more importantly, does it even offer protection?Grab your translations of Homer's work and get ready to be a warrior of the mind because we're talking about dressing a Bronze Age hero. -Stay curiousTravel with me, my socials, and more!https://beacons.ai/dirtdiaries.tenn

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NextEra Bids for Dominion, Hornsea 3 Foundation Installed

The Uptime Wind Energy Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2026 3:02

Allen covers NextEra’s potential $400 billion buy of Dominion Energy, US developers racing the July tax credit deadline, Ming Yang scouting Spain for a factory, Turkey opening its first offshore wind tender, and Hornsea 3’s first foundation going in. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes’ YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Allen Hall 2025: Good morning, everyone. The world is racing at the minute, and let’s start with the biggest race of all. NextEra Energy, the largest utility in America by market value, is in talks to buy Dominion Energy of Virginia. The price? It’s about $76 a share, roughly $66 billion. With debt, the combined company would be valued at about $400 billion. That would make it the largest power deal on record. A mostly stock transaction, at least that’s what’s being reported, and a deal could come as soon as this week. Pretty shocking. Now, why does this matter to wind? NextEra is [00:01:00] not just a utility. It is one of the largest renewable energy developers on the planet. And Dominion sits on top of Northern Virginia’s data center alley, the biggest concentration of data centers in the country. Dominion expects its peak demand to double by the end of the twenty-thirties, American power consumption hit a second straight record in twenty-twenty-five, and it’s still climbing. So the company that builds more wind and solar than almost anyone wants to merge with the company that serves the hungriest grid in America. That is a race to the top. But down on the ground, developers are running a very different kind of race. Wind projects under construction in the United States are up 60% since the start of twenty-twenty-five. Solar is up about 50%. Why the surge? Well, the clock is ticking. Tax credits for wind and solar were gutted in the one big beautiful bill. Projects must begin construction by July 4th [00:02:00] and prove they are building continuously to qualify. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, those credits were supposed to phase out at the end of twenty-thirty-three. Now that deadline is just a couple of weeks away. Developers are pushing hard on projects that can make it and abandoning the ones that cannot. One solar executive put it plainly: “A lot of the projects are going to die on the vine.” And that’s a real shame. Labor is short. Of course, electricians are in demand. Transformer lead times have stretched to 18 months because data centers are buying them too. Even permits are hard to get. Projects that touch federal land, of course, that once took a month to approve are now waiting up to a year. So while NextEra races to buy the grid, developers are racing to build before the door shuts. Now, across the Atlantic, there’s a different kind of race going on. Chinese turbine manufacturer MingYang [00:03:00] Smart Energy is looking for a new home, and quick. Back in March, Britain blocked the company’s plans for a one-and-a-half billion pound factory in Scotland, mostly based on security grounds. MingYang’s European chief, Horatio Evers, says the company is now talking to Spain and scouting other locations on the continent. He says MingYang wants to build turbines in Europe with a European workforce. And this is the part I don’t understand, ’cause European workforce tend to be more expensive. However, uh, MingYang wants to build that factory, but there’s a condition. They need a guarantee that their turbines will be allowed into the market, and so far that hasn’t happened. The European Commission launched a review of Chinese manufacturers back in 2024. Those findings are still unpublished. So MingYang is racing to find a country willing to say “Yes.” Further east, Turkey is entering the offshore wind [00:04:00] race for the first time. The government has defined four areas along its western coast, all on the Aegean, for its first ever offshore wind tender. Turkey’s energy minister says Turkey aims for five gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035. The country has committed $30 billion to transmission infrastructure. And Turkey already has 15 gigawatts of onshore wind spinning today. Turkey is, of course, a NATO ally, and it straddles Europe and Asia, and now it’s stepping into offshore wind. And finally, up in the North Sea, off the coast of Norfolk, England, 75 miles from shore, Cadeler of Copenhagen just installed the first monopile foundation at Hornsea 3. When complete, Hornsea 3 will be the single largest offshore wind farm on the planet. 2.9 gigawatts, 197 foundations, enough power for 3.3 [00:05:00] million British homes. The project is owned by Danish giant Ørsted and will bring 5,000 construction jobs to the region. Hornsea 1 and 2 are already spinning, and of course, Hornsea 4 is on the drawing board. So here’s the picture. America’s two biggest utilities are racing toward a $400 billion merger. Developers are sprinting to break ground before the Fourth of July. A Chinese turbine maker is searching Europe for a factory, and Turkey is marking out its first offshore wind zones. And over in Britain, they just planted the first foundation at the world’s largest wind farm. Everyone is racing. The only question is, who gets there first? And that’s the state of the wind industry for the 18th of May, 2026. Join us tomorrow for the Uptime Wind Energy podcast

