Podcasts about athenian

KNOW THYSELF. Today, we have the second part of the excellent conversation on First Alcibiades with Dcn. Garlick, Alec Bianco, and Athenian Stranger. The conversation starts at 124(b)!First Alcibiades is one of the BEST PLACES you could start with Plato. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule and more!Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to First Alcibiades.From the guide:14. What does Socrates teach Alcibiades about the body (129b)?Plato teaches that the body is subordinate to the soul, viewing it as a possession rather than the essence of man. If one is to “know thyself” then one must know what the “self” is. Dcn. Garlick contrasts this with the Christian tradition's composite view of man as body and soul, influenced by Aristotle and Aquinas, yet argues Plato's stance merits seriously consideration. Dcn. Garlick argues that Plato seems to intuit the Christian teaching of man in his glorified state. For example, in the Christian tradition, there is never a time you are just a body—but there will be a time you are just a soul (after death and before the general resurrection). Moreover, even after you are united with your body for all eternity in heaven, the body, in Catholic thought, does not mediate the glory of God to the soul; rather, the soul receives God directly—not only does glorified man not use a body to know God but his body would be a hinderance, as he would then hold in his soul his thought of God and not God himself. In contrast, Aristotle seems right that our knowledge in this life comes through our senses, but this is not true in heaven—the latter is much more Platonic.As such, though Plato does not see man as essentially soul and body, his philosophical insights into who man is and why he is a soul should be taken seriously by any Christian who wants to understand his or her own tradition better. Alec stresses that Socrates downplaying the body here also has a pedagogical purpose in humbling Alcibiades' pride, which is very much rooted in his body and appearance. Athenian Stranger comments that First Alcibiades is the first discovering of “the self,” the soul; and, moreover, that an antecedent to this discovery is seen in Odysseus speaking to his own thumos in the Odyssey. Moreover, Athenian Stranger offers the trenchant observation that while a person may never be a body without a soul, that is how many people live—a life dedicated to the lower appetites, the pleasure of the body.15. What is the mirror of the soul (132d)?The eyes of lover are a mirror for the soul. The idea that we must look into the eyes of one who loves us to see ourselves is presented by Socrates as a profound method for self-knowledge. Dcn. Garlick explains: “if the body is going to know itself, what do you do? Well, I look into a mirror… clearly what we need then is a mirror to our soul… the first… mirror of the soul is the eyes of the lover, the one who loves you.” As Dcn. Garlick suggests, the dynamic goes beyond that of student-teacher and extends to other relations, like husband-wife and parent-child. Another profound aspect of this Platonic teacher is that it makes the pursuit of virtue, wisdom, and the good life a communal one. It is a stark contrast from Descartes' solitary introspection. We are social creatures—even in our pursuit of wisdom and ultimately of the divine.Athenian Stranger comments on the role of eros in philosophy and how it works on two planes: the eros between lovers, and...

In ancient Athens, citizens would gather at the Agora, or marketplace, for a specific purpose: to vote people off the island – er, out of the city. 

Fluent Fiction - Hungarian: From Rivalry to Unity: A Pottery Tale in Ancient Athens Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hu/episode/2025-08-11-22-34-02-hu Story Transcript:Hu: A tűző nap már reggel is melegen sütötte az utcákat Athénban.En: The scorching sun was already warmly heating the streets of Athén in the morning.Hu: A piacon minden élénk volt, mintha maga az élet Práxitelész kézzel festett vázái közül lépett volna ki.En: The market was lively, as if life itself had stepped out of the hand-painted vases of Práxitelész.Hu: Bence, fiatal fazekas, áhítattal nézte a különböző színek kavalkádját, amint az árusok hangosan kínálták portékáikat.En: Bence, a young potter, watched the kaleidoscope of colors with reverence as the vendors loudly offered their wares.Hu: A zsibongás közepette Bence valami különlegeset keresett: egy amforát, amely megihletné őt.En: Amidst the hustle and bustle, Bence was searching for something special: an amphora to inspire him.Hu: Bence mentorának, Istvánnak akart bizonyítani.En: Bence wanted to prove himself to his mentor, István.Hu: Egyedi formát, klasszikus görög stílust szeretett volna megalkotni, ami lenyűgözi a mestert.En: He wished to create a unique form, a classic Greek style that would impress the master.Hu: Ahogy egyre mélyebben merült a piac forgatagába, megpillantott egy különleges amforát.En: As he delved deeper into the whirlwind of the market, he spotted a remarkable amphora.Hu: A díszítése sejtelmes történeteket mesélt az ókorról.En: Its decorations told mysterious stories of ancient times.Hu: Bence szíve gyorsabban vert.En: Bence's heart beat faster.Hu: Ez volt az, amit keresett.En: This was what he had been looking for.Hu: Azonban nem volt egyedül.En: However, he was not alone.Hu: Zsófia, egy másik fiatal művész, akit jól ismert, szintén ott állt.En: Zsófia, another young artist whom he knew well, was also there.Hu: Mindketten vágytak az amforára.En: They both desired the amphora.Hu: Az edény iránti érdeklődésük hamar versengésbe fordult.En: Their interest in the vessel quickly turned into a rivalry.Hu: Az árus mosolyogva nézte, ahogy Bence és Zsófia egymásra licitáltak.En: The vendor smiled as Bence and Zsófia bid against each other.Hu: Az ár egyre magasabbra szökött, a két fiatal minden energiáját összeszedve küzdött a kincsért.En: The price kept rising, with the two young people mustering all their energy in their struggle for the treasure.Hu: Bence zihálva próbált megnyugodni.En: Panting, Bence tried to calm down.Hu: Felmerült benne a kérdés: mi lenne, ha inkább együttműködne Zsófiával?En: A question arose in his mind: what if he worked together with Zsófia instead?Hu: Hiszen közös céljuk volt: tanulni és fejlődni.En: After all, they had a common goal: to learn and grow.Hu: Mély levegőt vett, és Zsófiához fordult.En: He took a deep breath and turned to Zsófia.Hu: "Mi lenne, ha közösen vennénk meg?En: "What if we bought it together?Hu: Megoszthatnánk az inspirációt és a költségeket.En: We could share the inspiration and the cost."Hu: "Zsófia meglepetten nézett, aztán elmosolyodott.En: Zsófia looked surprised, then smiled.Hu: "Ez remek ötlet, Bence!En: "That's a brilliant idea, Bence!Hu: Együtt többre megyünk.En: Together, we can achieve more."Hu: " Az árus beleegyezően bólintott, boldog volt, hogy sikerült eladnia a különleges darabot.En: The vendor nodded in agreement, happy to have sold the special piece.Hu: Kéz a kézben néztek körül a piacon, új ötleteket gyűjtve, és megbeszélték, hogyan használják fel majd a megvásárolt amforát.En: Hand in hand, they looked around the market, gathering new ideas and discussing how they would use the purchased amphora.Hu: Bence lelkében béke volt.En: Bence felt peace in his soul.Hu: Megtanulta, hogy a közös munka néha kifizetődőbb, és a versengés helyett a barátság is szép műalkotásokat hozhat létre.En: He learned that sometimes collaboration is more rewarding, and friendship can create beautiful artworks instead of competition.Hu: Az ősi athéni piacon a nap lassan leereszkedett, és borostyán színnel aranyozta be a várost.En: In the ancient Athenian market, the sun slowly descended, gilding the city with an amber hue. Vocabulary Words:scorching: tűzőlively: élénkkaleidoscope: kavalkádvendors: árusokhustle: zsibongásbustle: forgatagamphora: amforainspire: meghletmentor: mentorprove: bizonyítanidive: merültremarkable: különlegesdecorations: díszítésemysterious: sejtelmesstories: történetekrivalry: versengésvendors: áruspanting: zihálvacalm: megnyugodnicooperation: együttműködnegoal: célachieve: elérpeace: békecollaboration: közös munkarewarding: kifizetődőbbcreate: létrehozcompetition: versengésfriendship: barátságancient: ősidescending: leereszkedett

