Podcasts about Antigonus

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca's work, On Anger, book 2 It focuses specifically on his discussion of famous people who showed restraint and thoughtfulness in relation to their own anger, keeping it under rational control. These include statesmen and political leaders like Antigonus and Philip of Macedon, Augustus Caesar, and Cato the younger, and philosophers like Plato and Diogenes the Stoic. These people provide us with helpful examples which we can model ourselves after To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Seneca's On Anger - amzn.to/3smh6M8

In following the previous mishna which distilled the life objectives to three tenets, Pirkei Avos proceeds to delve into each one individually. In perhaps the most difficult mishna of the book, Antigonus lays out how to fulfill “Avodah” properly. In this teaching we read a take on altruism and how to create deep, meaningful and […]

Antigonus the One-Eyed came closer than almost any other figure in the post-Alexander world to recreating the dead king's empire, but his success aroused the ire of the other Successors, and his doom wasn't far behind.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It's all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoDListen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistoryBe the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Saturday, 31 August 2024   But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Matthew 3:7   “And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming about his immersion, he said to them, ‘Vipers' offspring! Who disclosed to you to flee from the coming wrath?'” (CG).   In the previous verse, it noted that those who went out to John the Baptist were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Now Matthew, while speaking of John, says, “And having seen many of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”   These are the main two groups addressed in the gospel narratives in relation to spiritual matters. However, there are other groups that are mentioned at times in leadership positions, such as the Herodians. As for these two groups, there are many extensive commentaries on them. One of the most detailed is that of Albert Barnes. For brevity, the commentary of Cambridge is provided –   Pharisees] The name signifies “Separatists;” the party dates from the revival of the National life, and observances of the Mosaic Law under the Maccabees. Their ruling principle was a literal obedience to the written law and to an unwritten tradition. Originally they were leaders of a genuine reform. But in the hands of less spiritual successors their system had become little else than a formal observance of carefully prescribed rules. “The real virtues of one age become the spurious ones of the next.” Prof. Mozley, Sermon on Pharisees. The “hypocrisy” of the Pharisees, which stifled conscience and made them “incapable of repentance,” is the special sin of the day rebuked more than any other by the Saviour. Politically they were the popular party, supporters of an isolating policy, who would make no terms with Rome or any other foreign power. The Zealots may be regarded as the extreme section of the Pharisees. The Sadducees were the aristocratic and priestly party, they acquiesced in foreign rule, and foreign civilization. They refused to give the same weight as the Pharisees to unwritten tradition, but adhered strictly to the written law of Moses. Their religious creed excluded belief in a future life, or in angels and spirits (Acts 23:8). The name is probably derived from Zadok the priest in David's time. Others with less probability connect it with Zadok, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho, who lived in the second century b. c. The derivation from tsaddik (righteous) is untenable.   Of these two groups, Matthew notes that they were “coming about his immersion.”   They probably had questions about his authority, purpose, doctrine, intent, and so forth. If so many people were coming to him, was he a threat to their authority and teaching? And if this was the case, how could they trap him in his own words, etc.?   We can assume that the questions these groups will ask of Jesus, as recorded in the gospels, were similar to those they would have asked John about now. Therefore, knowing their lives and form of religion, “he said to them, ‘Vipers' offspring!'”   The word is echidna, a poisonous snake. The identification of this snake should not be pressed too far because the same word is used when referring to a snake on the island of Malta in Acts 28.   The serpent was introduced at the fall of man in Genesis 3. This is probably a reference to that. Serpents continue to be noted in Scripture after that. One instance is especially highlighted in the account of the time during the wilderness wanderings in Numbers 21. There, the people were bit by serpents, and many died. In this, the people acknowledged their sins, and a remedy was given by the Lord to heal the people.   As such, the main thought of John is probably that of these men being the spawn of Satan who cause the people to sin, separating them from God. They were the evil offspring of their evil parent acting in crafty and malevolent ways. After so addressing them, John next says, “Who disclosed to you to flee from the coming wrath?'”   He uses the word hupodeiknumi. It is a compound word signifying “to exhibit under the eyes.” It is only used six times in the New Testament, and it is variously translated. Many translations say something like “warned,” or “forewarned.” Contextually, that may be the idea, but it is more of a paraphrase. For example, the word is used in Acts 20 when speaking about what one should do –   “I have shown [hupodeiknumi] you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” Acts 20:35   For a word that gives the underlying sense of the meaning, disclose is sufficient. John questioned these men, asking who had disclosed to them to flee from the coming wrath. It would be difficult to think that John meant this literally as if they truly were coming to hear his message and reconsider their ways.   Whether John knew their true intent or not, or whether he merely suspected it, Jesus knew exactly what these men were thinking. Their words were often duplicitous toward Him. Two examples of this are found in Matthew 22:15-33 where first the Pharisees and then the Sadducees tried to trip Him up.   Understanding this, John may have been speaking to them in a tongue-in-cheek manner with a sarcastic emphasis in his question to them. In other words, “Wrath is coming, it will come on all offenders, but you don't think you even lie in that category, so what are you doing here inquiring about my immersion for repentance?”   As for the wrath that lay ahead, it had been prophesied in the Scriptures that Israel would be exiled twice. Exile implies war, famine, and death. It implies the destruction of their land. But there is also the final wrath of judgment when all men stand before God. These men probably felt secure that they would escape both.   Paul, however, addresses the issue of coming wrath several times (Ephesians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, etc.). One main time, specifically speaking of these particular Jews, he writes –   “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.” 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16   Life application: The wrath of God is something that cannot be dismissed when the Bible is read and accepted at face value. To sin is to miss the mark with God. In this, judgment must come. The very nature of God demands it. To not accept His provision for forgiveness and atonement of sin means that His wrath, by default, remains upon that person.   The religious leaders of Israel were under God's judgment for sin. They were offered forgiveness through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, but most of them never accepted God's offer. They remained under His wrath because of this. We must remember that no person is good enough or can do enough good to be pleasing to God. That belongs to the Lord alone who fully pleased His Father. Therefore, only by coming to God through Jesus can one be saved. Be wise and accept the offer that God has made in the giving of Jesus!   “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:14-17   Heavenly Father, You have sent Jesus! Thank You, O God, for having done for us what we could never do. You alone are to be praised for Your goodness to us in reconciling us through the precious blood of Jesus our Lord. Hallelujah to You. Amen.

Friday, 2 August 2024   Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, Matthew 2:1   “And Jesus, having been born in Bethlehem Judea, in days Herod the king: Behold, magicians from sunrisings – they came unto Jerusalem” (CG).   Chapter 1 ended with the note that Joseph refrained from having physical relations with his wife, Mary, until she had brought forth Jesus. Now, the narrative continues in Chapter 2, beginning with, “And Jesus, having been born in Bethlehem Judea.”   The words are stated to confirm the prophecy of the Lord through Micah –   “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Micah 5:2   Matthew will deal with this prophecy in a few verses, but this confirms another prophecy that had to be fulfilled concerning Israel's true Messiah. Next, it says, “in days Herod the king.” He is known as Herod the Great. Of him, Albert Barnes says –   “Judea, where our Saviour was born, was a province of the Roman Empire. It was taken about 63 years before his birth by Pompey, and placed under tribute. Herod received his appointment from the Romans, and had reigned at the time of the birth of Jesus for 34 years. Though he was permitted to be called king, yet he was, in all respects, dependent on the Roman emperor. He was commonly called ‘Herod the Great' because he had distinguished himself in the wars with Antigonus and his other enemies, and because he had evinced great talents in governing and defending his country, in repairing the temple, and in building and ornamenting the cities of his kingdom. He was, however, as much distinguished for his cruelty and his crimes as he was for his greatness.”   It was at this time that Matthew next records, “Behold, magicians.” The Greek word is magos, a magician, astrologer, wizard, etc. HELPS Word Studies says of them, “one of a sacred caste, originally Median, who seem to have conformed to the Persian religion while retaining some of their old beliefs.”   Various opinions have been given concerning who exactly these magicians were and where they came from. What is possibly the case is that they were from the area of Iran. It is to the east of Israel, and it is where the great empire that replaced the Babylonians was. Daniel and others were exiled to Babylon. However, Babylon was destroyed by the Medes and Persians. This is detailed in Daniel 5, which ends with –   “That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.” Daniel 5:30, 31   When Babylon was destroyed, the new empire would have received all of the ancient writings of the Chaldeans. They also acquired their wise men, such as Daniel. This body of knowledge would have been incorporated into their empire, and it is possible that this included all of the Jewish prophetic writings.   It appears from Isaiah 44 that they possessed the book of Isaiah. If so, it may be that they had copies of all of the writings. The coming verses will show that there was an awareness of the book of Daniel and Numbers. Thus, it seems that all of the Jewish writings were maintained in the archives of this eastern empire.   Therefore, the ancient prophecy of a coming Messiah would be known to these magicians. The word magos is likely connected to the Aramaic name of the Rabmag [Great Mag] found in Jeremiah 39.   This would confirm that these people once were a part of the Chaldeans and were assimilated into the empire of the Medes and Persians. Because of their libraries and training, these men were alerted to the ancient prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures. Of them, Matthew next notes that they were “from sunrisings.”   Most translations say, “from the east.” However, the word is anatolé, a rising of light. In this case, it signifies the rising of the sun. Further, it is plural. Thus, these magicians are “from sunrisings,” and thus east of Israel. Whoever they were and wherever they were from, it next notes that “they came unto Jerusalem.”   These men had traveled from outside of the land of Israel. They had a specific knowledge from prophecy concerning the coming of Christ, and they came to behold what they were certain of. As Jerusalem is the seat of government, they first came there to proclaim what they knew and to ask for further details. This will be seen as the verses continue.   Life application: One interpretation of who these men were that has arisen is that these Magi were Jewish Rabbis who had remained a part of the exile. This has become a point of boasting among Jewish believers in recent times, but it hardly seems likely.   These Magi will ask about the King of the Jews, not specifically the Messiah. It is unlikely they would ask about a king first and foremost. Likewise, they will ask where the King would be born. However, a Jewish rabbi would know where to look for such information, as is evidenced by the verses ahead.   But most notably, if these were Jews, the text would have said so. The problem with this type of analysis is the same as with much else that is ascribed to the Jewish people today. Since the return of Israel to the land and with the modern messianic movement, everything Jewish has become fashionable.   Many deceitful people have arisen because of this, profiting off of their heritage. Many of them do not hold to the grace of God in Christ, but to their traditions and to law observance, in part or in whole. What has been sound theology, and a proper interpretation of Scripture for millennia has been upended by such unsound teaching. The Judaizers Paul warned of have come back like an overflowing flood.   Be sure to not get caught up in the hype of genealogy, culture, or tradition. Hold fast to the word of God as it has been revealed. And that revelation is one of God's grace being bestowed upon undeserved sinners, not man's effort to reconcile himself through an obsolete law that only God in Christ could (and did) fulfill.   To return to what is fulfilled is to say to God, “I know you did Your best, but I will take it from here.” What a slap in the face of God, who has done it all for us. Let us never mar the grace of God in Christ. To Jesus alone is to be our hope, and He alone is our place of refuge.   Lord God, may we hold fast to the grace of God in Christ, never trusting in our own merit. We have no standing before You without Jesus. Help us to recognize this and to exalt You for what You alone have done for us in the coming of our Lord. All hail the glorious and exalted name of JESUS! Amen.  

In this episode we're going pre Jesus, we're going to the second century BCE, we're going to a Hellenistic king at his peak at the peak of the Hellenistic Period. We're on a journey to find the O.G. template for THE ANTICHRIST!You know, the one who comes at the end for the final battle with Jesus. We are going to take a comedic look at the atrocities carried out in Jerusalem by the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This one individual had his hand in inspiring the Book of Daniel, First and Second Maccabees, Hanukkah, Hellenising the holy city, ultimately paving the way for Christ and ironically setting himself up as the blueprint for THE ANTICHRIST!Our story will feature guest appearances from Donald Trump, Jon Stewart, Alexander the Great, Macedon, Seleucus I Nicator, the Middle East, Roman Empire, Roman Republic, Rome, Romans, Seleucus IV Philopator, Demetrius, Mithradates, Zeus,  Egypt, Jason, Menalaus, Ptolemy VIII, Gaius Popillius Laenas, Alexandria, Josephus, Judean People's Front, Diodorus, foreskin restoration device, Israelites, Bible, Little Horn, King of the North, Cersei, Antigonus, Lysimachus, Iran, Syria and Nanaya. Sauceshttps://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/antiochus-epiphanes-the-bibles-most-notoriously-forgotten-villain/https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/miscellanea/trivia/no-man.htmlhttps://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/10/126012/donald-trump-quotes-about-celebrities-insultsTags#SketchComedy #Sketch #Comedy #Sketch Comedy #Atheist #Science #History #Atheism #ConspiracyTheory #Sceptical #Scepticism #Mythology #Religion #Devil #Satan #Skeptic #Debunk #HeavyMetal #RomanEmpire #Rome #AncientRome #Romans #RomanEmperor 

It was night, there were torches, a dispatch of soldiers, swords, groggy disciples and a kiss of betrayal. What a painful moment for Jesus. He knew where this was all going. In the midst of the scene of Jesus being arrested, a disciple grabs a sword and cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Why this? Well, apparently it was a repeat of history: generations before, Antigonus cutting off Hyrcanus' ears to prevent him from serving in the Temple. It seems the disciple's action was no accident; it was a retaliation. In the midst of the commotion Jesus demands a halt to all of this. He is not leading a rebellion, and there is no need for swords and clubs. He knows what he has been called to do, and he is willing to go to the place God has in store for him. He does not blame, condemn or even retaliate. This teaches us something about the heart of Jesus – a heart that is set on the things of God – not on the ideas of human beings. In this teaching, we will dwell on the heart of Jesus revealed in this story. In the midst of betrayal he calls Judas “friend.” In the midst of violence against his enemies, he announces peace and pardon. For Jesus this is the start of the manner in which he will walk to the cross. One defined by love.