Turkey raises tensions with "Blue Homeland" legislation

The Greek Current

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2026 58:30

Turkey is once again raising tensions in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, this time putting countries in the region on alert as it prepares a “Blue Homeland” piece of legislation that would essentially enshrine Ankara's maritime claims into domestic law. The move has Athens on alert, and the question everyone is wondering is whether Turkey is now turning its back on maintaining calm in the region - something that was agreed in Athens a few years ago. Beyond the Aegean and its maritime claims, Turkey is also looking to flex its muscles on the commercial side. This proposed bill comes as Ankara has been looking to send a message that it intends to have the final say on projects being developed in the region. We've seen this in Turkey's interference with projects like the Great Sea Interconnector, while Ankara is now positioning itself as a direct rival to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a project backed by the US and the EU. While tensions simmer in the Aegean and the East Med, another story has been developing in the Ionian Sea, on the other side of Greece, where a suspected Ukrainian naval drone was discovered off the island of Lefkada. The news dominated headlines in Greece, and is raising concerns about the war in Ukraine spreading to the Mediterranean. Kostas Ifantis, Ryan Gingeras, Endy Zemenides, Sinan Ciddi, and Vassilis Nedos join Thanos Davelis this week as we explore what's at stake in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean should Turkey move forward with its provocative “Blue Homeland” legislation, and what the discovery of a Ukrainian naval drone in Greek waters means for Greece and the region. A little more info on our guests: Kostas Ifantis is a Professor of International Relations at Panteion University of Athens who has previously served as Director for Research at the Policy Planning Center of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ryan Gingeras is a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an expert on Turkish, Balkan, and Middle East history. Endy Zemenides is HALC's Executive Director. Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and director of its Turkey program. Vassilis Nedos is Kathimerini's diplomatic and defense editor. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