In this bonus episode, Dr. Christian Körner takes us into the world of Iron Age Cyprus and its city-kingdoms, exploring the foundation myths that shaped their identities. With legendary figures like Pygmalion, who fashioned a statue that came to life; Myrrha, the tragic mother of Adonis; and Teucer, the exiled half-brother of Ajax who is said to have founded Salamis. Other examples include Acamas, son of Theseus, who was linked to the founding of Soli; Agapenor, the Arcadian king who settled in Paphos after the Trojan War; and Kinyras, the mythical king of Cyprus associated with Aphrodite's cult and with musical and priestly traditions that echo Greek heroic ideals. Körner explains how these myths should be seen as intentional histories, crafted to serve political, cultural, or even propagandistic purposes at the time they were written down. While many stories link Cypriot origins to Athenian or Homeric heroes, others, like those of Amathus and Paphos, emphasize local roots. He also highlights how these myths often aimed to explain place names, assert legitimacy, or reinforce alliances—effectively serving as ancient “branding campaigns” for the cities, reinforcing cultural ties while also asserting the island's unique local identity.

Move aside Sparta, there's a new power in town!'Lords of the Sea: The Epic Story of the Athenian Navy and the Birth of Democracy' by John R. Hale is a historical book that recounts the period from 483-322 BC of Ancient Greece and in particular the navy armada of Athens. We witness the rise and fall of Athenian power via not only sea battles with other empires but the decisions made by it's democratic governments as well as influential politicians, generals, philosophers & artists. If you got value from the podcast please provide support back in any way you best see fit!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:02:48) Themes/Questions(00:19:29) Author & Extras(00:25:12) Summary(00:27:33) Value 4 Value(00:28:58) Coming Up/Join Live! Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

PLATO IS PHILOSOPHY - and there is no better place to start with Plato than First Alcibiades. Today, we are discussing First Alcibiades with Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute and with the Athenian Stranger. Go check out their X accounts. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.Check out our PATREON for written guides on the great books!We also have a NEW COMMUNITY CHAT on Plato to discuss with other people reading along.First Alcibiades is both the beginning and a summation of Platonic philosophy. The dialogue “held pride of place in later antiquity as the ideal work with which to begin the study of Platonic philosophy.”[1] Its traditional subtitle was "on the nature of man,” and it was said First Alcibiades “contains the whole philosophy of Plato, as in a seed.”[2] The Islamic commentator, Al-Farabi, said that in First Alcibiades “all the Platonic questions are raised as if for the first time.”At the heart of the dialogue is the maxim “know thyself,” which is in turn at the heart of the philosophic life. Plato uses a dialogue between a young Alcibiades, age twenty, and an older Socrates, age forty, to explore the Delphic maxim within the context of a teacher and student.[3] The relationship of the teacher as a lover of the soul of the student gave rise to the term "Platonic love," an intense, but non-sexual love in pursuit of excellence.[4]The dramatic date of the dialogue is approximately 433 BC.[5] The composition date is a complicated question. First Alcibiades is considered by many to be a spurious dialogue or rather a dialogue written later by Platonists and not Plato. The dialogue sometimes has an earlier date around 390s BC and a later date in the 350s BC.[6] Some also hold the dialogue is a composite text with some being written by Plato and some being written by a later Platonist.It should be noted, however, that antiquity held that the dialogue was written by Plato, and the idea that it was not originated recently in nineteenth century German scholarship.[7] For our purposes, we will side with antiquity and default to Plato as the authentic author.CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE TO FIRST ALCIBIADES.CHECK OUT OUR COMMUNITY CHAT ON PLATO.Keywords: Plato, First Alcibiades, Socratic Method, Philosophy, Education, Rhetoric, Classical Education, Moral Formation, Athenian...

It's the original psychological thriller, a 2,500-year-old detective story where the hero, in a desperate search for a killer, discovers the criminal is himself. It's Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, and it's one of the most powerful plays ever written. In this episode of English Plus, we unpack the ultimate tragedy: We walk through the suspenseful, masterfully crafted plot. We tackle the big philosophical question: Is our life governed by fate or by free will? We explore key literary concepts like dramatic irony, hubris, and catharsis. We ask why this ancient story of a doomed king still has the power to shock and fascinate us today. This episode is also your guide to more powerful English. We break down 10 essential, advanced vocabulary words and concepts like "paradox," "existential," and "a cautionary tale." Plus, you'll get a practical speaking lesson on the art of "concession" to make your arguments more persuasive. Join us for a deep dive into a cornerstone of literature. To unlock full access to all our episodes, consider becoming a premium subscriber on Apple Podcasts or Patreon. And don't forget to visit englishpluspodcast.com for even more content, including articles, in-depth studies, and our brand-new audio series and courses now available in our Patreon Shop!

Through a study of the book of Acts, we're asking the Spirit to conform us to the patterns and practices of the early church — a people who love the lost like Jesus, give of themselves in rhythms of blessing and hospitality, and who seek to engage in curious, spiritual, and gospel conversations. We want the Spirit to do an Acts 3-4 kind of work this week, fulfilling Jesus' promise in Acts 1.8: You will receive power, and you will be my witnesses. This week, we see God's heart for all people, even the "upper class". Paul preaches the gospel to the polytheistic, Athenian rulers, and his resurrection from the dead.