Full Show Notes for Plutarch's Life of CleomenesRoman Parallel - Tiberius GracchusImportant PeopleAratus - The same Aratus from the last life, but older and more experienced now. Between Aratus, Cleomenes, and Philopoemen, it becomes clear that the Greeks themselves are the architects of their own undoing. None of these three men cooperates with the other and this dissension makes easy target for Antigonus. Megistonoüs - Cleomenes's father-in-law and right-hand man once he takes the throne. Antigonus III "Doson"- The king of Macedon who eventually comes down to the Peloponnesus in person to settle the Spartan mischief. His death is reported right after winning his kingdom back from barbaric Illyrian invaders. He was the most powerful person standing in Cleomenes' way, but Cleomenes is unaware of his death until he has already landed in Egypt.  Ptolemy III - The successor of Alexander and ruler of wealthy Alexandria when Cleomenes arrives. He dies too soon to fulfill his promises to Cleomenes. Ptolemy IV - Ptolemy III's son is not fit to rule, interested more in parties and pleasures. As such, he does little to help Cleomenes and eventually grows suspicious of Cleomenes's lack of interest in partying. Sphaerus the Stoic (or Sphairus) - This student of the founder of Stoicism, Zeno of Cittium, teaches Cleomenes in his youth and helps him reform the Agōge to what it was. Plutarch has some criticisms for Stoicism in this Life that are worth considering. Important PlacesArgos - An important polis in north-western Peloponnesus, Cleomenes takes, but does not hold the city. While this is more than Pelopidas could do, it nonetheless marks the beginning of the end for him, and his father-in-law dies trying to take the city back. Corinth - The actual gateway to the Peloponnesus, called by Philip of Macedon "the fetters of Greece." Cleomenes has to allow Antigonus to take this fortified position when he falls back to quell the revolt in Argos. Sicyon - Aratus's hometown! Just north and east up the road from Corinth, on the opposite end of a bay facing that polis. Sicyon is not a populous or powerful polis, but their hometown hero's talents at forging unity in the Peloponnesus puts them on the map, until Cleomenes's dreams of Spartan hegemony threaten that unity. Key Virtuesπειθαρχίας (obedience) - This touches on a Platonic concept of knowing how to lead and be led (also popular with Xenophon). (cf. 18.4)ἐγκράτεια - self-control - A virtue that overlaps well with Lycurgan laws and Stoic ethics.ἀφέλεια - simplicity - The ultimate Spartan virtue, particularly when compared to other Greek poleis like Athens or Corinth. φιλότιμος - love of honor - This virtue could better be translated ambition, but so could the next one. μεγαλόφρων - great-mindedness / ambition - The natures that seek the great things. This is ambition to a T. Not all of us want to be president, but those that do are this type. εὐλαβὲς - piety - Another virtue Agis had but Cleomenes lacked. For a Spartan, there's a paucity of Cleomenes consulting the gods or being a religious leader in almost any form throughout this life. Key Vices - Undermining Spartan Cultureἀκολασία - intemperence (opposite of σωφροσύνη)βωμολοχία - buffooneryπανηγυρίσμος - display, ostentationSupport the show

Beginning around 150 years before Yeshua, the Pharisee was called a Hasid because the Hebrew term means a “loyalist.” In other words, Pharisees were political and religious loyalists supportive of the family dynasty of the Hasmoneans. The Tzadokim, or Sadducees, relates to the term Zadok, which was a different group of priests not related to the Sons of the House of Tzadok at Qumran. It appears from surviving documents of the time that they took their name from Zadok, an early disciple of Antigonus of Sokho in Judea. He produced a faction of disciples who called themselves Tzadokim. With today's episode of Zadokite studies, we will focus on much of the specific Zadokite terminology that is associated with the Zadokite supporters and allies of Jerusalem who called themselves "The Way" (see Acts 24:15-16). This is the same group that Sha'ul or Paul came out of while en route to Damascus of Qumran. His story is found in the Book of Acts 9. With your readings in the "New Testament," you will recognize much of this terminology: Sons of Light Belial vs. Sons of Darkness The Elect or Chosen Ones Teacher of Righteousness or Justness Angels and Angelic visitations The New Covenant The Holy Spirit and Walking in the Spirit vs. the reasoning and logic of the Rabbis. The Temple or Tabernacle and the Human body Prophecy and spiritual gifts Measurements of Heaven, Earth, and Elohim citing Length, Depth, Breadth, Width, and Height. The Knowers of Kingdom Mysteries Justice vs. Injustice Evil vs. Good The Pit, She'ol, and the Shadow of Death The festival calendar of the Pharisees and Temple Priests vs. the festival calendar of the Priestly Zadokites. Zadokite lessons on these themes make up the body of Zadokite teaching traditions, which I believe are the traditions that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 11:2. Join us for this summary of the rise, fall, and rising again of the Sons of Tzadok through Melchizedek/Yeshua, Yehovah's King and Priest of the Heaven's City of Shalem, also called the Kingdom of Heaven (Genesis 14:18). This is Real Israel Talk Radio, Episode 142, and PART 28 in the teaching series about the history of the House and Sons of Tzadok at Qumran.

Beginning around 150 years before Yeshua, the Pharisee was called a Hasid because the Hebrew term means a “loyalist.” In other words, Pharisees were political and religious loyalists supportive of the family dynasty of the Hasmoneans. The Tzadokim, or Sadducees, relates to the term Zadok, which was a different group of priests not related to the Sons of the House of Tzadok at Qumran. It appears from surviving documents of the time that they took their name from Zadok, an early disciple of Antigonus of Sokho in Judea. He produced a faction of disciples who called themselves Tzadokim.With today's episode of Zadokite studies, we will focus on much of the specific Zadokite terminology that is associated with the Zadokite supporters and allies of Jerusalem who called themselves "The Way" (see Acts 24:15-16). This is the same group that Sha'ul or Paul came out of while en route to Damascus of Qumran. His story is found in the Book of Acts 9. With your readings in the "New Testament," you will recognize much of this terminology:Sons of LightBelial vs. Sons of DarknessThe Elect or Chosen OnesTeacher of Righteousness or JustnessAngels and Angelic visitationsThe New CovenantThe Holy Spirit and Walking in the Spirit vs. the reasoning and logic of the Rabbis.The Temple or Tabernacle and the Human bodyProphecy and spiritual giftsMeasurements of Heaven, Earth, and Elohim citing Length, Depth, Breadth, Width, and Height.The Knowers of Kingdom MysteriesJustice vs. InjusticeEvil vs. GoodThe Pit, She'ol, and the Shadow of DeathThe festival calendar of the Pharisees and Temple Priests vs. the festival calendar of the Priestly Zadokites.Zadokite lessons on these themes make up the body of Zadokite teaching traditions, which I believe are the traditions that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 11:2.Join us for this summary of the rise, fall, and rising again of the Sons of Tzadok through Melchizedek/Yeshua, Yehovah's King and Priest of the Heaven's City of Shalem, also called the Kingdom of Heaven (Genesis 14:18).This is Real Israel Talk Radio, Episode 142, and PART 28 in the teaching series about the history of the House and Sons of Tzadok at Qumran. Support the show

When King Leontes accuses his pregnant wife of adultery, the nobleman Antigonus assumes that Leontes has been “abused and by some putter-on”—in other words, some Iago-like villain has been putting malevolent ideas into his head. In fact, Leontes is the father of his own misconceptions, just as he is the father of his wife's children. But unlike his children, his ideas might be said to have no mother; they lack corroboration, which is to say, collaboration with a source outside himself. How, then, do we account for the seemingly spontaneous generation of his thoughts? How can false apprehensions arise out of nothing? And what price must one pay for bearing these misconceptions, these “nothings,” into the world? In this episode, the first part of a six part discussion, Wes & Erin discuss one of Shakespeare's last plays, "The Winter's Tale."

When King Leontes accuses his pregnant wife of adultery, the nobleman Antigonus assumes that Leontes has been “abused and by some putter-on”—in other words, some Iago-like villain has been putting malevolent ideas into his head. In fact, Leontes is the father of his own misconceptions, just as he is the father of his wife's children. But unlike his children, his ideas might be said to have no mother; they lack corroboration, which is to say, collaboration with a source outside himself. How, then, do we account for the seemingly spontaneous generation of his thoughts? How can false apprehensions arise out of nothing? And what price must one pay for bearing these misconceptions, these “nothings,” into the world? In this episode, the first part of a six part discussion, Wes & Erin discuss one of Shakespeare's last plays, "The Winter's Tale."

It's part 2 of Antigonus the One-Eyed! Double your pleasure, double your fun, Antigonus' horse says he weighs a ton! In today's episode is a plot twist fit for a king! Plus father and son fight over the same woman! Technical difficulties and a surprise cameo from someone you thought was long gone!   Sources: https://alexanderstandardpod.weebly.com/sources.html Facebook: The Alexander Standard Podcast Instagram @alexanderstandardpod Twitter @AlexStandardPod Email: Alexanderstandardpod@gmail.com Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexstandardpod.bsky.social        

Antigonus the One-Eyed was a big man, so big in fact that his story couldn't be contained in a single episode. In part one we learn all about Antigonus' parenting style, horrible dad jokes, and we finally, FINALLY deal with those pesky Silver Shields. Plus, Meredith regrets being an organ donor.   Sources: https://alexanderstandardpod.weebly.com/sources.html Facebook: The Alexander Standard Podcast Instagram @alexanderstandardpod Twitter @AlexStandardPod Email: Alexanderstandardpod@gmail.com Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexstandardpod.bsky.social  