Turkey sounds alarm over planned French troop deployment to Cyprus

International report

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2026 5:31

Ankara has voiced alarm at Cyprus's announcement that France will deploy soldiers on the Mediterranean island. The move has fuelled Turkish fears of encirclement, as Cyprus and Greece continue to deepen defence ties with Turkey's rival Israel. Turkish officials have strongly criticised France's plan to send soldiers to Cyprus, warning it could escalate tensions. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup backed by Greece. The north is governed by a Turkish Cypriot administration recognised only by Turkey. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides stated that the French deployment is part of a Status of Forces Agreement to be signed in June. France increased its military support, sending forces to the area after Iranian missiles targeted the island. But Ankara sees the move as part of a growing rivalry with Paris. “Turkey and France are geopolitical rivals. They have been competing with each other in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean,” explains international relations professor Serhat Guvenc of Istanbul's Kadir Has University. “France is inclined to view Turkey as a potential revisionist power, pursuing hegemonic aspirations in the region,” he said, adding that Cyprus is a small island and a concentration of military power without unified command could lead to unwanted escalation. Cyprus's EU presidency: seeking resilience in a new world order Christodoulides downplayed Turkish concerns, stating that any French deployment would serve “humanitarian purposes". However, former Cypriot ambassador Euripides Evriviades argues that Turkey's military presence is the primary security threat in Cyprus. “These things are happening because we feel very insecure – it is 40,000 Turkish troops on the island in an aggressive posture,” said Evriviades. “The insecurity on the island stems directly from the continued occupation and violations of human rights that come with any occupation." French backing Macron's support for Cyprus echoes his strong backing of Greece. During a recent visit to Athens, he said there was “no room for doubt” about France's military support for Greece against any threats, a statement widely interpreted as being aimed at Turkey. France's increased support for Greece and Cyprus coincides with Athens and Nicosia strengthening security ties with Israel. Cyprus urges EU to agree plan for defence of member states ahead of summit “The Cyprus problem is no longer the Cyprus problem per se, but has become a part of the wider geopolitical rivalries in the region,” said Guvenc. Turkish-Israeli relations remain tense, with both sides viewing each other as a threat. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that the alignment of Cyprus, Israel and Greece is an attempt to “encircle Turkey". Ankara fears that such a military alliance could be used to advance Greek and Cypriot claims over the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, where Turkey and Greece have multiple territorial disputes. “If they combine their military and naval capabilities, they may attempt to deny Turkey access to the Eastern Mediterranean. So this is a danger,” said Guvenc. Cycle of distrust The upcoming Washington summit involving Greece, Cyprus and Israel is likely to intensify Ankara's concerns about isolation. Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, head of the German Marshall Fund office in Ankara, warns that the region is caught in a growing cycle of distrust, and any new military deployment to Cyprus is likely to prompt a reciprocal response. “Turkey could make new deployments, drones, even fighter jets,” he said. Turkey steps up as Europe's indispensable and uncomfortable defence partner Unluhisarcikli also cautions that renewed tensions over Cyprus are a dangerous distraction from the ongoing Russian threat. “At a time when the transatlantic community at large is facing much larger external threats, NATO allies should not be posturing against each other, and that's what we are seeing. This is unacceptable." “The risk of a real confrontation is very limited, but it will lead both sides to double down on their current positions,” he added. Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO, is viewed by some in the European Union as a potential answer to concerns about the United States' commitment to Europe's defence amid the ongoing Russian threat. However, renewed tensions over Cyprus may undermine these expectations.

Great-martyr Irene of Thessalonica (4th c.) - May 5

Saint of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2026

"Saint Irene was the daughter of a princelet called Licinius; named Penelope by her parents, through a divine revelation she was brought to faith in Christ and at Baptism was renamed Irene. In her zeal for piety she broke in pieces all the idols of her father, who commanded that she be trampled underfoot by horses. But while she remained unharmed, one of the horses rose up and cast down her father, killing him. By her prayer she raised him to life again, and he believed and was baptized. Afterwards, in many journeyings, Saint Irene suffered torments and punishments for her faith, but was preserved by the power of God, while working dread miracles and converting many thousands of souls. At last she came to Ephesus, where she fell asleep in peace, in the first half of the fourth century. Two days after her death, her gravestone was found lifted off, and her grave empty. At least two churches were dedicated to St Irene in Constantinople, and she is the patroness of the Aegean island of Thera, which is commonly called Santorini, a corruption of "Saint Irene." (Great Horologion) Note: The most famous Agia Irene church in Constantinople is not named after her, but for the Holy Peace (Greek Irene) of God, which is Christ. The Prologue's account differs in several details. St Nikolai places St Irene in the Balkans in the town of Magedon, in apostolic times rather than the 3rd-4th century. In his account Irene learned the Christian faith from her teacher, Appelianus, and was baptised by the Apostle Timothy himself. He attributes the anger of Irene's father to her refusal to marry rather than her smashing the family idols (though of course she might have done both).

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60 - The Last Philistine

The History Of The Land Of Israel Podcast.