A revised version of an earlier video on the channel, now with historical commentary following the story!As the Battle of Salamis looms, the Athenian leader Themistocles struggles to save Athens--and all of Greece--during a second war against Persia. How will Themistocles and the allied Greeks defend their land against the invading Persian Empire of King Xerxes? A mysterious oracle from Delphi may hold the answer: they must trust in the "Wooden Walls" at "Divine Salamis"... A story from Greek history (Persian Wars, 480 BC), based on Herodotus' Histories, featuring: Themistocles, Xerxes, the Pythia/Oracle of Delphi, Artemisia, Eurybiades - - -CREDITSMusic by Scott MacLeod, StoryBlocks, and Scott BuckleyBattle of Lade, 494 BCE (Radu Oltean, 2014; featured in Ancient Warfare VIII.2)

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, we are continuing our study of Plato by diving into the Life of Alcibiades by Plutarch with Alex from the Cost of Glory podcast.Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources!Visit our PATREON page for written guides and to chat with others!Alex is fantastic. Alex and Dcn. Garlick discuss a few preliminaries on why you should read about Alcibiades before studying Plato and why you should read Plutarch in general.If you are not familiar with the life of Alcibiades, you are in for a treat. This man is a real-life Odysseus with all the twists and turns and unbelievable plots to merit that title. Alex will help us navigate Alcibiades' life and pull out some important lessons, like the inherent dangers of democracy.Also, THANK YOU for such a successful launch into Plato. We really appreciate it. Go check out our Patreon page for written guides on the great books AND a new community chat for all those who are reading Plato with us.So join us as we prepare for our Platonic studies by examining the life of Alcibiades by Plutarch.KeywordsAlcibiades, Plutarch, Socrates, Classics, Ancient Greece, Democracy, Philosophy, Cost of Glory, Antigone Journal, Human Nature, Alcibiades, Plutarch, Athenian politics, democracy, betrayal, piety, Spartan war, Socrates, ancient history, political strategy#Plato #greatbooks #philosophy #christian #catholic #classics #ancientgreece #Socrates

We talk about friendship   AS: https://www.athenscorner.com/  https://x.com/Athens_Stranger   J: https://findmyfrens.net/jburden/ Buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/j.burden Substack: https://substack.com/@jburden Patreon: https://patreon.com/Jburden GUMROAD: https://radiofreechicago.gumroad.com/l/ucduc Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/j-burden Axios: https://axios-remote-fitness-coaching.kit.com/8ebf7bacb8 ETH: 0xB06aF86d23B9304818729abfe02c07513e68Cb70 BTC: 33xLknSCeXFkpFsXRRMqYjGu43x14X1iEt

Shakespeare's tragedy about a wealthy Athenian who thinks money can buy him friends. Translated into modern English verse by Kenneth Cavander and directed by Andy Wolk, with original music composition by Lawrence Shragge and Sound Design by Lindsay Jones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our world today - there's a skepticism about Christianity (although, it's shifting!). The idea that a Palestinian Jew from the 1st century died and rose again - and that having something to do with our salvation - sounds laughable.But this is no new challenge.Paul received a similar response when he shared his faith with the people of Athens (cf Acts 17:32). And yet, the case for Christianity was so compelling to that 1st century audience that the masses joined this minor movement.Why were "some" of that Athenian crowd compelled? How did the minor movement of Christianity convince a larger Roman culture positioned against it?Listen as Pastor Kevin unpacks Paul's message to the "men of Athens" -- and see the relevance of that same message for us today.

It is said that Pheidippides, an Athenian herald, was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, running 150 miles in just two days. After this, he then ran another 25 miles from the battlefield near the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon with the word “Νενικήκαμεν”, meaning ‘We have won'. He then collapsed and died on the spot due to exhaustion. Many years later; in the town of Sheffield, we find ourselves focused on the adventures of a very unfit man trying to complete his first ever Marathon. He's only just started and already he's thinking about catching a bus… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is said that Pheidippides, an Athenian herald, was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, running 150 miles in just two days. After this, he then ran another 25 miles from the battlefield near the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon with the word “Νενικήκαμεν”, meaning ‘We have won'. He then collapsed and died on the spot due to exhaustion. Many years later; in the town of Sheffield, we find ourselves focused on the adventures of a very unfit man trying to complete his first ever Marathon. He's only just started and already he's thinking about catching a bus… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Chancellor and General Counsel of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, welcomes Dr. Zena Hitz, a tutor at St. John's College and founder of the Catherine Project, to discuss Aristophanes' comedic masterpiece, The Clouds. The episode dives into the play's biting humor, its critique of Athenian society, and its timeless questions about education, piety, and moral decay. From the Thinkery's absurd teachings to the mysterious Clouds, Dcn. Garlick and Zena unpack the play's relevance to modern audiences, exploring themes of social ambition, familial breakdown, and the consequences of abandoning traditional values.Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule and more!Check out our Patreon page for our library of written guides!Key Discussion PointsAristophanes and The Clouds: Born around 446 BC, Aristophanes, the father of comedy, wrote The Clouds in 423 BC, nearly a decade into the Peloponnesian War. The play, a revised version not performed but circulated for reading, critiques Athenian decadence and intellectual trends through the story of Strepsiades, a debt-ridden father, and his son Phidippides. “Aristophanes in general is interested in portraying through this kind of ridiculous, sometimes slapstick, sometimes obscene comedy, certain truths” – Dr. Zena Hitz (16:47).The Thinkery and Education: The Thinkery, led by Socrates, teaches deceptive rhetoric and speculative inquiries, parodying new intellectual movements. It raises questions about education's societal role. “The question about what an education is for and whether it helps the community or hurts it is a very basic fundamental question” – Dr. Zena Hitz (19:53).Piety and Political Stability: The play links reverence for traditional gods to social cohesion, showing how the Thinkery's impiety destabilizes family and polis. “Belief in the gods is standing in for… sticking to the moral code that's keeping the whole society together” – Dr. Zena Hitz (31:08).Socrates' Portrayal: Socrates is depicted as a buffoonish sophist, but his role is ambiguous—possibly a stand-in for broader trends rather than the historical figure. “Strepsiades is the target… Socrates in a way is just being used to show something up about Strepsiades” – Dr. Zena Hitz (44:01).The Clouds' Role: The personified Clouds, worshipped in the Thinkery, symbolize deceptive speech and align with comic poets, adding complexity. “Clouds cover things up. So there's some kind of image for deceptive speech” – Dr. Zena Hitz (49:20).Socio-Economic Context: Set in a wealthy but decadent Athens, the play critiques social ambition and debt, mirroring modern struggles. “It's in a way a very American story” – Dr. Zena Hitz (24:00).Moral Precedent and Human Nature: Strepsiades' attempt to bend moral standards for gain backfires, reflecting universal human flaws. “You never want the full consequences of that one piece of wrongdoing… It never works out that way” – Dr. Zena Hitz (33:47).Translation Challenges: The episode highlights the importance of choosing a translation that preserves Aristophanes' puns and humor, with recommendations for Arrowsmith and Sommerstein. “The translation on the Aristophanes actually matters a lot” – Dcn. Harrison Garlick (54:58).About Our GuestDr. Zena Hitz is a tutor at St. John's College and the founder and president of the Catherine Project, a nonprofit offering free, open-access reading groups and tutorials on great...

