AGD is going back to Greece this fall (Oct. 11-19) for another epic adventure! This time we'll be exploring areas that in ancient times lay in the shadow of – or in direct conflict with – the Athenian hegemony.  Check out our video from the first tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g-w7u6aQz0 To reserve your spot, email us at greecepodcast@gmail.com For the itinerary visit https://greecepodcast.com/tour

AGD is going back to Greece this fall (Oct. 11-19) for another epic adventure! This time we'll be exploring areas that in ancient times lay in the shadow of – or in direct conflict with – the Athenian hegemony.  Check out our video from the first tour: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g-w7u6aQz0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g-w7u6aQz0</a> To reserve your spot, email us at <a href="mailto:greecepodcast@gmail.com">greecepodcast@gmail.com</a> For the itinerary visit <a href="https://greecepodcast.com/tour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://greecepodcast.com/tour</a>

"Enemies of Athens" Tour Announcement Oct. 11-19, 2023

David Stasavage

This time we're taking a little break from Greece to explore the broader history of democracy. Was democracy really a Greek invention? Historian David Stasavage, author of The Decline and Rise of Democracy, thinks it was not. And in today's episode he explains why. --------------- Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast Or make a one-time donation: paypal.me/greecepodcast

This time we're taking a little break from Greece to explore the broader history of democracy. Was democracy really a Greek invention? Historian David Stasavage, author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3VEo8sf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Decline and Rise of Democracy</a>, thinks it was not. And in today's episode he explains why. --------------- Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: <a href="https://patreon.com/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/greecepodcast</a> Or make a one-time donation: <a href="https://paypal.me/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paypal.me/greecepodcast</a>

52 A New Theory of Democracy's Origins (It Wasn't Greece) w/ David Stasavage

Polybius' theory of anacyclosis is the most sophisticated theory of political (r)evolution to have emerged from ancient Greek and Roman political thought. ------------------ To watch the highlight real from the last AGD tour in Greece, click here. ------------------ To read the passage in Polybius where he discusses anacyclosis  click here. ------------------ If you'd like to read more about the theory of anacyclosis, I've written a few blogs on the subject:  Anacyclosis, Act 1: From Monarchy to Tyranny  Anacyclosis, Act 2: The Rise of Republics  Anacyclosis, Act 3: The Rise and Fall of Democracy

Polybius' theory of anacyclosis is the most sophisticated theory of political (r)evolution to have emerged from ancient Greek and Roman political thought. ------------------ To watch the highlight real from the last AGD tour in Greece, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g-w7u6aQz0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>. ------------------ To read the passage in Polybius where he discusses anacyclosis <a href="https://anacyclosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/EXCERPT-THE-HISTORIES-POLYBIUS-133-BC.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> click here</a>. ------------------ If you'd like to read more about the theory of anacyclosis, I've written a few blogs on the subject: <a href="https://anacyclosis.org/2020/06/30/anacyclosis-act-1-from-monarchy-to-tyranny/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Anacyclosis, Act 1: From Monarchy to Tyranny</a> <a href="https://anacyclosis.org/2020/07/31/anacyclosis-act-2-the-rise-of-republics/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Anacyclosis, Act 2: The Rise of Republics</a> <a href="https://anacyclosis.org/2020/08/31/anacyclosis-act-3-the-rise-and-fall-of-democracy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Anacyclosis, Act 3: The Rise and Fall of Democracy</a>

51 Anacyclosis – Polybius' Grand Unified Theory of History

AGD is going back to Greece this winter (Jan. 3-11) for an epic tour of Greece's northern regions, focusing on mountains and oracles. For more information or to reserve your spot, email us at greecepodcast@gmail.com

AGD is going back to Greece this winter (Jan. 3-11) for an epic tour of Greece's northern regions, focusing on mountains and oracles. For more information or to reserve your spot, email us at greecepodcast@gmail.com

Announcing the "Mountains and Oracles" Tour in Greece! Jan. 3-11

Plato argued that the inevitable next step in political evolution after democracy is tyranny. Many political thinkers throughout history agreed with him. Were they right? ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast Or make a one-time donation: paypal.me/greecepodcast --------------- A full transcript of this episode with references can be found on our website at greecepodcast.com

Plato argued that the inevitable next step in political evolution after democracy is tyranny. Many political thinkers throughout history agreed with him. Were they right? ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/greecepodcast</a> Or make a one-time donation: <a href="http://paypal.me/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paypal.me/greecepodcast</a> --------------- A full transcript of this episode with references can be found on our website at <a href="http://greecepodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">greecepodcast.com</a>