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2026 32:54

Send us Fan MailIn 604 BCE, a Philistine king wrote a desperate letter to the pharaoh of Egypt. It was written not in his ancestors' Aegean tongue, but in Aramaic. The letter made it to Egypt. The help never came. Within weeks, Nebuchadnezzar turned Ashkelon into a heap of ruins — a phrase we can verify because the Babylonian Chronicle and the destruction layer match down to the month. But the Philistines didn't really die that winter. They'd been disappearing for centuries, and the latest scholarship reveals a far stranger story than simple conquest. Why did the Philistines increase their ethnic markers for 200 years before suddenly abandoning them? Why did two neighboring cities have opposite relationships with pork? And why, when the Babylonians deported both Philistines and Judahites, did one people survive exile and the other vanish forever?NEW PODCAST: American Evangelicals - A History PodcastA thoughtful, deep dive into one of the most talked-about movements in American history.Support the show

american babylonians philistines nebuchadnezzar bce aramaic aegean ashkelon judahite

100.5 Patreon Preview: Alcibiades

So You Think You Can Rule Persia

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2026 46:57

After our 100th ruler, have a peek behind the curtain into our Patreon! We'll tell you about the extra episodes that await you there and, to entice you further, here is the first half of our special episode on Alcibiades. The most chaotic man of Ancient Athens is ready to hop between every available faction, break the balance of power in the Aegean, and have a good time doing it Join our Patreon here! www.patreon.com/soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia

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Freedom And The Corinthians-Part 15-Freedom And Hope

jesus christ american church lord freedom podcasts corinthians good news ephesus corinth corinthian tarsus aegean ionian

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 37:26

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world." Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches. Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church. These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church. Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter. We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

59 - The Five Lords: How the Philistines Governed a Civilization

The History Of The Land Of Israel Podcast.

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2026 40:13

Send us Fan Mail Every kingdom in the ancient Near East had a king. The Philistines said no thanks. Instead, they brought something from the Aegean: five cities, five lords, collective rule. Their rulers weren't called kings. They were called seranim, a word linguists connect to the Greek tyrannos. They met in council, argued, voted, and overruled each other. When the people of Ekron disagreed with their king's pro-Assyrian policy, they put him in chains and mailed him to Jerusalem. When a commoner whose name literally meant "the Greek" seized the throne of Ashdod through popular uprising, the old Aegean identity was still alive after five centuries. But that happened even though their DNA had become completely local. We explore the paradox. NEW PODCAST: American Evangelicals - A History PodcastA thoughtful, deep dive into one of the most talked-about movements in American history.Support the show

american dna greek jerusalem lords civilization philistines assyrian near east governed aegean ashdod ekron

Freedom And The Corinthians-Part 14-Freedom For Community

jesus christ american community church lord freedom podcasts corinthians good news ephesus corinth corinthian tarsus aegean ionian

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2026 35:14

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world." Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches. Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church. These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church. Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter. We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

The Greco-Persian Wars - PART VI: Aftermath of the Battle of Salamis an the Road to Plataea