Our Greek Theatre summer continues with the last of the great tragedians, Euripides (c. 480–406 BCE). While less successful than Aeschylus and Sophocles when it came to winning prizes at the Athenian Dionysia, Euripides was more popular in his day—according to the historian Thucydides, Athenian prisoners of war were able to win favors, and sometimes freedom, by reciting his lines to their captors. He has also left us the largest body of work of any of the other tragedy writers. He is known for a more cynical outlook on religion, for his naturalistic dialogue, and as a writer of women with deep characters. This week, we look at The Trojan Women, his portrait of Hecuba and the other royal women of Troy as they wait to learn their fates following the sack of the city by the Greeks—a sequel to the events of Homer's Iliad.Want to read a transcript of this episode? Click here. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe and leave a rating or review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The year is 508 BCE, and Athens is a mess. Tyrants have fallen, Sparta's been meddling, and the aristocrats can't agree on lunch—let alone a constitution. Enter Cleisthenes with a bold idea: hand power to the people. In this episode, Bernie and Dan walk through the real, chaotic, and sometimes violent birth of Athenian democracy.This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

his is a teaser of the bonus episode, "Sparta's About Turn" found over on Patreon.The precarious Greek alliance against Persia hung by the thinnest of threads in 479 BCE. After watching Athens burn twice while Sparta refused to march beyond the safety of the Peloponnese, Athenian patience had run out. When their final delegation arrived in Sparta, they delivered what amounted to an ultimatum: stand with us against Persia, or we may have no choice but to negotiate on our own.Behind Sparta's reluctance lay a complex web of motivations – their preference for defensive warfare, religious observances, fears of helot rebellion, and the delicate politics of their Peloponnesian alliance. While Athens had twice rejected Persian offers that included autonomy and even dominance over other Greeks, Sparta remained fixated on the defense of the isthmus wall. What changed?Something remarkable happened within Spartan leadership. Whether driven by strategic necessity, emergence of leaders like Pausanias, or the stark realization that Athens might actually defect, Sparta suddenly mobilized on an unprecedented scale. Five thousand Spartiates marched forth, each accompanied by seven helots, joined by another five thousand perioeci. As they moved north, other Greek cities rallied to the cause, transforming a fractured resistance into the largest Greek army ever assembled.This pivotal moment represents more than just military history – it captures a rare instance when bitter rivals Athens and Sparta found common purpose. Their brief alliance, forged in crisis, would determine not just the outcome of the Persian invasion, but shape the cultural and political landscape of the ancient Mediterranean for centuries to come.Were you fascinated by this analysis of Greek politics and the fragile nature of their alliance? Subscribe now and support us on Patreon to access more bonus episodes that explore the crucial moments that shaped the ancient world!Support the show

Please enjoy this preview of my new podcast, Democricide.Athenian Democracy was established, but who cared? Compared to the mighty Persian empire, the Greek city states were a bunch of backwaters. And that's how history may have remembered them, if not for one suicidally ambitious Greek, and one desperately crafty Athenian who saved his city from destruction.Sources: The Peloponnesian War, by Donald KaganLords of the Sea, by John R. HaleSupport the show

In this episode, we explore Paul's transition from preaching in Athens to his missionary work in Corinth. We delve into his initial strategies to reach the Athenian intellectuals and his subsequent efforts to spread the gospel among the pleasure-seeking Corinthians. Paul's journey also highlights the significance of his work as a tent maker, which provided both income and opportunities to engage with the local community. Additionally, this episode examines the challenges Paul faced, including opposition from synagogues and legal confrontations, which ultimately helped legitimize Christianity in Roman law. This week, we learn the need to evangelize through everyday work, the importance of community in ministry, and the sovereign role of God in reaching His people. So, join us as we unpack the lessons from Paul's missionary endeavors and learn how to apply them to our own lives. Turn to Acts 18 to follow along.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone discuss the second and final part of Oedipus at Colonus—wherein Sophocles brings the horrific tale of Oedipus to a beautiful, redemptive end.Deacon and Eli discuss the dramatic zenith of Oedipus' life, the theme of redemptive suffering, the binding power of love, and all the various ways this play comments on the relationships in Antigone and Oedipus Rex.Go visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!Check out this awesome guide to Oedipus at Colonus! Here is the opening of Deacon's guide to Oedipus at Colonus:Oedipus at Colonus is a beautiful tale. It brings a tremendous amount of meaning to the Oedipus Cycle. Sophocles offers us perennial truths on fate, the agency of man, and the cosmic whole. I greatly enjoyed, as a first time reader, the narrative of Oedipus at Colonus—especially the ending. It is a tremendous zenith to the Oedipus Cycle and one that parallels the Book of Job in its ability to address the question of suffering.Oedipus at Colonus remains an important text within the Western canon of great books, as it is a beautiful antecedent to how later thinkers, like St. Augustine, will come to understand the world as subject to Divine Providence. Sophocles offers several preliminary considerations on whether the fate that rules the world does so according to justice; and whether man must adopt a certain docility in consideration of such a fate. The balance, however, of man's agency and fate's dominion is a perennial question.I am in debt to Mr. Eli Stone who not only guided me through this work but highly recommended the podcast cover the Oedipus Cycle. I very much appreciate his insights and all the wisdom he has brought to our conversations.Amongst all the horrific suffering, Oedipus at Colonus is able to bring a theme of redemption to the story of Oedipus. Like Antigone, he serves as a sign of the gods—a sign of cosmic fate, docility to divine order, and the meaning of suffering. May we come to understand Sophocles' lessons and how they invite us to a more ordered existence.Episode HighlightsRedemptive Death: Dcn. Garlick shares, “I fell in love with this play when Oedipus sees the thunder head rolling in… his ecstatic joy that death comes." Theseus' Nobility: Theseus' interruption of sacrifice to save Oedipus' daughters highlights Athenian justice: “Sojourners… are the special patronage of Zeus." Polyneices' Tragedy: Oedipus' curse on Polyneices sets up Antigone: “Please bury me… we're setting the foundation… for the first play."Love's Role: Antigone's mediation and Oedipus' farewell underscore love's binding power: “She is love and love binds," as Deacon note.Guest Spotlight: Eli StoneEli Stone returns, bringing his expertise from his time at the Chancery, his discernment with the Western Dominicans, and his current role at the University of Tulsa Honors College. His passion shines through: “These are my favorite Greek plays… I've really enjoyed them." Eli's insights on providence, love, and historical allegory enrich the discussion.Next Episode TeaserNext week, we dive into Euripides' Bacchae, a stark contrast to...

In this episode of Ascend the Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick and returning guest Eli Stone dive into the first half of Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus, the third play in the Theban cycle by publication order but the second in narrative chronology.Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule.Check out Patreon page for written guides to the great books!Recorded in rural Oklahoma, this episode explores Oedipus' transformation from a cursed exile to a figure of divine significance, set against the backdrop of Athens' post-Peloponnesian War turmoil.The hosts unpack key themes like suffering's pedagogical purpose, the role of prophecy, guest friendship (xenia), and Athenian identity, while reflecting on Sophocles' intent for his audience. Expect a deep dive into the characters of Oedipus, Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Theseus, with a focus on how their interactions foreshadow the play's redemptive conclusion.Why should you read Oedipus at Colonus part one?Oedipus at Colonus Part 1 offers a compelling entry into Sophocles' profound exploration of suffering, redemption, and divine will, making it essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the human condition through the lens of Greek tragedy.This section introduces Oedipus as a blind exile, transformed by suffering into a figure of spiritual insight—“Oedipus… has this spiritual insight… He is the most lucid he's ever been"—setting the stage for his role as a “sign of both suffering and blessing." Through themes like guest friendship (xenia), the evolving justice of the Eumenides, and the binding power of Antigone's love—Sophocles crafts a narrative that resonates with an Athenian audience grappling with their own post-Peloponnesian War identity, while offering timeless reflections on providence and resilience: “Man is not his own agent… inside a cosmic order." Reading this part immerses you in the tension and anticipation of Oedipus' redemptive arc, preparing you for the transcendent conclusion in Part 2.Check out our written guide for more!Next Episode TeaserJoin us next week for Oedipus at Colonus Part 2, where we'll witness Oedipus' dramatic confrontations with Creon and Polyneices, and the transcendent moment of his death that ties the Theban cycle together.We'll explore how his suffering becomes a blessing for Athens, the role of love as a binding agent, and the historical allegory for an Athenian audience. Deacon Garlick shares, “I fell in love with this play when Oedipus sees the thunder head rolling in… his ecstatic joy that death comes." Don't miss it on Ascend the Great Books Podcast!