“Every breath opens your heart.” Visionary theater artist Lisa Wolpe has been leading the movement for gender parity and diversity in the arts since way before it was trendy. Hear her describe Shakespeare's sacred geometry, why Antigonus has to be eaten by a bear, and how Charlotte Cushman shamed Edwin Booth!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Every breath opens your heart.” Visionary theater artist Lisa Wolpe has been leading the movement for gender parity and diversity in the arts since way before it was trendy. Hear her describe Shakespeare's sacred geometry, why Antigonus has to be eaten by a bear, and how Charlotte Cushman shamed Edwin Booth!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leontes welcomes Florizel and Perdita to Sicilia and promises to help when he learns that Polixenes is pursuing them. Autolycus, drinking in a pub, hears about the reunion of Leontes and Polixenes and the discovery that Perdita is Leontes' daughter. The Old Shepherd and his son enter, reveling in their good fortune. Autolycus apologizes for his misdeeds. Back at the palace, Paulina leads Leontes, Perdita, Florizel, Camillo and Polixenes to view a life-like statue of Hermione, and together they witness a miracle.  CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Autolycus, now in Florizel's garb, masquerades as a courtier and convinces the Old Shepherd and his son to pay him to be their advocate at Court. Meanwhile, in Sicilia, Cleomenes and another Lord urge Leontes to cease mourning for Hermione, but Paulina insists that he continue to live a life of piety and repentance for his past actions until the prophecy “that which is lost be found” is fulfilled.  CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Florizel proclaims his love for Perdita to all the guests at the Sheep Shearing festival (including his father and Camillo who are still in disguise), the Old Shepherd calls for their wedding to take place during the celebration. The unknown guest tries to persuade the young man to hold off until he's told his father, or at least discussed it with him, but Florizel refuses, saying his father must not know anything about it. Enraged, Polixenes finally removes his disguise and condemns his son, Perdita and her father, threatening to disfigure Perdita and kill the Old Shepherd if either of them come near his son again, and to disown Florizel if he even mentions her name. After his father departs, Florizel insists that he will stay with Perdita. Camillo, however, sees an opportunity to bring Polixenes and Leontes back together and persuades Florizel and Perdita to flee with him back to Sicilia. As Camillo describes the plan, they come upon Autolycus celebrating his pickpocketing success and demand that he change clothes with Florizel so that he won't be recognized on the road. Perdita agrees to go along with the plan. CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Perdita prepares for the sheep shearing feast, Florizel flirts with her and vows he'll stay with her no matter what. Perdita is less carefree, fearing the repercussions that will come if the king discovers his son has been cavorting with someone beneath his station. Perdita's father, the Old Shepherd, arrives and tells his daughter to greet their guests, including two strangers (Polixenes and Camillo, disguised as farmers), who banter with her about the flowers she admires. Florizel and Perdita proclaim their love for each other as the guests applaud and dance. Polixenes (in disguise) questions the Old Shepherd about the young man who's wooing his daughter as two shepherdesses, Mopsa and Dorcas, squabble over the affections of the Shepherd's son. A servant rushes in to announce the arrival of a peddler (Autolycus), who enters with a song. He wins over the crowd with his music and exotic wares as he secretly conspires to rob everyone at the party. The servant returns to announce the arrival of a group of acrobats she calls “hairy goat men”, who enter with a cacophony of shouts and drums. CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After presenting him with his newborn daughter, Leontes throws Paulina out of his chambers and commands Antigonus to kill the child. His Lords beg him to relent and he appeases them by commanding Antigonus to abandon the baby in the wilderness instead. Cleomenes and Dion, meanwhile, return from the Oracle of Delphi full of optimism. The trial comes to order. Hermione testifies in her own defense against her husband's accusations. The Oracle's message is opened and read aloud: Hermione is innocent. Refusing to accept the judgment, Leontes is met with immediate and devastating consequences. CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Camillo assures Leontes he'll carry out his orders but secretly informs Polixenes of the plot against his life. Together, they flee to Polixenes' kingdom of Bohemia. An enraged Leontes claims their flight is proof of their guilt in conspiring against his life and his crown. He orders his son, Mamillius, to be taken from Hermione's chambers and has her imprisoned on charges of adultery and conspiracy. Hermione insists on her innocence and vows that Leontes will regret what he's done. The King's Lords, including the elderly Antigonus, beg Leontes to bring the Queen back. Antigonus goes so far as to stake his own daughters' honor on Hermione's innocence. Meanwhile, Antigonus's wife, Paulina, goes to visit Hermione in prison, where she has just given birth to a baby girl. Paulina asks Hermione's Lady in Waiting, Emilia, to get permission from the Queen for her to bring the newborn baby to Leontes in the hope that seeing the child will soften his heart. CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

King Polixenes of Bohemia bids adieu to his childhood friend, King Leontes of Sicilia, after a visit of nine months. Leontes implores him not to leave and prevails on his pregnant wife, Hermione, to persuade him to stay. When Polixenes gives in to Hermione, Leontes goes mad with jealousy and paranoia, convinced that his wife is carrying his best friend's child, not his own. He orders his top advisor, Camillo, to poison Polixenes. CREDITS The Play On Podcast series, “THE WINTER'S TALE”, was translated into modern English verse and directed by TRACY YOUNG.  The Cast is as follows: ELIJAH ALEXANDER as LEONTES KAYLA CARTER as PERDITA and EMILIA GINA DANIELS as HERMIONE, MOPSA, SHEPERD'S SERVANT and PAULINA'S STEWARD RODNEY GARDINER as POLIXENES ELIJAH GOODFRIEND as MAMILLIUS IAN GOULD as CLOWN, LORD and GENTLEMAN CRISTOFER JEAN as ANTIGONUS, OLD SHEPHERD, SERVANT, LORD and ROGERO JIM LICHTSCHEIDL as AUTOLYCUS, JAILER, CLEOMENES, OFFICER and LORD CHRISTOPHER LIVINGSTON as FLORIZEL and SERVANT KT VOGT as PAULINA and DORCAS LISA WOLPE as CAMILLO, DION, OLDER LADY IN WAITING, and GENTLEMAN Featuring ESTELLE PARSONS as TIME Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN. Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON  Original Music Composition, Sound Design and Mix by LINDSAY JONES. Music Direction by ANDREW FOX. Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI and KABBY KABAKOFF. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH and ROBERT McNABB. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA. Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND. The Managing Director of Business Operations and Partnerships is SALLYCADE HOLMES. The Play On Podcast Series “THE WINTER'S TALE” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NCPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.  Hear more about the Play On Shakespeare Podcast series by subscribing to PLAY ON PREMIUM at NCPODCASTS.COM, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “It is required you do awake your faith.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Full Show Notes Available at https://plutarch.life/alexanderSeason 4 is brought to you by Hackett Publishing - Use the coupon code PLUTARCH for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.comKey Virtues and VicesBravery (ἀνδρεῖος) - Eumenes, in spite of being the head secretary, is no pencil pusher. Plutarch wants to emphasize this even from the beginning. His education in and prowess in wrestling impress Philip equally as much as his intelligence. Both become an asset to Philip and then Alexander. On top of that, he's able to defeat many of Alexander's most competent generals in battle and gain a reputation among the Macedonians as a bold leader.Justice (δικαιοσύνη) - Eumenes, of all the successors, seems most motivated to keep the dynastic succession in order and rule Alexander's new domains along the lines the Persian leaders had set up before. In other words, he considers it just to step into his role as satrap and leave it at that. As the other kings become greedier and more prideful, Eumenes serves the interests of the regent and, as he sees it, the rightful kings on the throne. He even tells Antigonus that he values his life less than the trust people have placed in him. He is just and willing to put his life on the line for it. How's that for skin in the game?Wisdom (σοφία) - As much wiliness in this life as wisdom, Eumenes has the ability to convince those hostile to him to listen, to ourmaneuver even talented generals, and to inspire confidence through competence. He's also smart enough to recognize all his enemies and finds ways to profit from his enemies: somethine Plutarch would be proud of, since he wrote a whole essay on the topic in the Moralia.Arrogance (ἀλαζονεία) - Categorized by Aristotle as the excess beyond honesty, this vice is rooted in a form or self-deception: seeing yourself as greater than you are. Other definitions include pretension and imposture. Plutarch points out the successors of Alexander suffer under this vice, unaware of their limitations and unwilling to accept that none of them measure up to Alexander.Support the show

The most infamous and inexplicable death in Shakespeare's work comes from The Winter's Tale, which sees Antigonus leave the scene being chased by a previously unmentioned bear!

The most infamous and inexplicable death in Shakespeare's work comes from The Winter's Tale, which sees Antigonus leave the scene being chased by a previously unmentioned bear!

Antigonus was famously once asked, “who is the greatest General of our day?” to which he replied, “Pyrrhus, if he lives to be old.”This is the third and final installment of The Life of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus.  [Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]Pyrrhus takes opportunity after opportunity, always imagining this will further his cause.  It begins with a Sicilian expedition. After this, Pyrrhus returns to Italy to fight the Battle of Beneventum.   Then he goes to Macedonia to try and claw back an opportunity he didn't pursue earlier. It's a predictable pattern, according to Plutarch:“Pyrrhus was always entertaining one hope after another, and since he made one success but the starting point for a new one, while he was determined to make good each disaster by a fresh undertaking, he allowed neither defeat nor victory to put a limit to his causing trouble for himself and for others.”Pyrrhus made his mark by cultivating an almost maniacal focus on winning in battle - he had a lust for combat. In doing so he won for himself long lasting glory. But we should perhaps ask, together with Plutarch - what was the cost? And was it worth it?  On today's podcast: Pyrrhus' whirlwind Sicilian expedition Fabricius' revenge Pyrrhus vs Antigonus The Siege of Sparta  The Battle for Argos Links:https://ancientlifecoach.com/Some Places MentionedAkragas (Agrigento)Leontini (Lentini)Tauromenium (Taormina)Eryx (Erice, Trapani)Lilybaeum (Marsala)Tarentum (Taranto)Beneventum (Benevento)SyracuseCalabriaAegaeSpartaCreteCorinthArgosNafplio

“Pyrrhus… saw clearly what great happiness he was leaving behind him. But he just couldn't renounce his hopes of obtaining what he eagerly desired.”We can think of many ambitious leaders or groups who made a big dent in the world by smashing through boundaries: The Mongols, The British East India Company, Moses and Joshua taking the promised land.  But many dreamed big and failed to deliver: Napoleon in Russia, Xerxes in Greece.Which kind of leader will Pyrrhus be?In this episode, the story of Pyrrhus' great challenge to the Romans; the first well-documented visit to Rome by a Greek; Pyrrhus' famous utterance,  “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.”Some takeaways:Fortune favors the bold: if you have your heart set on something, why not do everything within your power to achieve it?  Show compassion even when you don't have to - Pyrrhus consistently showed respect for his enemy.  Also Pyrrhus is not famous for being a politician, but he was a competent negotiator who sought a peaceful resolution before resorting to violence. On today's podcast: The cost of following your dreams  Showing respect for your adversary Winning wars without resorting to violence (sometimes) Letting your strengths guide your decisions Links:https://ancientlifecoach.com/[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]Thanks to our sponsor, Ovadia Heart health!  You can support this podcast by visiting the following links and, if you like something, make a purchase.  Dr. Philip Ovadia's Metabolic Health Tracking SystemStronger Hearts Society with Dr. Philip Ovadia"Stay off My Operating Table" eBook"Stay off My Operating Table" AudiobookI've been using Dr. Ovadia's guidelines in my own life for a few months and been experiencing great results.

Pyrrhus, the Warrior King.  Father of the "Pyrrhic Victory."  Smuggled out of the palace at two years old.  Raised in exile by Illyrians.  Pyrrhus grew to be the "greatest commander of his day" according to observers like Hannibal and Antigonus.[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]In this episode:-Find a mentor-Transcend a mentor-Identify the Master Skill in your field, and focus-How to master fear-Seizing opportunities to expand your networkThanks to our sponsor, historical fiction author Jackson Riddle! www.jacksonsriddle.comCheck out his new book, A Potter's Vessel, an alternative telling of the conflict that became the US Civil War.Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272 BC) was a cousin of Alexander the Great.  He was the first man to take battle elephants to Italy. He defeated the Romans on several occasions in what became known as the Pyrrhic Wars.In Part 1, we meet Pyrrhus as a 2 year old, as he is snatched from his crib in a deadly coup.As he struggles to establish himself in his kingdom through his teenage and early adult years, he learns that the only path toward self-reliance for him and for his kingdom is through the sword.  Some lessons:It's always useful to have a mentor.  But you may not have to bind yourself to that person forever.“As his former mentor and now esteemed arch enemy, Demetrius put Pyrrhus through the best school of war anyone could hope for – strategy, tactics, hand to hand combat – Pyrrhus could learn it all from the best - if he could keep his head.”Also, seize any opportunity to expand your network both professionally and personally. Case in point: Pyrrhus in Asia, and Egypt.Find a master a skill in your own field. If there is one thing Pyrrhus exemplifies, it is the power of personal courage in a leader.  So if that's an area you need to work on (hint: you can never have too much courage), start now.  Courage is physical.