History with Cy

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2026 71:15

In the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Salamis (480 BC), both the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire are left facing a critical question: what comes next?In this episode, we explore the tense and uncertain months that followed one of the most decisive naval battles in ancient history. While the Athenians celebrate their victory, they must also confront the reality that the war is far from over. Themistocles, ever the strategist, takes to the Aegean—seeking to punish those accused of medizing and to strengthen Athens' position among the Greek world.Meanwhile, the Persian king Xerxes I withdraws, leaving behind a powerful army under his cousin and general Mardonius. From central Greece, Mardonius prepares for the next phase of the conflict, as a fragile Hellenic coalition gathers at the Isthmus of Corinth—determined to defend the Peloponnese at all costs.But beneath the surface, political tensions, rivalries, and strategic disagreements threaten to fracture the Greek alliance.Will the Persians strike again?Or will they wait for Xerxes to return with an even greater force?*Contents:*00:00 Xerxes' Decision11:59 Themistocles the Cunning23:06 The Long and Deadly March Home30:27 Mardonius' Grand Strategy for Greece39:28 An Achaemenid-Athenian Alliance?!?55:45 Mardonius Marches on Athens Again01:00:55 The Honorable Men of Sparta!01:10:03 Thank You and PatronsSpecial thanks to *Farya Faraji* for the following musical compositions featured throughout the program: "Rise of Arsaces""Achaemenes""Mater""To Phrygia""Under Iranian Stars""In Pythagoras' Mind""Fratres""Aima""Legends of Sparta"Check out more of his work that spans across many countries, cultures and time periods: https://www.youtube.com/@faryafaraji.and.worldmusiciansYou can also find them on the albums:*Songs of Old Iran Vols. I & II**Voices of the Ancients Vols. I & II* Additional Music:Epidemic Sound"Pepper Seeds""Interstate 895" "A Glimmer of Hope""Can I Reach You""On the Lookout""Keeping up with the Tarahumaras""The Trustee""Zero Remorse""Dark Premonitions""Where Kings Walk""Checkmate""Deer Hunt"Support the show

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After 1177BC: The Survival of Civilizations: A Chat with Eric Cline

Currents in Religion

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2026 53:55

In today's episode, I am joined by Eric H. Cline, an archaeologist and ancient historian at George Washington University. He speaks about the time of innovation and change that comes as the Bronze Age collapses and the Iron Age emerges in his book After 1177BC: The Survival of Civilizations.At the end of the acclaimed history 1177 B.C., many of the Late Bronze Age civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean lay in ruins, undone by invasion, revolt, natural disasters, famine, and the demise of international trade. An interconnected world that had boasted major empires and societies, relative peace, robust commerce, and monumental architecture was lost and the so-called First Dark Age had begun.Now, in After 1177 B.C., Eric Cline tells the compelling story ofwhat happened next, over four centuries, across the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean world. It is a story of resilience, transformation, and success, as well as failures, in an age of chaos and reconfiguration. After 1177 B.C. tells how the collapse of powerful Late Bronze Age civilizations created new circumstances to which people and societies had to adapt. Those that failed to adjust disappeared from the world stage, while others transformed themselves, resulting in a new world order that included Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Neo-Hittites, Neo-Assyrians, and Neo-Babylonians. Taking the story up to the resurgence of Greece marked by the first Olympic Games in 776 B.C., the book also describes how world-changing innovations such as the use of iron and the alphabet emerged amid the chaos. Dr. Eric H. Cline is Professor of Classical and Ancient NearEastern Studies and Anthropology, the former Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, and the current Director of the GWUCapitol Archaeological Institute. He is a National Geographic Explorer, a two-time Fulbright scholar, an NEH Public Scholar, a Getty Scholar, and an award-winning teacher andauthor. In May 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctoral degree (honoris causa) from Muhlenberg College.An archaeologist and ancient historian by training, Dr.Cline's primary fields of study are biblical archaeology, the military history of the Mediterranean world from antiquity to present, and the international connections between Greece, Egypt, and the Near East during the Late Bronze Age (1700-1100 BCE). He is an experienced and active field archaeologist, with more than 30 seasons of excavation and survey to his credit since 1980 in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, Greece, Crete, and the United States. He is perhaps best known for his work on collapse and resilience in the ancient world, specifically at the end of the second millennium BCE and the early first millennium BCE in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, epitomized by the best-selling 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed (Princeton 2014; revised edition 2021).