After a pause, The Philosopher & The News is back! In fact, we have been back since last September of 2024, in the form of a series of live online events in partnership with The Philosopher journal that have then featured in The Philosopher's YouTube Channel. But  we thought it's about time we updated our usual podcast channel too. In this episode I spoke with Robin Reams about The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times less than a month before the US election. Did Trump manage to get elected once again using the rhetorical tricks that the Sophists used to undo Athenian democracy? Or does our era of memes, Twitter and fake news mean that demagogue's methods have changed?  Robin Reames is associate professor of English and Culberston chair at IU Blumington, specializing in rhetorical theory and the history of ideas. Her latest book is The Ancient Art of Thinking For Yourself: The Power of Rhetoric in Polarized Times (Basic Books, 2024)If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts.This podcast is created in partnership with The Philosopher, the UK's longest running public philosophy journalm founded in 1923. Check out the latest issue of The Philosopher and its online events series: https://www.thephilosopher1923.org Artwork by Nick HallidayMusic by Rowan Mcilvride

The first political trial in our new series is the one that set the template for all the others: the trial of Socrates in Athens in 399 BCE, which ended with a death sentence for the philosopher and a permanent stain on the reputation of Athenian democracy. Why, after a lifetime of philosophy, was Socrates finally prosecuted at the age of 70? Was the case motivated by private grievance or public outrage? What should Socrates have said in his own defence? Why, in the end, did he choose defiance instead? Out on Saturday on PPF+: Socrates part 2 - David explores the verdict of history on this case and the fierce arguments it still inspires. Sign up now to get this and all our bonus episodes plus ad-free listening https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus Next time in Politics on Trial: Joan of Arc vs the Church Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Athenian tributes' brilliant performance in the second bull dance infuriates King Minos of Crete. His daughter Ariadne faces a fateful choice - will she defy her father? Or will Theseus have to face the Minotaur alone?Live from Mount Olympus is produced by the Onassis Foundation.  Karen Brooks Hopkins is executive producer.Our series creator and showrunner is Julie Burstein.Live from Mount Olympus is co-produced by Brooklyn-based theatre collective The TEAM.Our co-directors are Rachel Chavkin, Zhailon Levingston, Keenan Tyler Oliphant, and Josiah Davis, with additional direction by Joan Sergei.And our actors are:Eric Berryman MaYaa Boateng Sean Carvajal EJ Duarte Jill Frutkin Divine Garland Adrienne Hopkins Caroline Hopkins Natalie HopkinsModesto ‘Flako' Jimenez Na'Shay Kelly Julien Heart KingLibby King Ian Lassiter Zhailon Levingston Evalisse Lopez Kimberly Marable Jake Margolin Marcel Isaiah Martinez James Harrison Monaco Xavier Pacheco Joham Palma Damir Priestley Angel Rodriguez Conor SweeneyJillian WalkerAnd André De Shields is Hermes. The TEAM's Producing Director is Emma Orme, and Associate Producer is Sabine Decatur.  Casting support from Melissa Friedman, co-Artistic Director of Epic Theater Ensemble. Live from Mount Olympus is written by Nathan Yungerberg with Julie Burstein and Jason Adam Katzenstein. Audio production and mix by John Melillo.    Audio editing and sound design by Yonatan Rekem. Magdalini Giannikou composed our original music which was performed by Banda Magda and mixed and mastered by Luca Bordonaro.Jason Adam Katzenstein created our illustrations and is series humor consultant.A big thank you to our creative advisors: Dr. Michael Cohen and Richard Nodell. Mandy Boikou is Administrative Director and Sofia Pipa is Project Manager at Onassis USA. Will McClelland is our production assistant and Gizelle Winter is our series antiquities consultant.Live from Mount Olympus was recorded with engineers Roy Hendrickson, Ian Kagey, Mor Mezrich, Matthew Sullivan, and Matthew Soares at The Power Station at Berklee NYC.Press by Grand Communications. Graphic design by Onassis Creative Studio.Live from Mount Olympus is distributed by PRX.Want to learn more about Hermes and the Olympians?  Check out our website at www.onassis.link/olympusSince 1975, the Onassis Foundation has been dedicated to culture, community, and education, with projects that can effectively inspire social change and justice across borders. Learn more at www.onassis.org.

In this profound opening to Likutei Moharan Torah 27, we explore the sweeping vision of Rabbi Nachman: a world unified in service of Hashem. Drawing on the Athenian sages' question about the chick in the shell, this shiur reframes individual avodah as inherently cosmic. How does Shalom become the vessel for Giluy Shechinah? What is the deeper meaning of Ha'aras Panim, and how is it rooted in the Torah and the Tzura Adam?We delve into:The global mission of every Jew and how each neshamah is a microcosm of creation.Why true unity (Shalom) isn't just about avoiding conflict but about mutual bitul toward a higher goal.How Yaakov Avinu, Ha'aras Panim, and the Shemos of Hashem reveal divine structure in the world.The role of Torah as blueprint and how each of the 600,000 souls uniquely expresses one facet of that truth.What it means to bring the world to serve Hashem b'shem echad, not through conformity but harmony.-----Quotables: "You can't achieve shalom by being separate. True shalom (peace/completion/perfection) is when each soul fulfills its unique role within a single divine symphony.""Every Jew contains all the worlds within themselves—our personal refinement reshapes creation itself."