In this week's study, I we begin with verse 8 in Chapter 2, the Church of Smyrna (myrrh). A city on the coast of Ionia, at the head of the gulf, having a well sheltered harbor; N. of Ephesus; beautified by Alexander the Great and Antigonus, and designated "the beautiful." The church here was one of the seven addressed by the Lord. Polycarp, martyred in A.D. 168, 86 years after conversion, was its bishop, probably "the angel of the church in Smyrna." The Lord's allusions to persecutions accord with this identification. The attributes of Him "which was dead and is alive" would comfort Smyrna under persecution. The idol Dionysus at Smyrna was believed to have been killed and come to life; in contrast to this lying fable is Yahshua Messiah's title, "the First and the Last, which was dead and is alive".As death was to Him the gate of life, so it is to His people. Good "works," "tribulation," "poverty" owing to "spoiling of goods," while she was "rich" in grace (contrast Laodicea, "rich" in her own eyes and the world's, poor before Yahweh), were her marks. The Jews in name, really "the synagogue of Satan," blasphemed the Messiah as "the Hanged One." At Polycarp's martyrdom they clamored with the pagan for his being cast to the lions; the proconsul opposed it, but, impotent to restrain the fanaticism of the mob, let them He him to the stake; the Jews with their own hands carried logs for the pile which burned him. The theater where he was burned was on a hill facing the N. It was one of the largest in Asia. Traces of it may be seen in descending from the northern gateway of the castle. A circular letter from the church of Smyrna describes his martyrdom.When urged to recant he said, "four-score years and six I have served the Lord, and He never wronged me; how then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour?" The accuser, the devil, cast some of the Smyrna church into prison, and "it had tribulation ten days," a short term, whereas the consequent joy is eternal (many Christians perished by wild beasts or at the stake because they refused to throw incense into the fire to sacrifice to the genius of the emperor): a sweet consolation in trial. Ten is the number of the world powers hostile to the church (Rev.13:1). Yahshua Messiah promises Smyrna "a crown of life" (of righteousness," 1Petrer 5:4 "of glory") in reward for "faithfulness unto death." Allow me to clear up some things before I begin. First of all you will hear me use the words Yahweh and Yahshua Messiah instead of God and Jesus Christ. I found out through the years that the word God may not necessarily mean the same to everyone. I personally like to use these words Yahweh and Yahshua Messiah. To me this puts me in a closer spiritual relationship with our Creator. I am not a so called Messianic Teacher! I come to realize that every time I inhale or exhale I am saying Yahweh. Try saying Yahweh and see if you are not inhaling and exhaling. After all we our created in His image! My intention is to take this study to a deep level. Deeper than most of you are used to! I am asking no one to agree with me; however I do ask that you check every detail that I present out for yourself. Don't end up like those in Hosea 4:6 ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God (Elohim), I will also forget thy children.'But, be like those in 2Timothy 2:15 ‘Study to shew thyself approved unto God (Yahweh), a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.'Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me at utwoy@netzero.net 

In this final part of his Life, Eumenes' loyalty to the legacy of Alexander is put to the ultimate test.  He faces off against Antigonus, on behalf of Queen Olympias, over rulership of the kingdom and the regency of the kings.A notable historian, A.B. Bosworth, remarks that the struggle between Eumenes and Antigonus “Did more than anything to determine the shape the Hellenistic world.”Our guest narrator is Dawn LaValle Norman, a classicist and scholar of Plutarch and his era.Eumenes has the choice at multiple points to retire in peace.  But he fights on.  Why? And what can we learn from his example? Eumenes knew the secrets of how to secure the loyalty and admiration of followers, and the compliance of reluctant subordinates. He took his men on grand campaigns from the steppes of central Turkey to the marshes of Babylonia, the death valley of Susa, and the Iranian highlands.As Plutarch remarks: “Success… makes even men of smaller character look impressive to us, as they stare down upon us from the heights, but it is when misfortune strikes, that the truly great and steadfast man becomes unmistakeable.”On today's podcast: How to secure loyalty from reluctant followers  How to wait out a siege The brittle peace after Antipater's death, and the wrench that smashed it How Eumenes made it into the Babylonian Chronicle Why the debtor rules the creditor The way Eumenes fought when the odds were against him Links:https://ancientlifecoach.com/

What would you do if your closest friend died unexpectedly, leaving an incredible legacy, and an infant son. How far would you go to defend his rights? Would you give your life? In this episode Eumenes emerges onto the world stage as one of antiquity's brilliant generals.What is it like to believe in a divine kingship?  Or, at least, to act as though you do believe?Eumenes fought rebel Persian satraps, upstaged Macedonian warrior nobles, arranged dynastic marriages, fought in hand to hand combat with great commanders.  He was visited in his dreams by the gods.  He strove mightily against fate.Like the figures he worked for and fought with, he seems larger than life sometimes.  What can we take away from his biography? Eumenes stayed true to his principles, kept his word in an increasingly faithless age, and though all adversity, by gradually taking on larger and larger challenges and responsibilities, he transformed himself, and became an equal of the great lords who were deciding the fate of the throne of Alexander.On today's podcast: Why you should be careful who you marry How to remain loyal to yourself and the cause you believe in How the The first great War of the Successors began How to get the gods to fight on your side Eumenes' transformation from a man of letters to a man of war Links:https://ancientlifecoach.com/

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's death, his empire became the subject of a series of titanic clashes: the Wars of the Successors. In this episode of the podcast, Dr Nick Rauh takes us through some of the monumental Hellenistic super fortresses built during this period in ancient Rough Cilicia, modern day southeast Turkey, along the Northeast Mediterranean shoreline. He also highlights the importance of this area of the ancient world to preceding superpowers such as the Assyrians and the Persians. Nick is a professor of Classics at Purdue University.Fair warning, we nerd out quite heavily in this podcast, so below are some references to help!Map of ancient Anatolia (Asia Minor), with place names mentioned in the podcast: https://www.worldhistory.org/img/c/p/1200x627/253.pngThe Ptolemaic Kingdom - Hellenistic kingdom centred around Egypt that emerged in the aftermath of Alexander the Great's death.The Seleucid Kingdom - Hellenistic kingdom centred around Syria / Mesopotamia, that emerged in the aftermath of Alexander the Great's death.Antigonus the One Eyed - Prominent general during the Wars of the Successors. Father of Demetrius. Enemy of Eumenes of Cardia (Alexander the Great's former secretary).Demetrius - Son of Antigonus and another prominent general during the Wars of the Successors.Ovacik Peninsula - Cape TisanFor behind the scenes and extra Ancients, follow Tristan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ancientstristan/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Class 44: Rambam's Introduction; exploring the lives and teachings of our Chachamim (Sages), focusing in this class on Antigonus Ish Socho; Rabbi Yosef Messas on treating our Arab neighbors with Derech Eretz and respect; we are missing leaders who have love of human dignity; Socho spelled with the letter Samach or letter Sin; not serving HaKadosh Baruch Hu for the sake of recieving a reward; the meaning of the name Antigonus; the place called Socho; the responsibility of a community to spread the teachings of their rabbi; the fate of the Ben Ish Chai's writings; the Pele Yoetz's stance on writing books in Hebrew or the local vernacular; the life of Rabbi Menasheh Ben Yisrael; the origin of the Sadducees and Boethusians; the sickness of reactionary Judaism; seven types of dangerous Pharisees; Judaism that is gripped with spiritual paralysis; Rabbi Yaakov Peretz and pleasant Judaism; and more! (4/27/2021) — This Shiur is generously sponsored by Alan and Dena Sigman in loving memory of their grandparents: Yitzchak Ben Meir z”l, Devorah Bat Avraham z”l, and Tova Bat Yisrael Hillel z”l. May their Neshamot have an Aliyah in Gan Eden, Amen! — Shiviti Night Kollel Rambam's Mishneh Torah - Edition and Commentary of Rabbi Yosef Kapach (Qafih)

After facing decades of civil wars and invasions following the death of Alexander, peace was restored in Macedonia by the capable Antigonid king Antigonus II 'Gonatas', who strengthened the kingdom's hegemony over the Greek Peninsula in a reign that lasted an impressive 40 years. Despite this, we know very little about the man and his exploits. Author and independent scholar Robin Waterfield ("Dividing the Spoils", "Taken at the Flood") joins the show to discuss his new book "The Making of a King: Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon and the Greeks", which seeks to chronicle the life of Antigonus and provide a guide through the often-hazy period of the 3rd century BC. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2021/04/18/interview-on-antigonus-ii-gonatas-w-robin-waterfield/) Robin Waterfield Website: (https://www.robinwaterfield.com/) "The Making of a King: Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon and the Greeks" University of Chicago Press: (https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo35461992.html) Amazon: (https://www.amazon.com/Making-King-Antigonus-Gonatas-Macedon/dp/022661137X/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Making+of+a+king&qid=1618777213&sr=8-5) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Did the actor of Antigonus in Shakespeare's play "A Winter's Tale" actually get chased off stage by a bear? idk maybe find out in this episode!

After rampaging his way around the closer eastern provinces, Seleucus' peace deal with Antigonus allowed him to gaze further east and start greedily dreaming about conquest further afield. On the podcast today, we will see Seleucus copy both Alexander the Great and the Persians by invading India. But, as we saw in episode 4, he doesn't face the disunited political scene that they did. It's time for the Seleucids and the Maurya to butt heads... Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), the House of Seleucus, Vol. I. London: Edward Arnold. 2) Cooke, F., Dingle, H., Hutchinson, S., McKay, G., Schodde, R., Tait, R. and Vogt, R. (2008), The Encyclopedia of Animals: A Complete Visual Guide. Sydney: Weldon Own Pty Ltd. 3) Hirst, K. K., ThoughtCo (updated 2018), The Mauryan Empire Was the First Dynasty to Rule Most of India (online) [Accessed 13/01/2021]. 4) Komnene, A. (c.1148), the Alexiad. Translated by Sewter, E. R. A. (1969). London: Penguin Classics, Penguin Books Ltd. 5) Kosmin, P. J. (2014), The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. (eBook) [Accessed 03/04/2021]. 6) Szczepanski, K., ThoughtCo (updated 2019), Biography of Chandragupta Maurya, Founder of the Mauryan Empire (online) [Accessed 13/01/2021]. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Megasthenes' Herakles (online) [Accessed 14/01/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus I Nicator (online) [Accessed 10/01/2021].

Antipater's regency would be as short as it was rich in foreshadowing. With the appointment of Antigonus to try and flush out the pro-Perdiccas outlaws in Anatolia led by Eumenes, the groundwork was set for an eventual showdown between the satraps, who are increasingly shouldering off the burdens of the state. After all, with the king a minor, who's going to stop them? Sources for this episode: 1) Grainger, J. D., 2014, The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 2) Kosmin, P. J. (2014), The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire. London: Harvard University Press. (eBook) [Accessed 03/04/2021].

We continue with Avot 1:3; a teaching from Antigonus, a man from Socho.

The Royalist cause in Anatolia collapses as Eumenes' allies desert him on land and sea. Meanwhile, Antipater, Craterus, and Antigonus the One-Eyed cross the Hellespont into Asia, determined to topple Perdiccas' government and crush anyone who stands in their way.

The Wars of the Diadochi begin, as Perdiccas prepares to attack Ptolemy in Egypt to recover Alexander's body and secure his southern flank. Meanwhile, Eumenes is tasked with defending Anatolia from Antipater, Craterus, and Antigonus the One-Eyed, as the coalition assembled against him prepares to cross into Asia.

With 49 episodes published, I decided to celebrate by making episode 50 a question and answer session, where I respond to topics fielded by listeners of the show. We dive into discussions on favorite history books, how to get into podcasting, and more historical topics like "who was the greatest of Alexander's Successors?" and "who would win in a wrestling match between Socrates and Antigonus the One-Eyed?" Title Theme: Seikilos Epitapth with the Lyre of Apollo, played by Lina Palera (https://soundcloud.com/user-994392473) Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2020/08/21/050-a-qa-celebration/) History Books Mentioned: - “The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithridates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy” by Adrienne Mayor - “The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire” by Paul Kosmin” - “The Hellenistic Far East: Archaeology, Language, and Identity in Greek Central Asia” by Rachel Mairs” - “Caesar: Life of a Colossus” by Adrian Goldsworthy - “A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914-1918” by G.J. Meyer - “The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease and the End of an Empire” by Kyle Harper - “Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity” by J.E. Lendon - “Alexander the Great” – by Robin Lane Fox Historical Comics/Graphic Novels/Artists: - Alexandra Filipek (https://alexandra.filipek.us/) - Matt Crotts (https://twitter.com/mattcrotts) - Reimena Yee (https://reimenayee.com/alexander-the-great/) -“Conquest: Julius Caesar's Gallic War” (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1479842225/conquest-julius-caesars-gallic-wars) - "Historie" by Hitoshi Iwaaki Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Donations: Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Alexander's half-sister Cynane becomes the first member of the Argead Dynasty to perish following the death of her brother in Babylon two years earlier. To prevent a mutiny within the Macedonian Army, Perdiccas marries Cynane's daughter Adea to her half-uncle, King Philip III. In the aftermath of Cynane's death, the regency collapses as Antigonus the One-Eyed informs Antipater of Perdiccas' plans to set aside his daughter Nicaea to marry Alexander's sister Cleopatra. Outraged by this insult, and believing the Regent is setting up a play to crown himself as King, Antipater and his son-in-law Craterus vow to throw Perdiccas out of power.  Meanwhile, Alexander's body makes its way from Babylon to Asia Minor, in preparation for Perdiccas' plans to bury the King in Macedon and possibly lay claim to the throne. In Syria however, troops under Ptolemy's command hijack the funeral procession and divert the body to Egypt. The First War of the Diadochi has begun.