R8 Does Democracy Lead to Tyranny? | Plato's Republic, book 8

Marcus Aurelius

Donald Robertson

Was Marcus Aurelius really the enlightened ruler that history books and modern movies portray him as? And is his brand of Stoic philosophy applicable to the modern world? With us to discuss these and other questions is Donald Robertson, a psychotherapist and the author of How to Think Like and Emperor and Verissimus. ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast Or make a one-time donation: paypal.me/greecepodcast

Was Marcus Aurelius really the enlightened ruler that history books and modern movies portray him as? And is his brand of Stoic philosophy applicable to the modern world? With us to discuss these and other questions is Donald Robertson, a psychotherapist and the author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3bnn76w" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">How to Think Like and Emperor</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/3bhKPkz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Verissimus</a>. ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: <a href="https://patreon.com/greecepodcast" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/greecepodcast</a> Or make a one-time donation: <a href="https://paypal.me/greecepodcast" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">paypal.me/greecepodcast</a>

49 When a Philosopher Ruled the World | Marcus Aurelius w/ Donald Robertson

An update on the AGD Tour happening in Greece from August 16-24 For an outline of the itinerary click here. 

An update on the AGD Tour happening in Greece from August 16-24 For an outline of the itinerary <a href="https://greecepodcast.com/tour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.

AGD Tour Update – Only a Few Spots Left!

Thirty three scholars, philosophers, and archaeologists answer the question: If you could time travel to the ancient world, who would you want to meet? Scholars featured + the timestamps when they appear: 2:10  Edith Hall 3:36  Eric Cline 4:30  Andromache Karanika 5:45  Josiah Ober 6:48  Rush Rehm 7:30  Ian Morris 8:02  Rebecca Newberger Goldstein 9:20  Patrick Hunt 9:46  Raffaella Cribiore 11:04  Mark Adams 12:20  Peter Adamson 13:47  Richard Martin 15:08  M. M. McCabe 16:37  Zina Giannopoulou 18:45  Greg Nagy 19:43  Caroline Winterer 20:04  Melissa Lane 22:28  Alicia Stallings 22:57  Rhiannon Evans 24:04  Barbara Graziosi 24:54  Walter Scheidel 25:12  Matt Simonton 26:30  Emily Greenwood 27:57  Olga Levaniouk 30:00  Steele Brand 32:55  Rachel Barney 33:36  Angie Hobbs 35:31  Adrian Goldsworthy 36:30  Mary Bachvarova 37:42  Jonathan Lear 39:40  Mary Townsend 40:31  Gabriel Richardson Lear 42:14  Ben Morison

Thirty three scholars, philosophers, and archaeologists answer the question: If you could time travel to the ancient world, who would you want to meet? Scholars featured + the timestamps when they appear: 2:10  Edith Hall 3:36  Eric Cline 4:30  Andromache Karanika 5:45  Josiah Ober 6:48  Rush Rehm 7:30  Ian Morris 8:02  Rebecca Newberger Goldstein 9:20  Patrick Hunt 9:46  Raffaella Cribiore 11:04  Mark Adams 12:20  Peter Adamson 13:47  Richard Martin 15:08  M. M. McCabe 16:37  Zina Giannopoulou 18:45  Greg Nagy 19:43  Caroline Winterer 20:04  Melissa Lane 22:28  Alicia Stallings 22:57  Rhiannon Evans 24:04  Barbara Graziosi 24:54  Walter Scheidel 25:12  Matt Simonton 26:30  Emily Greenwood 27:57  Olga Levaniouk 30:00  Steele Brand 32:55  Rachel Barney 33:36  Angie Hobbs 35:31  Adrian Goldsworthy 36:30  Mary Bachvarova 37:42  Jonathan Lear 39:40  Mary Townsend 40:31  Gabriel Richardson Lear 42:14  Ben Morison

48 Time Traveling to the Ancient World

John Vervaeke

Philosophers today often dismiss Plato's Theory of Forms as an outdated and failed attempt by a pre-modern thinker to explain knowledge. However, cognitive scientist John Vervaeke offers a radically different take on Plato's theory and how it ties in with recent debates about the nature of intelligence. John Vervaeke is a professor at the University of Toronto and the creator of the popular YouTube series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis. 

Philosophers today often dismiss Plato's Theory of Forms as an outdated and failed attempt by a pre-modern thinker to explain knowledge. However, cognitive scientist John Vervaeke offers a radically different take on Plato's theory and how it ties in with recent debates about the nature of intelligence. John Vervaeke is a professor at the University of Toronto and the creator of the popular YouTube series Awakening from the Meaning Crisis.