On the morning of April 19, 1995, a former US Army soldier parked a rented Ryder truck in front of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building, located in downtown Oklahoma City.   Inside the truck was everything he needed to carry out his plan of terrorism and mass murder. He had a large bomb, which he created using agricultural fertilizer and some chemicals, including diesel fuel. After parking the car, he got out and walked toward his getaway car, a yellow Mercury Marquis.   He ignited a timed fuse, and a second fuse as backup.   Inside the building, in one of the office conference rooms, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board had just begun a 9 am meeting.   The blast effect was equivalent to over 5000 pounds of TNT, and could be heard and felt 55 miles away. The blast either destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a 4-block radius. 86 cars were either burned or destroyed, and a large section of the Federal building had been reduced to rubble. News crews were shocked when they first viewed the damage from their helicopter.   Inside the building, 163 people were killed. Additional casualties were one person in the nearby Athenian building, one woman in a parking lot across the street, two people in the Oklahoma Water Resources building, and a rescue worker who was struck on the head by falling debris. In total, 168 people died that day. 19 of those were children. Almost 700 other people were injured.   My guest today, Amy, was in the Federal Building that morning. She worked on the third floor, at the Federal Employees Credit Union.   You're about to hear her talk about what happened to her that day. But just as amazing is what has happened to her SINCE that day.   And on top of that – this is a Flashback episode. Amy told this story on the podcast about 5 years ago. So at the end you'll hear a conversation I had with her just recently about what she's up to recently. I'll just say this – she's retired now, but she's definitely not relaxing.     If you'd like to contact Amy, you can do that through her website: AmyDowns.org     Full show notes and pictures for this episode are here: https://WhatWasThatLike.com/215   Graphics for this episode by Bob Bretz. Transcription was done by James Lai.   Want to discuss this episode and other things with thousands of other WWTL listeners? Join our podcast Facebook group at WhatWasThatLike.com/facebook (many of the podcast guests are there as well)   Get every episode ad-free, AND get all the Raw Audio exclusive episodes to binge, by joining the other listeners at What Was That Like PLUS.   Try What Was That Like PLUS free: iPhone: at the top of the What Was That Like podcast feed, click on “Try free” Android: on your phone, go to WhatWasThatLike.com/PLUS and click to try it free on any app   Sponsor deals: Head to http://Lumen.me/WWTL for 20% off your purchase.   Sign up today at https://www.butcherbox.com/whatwas and use code whatwas to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year, plus $20 off your first order.   Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/WHAT   Go to Quince.com/whatwas for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!   Get 15% off OneSkin with the code [WHATWAS] at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes even a decisive victory is not enough. Your victory may immediately be followed by greater challenges that test you to the ultimate limit. There is no such thing as reaching an "end zone." We discuss the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 B.C., where the Greek mercenaries of Cyrus won the battle, but immediately realized that their fight for survival had just begun. One man, a natural leader named Xenophon the Athenian, then stepped forward to assume the responsibility of command.

The atmosphere is electric in the central square of Knossos as the city gathers to watch the Athenian tributes dance with a very dangerous bull. Bloodthirsty cheers erupt whenever the tributes are threatened by sharp horns and hooves. But not everyone in the audience is rooting for the bull.

In this episode, we follow Paul, Silas, and Timothy as they spread the gospel from Philippi to Thessalonica and beyond. From freeing a demon-possessed girl to igniting a cultural revolution in Thessalonica, witness how their teachings on Jesus as the Messiah disrupt societies and "turn the world upside down." Then follow Paul as he heads to Athens and finds a city full of idol after idol, and is invited to address the great Athenian thinkers of his day with this new philosophy founded by a man they had never heard of before... Jesus. Join us as we go from Phillipi to Thessalonica, Berea, and then Athens. Turn to Acts 17 to follow along.

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I propose to tell in non-technical and popular language the story of some of the most remarkable episodes in the history of sea power. I shall begin with the first sea-fight of which we have a detailed history—the Battle of Salamis (B.C. 480), the victory by which Themistocles the Athenian proved the soundness of his maxim that "he who commands the sea commands all." I shall end with the last and greatest of naval engagements, the Battle of Tsu-shima, an event that reversed the long experience of victory won by West over East, which began with Salamis more than two thousand years ago.I shall have to tell of British triumphs on the sea from Sluys to Trafalgar; but I shall take instances from the history of other countries also, for it is well that we should remember that the skill, enterprise, and courage of admirals and seamen is no exclusive possession of our own people.I shall incidentally describe the gradual evolution of the warship from the wooden, oar-driven galleys that fought in the Straits of Salamis to the steel-built, steam-propelled giants that met in battle in the Straits of Tsu-shima. I shall have something to say of old seafaring ways, and much to tell of the brave deeds done by men of many nations. These true stories of the sea will, I trust, have not only the interest that belongs to all records of courage, danger, and adventure, but also some practical lessons of their own. This is a collaborative reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The defeat of the Persian fleet at Salamis didn't end the Greek struggle for survival - it revealed deep fractures within their alliance that nearly surrendered their hard-won victory. Though only 31 Greek city-states had united against Persian invasion, their coalition teetered on collapse shortly after their naval triumph.When King Xerxes withdrew with most of his forces, leaving General Mardonius in Thessaly to continue the campaign the following spring, the immediate threat seemed to recede. This apparent reprieve accelerated the Peloponnesian desire to retreat behind their defensive wall at the Corinthian isthmus while Athens struggled to rebuild their utterly destroyed city.The strategic gulf between Athens and Sparta widened as Mardonius cleverly exploited these divisions. Sending Alexander I of Macedon as an envoy, the Persians offered Athens remarkably generous terms: autonomy, additional territory, and assistance rebuilding their temples - if they would abandon the Greek alliance. These diplomatic overtures revealed Persian sophistication in understanding and manipulating Greek interstate politics. The stakes became brutally clear when an Athenian councilman who supported accepting Persian terms was stoned to death alongside his family.As Mardonius advanced into Attica a second time, Athens evacuated to Salamis again, sending increasingly desperate envoys to Sparta. The Peloponnesians, however, completed their defensive fortifications at the isthmus while celebrating religious festivals - a thinly-veiled excuse for inaction. Athens found themselves abandoned precisely when they needed their allies most.This moment of crisis illuminates the trajectory of Greek interstate relations that would eventually culminate in the devastating Peloponnesian War decades later. The continental, defensive mindset of Sparta clashed fundamentally with Athens' commitment to a united Greek response. These divergent strategic priorities would develop into competing visions for Greece's future after the Persian threat receded.Support the show

Does Socrates still have something to teach us? Agnes Callard thinks he has. Here she discusses the great Athenian and his continuing relevance with David Edmonds. 

When King Minos of Crete demands fourteen young Athenians to feed to the monstrous Minotaur, Prince Theseus and a lively group of teenagers set sail.  In Knossos, Minos expects his daughter Princess Ariadne to watch quietly as the Athenian tributes meet their gruesome deaths. But Eros, mischievous god of love, takes aim with his arrows, intertwining the fate of Theseus and Ariadne.  Can our young heroes somehow change the destinies of everyone around them?