Move over Hannibal. More over Carthage. This podcast is all about a much BIGGER elephant power in antiquity. A power that, at its height, stretched from modern day Bulgaria to the Hindu Kush: the Seleucid Empire. Existing for almost 250 years, throughout this Empire’s long history the Indian elephant remained right at its heart. On the battlefield these giant beasts of war became symbolic of Seleucid warfare, fighting in almost all (if not all) the major military encounters the Seleucids had with other powers: from Ipsus to Magnesia. But away from the battlefield too, these animals retained their importance, particularly for the Seleucid Kings.The history of Seleucid elephant warfare is fascinating and it was a great pleasure to be joined by Dr Silvannen Gerrard to talk through this topic. Silvannen explained how these elephants were trained and used in war, but she also stressed their importance away from the battlefield - their prestige value, the logistics of looking after elephants and how they epitomised a vital trade link with ancient India. She also answered the all important question: did the Ancients send elephants into battle drunk?Oh, and make sure you listen RIGHT to the end!A few notes:Eumenes, Antigonus, Ptolemy and Seleucus were all prominent players fighting after Alexander the Great’s death.Ptolemy was the founder of the Hellenistic Ptolemaic Kingdom, centred in Egypt.Sarrisas were very long pikes – roughly 6 metres long.The Galatians: a conglomeration of Gallic tribes that settled in modern day central Anatolia.We (I mainly) go back and forth between 'Seleucid' and 'Seleukid'. Same kingdom! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rabbi Dunner delves into the third mishna of the first chapter of Pirkei Avot. Antigonus the "man" of Socho warns that one should not be like a slave expecting reward, but rather one should be like a slave who expects *no* reward. Rabbi Dunner explains the references to slave and reward, and he also offers an insight into the latter part of the mishna, which talks about the fear of God. Alongside this, Rabbi Dunner introduces us to two errant students of Antigonus - Zadok and Boethus - whose misinterpretation of their teacher's lesson led to a devastating split in the Jewish world.

Come dream with we as go Deep into the year 301 BCE and experience the Battle of Ipsus.

323 - 281 BCE - Meet Philip III and Alexander IV, Antipater, Craterus, Antigonus, Demetrius, Cassander, Eumenes, Seleucus, Polyperchon, Ptolemy, Lysimachus and Peithon among others.

Antigonus Gonatas was dead, the last physical connection to Ipsus gone. But despite the issues of the Antigonus the line of succession was secure. Demetrius his son would come to throne, but would he be able to hold onto his kingdom. Karanos Journal - https://revistes.uab.cat/karanos/indexFollow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/apochistorySources for the Episode.By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire (Ancient Warfare and Civilization) By Ian WorthingtonA Companion to Ancient Macedonia by Joseph Roisman and Ian WorthingtonA History of Macedonia by R. Malcolm ErringtonAlexander the Great by R. Lane FoxAlexander to Actium: The Hellenistic Age by P. GreenAntigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State (Hellenistic Culture and Society) by R. A BillowsThe Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (The Princeton History of the Ancient World) - Josiah OberPlutarch Translation - The Age of Alexander (Penguin Classics) by T. DuffIf you Wish to support us over at Patreon we would be forever thankful!https://www.patreon.com/ApocalypsehistoryMusic by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-... Artist: http://incompetech.com/Music by GoSoundtrack http://www.gosoundtrack.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Apocalypsehistory)

On today’s episode of The Literary Life, we wrap up our discussion of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale with a look at Act 5. Our hosts, Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins and Thomas Banks also announce our next book to read together, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Angelina notes that Act 5 is all about reconciliation and redemption. Thomas points out that Shakespeare had a challenge here in how to bring this play to a close with all those relationships resolved. Cindy brings up Paulina’s character and the significance of her name. Our hosts discuss the truth that though in an ultimate sense all will be made right, this play reminds us that in this life, there are some things that are not fully redeemed. They also talk about how Shakespeare plays with both the audience’s expectations and with the form in this act. Leontes’ imagination is also in need of redemption, and we see that happen here at the end of the play. Thomas makes the connection between the myth of Pygmalion, Euripedes’ Alcestis and A Winter’s Tale. The theme of resurrection is so prevalent in this final act, particularly in the case of Hermoine, but also in other characters and plot points. The winter is over, and spring has come to Sicily. The old order is not restored. A new order has been brought into being. Upcoming Events: We are excited to announce a new online conference coming on March 13-14, 2020. Our theme will be Re-enchanting the World: The Legacy of the Inklings. Our keynote speaker is Inklings scholar, Joseph Pearce. Go to Angelina and Thomas’ new website HouseofHumaneLetters.com for all the info and to register. Commonplace Quotes: An ancient rhetorician delivered a caution against dwelling too long on the excitation of pity; for nothing, he said, dries so soon as tears; and Shakespeare acted conformably to this ingenious maxim, without knowing it. William Hazlitt A work of art is a world unto itself, but all works of art belong to one world. Harold Goddard In all narration there is only one way to be clever, and that is to be exact. Robert Louis Stevenson Hermione in the House of Paulina by C. S. Lewis How soft it rains, how nourishingly soft and green Has grown the dark humility of this low house Where sunrise never enters, where I have not seen The moon by night nor heard the footfall of a mouse, Nor looked on any face but yours Nor changed my posture in my place of rest For fifteen years–oh how this quiet cures My pain and sucks the burning from my breast. It sucked out all the poison of my will and drew All hot rebellion from me, all desire to break The silence you commanded me. . . . Nothing to do, Nothing to fear or wish for, not a choice to make, Only to be; to hear no more Cock-crowing duty calling me to rise, But slowly thus to ripen laid in store In this dim nursery near your watching eyes. Pardon, great spirit, whose tall shape like a golden tower Stands over me or seems upon slow wings to move, Coloring with life my paleness, with returning power, By sober ministrations of severest love; Pardon, that when you brought me here, Still drowned in bitter passion, drugged with life, I did not know . . . pardon, I thought you were Paulina, old Antigonus’ young wife. Book List: Characters of Shakespeare’s Plays by William Hazlitt Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh Poems by C. S. Lewis Support The Literary Life: Become a patron of The Literary Life podcast as part of the “Friends and Fellows Community” on Patreon, and get some amazing bonus content! Thanks for your support! Connect with Us: You can find Angelina and Thomas at HouseofHumaneLetters.com, on Instagram @angelinastanford, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ANGStanford/ Find Cindy at https://cindyrollins.net, on Instagram @cindyordoamoris and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cindyrollins.net/. Check out Cindy’s own Patreon page also! Follow The Literary Life on Instagram, and jump into our private Facebook group, The Literary Life Discussion Group, and let’s get the book talk going! http://bit.ly/literarylifeFB

Antigonus had managed to do what seemed impossible and defeated Pyrrhus of Epirus in Battle at Argos. With the defeat of the Epirote King, Macedonian control over Greece was able to be restored. Yet there were always hungry eyes looking to exploit weakness and from inside Greece itself a new threat would rise with all the backing of youth. Karanos Journal - https://revistes.uab.cat/karanos/indexFollow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/apochistorySources for the Episode.By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire (Ancient Warfare and Civilization) By Ian WorthingtonA Companion to Ancient Macedonia by Joseph Roisman and Ian WorthingtonA History of Macedonia by R. Malcolm ErringtonAlexander the Great by R. Lane FoxAlexander to Actium: The Hellenistic Age by P. GreenAntigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State (Hellenistic Culture and Society) by R. A BillowsThe Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (The Princeton History of the Ancient World) - Josiah OberPlutarch Translation - The Age of Alexander (Penguin Classics) by T. DuffIf you Wish to support us over at Patreon we would be forever thankful!https://www.patreon.com/ApocalypsehistoryMusic by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-... Artist: http://incompetech.com/Music by GoSoundtrack http://www.gosoundtrack.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Support the showSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Apocalypsehistory)

With Demetrius imprisoned by his long term enemy and rival, his son Antigonus must take command of the remnants of the Antigonid forces, fight against his father's enemies and establish himself. It would not be easy and there would be many challeneges. And to the north a new threat emerges. Karanos Journal - https://revistes.uab.cat/karanos/indexFollow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/apochistorySources for the Episode.By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire (Ancient Warfare and Civilization) By Ian WorthingtonA Companion to Ancient Macedonia by Joseph Roisman and Ian WorthingtonA History of Macedonia by R. Malcolm ErringtonAlexander the Great by R. Lane FoxAlexander to Actium: The Hellenistic Age by P. GreenAntigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State (Hellenistic Culture and Society) by R. A BillowsThe Rise and Fall of Classical Greece (The Princeton History of the Ancient World) - Josiah OberPlutarch Translation - The Age of Alexander (Penguin Classics) by T. DuffIf you Wish to support us over at Patreon we would be forever thankful!https://www.patreon.com/ApocalypsehistoryMusic by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-... Artist: http://incompetech.com/Music by GoSoundtrack http://www.gosoundtrack.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Apocalypsehistory)

The first kingdom rose from the ashes of Alexander's Empire on the back of the stunning victory at Salamis. Antigonus was now the most significant figure in the Eastern Mediterranean, but he was getting old, and Demetrius was the future. Yet would his son have the same skill in leadership that his father had? Would the other dynasts become kings, and if so how?Follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/apochistorySources for the Episode.By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire (Ancient Warfare and Civilization) By Ian WorthingtonA Companion to Ancient Macedonia by Joseph Roisman and Ian WorthingtonA History of Macedonia by R. Malcolm ErringtonAlexander the Great by R. Lane FoxAlexander to Actium: The Hellenistic Age by P. GreenAntigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State (Hellenistic Culture and Society) by R. A BillowsPlutarch Translation - The Age of Alexander (Penguin Classics) by T. DuffIf you Wish to support us over at Patreon we would be forever thankful!https://www.patreon.com/ApocalypsehistoryMusic by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-... Artist: http://incompetech.com/Music by GoSoundtrack http://www.gosoundtrack.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Apocalypsehistory)

The successors have been battling for supremacy for many years, with the twisting nature of power there now comes a new forerunner, but Antigonus knows what he is up against, he has been a part of the intrigue and combat for years and now finally takes centre stage. Taking on threats and enemies, the pieces slowly fit into place for a climatic showdown.Follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/apochistorySources for the Episode.By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire (Ancient Warfare and Civilization) By Ian WorthingtonA Companion to Ancient Macedonia by Joseph Roisman and Ian WorthingtonA History of Macedonia by R. Malcolm ErringtonAlexander the Great by R. Lane FoxAlexander to Actium: The Hellenistic Age by P. GreenAntigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State (Hellenistic Culture and Society) by R. A BillowsPlutarch Translation - The Age of Alexander (Penguin Classics) by T. DuffIf you Wish to support us over at Patreon we would be forever thankful!https://www.patreon.com/ApocalypsehistoryMusic by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-... Artist: http://incompetech.com/Music by GoSoundtrack http://www.gosoundtrack.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Apocalypsehistory)

In Shakespeare’s play, The Winter’s Tale, there is a famous stage direction where the character Antigonus exits the stage but the written directions in the play state that he is to “exit, pursued by a bear.” So in performance, this character exits as a bear, seemingly from nowhere, arrives to chase him off the stage and into Shakespeare legend. Here to help us look at the history and context of this famous stage direction, is Aubrey Whitlock.