Freedom And The Corinthians-Part 13-Women, Freedom, And Responsibility

jesus christ women american church lord freedom podcasts corinthians good news responsibility ephesus corinth corinthian tarsus aegean ionian

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2026 42:36

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world." Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches. Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church. These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church. Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter. We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Teaser: Themistocles Pt 1 (Patreon)

Casting Through Ancient Greece

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2026 5:59 Transcription Available

This is a teaser of the bonus episode, "Themistocles Pt 1" found over on Patreon.Athens doesn't wake up one day as the master of the Aegean. It gets argued into that future, one hard political fight at a time, and Themistocles is the kind of figure who can win those fights. We follow his rise from an obscure early life to the point where he becomes the driving force behind a maritime strategy that will redefine Athenian power during the Persian Wars. We dig into what our ancient sources actually give us, especially Herodotus and Plutarch, and where later storytelling may be shaping the legend. From the political upheavals of Athens after the age of tyrants to the opportunities opened by democracy, Themistocles learns to build support where it counts. That support isn't just about charisma. It connects directly to policy: ports, walls, and the idea that triremes and rowers can become the backbone of national security and influence. The turning point comes with the Laurion silver windfall and the showdown with Aristides. Do you distribute wealth to citizens right now, or invest in a fleet that could decide the next war? We walk through the arguments, the stakes, and the ostracism vote that removes Themistocles' main opposition and signals a new identity for Athens as a naval power. Support the show

greek greece athens stay connected athenian herodotus aegean plutarch aristides themistocles

S8 Ep622: 2. Ptolemy I: The Architect of a Hybrid Greco-Egyptian Empire Ptolemy I, a general and scholar educated by Aristotle, emerged as the visionary founder of Egypt's final dynasty. Recognizing the strength of Egyptian civilization, he avoided treat

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2026 6:48

2. Ptolemy I: The Architect of a Hybrid Greco-Egyptian EmpirePtolemy I, a general and scholar educated by Aristotle, emerged as the visionary founder of Egypt's final dynasty. Recognizing the strength of Egyptian civilization, he avoided treating the land as a mere conquest, instead blending Greek and Pharaonic cultures into a unique hybrid. Ptolemy expanded his empire to include Cyprus, parts of Turkey, and the Aegean islands, securing Egypt's status as a Mediterranean powerhouse. To unify his diverse subjects, he introduced the god Serapis, combining Greek imagery with Egyptian religious roots, establishing a legacy of cultural integration and administrative genius. (2)MINOAN

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Freedom And The Corinthians-Part 12-Christ's Freedom In 2026

jesus christ american church lord freedom podcasts corinthians good news ephesus corinth corinthian tarsus aegean ionian

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2026 45:20

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world." Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches. Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church. These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church. Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter. We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Freedom And The Corinthians-Part 11-Idolatry In The Church

jesus christ american church lord freedom podcasts corinthians good news ephesus idolatry corinth corinthian tarsus aegean ionian

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 39:23

In about 50 A.D., twenty years after Jesus Death Resurrection and Ascension Paul of Tarsus, one sent with authority by Jesus the Lord, to preach the Good News to the nations arrived in the City of Corinth, a prominent city of the Roman empire located on the trade route connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas. He immediately began announcing the Good News: "The Crucified Jesus is the True Lord of the world." Those believing the message were shepherded into house churches. Then Paul preached, taught and pastored in Corinth for 18 months before moving on to other cities of the empire. See Acts 18 In 53 A.D. Paul, now in Ephesus, receives letters from the Church at Corinth and from the household of a woman named Chloe, a leader in the church. These letters revealed alarming divisions, cliques, sexual immorality, lawsuits against fellow members, abuse of the Lord's supper, unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus, and much more within the Corinthian church. Making things worse, Paul was being mocked as a phony apostle by members of the church in Corinth. Paul writes the 1st letter to Corinth from Ephesus in 53 A.D. to address the beliefs and behaviors of this charismatic, but grossly immature and divided church. Those today who seek to build "new creation" churches within the American empire will be blessed by this great letter. We will make a special point of discerning in 1 Corinthians the character of wisdom and foolishness, freedom and license, as well as spiritual and childish. Come join us in this series of Podcasts on "Freedom and the Corinthians" as we "eat Corinthians" together, growing in maturity in Christ together.

Freedom And The Corinthians-Part 10-Freedom And Rights