“If what is said by the philosophers regarding the kinship of Nature and people be true, what other course remains for us but that which Socrates took when asked to what country he belonged, never to say ‘I am an Athenian,' or ‘I am a Corinthian,' but ‘I am a citizen of the universe'? For why do you say that you are an Athenian, instead of mentioning merely that corner into which your paltry body was cast at birth? …As soon as you have had your fill to-day, you sit lamenting about the morrow, by which means you shall be fed. Man, if you get it, you will have it; if you do not get it, you will depart; the door stands open. Why grieve? Where is there yet room for tears? What occasion for flattery? Why shall one person envy another? Why shall we admire those who have great possessions, or those who are stationed in places of power, especially if they be prone to anger? For what will they do to us? …How did Socrates feel with regard to these matters? … ‘If you tell me now,' says he, ‘We will acquit you on these conditions, namely, that you will no longer engage in these discussions which you have conducted hitherto, nor trouble either the young or the old among us,' I will answer, ‘You make yourselves ridiculous.' …We, however, think of ourselves as though we were mere bellies, entrails, and genitals, just because we have fear, because we have appetite, and we flatter those who have power to help us in these matters, and these same people we fear.”(Discourses, 1.9)The Philosophy Garden: Stoicism and Beyond is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Figs in Winter: Stoicism and Beyond at figsinwintertime.substack.com/subscribe

He is also called 'Mark the Athenian' because he was born in Athens. When his parents died, he pondered the transience of all earthly things, gave his goods to the poor, and embarked on a plank in the sea, asking God to lead him wherever He desired. By God's providence, Mark was cast up on the shores of Libya, where he settled as a hermit on a mountain called Trache. (Some say it was in Ethiopia, but this seems less likely.) There he lived for ninety-five years, never seeing another human being.   Saint Serapion visited him before his death and recorded his life. Serapion asked Mark if there were any Christians whose faith was so great that they could say to a mountain 'Get up and cast yourself into the sea,' and it would be so. Immediately the mountain on which they stood began to move like a wave, but Mark raised his hand and stilled it.   On his deathbed, St Mark prayed for the salvation of all men and gave up his soul to God. Saint Serapion saw an angel carrying Mark's soul, and a hand extended from heaven to receive it. Saint Mark was about 130 years old when he reposed.

The fragile Peace of Nicias shatters as competing interests and broken promises drive Athens and Sparta back toward conflict. At the heart of this diplomatic unraveling stands Alcibiades, a charismatic young general whose ambition would reshape Greek politics and alliances.When Corinth, feeling betrayed by peace terms that threatened their colonial claims, encouraged Argos to form a rival power bloc, the seeds of renewed warfare were planted. Sparta's subsequent alliance with Boeotia directly violated their peace agreement with Athens, while the contentious destruction of Panactum's fortifications by Boeotian forces created a perfect opportunity for anti-peace factions in Athens to gain traction.Alcibiades emerges as the perfect character for this moment of political intrigue. Wealthy, handsome, well-connected to Athens' most prestigious families, and raised in the household of Pericles himself, he possessed all the qualities needed for Athenian leadership. His masterful deception of Spartan delegates—convincing them to deny their negotiating authority before the Athenian assembly, then exposing this "lie" to undermine both Sparta's credibility and his rival Nicias—demonstrates the cunning that would make him one of history's most fascinating figures.The resulting alliance between Athens and the Peloponnesian democracies of Argos, Elis, and Mantinea represented a dramatic shift in the Greek power balance. Sparta's humiliation continued with their exclusion from religious ceremonies at the 420 BCE Olympics, creating a perception of weakness that emboldened their enemies throughout Greece.What makes this period so compelling is watching how individual ambition intersects with international relations. City-states maneuvered to protect their interests while ambitious leaders like Alcibiades exploited these tensions to advance their personal agendas. The stage was now set for the Battle of Mantinea, the largest land confrontation of the war thus far, where Sparta would attempt to reassert its dominance on the Peloponnese.Have you considered how peace agreements can sometimes create more problems than they solve? Join us as we explore one of history's most consequential diplomatic failures and the ambitious individuals who shaped its outcome. Support the show

Alex Petkas, host of the Cost of Glory, talks to Timon and Ben about the right use of the classics.   #AlexPetkas #CostofGlory #Classics #Plutarch #ClassicalEduation #Education   Show Notes: https://americanmind.org/salvo/great-books-is-for-losers/   Alex Petkas is a former Classics scholar turned media entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in Classics from Princeton University. He taught at the University of California, San Diego, and California State University, Fresno. He has published research on many subjects, including classical Athenian oratory, late ancient rhetoric and education, and epistle writing. His research on the ancient media technologies of writing (especially letters) led him to take an active interest in the Classics in modern New Media. His years of experience teaching at Paideia's Living Greek in Greece program led him to a particular interest in the oral nature of classical texts. His day job is in marketing.   Learn more about Alex Petkas's work at: https://x.com/costofglory https://www.costofglory.com/ https://www.paideiainstitute.org/apetkas   ––––––   Follow American Reformer across Social Media: X / Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/amreformer Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AmericanReformer/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanReformer Rumble – https://rumble.com/user/AmReformer Website – https://americanreformer.org/   Promote a vigorous Christian approach to the cultural challenges of our day, by donating to The American Reformer: https://americanreformer.org/donate/   Follow Us on Twitter: Josh Abbotoy – https://twitter.com/Byzness Timon Cline – https://twitter.com/tlloydcline   The American Reformer Podcast is  hosted by Josh Abbotoy and Timon Cline, recorded remotely in the United States, and edited by Jared Cummings.   Subscribe to our Podcast, "The American Reformer" Get our RSS Feed – https://americanreformerpodcast.podbean.com/ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-reformer-podcast/id1677193347 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1V2dH5vhfogPIv0X8ux9Gm?si=a19db9dc271c4ce5

When the body of 19-year-old Caroline Crouch was found in her attic room after an apparent home invasion – with her 11-month-old daughter crying next to her, and her puppy hanging from the bannister – the nation of Greece mourned with her widower, Babis Anagnostopoulos.A handsome helicopter pilot, Anagnostopoulos had led the tributes since her death. But one month on, at a clifftop memorial service, Athenian police revealed that new analysis of the couple's smart devices revealed a new culprit. One who'd fooled not just the police – but the whole nation.Exclusive bonus content:Wondery - Ad-free & ShortHandPatreon - Ad-free & Bonus EpisodesFollow us on social media:YouTubeTikTokInstagramVisit our website:WebsiteSources available on redhandedpodcast.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 3, 2025 is: draconian • dray-KOH-nee-un • adjective Draconian describes something (often a law, policy, restriction, etc.) that is very severe or cruel. // The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken by city hall to rein in spending. See the entry > Examples: “The auras that surround the Sharks and the Hawks are wildly distinct, even if the teams' records are close to the same. To put it in Chicago terms, one team has the vibe of a Ferris Bueller (plays hooky, joins random parades, chicks dig him)—and the other is, I'm sorry to say, increasingly Principal Rooney–esque (grim faced, tightly wound, represents a draconian institution).” — Katie Baker, The Ringer, 15 Jan. 2025 Did you know? Draconian comes from Drakōn, the name (later Latinized as Draco) of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Drakōn's code was intended to clarify existing laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. According to the code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one's debts could result in slavery. Draconian, as a result, is used especially for authoritative actions that are viewed as cruel or harsh.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 3, 2025 is: draconian • dray-KOH-nee-un • adjective Draconian describes something (often a law, policy, restriction, etc.) that is very severe or cruel. // The editorial criticizes the draconian measures being taken by city hall to rein in spending. See the entry > Examples: “The auras that surround the Sharks and the Hawks are wildly distinct, even if the teams' records are close to the same. To put it in Chicago terms, one team has the vibe of a Ferris Bueller (plays hooky, joins random parades, chicks dig him)—and the other is, I'm sorry to say, increasingly Principal Rooney–esque (grim faced, tightly wound, represents a draconian institution).” — Katie Baker, The Ringer, 15 Jan. 2025 Did you know? Draconian comes from Drakōn, the name (later Latinized as Draco) of a 7th-century B.C. Athenian legislator who created a written code of law. Drakōn's code was intended to clarify existing laws, but its severity is what made it really memorable. According to the code, even minor offenses were punishable by death, and failure to pay one's debts could result in slavery. Draconian, as a result, is used especially for authoritarian actions that are viewed as cruel or harsh.