The 4th War of the Diadochi is probably the most action packed yet, with Demetrius earning his title "besieger of cities", the Diadochi assuming the royal diadem, and the final confrontation between Antigonus and the other Successors at Ipsus in 301 B.C. Title Theme by Lina Palera: https://soundcloud.com/user-994392473 iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hellenistic-age-podcast/id1377920930?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-103425037? Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/s?fid=225541&refid=stpr Twitter: https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod Website: https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2018/12/18/017-to-the-strongest-the-4th-war-of-the-diadochi/ Audible http://www.audibletrial.com/HellenisticAgePodcast

Epictetus explains why king Antigonus was anxious to meet Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, and not vice versa. The king had not yet internalized the fundamental principle of the dichotomy of control: making a good impression on others is not up to us. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

The Ten Horned BeastB. Keith Chadwell, 7.2018 update If an area is dark and we need to see into that area, it makes sense that we would not spend time arguing about the darkness, just flood the area with light.   So… lets shine some light on Daniel, chapter 7:  Daniel 7: v23: "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.                     Enters: Alexander the great  24a: "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise:…"      Enters: The Diadochi (Alexanders’ ten immediate successors) 24b: "…and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings;"     Enters:  Rome 25: "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.      Enters: Roman occupation of Israel (the Saints of the Most High)Enters:  Jesus the Christ; time is divided; BC/AD                            see blog teaching: The dividing of time                     26: "But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."        27:  "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."         Enters: The promise of the Father and the new creation (Luke 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Matthew 5:3  Blessed arethe poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.) 28: "Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart." Exit:  The old creation (Eph_3:5  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; ) Now just a bit of factual historical background: 1st  Kingdom…………………Babylonian followed by………………… Mede’s followed by.................…Persian’s  followed by………………… Alexander the Great followed by................... The Diadochi; who were          10 generals who became kings and were from Alexander’s Kingdom; eventually all to be taken over & becoming a part of the Roman Empire.  This is the set up right after Alexander dies;  1.  Ptolemy  …………….......in   Egypt 2.  Lysimachos *………... in   Thrace 3.  Leonnatus     ………....in   Hellespontine & Phrygia 4.  Eumenes………….…......in   Cappadocia 5.  Peithon…………............in   South half of Media 6.  Astropates………….....in   North half of Media 7.   Antigonus…………....in  Lycia, Pomphylia & Pisidia 8.   Menander…………....in  Lydia 9.   Asandrus………… ....in  Caria 10. Laomedon  …………. in  Syria * “Lysimachos was just as successful as his rivals in playing in the role of a new style king” (pg 51) The Greek World After Alexander 323-30 BC The History of these Kings & these Kingdoms and those formed at their expense extends over the 3rd  and 2nd  centuries BC. It is this that constitutes the Hellenistic period proper…… "Hellenistic Period : Following the death of Alexander, the Macedonian generals began to partition his vast empire among themselves. The disagreements arising from this division resulted in a series of wars from 322 to 275 BC, many of which took place in Greece. Thus, one of the characteristics of the Hellenistic period, which lasted from the death of Alexander until the acquisition of Greece as a Roman province in 146 BC, was the deterioration of the Greek city-states as political entities and the gradual decline of Greek political independence as a whole. Nevertheless, the Hellenistic period was marked by the triumph of Greece as the fountainhead of culture, and its way of life was adopted, as a result of Alexander’s conquests, throughout most of the ancient world." Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.             “ The capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, Alexandria, which had been founded by Alexander in 332 BC, developed into a center of Greek learning rivaling and occasionally surpassing Athens. Every part of the Hellenistic world devoted itself to the cultivation of art and intellect. Such men as the mathematicians Euclid and Archimedes, the philosophers Epicurus and Zeno of Citium, and the poets Apollonius of Rhodes and Theocritus were characteristic of the age. So strongly was Hellenistic culture implanted that it became one of the most important elements in early Christianity.""Ancient Greek ideas about art, architecture, drama, philosophy, and mathematics greatly influenced Western civilization. Among the most influential of Greek cultural achievements is the Parthenon in Athens, an outstanding example of classical architecture. The Greek teacher and philosopher Socrates affected Western speculative thought and philosophy with his emphasis on dialogue and rational argument. Greek scientists developed methods of reasoning to demonstrate mathematic principles. Greek dramas set structural and thematic styles emulated by great Western playwrights such as William Shakespeare. " "In Alexandria the Jews came into contact with Greek learning, which profoundly influenced the later religious thought of the world; here the Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the   Septuagint, was made before AD 100". Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."…….As the Hellenistic monarchies declined in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, the Romans gradually extended their control over Greece and the Middle East. The Roman civilization that subsequently became dominant was in many ways a continuation of Hellenistic culture.”Rome:   “Another King will arise & will subdue 3 Kings”   (Daniel 7:24b)  ” Alexanders’ chief officers, all Macedonians, included Antigonus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus.During the winter of 280-281 BC Seleucus, the last of the “Diadochi” (Alexanders companions to have participated in Alexanders conquest & subsequently shared the inheritance.)  The empire of Alexander was by now finally divided into 3 Kingdoms.”    1.  Egypt:The Ptolemies reign would last until the death of Cleopatra in 30 BC and then would be taken over by Rome  (ROMAN CONQUEST)2.  Syria Asia minor & upper Satraps: The Seleucidreign  would last until after the long conflict with Rome and finally disappear in 64 BC when Pompey & Syria were made into a province.  (ROMAN CONQUEST) 3.  Macedon:The Antigonids lost their Kingdom at the battle of Pydna before the (Rome) legions of Aemilius Paullus in 168 BC (ROMAN CONQUEST)."Hellenistic Age (4th-1st century BC), period between the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great and the establishment of Roman supremacy, in which Greek culture and learning were preeminent in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.” It is called Hellenistic (Greek Hellas, "Greece") to distinguish it from the Hellenic culture of classical Greece. The Hellenistic world was dominated by three great monarchies founded by the successors of Alexander:  Egypt,under the Ptolemies; Syria, ruled by the Seleucids;  and Macedonia,under the Antigonids.” As the Hellenistic monarchies declined in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, the Romans gradually extended their control over Greece and the Middle East. The Roman civilization that subsequently became dominant was in many ways a continuation of Hellenistic culture.“Greek rule (which itself meant a variety of things) came to an end, generally in favor of Roman rule, at different dates, in different places between 168 B.C. and AD 72;  even then the distinctive city-based culture of the Greeks, modified by centuries of interaction with non-Greek cultures, continued to evolve in new ways for many more centuries.”  (pg.2) The above is a quote from the book; “THE GREEK WORLD AFTER ALEXANDER 323-30 BC”, by Graham Shipley, published by Routledge an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, London and New York, copy write by Graham Shipley 2000.  (Keith’s library)     Other direct quoted excerpts used in this article, unless otherwise noted, are taken from; Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.~ ~ ~

Hello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast. The Tale of Rome, Episode 39 — State of the Union – 320 BC. This is our third episode of the State of the Union, and as I said in our episode 13, at this time we already have many of the styles, and other standards set, for this type of episodes. Slowly, but surely, these episodes — every 13th episode, will become tradition in this podcast. Alright. We find ourselves in the year 320 BC. just after the shameful defeat at the already famous Caudine Forks. So during this episode, we’re going to divide our time into three sections, as follows: ONE — let’s see what happened to those troops on their way to Rome, and what were the next events before closing that year. TWO — we’re going to give our typical eagle flight around the world of Rome, just as we did in our episodes 13 and 26. AND THREE — let’s do a quick review of the people who ruled Rome’s fates, between the years 390 and 320 BC. just like we did last time. And as always, during this episode we won’t have our segment of the Latin Word of the Week, so that’s going to be left for our next REGULAR episode. Let’s start now! […] He says that Alexander gave his ring to Perdicas, a bodyguard of his, nominating him as a successor, by doing so. Anyway, Perdicas did never try to get the throne, and instead, he said that the heir should be Roxanne’s son, if he was born male. He also said, that the baby would have Crateros, Leonnatus, Antipater, and himself, as guardians, until the boy would grow up, and then govern by himself. Obviously, that plan was rejected. Perdicas was killed two years later. The unity of Macedonia collapsed, and 40 years of war erupted among the successors. These successors were now known, as the Diadochi. And at the end of that period, four clear blocks emerged. And for a time being, these blocks maintained some stability: Egypt belonged to the Ptolemy’s. Mesopotamia became part of the upcoming Seleucid Empire. Anatolia went to Lysimachus. And finally, Macedonia went to Antigonus. […]

— From this point of view, I can hardly wait until we get to the Emperors!Partial TranscriptHello, this is Abel, speaking from Beijing, China. Welcome to my podcast.The Tale of Rome, Episode 39 — State of the Union – 320 BC.This is our third episode of the State of the Union, and as I said in our episode 13, at this time we already have many of the styles, and other standards set, for this type of episodes.Slowly, but surely, these episodes — every 13th episode, will become tradition in this podcast.Alright. We find ourselves in the year 320 BC. just after the shameful defeat at the already famous Caudine Forks.So during this episode, we're going to divide our time into three sections, as follows:ONE — let's see what happened to those troops on their way to Rome, and what were the next events before closing that year.TWO — we're going to give our typical eagle flight around the world of Rome, just as we did in our episodes 13 and 26.AND THREE — let's do a quick review of the people who ruled Rome's fates, between the years 390 and 320 BC. just like we did last time.And as always, during this episode we won't have our segment of the Latin Word of the Week, so that's going to be left for our next REGULAR episode.Let's start now![…]He says that Alexander gave his ring to Perdicas, a bodyguard of his, nominating him as a successor, by doing so.Anyway, Perdicas did never try to get the throne, and instead, he said that the heir should be Roxanne's son, if he was born male. He also said, that the baby would have Crateros, Leonnatus, Antipater, and himself, as guardians, until the boy would grow up, and then govern by himself.Obviously, that plan was rejected. Perdicas was killed two years later.The unity of Macedonia collapsed, and 40 years of war erupted among the successors. These successors were now known, as the Diadochi. And at the end of that period, four clear blocks emerged. And for a time being, these blocks maintained some stability:Egypt belonged to the Ptolemy's.Mesopotamia became part of the upcoming Seleucid Empire.Anatolia went to Lysimachus.And finally, Macedonia went to Antigonus.

Actor Ian Beattie has been on stage, film and television for over 20 years. He’s best known for his roles on Game of Thrones as Meryn Trant and on the movie Alexander as Antigonus. I spoke to him at the Great Philadelphia Comic Con. 1:51 – Ian Beattie started performing as a child in a … Continue reading Game of Thrones actor – Ian Beattie interview →

In following the previous mishna which distilled the life objectives to three tenets, Pirkei Avos proceeds to delve into each one individually. In perhaps the most difficult mishna of the book, Antigonus lays out how to fulfill “Avodah” properly. In this teaching we read a take on altruism and how to create deep, meaningful and […]

The Winter's Tale – Act III scenes 3 – Antigonus, guided by a disturbing dream, arrives in Bohemia with Hermione's baby daughter.

Antigonus rules all of Asia, but chasing out Seleucus gives Ptolemy and the others an opportunity to check his power

After the death of Perdiccas, Antigonus chases Eumenes halfway across the empire. In Europe, a fight begins over Antipater's position after his death

Perdiccas uses his role as regent to the Macedonian kings to try to consolidate power. But the other Diadochi - Ptolemy in Egypt, Antipater in Europe, and Antigonus in Anatolia - have plans of their own

This week in Alexander Remastered, we look at Alexander's successors, all the civil wars, and how Alexander's Empire tore itself apart.

After the death of Antipater, Antigonus became high priest after mutilating the high priest Hyrcanus. Herod had been quickly rising to prominence, marrying into the house of Hasmon, sending his wife into exile, and Herod sought to have the Romans proclaim him leader of the Jews. Rome did declare him King of the Jews, a title never before declared for someone who was not of nobility. To ensure that the Hasmonean dynasty never returned to challenge his position, the remaining heirs to the Hasmonean dynasty suspiciously died. Alexandra, the mother of one of these heirs, sent to Rome to request an inquiry, and Marc Antony requested that Herod defend himself. Herod went to Rome, but left instructions that if Antony killed him, his wife must die as well. His wife discovered this plan and this caused much intrigue and eventually his wife's death when Herod returned alive.Herod built a new temple in Jerusalem and also several temples to Roman gods. It is against this backdrop that the magi arrived in Jerusalem and ask Herod ''where is the king born of the Jews?'' Herod, who was not born king, was outraged at this and sought to eliminate this threat. After he died, Herod was buried near the cave where Jesus was born.The closing theme is Gerard Satamian's Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com

Introduction We are aware from scripture that we have a personal enemy who seeks our very lives. His name is the devil or Satan, that ancient dragon. It says in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” But the scripture reveals that we have an impersonal enemy as well, one that surrounds us at every moment and threatens our souls as well. In 1 John, Chapter 2:15-16, it is called “the world.” “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.” The world and its desires pass away. A man who does the will of God stands forever. We’re surrounded by the world, and by that, John means, I think, the world’s system. Not the created world that God made and all of its beauty, but the world system, that alluring, powerful, enticing, wicked culture that attacks our very souls and seeks our eternal destruction. The world is made up of living, breathing people whose minds are controlled by the flesh and by the spirit of the power of the air, Satan. These people, as they live out their convictions, as they live out their world views, they craft a world around us that is enticing and luring us away from the things of God, away from Christ. Some of them have political and military ambitions to rule and dominate, perhaps a non-Christian politician running for office, or an Al-Qaeda terrorist masterminding the next terrorist attack somewhere in the world, or the publisher of a pornographic magazine, or an actress willing to do anything in a movie to further her career. It could be a marketing consultant urging a bolder approach to marketing clothing to teens in malls, or a financial expert writing a column on how you can be far richer than you ever dreamed if you just follow his approach of investments, or a motivational speaker telling spellbound audiences ten irrefutable laws for success the way he defines it. And a hundred, even a thousand other enticements are pulling you away from Christ. That’s the world. It’s a seething culture of unbelief, pulsating with the lusts that John mentions: lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of flesh. It is vicious. It is relentless. It is alluring and enticing. It is a cold-hearted enemy to your soul. It would have you. It would pull you away from Christ. It has a symbolic name in the Bible, and that name is Babylon. Now I know that Babylon was a city in ancient Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River. From it arose a mighty empire that, for a time, dominated the world. From that empire came an army that conquered Jerusalem, tore down its walls and burned the temple of God. I’m aware of all that. It was the enemy of the people of God at that time, Babylon. Isaiah 13 clearly predicts the fall of that literal city of Babylon to the Medes in 536 BC. That’s predicted here in this chapter. But Isaiah 13 uses language that soars far above that one event in history. It speaks of God’s wrath poured out on all nations to the point where you can’t even see the celestial beings anymore. The sun, the moon, and the stars are darkened. It’s language that goes right to the end of time. Isaiah 13 speaks of God’s relentless wrath poured out on Babylon, the enemy of His people. It’s fulfilled again and again and again and again in history, not just in one date, one time, 536 BC, but again and again, because from the smoldering ashes of one destroyed Babylon rises the next Babylon. Like a wicked phoenix, from the ashes up it comes to defy God and to attack God’s people. It happens again and again, and God is always against it. He controls that rise. He fights against it and throws it back down. And then the next Babylon comes along. So it is. And not until the end of the world will the final Babylon, the spirit of Babylon, and Babylon itself be crushed forever. In Revelation 17, it depicts Babylon as a harlot riding on a beast with seven heads and ten horns. So you have pleasure plus power. That equals the world to me. That’s what it is. There’s going to be a final form of Babylon, and it will be crushed forever by the glory of the second coming of Christ. No more Babylon, friends. No more world the way John means in 1 John 2. We’ll be free forever and we will live in a pure world where Jesus will reign. There’ll be no enticements away from God, only powerful inducements to worship and to love Him forever. God is going to crush Babylon. That’s exactly what He’s talking about in this very serious and sober chapter. It’s not an easy chapter to read. It’s not pleasant. Yet it is joyful for us as the people of God to know that our enemy is God’s enemy too and that He will rise up and crush it someday God’s Sovereign Rule Over the Nations: Isaiah 13-23 One Central Theme, Many Smaller Oracles As we enter a new section of Isaiah’s prophecies, Isaiah 13-23, these are oracles against the nations, about eleven chapters or so of oracles against the nations, one after the other. Isaiah in these chapters (really throughout the whole book) portrays a God who sits on His throne and rules over the events of history 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He is working all the time to bring about His plan. It says, right in this oracle section, in Isaiah 14:26-27, “This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” God is in charge. That is a powerfully vital message for our time, when we’re barraged by a constant stream of news stories that can discourage you as a Christian and beat you down. Reading CNN, looking at CNN, or going to websites can be discouraging. You’re looking at Fox News or one thing after another, a constant stream of stories that gives you the sense that the world is spinning out of control. Well, it isn’t. The message of the oracles in these eleven chapters is that our God reigns. And the message of this first one is that God is against Babylon in any of its forms. He will destroy it in the end. So, we see God’s sovereign rule over the nations. We begin with this oracle against Babylon. We’re going to go from that to oracles against the Philistines in Chapter 14 and against Moab in Chapters 15 and 16. We’re going to look at oracles against Syria and Ephraim in Chapters 17 and 18, Egypt in Chapters 19 and 20, and back to Babylon again in Chapter 21. Edom and Arabia are also in Chapter 21, and finally Tyre is in Chapter 23. These are oracles against the nations. In all of this, God’s going to give clear messages to His people. That’s us and them. The message is, first of all, do not trust in the strength or be allured or enticed by the strength of the nations and the peoples you see around you. Do not put your trust in them. Do not make alliances with them. Don’t put your hope in them. They are just nations. They are as a drop in the bucket, and they will be swept away in the end. The insight here again and again is that that there’s no righteous nation on Earth as we understand a political entity. God’s wrath is against all of them, every one of them. He says very plainly in Isaiah 34:2, “The Lord is angry with all the nations; his wrath is upon all their armies.” That’s something good for us to consider, isn’t it? He’s against them all. Friends, our citizenship is in Heaven. That’s the message of the oracles of these nations. Also, do not question God’s justice when, for a short period of time, a godless people seem to be dominant and ascendant. He’s seen it before. We will see it again and again. God reigns even then. He is not unjust and God cannot be mocked. Judgment Day, the Day of the Lord, mentioned here, will come to them. So for us, as a people of God, trust in Him. Fear God and keep His commandments. Walk in His ways. Pray for the advance of His kingdom. That’s what I get out of the oracles of the nations. That’s a general introduction to the new section of Isaiah that we’re coming to. Isaiah’s Far-reaching Vision Let’s look specifically here at Isaiah’s far-reaching vision when he talks about Babylon. Look at verse 1, an oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw. Many modern scholars seriously question whether Isaiah wrote these chapters. I love it and I don’t; I hate it. But I read it and I wonder how they come up with these things. What they say is that, at the time that Isaiah wrote, 725 BC, Babylon was really nothing. It was just a minor city with some people around it (the Chaldeans) and they were under the boot of the Assyrians like everybody else. So, it’s like Isaiah made a mistake prophesying against Babylon. They were nothing. It was Assyria that was the threat. Well, he’s dealt with Assyria and we’ve seen all that. But now he’s turning to Babylon. It’s no mistake friends. And it wasn’t written after the fact, friends. Not at all. It was written in 725 BC or thereabouts. Babylon and the Medes that are mentioned in this chapter are actually small allies, chafing under the Assyrian yoke. Isaiah is predicting the fall of Babylon to the Medes. Look at verse 17, the Medes are specifically mentioned. He names the people that are going to topple Babylon before either one of them are powerful enough to do anything about it. That would happen one hundred and eighty-nine years after this oracle was given, almost two hundred years later. Can God do that? Can He make that kind of a specific prophecy that far in advance? We Christians, we know the truth. He actually can look seven and a half centuries ahead and talk about Jesus who died as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him; nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by man. A man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” “We all like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [on Jesus] the iniquity of us all.” (Is 53:2-3;6) Can Isaiah look into the future and see that kind of detail? Absolutely he can! Can he see that Jesus would be buried in a rich man’s tomb and then raised? He can see all that. He can see whatever God shows him, for God knows the future. God’s Sovereign Plan the Central Theme of History He says in Isaiah 42:9, “See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” This is the power of God. He knows the future. He doesn’t just know the future, He decrees the future and He declares the future! This is what God does. This is the plan determined for the whole world, and God is making it happen. So Isaiah has a far-reaching vision to look ahead one hundred and eighty-nine years from when he was living to the fall of an empire at a city that wasn’t even powerful in his day. He can do that. Babylon’s Symbolic Role in Redemptive History Babylon the Ancient Leader in Human Rebellion Babylon has a symbolic role in redemptive history. Anyone who’s read through the Bible has bumped into Babylon again and again. It’s not just one time. The key question as we look at Isaiah 13 is “If Babylon isn’t even the issue at this point, if the real threat is in Assyria, then why does God give such a prominent place to the prediction of the fall of Babylon?” That’s a good question. Babylon was the ancient leader in human rebellion among the nations. The nations derived their origin from the time when, in Babel, a tower was being built: the Tower of Babel in defiance of the command of God. God came down and confused the languages and that was the beginning of the nations. Babel became Babylon. It’s the same location. That’s where it was. That’s the origination of that national rebellion against God. Babylon the Leader in Human Empire-Building Babylon was also what we call the Neo-Babylonian empire. In the time under Nebuchadnezzar it was a leader in world empire-building. There had never been an empire like it. The cultural level of Babylon was much higher than that of Assyria. It mentions the nobles in our text here. We’ll talk more about that. But Nebuchadnezzar’s achievements were astounding in building Babylon to its level of human glory. We’ve got the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon and all of the structures there. It’s just a magnificent place. Furthermore, the city of Babylon was mighty and powerful. It seemed invincible: 14 miles square, huge outer walls, which Herodotus tells us were 87 feet thick and 350 feet high. That’s a 35 story building! There were 100 great bronze gates in the walls and a limitless water supply, so they believed. Crops were able to be grown within the walls. You can’t conquer this city. You don’t have an army big enough to go fourteen miles on a side all the around to shut it up tight like a cork. You can’t do it. Even if you could, they could outlast you. They’ve got crops inside. They’ve got farmers. They’ve got water. They’ll just laugh at you, 350 feet above you. You’re not going to be throwing anything over the wall and you’re not going to burrow through it. There’s no way it could fall, so they believed. Babylon was the arrogant symbol of opposition to almighty God. Babylon the Symbol of Human Opposition to God In the New Testament, Peter makes a not-so-obscure reference to Babylon. At the end of his epistle 1 Peter 5, he says this, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.” Church tradition tells us he wrote that from Rome. Why does he call Rome, Babylon? I told you, out of the ashes rises the phoenix of another world-conquering, God-hating empire. And that was Rome in Peter’s day. Even after Rome falls, there’s another one, another Babylon that keeps coming. It’s going to keep right on going until the end. Revelation will pick up on this Babylon theme, as we’ll talk about later in the message. But in Revelation 17, as I’ve already mentioned, and in 18, Babylon is there when Jesus returns. And He destroys it. God Summons an Army Against Babylon God’s Activity Central But here in Isaiah 13 we’re focusing on the first empire, the Babylonian empire and the city of Babylon. One hundred and eighty-nine years before it happens, the prophet Isaiah is predicting its fall. By the way, this is one of the most predicted events in history. It’s predicted here in Isaiah 13. It’s predicted in Isaiah 21. It’s predicted for five chapters towards the end of Jeremiah very specifically. It’s predicted in Habakkuk Chapter 2 very plainly. The details are astounding. I already preached through this. It’s recorded for us in Daniel Chapter 5 on the night of Belshazzar’s feast when the writing appears on the wall and Babylon falls to the Medes. It’s not a minor event in redemptive history. It’s a major one. God is summoning an army against Babylon, and, in this chapter, God’s activity is central. Seven times in this chapter God speaks about what He’s going to do against Babylon. He’s taking it very personally. He’s acting very directly. Look at verse 3, “I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath – those who rejoice in my triumph.” It’s very personal for God. Verses 11-13 say, “I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble.” Verse 17 even more specifically says, “See, I will stir up against them the Medes.” God raises up the Medes against Babylon. This is very personal for God. He is active and involved. Verses 6 and 9 call it the Day of the Lord. This is the Lord’s day, the day of judgment on the nations. God is acting directly to bring about judgment for His own glory. This is not some random swirling of events in human history that had no purpose, no meaning to it at all, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. No, this is God, essential actor in history, bringing down judgment on a people who will not acknowledge His name or live through His glory. So God summons an army. That’s how He is going to do it. An Army Summoned from the Nations Verses 2-4 say, “Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath – those who rejoice in my triumph. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war.” God is mustering an army and they’re going to come and destroy Babylon. In ancient times, before radio communication, armies used colorful banners up on bare hilltops to signal across distances. Or they would use signal fires. The nations are massing together. They are organizing to come against the mighty Babylon. Again, it’s no accident. The Lord is mustering this army for war and they’re going to enter, it says, “the gates of the nobles.” These are the Chaldeans. These are the refined Babylonians who exported their Babylonian culture all over their empire. They’re the nobles, the blue bloods, cultured and arrogant. They’re going to be destroyed, all of them. And God calls this personal army to do His will. They are His warriors. He even calls them “my holy ones.” Strange, isn’t it? Holy in this case means set apart for a purpose and for a job that God’s calling them to do. Later on in Isaiah’s prophecy, He’s going to call Cyrus the Great of Persia “my anointed one.” In Greek, it’s the Christ, the Messiah. Now we know that he’s not the Christ, but he’s anointed for a task. So it says in Isaiah 45:4, “For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of great honor, though you do not acknowledge me.” Cyrus doesn’t know Yahweh. He doesn’t know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But he’s doing Yahweh’s will, even though he doesn’t acknowledge Him. We’ve already learned that in Isaiah, haven’t we? God raises up instruments to do His will, whether they acknowledge Him or not. The Day of the Lord So this army that’s coming, these Medes and these Persians that are coming to destroy Babylon, they’re doing God’s will. This is the day of the Lord. Look at verses 5 and 6, “They come from far away lands, from the ends of the heavens – the Lord and the weapons of his wrath to destroy the whole country. Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.” The invasion of this international coalition of armies against Babylon is not an accidental occurrence. God has brought it. There may be human factors, but it is the Lord, spiritually, riding at the head of the army. It cannot be defeated and the reaction will be nothing less than terror. Look at verses 7-9, “Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man’s heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.” There will be a future Day of the Lord. It is described in many places in the New Testament. That Day of the Lord will be like this one only a thousand times worse, a thousand times more intense. In history God just does the same things again and again, like dress rehearsals, and says, “As I did in Sodom and Gomorrah,” or “as I did in Babylon,” or “as what happened with the Romans.” It’s going to happen again at the end, getting us ready for the Day of the Lord. Thus, Isaiah uses extreme language to describe the fall of Babylon, He goes beyond the mere invasion of the city that night, the killing of the Babylonian king and the officials, and the taking over of the city by the Medes and the Persians. He goes much further than that. Look at verses 10 and 13. It’s language that soars above that current event. It says, “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” “Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.” This is language that is speaking of the end of the world. It’s going to happen again. Babylon will be crushed again, and, at that point, the stars and the sun and the moon aren’t merely going to be darkened, they’re going to be removed. The stars will fall to the earth, it says in the Book of Revelation, as figs from a tree. God is going to clear everything away, and there will be a new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness. The Invaders Named Astonishing Accuracy In verse 17, Isaiah names the invaders very specifically. This is God saying, “See what I can do? Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. I know history before it even happens. I can tell you who’s going to destroy Babylon. It’s going to be the Medes.” Look at verse 17, “See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold.” This is astonishing accuracy. As I mentioned, at the time Isaiah wrote, the Medes were no major player on the world scene. Like the Babylonians, they were conquered people under the yoke of the Assyrians. Who were the Medes? They were people living in what is now central Iran, east of Mesopotamia. They inhabited the Zagros Mountains and the high plateaus east of that mountain range. That’s where they came from. As early as 836 BC, the Assyrians referred to them as a threat, as enemies. In 612 BC, they joined together with the Babylonians in helping to crush what was left of the dying Assyrian empire. Assyria’s time was over and the Medes and Babylonians came together and went up the Fertile Crescent and crushed Nineveh. It’s predicted. Assyria is done, finished for good, and the Medes and Babylonians kind of joined together in doing that. But the Babylonians took over under Nebuchadnezzar. They were stronger at that point, and the Medes were subjugated. They were crushed under the Babylonian empire. Single-Minded Weapons of Wrath God declares in advance that once Babylon’s time has passed, the Medes will rise up and it’ll be their turn. They’re going to crush Babylon. Look at them, they’re a single-minded weapon of wrath. Verse 17-18, “See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants nor will they look with compassion on children.” First of all, they can’t be bought off. You can’t send out a box of silver and gold and they go home, back to where they came from. They’re going to get it all. They don’t want one box. They want everything you have, Babylonians. They’re not going to be bought off that way. They’re ready to exact vengeance. They’re filled with wrath. They’re filled with rage. And they’re going to kill everyone. There’s a mercilessness here. Even the infants and the children, they’re not spared. Desolation Decreed… Then Fulfilled (vs 19-22) The Reason for Judgment: Pride The desolation that is decreed and then fulfilled in verses 19 through 22 comes as an act of judgment by God. Why does the judgment come? Well, the central reason is always the same; it’s pride. It’s the arrogance of the Babylonians. He’s going to crush them because of their pride. Look at verse 19, “Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians’ pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.” Isaiah 2 has already displayed how much God hates human arrogance, pride, and boasting. Anything that goes up, anything that gets lofty in defiance of God, He wants to throw down. And in due time, He will. Here, Babylon is called “the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians pride.” It was for this very reason, as you remember, that Nebuchadnezzar was struck with insanity for seven years. Do you remember the King of Babylon? The Babylonian emperor is walking on the roof of his palace and feeling pretty good about his life and his achievements. “Is this not the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” He’d already been warned about this kind of thing a year before by Daniel. Even while the words are coming out of his mouth, an angel speaks and decrees. And God strikes. In that same day, he is driven away from people and goes out and starts eating grass like cattle for seven years. He’s like that until God grants him repentance and enables his sanity to come back to him. He lifts up his eyes toward heaven and he praises the Most High. He learns his lesson. He is able to be humble. The Horror of the Judgment Well, Nebuchadnezzar learned it, but Babylon didn’t. Babylon didn’t learn it. Babylon is an enemy of God. It will fight against God forever. So if he won’t be that way, he’ll be replaced, and another king will come along who’ll rule Babylon. He’s going to get soft. And look at the horror of the judgment in verses 14 through 16, “Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land. Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their house will be looted and their wives ravished.” Destruction, this is what the next Babylon does to the last Babylon. It’s what they do. Unfolding Judgment: Babylon Becomes Desolate Gradually They’re going to get judged when Alexander the Great comes. Then he is going to get judged. And the Greeks are going to get judged when the Romans come. And on and on it goes, one Babylon after another, bringing this kind of destruction. Look at the judgment, the desolation that’s predicted. Look at verses 20 through 22, speaking of Babylon, “She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there. But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there, owls will dwell, and there, the wild goats will leap about. Hyenas will howl in her stronghold; jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.” Desolation has been decreed for Babylon. No one will live there ever again. It will be leveled and it will never be rebuilt. Now obviously, if you take that literally, then how do you end up with Babylon all the way at the end of the world in Revelations 17? Well, the city itself on the Euphrates River is crushed and it has not been rebuilt. According to this, it never will be. But the spirit of Babylon lives on and it keeps floating from place to place, landing, coagulating in a human empire, and then the next Babylon rises. The last one will be that of the Antichrist, as he organizes the whole world in rebellion against God. So, Babylon continues to live even while this city will never be rebuilt. This decree was fulfilled in stages. It didn’t happen all at once. Cyrus the Persian invades. In 538 BC he comes in and takes the whole empire except the city of Babylon. Darius the Mede (he’s got to be a Mede, of course) comes with the Medes to Babylon itself, and they get in. Jeremiah predicted very plainly, “I will make her officials, her leaders drunk and they will lie down and sleep and never wake up.” This couldn’t be plainer. He also says in Jeremiah, “I will dry up her streams.” What ends up happening is the Medes dried up the Euphrates River by diverting it with a canal. They crawl under the walls. They are very vulnerable to archers, if anybody’s on the wall watching. But nobody is watching, because they are all drunk in their beds because of Belshazzar’s feast. So the Medes come in. They open up the gates, and they run through the palace. They kill Belshazzar. They kill all of the Babylonian officials. But they didn’t kill Daniel, the third highest ruler in the Babylonian kingdom. Because that was Daniel. Remember the purple robe and the gold chain? I don’t think he was wearing it that night. It wouldn’t have been a good idea. But God then sovereignly raised Daniel up to be the third highest ruler in the Persian kingdom as well! Only God could do something like that. Everybody else, though, dies, a direct fulfillment. But the gates and the walls still stood. It was useful. Why destroy it? It was there for a while until another Darius, some time later, actually pulled the walls down and destroyed it. Then Alexander the Great comes along. By this time, it’s little more than a pile of rubble. He decides he wants to rebuild it and make it the center of his empire. The problem is, in Babylon, he drank too much wine and died of alcohol poisoning. His grandiose plans never came to anything. God will not have that city rebuilt. It got worse and worse. By 309 BC, Antigonus the First of Macedonia leveled Babylon. By 275, Antiochus the First took away all the remaining civilian population, deporting them to other cities. Nobody’s even living there in 275 BC. A Greek writer named Pausanias, geographer of the Roman period, said there’s literally nothing where there used to be Babylon. That’s during the Roman period. It happened in stages. In the last century before Christ, an ancient geographer, Strabo, wrote, “the great city of Babylon has become a wilderness.” I don’t think he’s saying, “Oh, I read Isaiah 13.” He is just saying what it is. It’s a wilderness. God made it that way. The Roman Emperor Trajan, eager to visit the famous Babylon, was disappointed when he arrived at the site. There was nothing to see. There’s nothing there. No Arab will pitch his tent there. No shepherd will shepherd his flock there. There’s nothing there. In the present era, in 1811, an archeologist found it. From the end of the 1800s into the 1900s, there were major digs going on. Then Saddam Hussein took power. He wanted to make it the center of his kingdom. Well, two Gulf Wars took care of him! He’s not in power there. There won’t be any new Babylon on the site of the old Babylon, at least not under Saddam Hussein. Much to the chagrin of the archaeologists that are there, US troops are digging and using sand and rubble from the site to fill sandbags. I think they’re fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 13. They’re not that concerned about archaeology or any of those sorts of things. They’ve got to fill up sandbags because there are threats against them. They don’t want to get blown up. As a Biblical scholar, I look at that and say, “Amen.” Fill it up! Fill up those sandbags with ancient Babylon. Final Judgment: Overthrown Like Sodom and Gomorrah Now, of course, I appreciate archaeology and all that sort of stuff. But it’s happened whether you like it or not. If you’re an archaeologist who weeps over that kind of thing, it doesn’t matter. It has happened. It is going to be hard to get it back. Those guys go on hands and knees with toothbrushes, that kind of thing. These soldiers are in there with shovels, filling up bags. It’s God’s judgment, I tell you, on ancient Babylon. He means to keep it down. In the final judgment, however, Babylon is going to be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah. That’s what it says. It’s like Sodom and Gomorrah, but different. Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown by fire and brimstone coming down from heaven. Judgment coming down from above so it’s clear that God is doing it. No question about it. So it will be at the end of the world. Babylon’s Final Fall Language Goes Beyond the Fall of One Nation When Jesus comes back in Revelation, chapters 17 and 18 describe Babylon’s final fall. Isaiah 13:9-11 says, “See, the Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.” That’s the end of the world. God is going to judge it. Read about it in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 17 it talks about when Babylon the great, mystery Babylon, is thrown down like a millstone. And Revelation 18 says that Babylon was destroyed by the sovereign power of God. I was reading an article recently in which some professors were worrying, greatly worrying, terribly worrying, about over-population. Over-population is going to get us, folks. Did you know that? The estimation is that by the year 2050, it will take, these professors say, the resources of four planet Earths to handle the 9 billion people there will be at that time. I don’t think over-population’s going to get us. Look at verse 12, “I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.” The judgment of God is going to get “us,” if “us” is unrepentant rebels who love Babylon. That’s what is going to get “us.” Don’t fear over-population. Fear God. The judgment of God is coming on Babylon, and friends, we live in Babylon. We live in the city of destruction. I don’t just mean we Americans. I’m saying, we who live here on Earth, we live in Babylon. Christ Saves Us From Babylon God’s judgment is coming. It’s going to come once more. God sent His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to rescue us from it, that we might not have to suffer its curses and plagues. So God says, “Come out from her and be separate.” Speaking of Babylon later in the Book of Isaiah, “Come out and do not share her plagues and her judgments.” Well, come out where? Recently, I was reading through Wayne Grudem’s “Systematic Theology” and he was talking about the attributes of God and God’s omnipresence. Where are you going to flee from the wrath of God? Where are you going to go? There’s nowhere you can hide. One theologian said there is nowhere to flee from God enraged but to God reconciled. There’s nowhere you can flee from God enraged but to God reconciled. And the only place you can find reconciliation with God is at the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross. He shed His blood, under the wrath of God, that we might have a refuge place from the judgment that’s coming on Babylon, that we might have a place to come and be separate and pure and to be protected and to not suffer from the plagues. It says in Galatians 1:3-4, “The Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age.” Application Come to Christ And so, what application? Flee to Christ. Flee to Him. I don’t know your spiritual situation. Do you know your spiritual situation? Have you fled to Christ? Are you standing under the shadow of the cross, having been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? Are you ready to face the wrath to come? Have you fled to Jesus? He is the only refuge there is and you don’t need to just flee there once. Friends, we still live in Babylon. It’s still alluring; it’s still enticing; it’s still pulling on us. We’re not done being saved. Flee there every day. Flee there many times a day. Come again and again to the cross of Christ when you’re being polluted by the world. It could be you’re sitting here this morning, Sunday morning, and your conscience is defiled. You know you’re a Christian. There’s no doubt in your mind that you’re a Christian. But you have done things and you have compromised with Babylon in some way. You have been polluted. Flee to Christ again. He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Pray that He might purify us. Understand God’s Sovereign Control Over the Nations Understand the control of God over the flow of human history. It doesn’t matter how many Babylons rise from the ashes of the last Babylon. God is in charge of all of it and He will crush it all at the end. There will be smaller Days of the Lord and then one final Day of the Lord. Call on God to Fulfill His Purposes Finally, call on God to fulfill His good purposes. Say, “Do it, Lord! Crush Babylon. Rescue your people out from her and crush her. Establish Your kingdom. May Your kingdom come and may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We come now to a time of celebration of the Lord’s Supper. This is a time in which we are able to look back at what I’ve just mentioned, Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf. We’re able to look around in this present time at our own hearts to know whether we’re in the faith, to know whether our consciences are defiled. We can confess our sin and get ready. We should not take this in a manner unworthy of the Lord. Thus, we come under His discipline. We take it very seriously. But remember, it’s for sinners. It’s not for the pure and holy. Jesus said, “I didn’t come to call the righteous but sinners.” So, if you have come to personal faith in Christ and you’ve testified to that by water baptism, you’re free to come and take from this table. We also look ahead to a time when the Lord will be finished with all of this unpleasantness, with all of the judgment, and He will usher in the new heavens and new earth. Close with me in prayer.