(Acts 17:1-34) Our generation has more information available than ever, and yet there seems to be such a lack of truth. Every question must be brought to the Giver of truth! Today we look at three treatments of truth. How do we treat the truth? (0937250210) ----more---- Finding Truth in the Information Age This generation is a generation that has more information than any generation in history. We have more access to facts and to stories and to news at our fingertips than our grandparents ever could have imagined. This is an age where people know much and yet have more questions than they've ever had. Isn't it ironic that we have so much information, and yet there seems to be such a dearth of truth. Our age is an age of questions. People are asking so many things. And knowing the answers to the questions, or at least where to find the answers to the questions, is absolutely vital for a believer. One of the worst answers you can give to someone when they start asking serious questions about spiritual truth, and eternity, and God is to answer this way, or even to say, "Someone else said." It'd be much better to say the Bible, which is the word of God teaches. So in the end, we must come back to this. What does the Bible say? What does God have to say about it?  The Foundation of Our Study We're beginning a brand new series of studies today on what the Bible says about a whole host of doctrinal issues and current issues. I'm very excited about this series, and I want to tell you right up front that before we give our opinion on anything, we must first lay the Bible foundation. We must begin with what thus saith the Lord. And then the application can grow out of that. Now though this is somewhat a topical series, I want you to know that we're going to deal with it. In a way that is expository. I mean by that, we're going to dig into the Word of God. We're going to let God speak for Himself. And today, I want to lay a little foundation for this series on what the Bible says by talking to you about three treatments of the truth. Three Treatments of the Truth: Thessalonica In Acts chapter number 17, the Apostle Paul is preaching, he's teaching the truth, and it's recorded for us that he's in three distinct cities. Now these three cities represent really three receptions or responses to the truth. In Acts chapter 17, beginning in verse number 1, he comes to a city known as Thessalonica. Thessalonica, of course, will be famous in history to Christians because there are two books of our New Testament written to the church at Thessalonica. And the Bible says in verse two that Paul, as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead. And that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. What a wonderful verse. In other words, he got right to the heart of the matter, and the heart of all of it is the person and work of Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ is not who he says he is, nothing else matters. What you believe about the living word is directly connected to what you believe about the written word. Their response in verse 4 says, And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort. And gathered a company, set all the city on an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people. They literally are going to bring such persecution that the believers in Thessalonica have to sneak Paul and his missionary team out of town, undercover of darkness to spare their life. So in Thessalonica, you have a group of people who believe, but you have a large segment of people that not only do not believe, they don't want anybody else to hear the truth. I call them the Thessalonican thieves. Because they wanted to steal the truth from others. In our current day, we have a lot of Thessalonican thieves. Not only do they not want to believe, not only are they not willing to obey the word of God, they don't want anybody else to have it either. And so they speak against God, and they speak against the truth. It's almost comical, if it wasn't so sad, that many of those who profess they don't even believe in God spend a whole lot of energy and time Trying to prove he does not exist. And arguing against his existence. If he doesn't believe that there is a God, what difference does it make? Why even argue against it? The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. And you're gonna deal with Thessalonican thieves in this generation. who are trying to steal the seed of truth out of the hearts and minds of people. Let's go to the end of the chapter, because I want to finish our study today with the second church, not the third. Three Treatments of the Truth: Athens The third church that's found in Acts 17 is the beginning of the church, at least, in Athens. You'll remember that Athens was a very secular city. It was a culture that was filled with false religion. As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul stands up on Mars Hill in Acts chapter 17 and verse 22, and he says, You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. That sounds like our world, doesn't it? Full of superstition. Full of people who profess to be spiritual, but they don't even know the spirit of truth. And then in verse 23, the Apostle Paul says, For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To the unknown God, whom therefore you ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you. Oh, what a beautiful truth. He goes right on to preach to them the God that they needed to know. I would tell you that our world today is searching for the unknown God. Aren't you glad you know him? And if you know him, it's your responsibility to make him known. He begins with the Creator, and he comes all the way up to Christ. And the Bible says in verse 32, And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. And others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them, howbeit certain men claimed unto him and believed. Among the witch was Dionysius, the Areopagite. And a woman named Damaris and others with them. Are you noticing a pattern? That in every place where truth is given, some people receive and some do not. I call these people in Athens the Athenian Academia. And I'll tell you why. Because the Bible says here in Acts chapter 17 that they spend all of their time in either to tell or to hear some new thing. Oh, I believe novelty is the scourge of our day. Everybody wants something new. And the truth is not new. It may be heard for the first time, it is perennially fresh, but it's not new. It's eternal. It's connected to the God of truth who has always been. So you've got the Thessalonican thieves who are trying to steal truth away from others and then you've got the Athenian academia. Who just want to talk about it. They want to reason and philosophize and argue and debate, but they never arrive anywhere. Three Treatments of the Truth: Berea And then we come to the church, the city that's sandwiched between the two, and that's Berea. The Bible says in verse number 10 of Acts 17, And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica. And that they receive the word with all readiness of mind and search the scriptures daily, whether those things were so we've got the festival, ni and Thieves who want to steal the truth from others because they don't believe we have the Athenian academia who make it all intellectual and they want to reason and talk about lots of things. But many of them never came to the knowledge of the truth because they really weren't searching for answers. They just enjoyed talking about the questions. But here we have the great response. We have what we call the Berean believers. They wanted to receive the truth. They wanted to know the truth. I wonder, do you want to know the truth? If you do, you must do exactly what they did in Berea. You must search the scriptures daily.  Seeking and Sharing the Truth That's really what this broadcast is all about. Encouraging people to study the Word of God. To find out what the Bible says. For In the words of Acts 17 verse 11, whether those things were so you see only when you've settled that in your own heart and mind. Can you speak with confidence when others ask you questions? I wonder today, do you really want to know the truth? And when you hear it, how will you respond to it? For a Christian, your faith should not be full of question marks. It should be full of periods and exclamation points, repeating what other people have said about the Bible is not enough. We must know the biblical reason behind what we believe. Greg: More Resources  We hope you will visit us at etj.bible to access our library of Bible teaching resources, including book by book studies of Scripture. You'll also find studies to watch, listen to, or read. We are so grateful for those who pray for us, who share the biblical content, and for those who invest to help us advance this ministry worldwide. Again, thank you for listening, and we hope you'll join us next time on Enjoying the Journey.