R7.5 The Forms, the Matrix, and AI w/ John Vervaeke

An announcement about the upcoming Ancient Greece Declassified tour in Greece this summer. 

An announcement about the upcoming Ancient Greece Declassified tour in Greece this summer.

AGD Trip to Greece! August 16–24

The podcast that transports you to the ancient world and back, with some good conversation along the way. It's not just about ancient Greece. It's about a huge chunk of human history that the Greek texts give us access to:  from Egypt and Babylon, to Persia, to Carthage and Rome, we'll sail the wine-dark sea of history with some expert guides at the helm. Topics will include archaeology, literature, and philosophy. New episode every month.

Episode about Penelope was really fun and fascinating. Can’t wait to dive into more episodes.

Fun and Fascinating

I’ve always loved Greek mythology and history. 
But this brought it up to a new level! ✌️👍😃😎

The best 😎

Ancient Greece Declassified

André Laks

According to the historical evidence, the first stirrings of philosophical inquiry began 2600 years ago in ancient Greece with a group of thinkers known as the Presocratics (or pre-Socratics). In this episode we try to shed light on these early pioneers of philosophy. Our guest is André Laks, professor of ancient philosophy at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City. Laks is the co-editor of the recent 9-volume Harvard  Loeb edition of the early Greek philosophical fragments – the first comprehensive edition to be made in over a hundred years.  Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a chance to win an autographed, hard-cover edition of Laks' book The Concept of Presocratic Philosophy.  ------------------ The intro to this episode was provided by host Drew Vahrencamp of Wonders of the World, a podcast that explores the most amazing historical sites around the world and the stories behind them (plus travel &amp; food tips for visiting them). Check it out on your favorite app or at: wonderspodcast.com ------------------ Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast   Or make a one-time donation: paypal.me/greecepodcast

According to the historical evidence, the first stirrings of philosophical inquiry began 2600 years ago in ancient Greece with a group of thinkers known as the Presocratics (or pre-Socratics). In this episode we try to shed light on these early pioneers of philosophy. Our guest is André Laks, professor of ancient philosophy at Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City. Laks is the co-editor of the recent 9-volume Harvard <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674996542/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0674996542&amp;linkId=d758b678527894eff6db10ea6d0b2aec" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Loeb edition</a> of the early Greek philosophical fragments – the first comprehensive edition to be made in over a hundred years.  Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a chance to win an autographed, hard-cover edition of Laks' book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0691191484/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0691191484&amp;linkId=6ffe9f7a6edf9620d61c5c1d581df715" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Concept of Presocratic Philosophy</a>.  ------------------ The intro to this episode was provided by host Drew Vahrencamp of <a href="http://wonderspodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wonders of the World</a>, a podcast that explores the most amazing historical sites around the world and the stories behind them (plus travel &amp; food tips for visiting them). Check it out on your favorite app or at: <a href="http://wonderspodcast.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">wonderspodcast.com</a> ------------------ Support us on Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/greecepodcast" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/greecepodcast</a>  Or make a one-time donation: <a href="http://paypal.me/greecepodcast" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">paypal.me/greecepodcast</a>

25 The Origins of Philosophy w/ André Laks (Presocratics, Parmenides, Heraclitus)

Eric Cline

Archaeologist Eric Cline on what caused the simultaneous collapse of the Mycenaeans, Hittites, and most other major civilizations at the end of the second millennium BC, thus ushering in the world's first dark ages. Hint: it wasn't just the Sea Peoples.

Archaeologist Eric Cline on what caused the simultaneous collapse of the Mycenaeans, Hittites, and most other major civilizations at the end of the second millennium BC, thus ushering in the world's first dark ages. Hint: it wasn't just the Sea Peoples.

02 Bronze Age Apocalypse 1177BC w/ Eric Cline

Andrew Ford

Andrew Ford of Princeton University joins us for a conversation about the Iliad. What makes it so...epic? And what kind of vision of the world does Homer provide his audiences?

Andrew Ford of Princeton University joins us for a conversation about the Iliad. What makes it so...epic? And what kind of vision of the world does Homer provide his audiences?

03 Dying For Immortality in Homer's Iliad w/ Andrew Ford

Richard Martin

Mythology expert Richard Martin joins us to discuss why the Odyssey has been considered great story-telling by audiences across millennia. As we talked about in episode 2 (on the Iliad), the Homeric epics came out of a long tradition of oral storytelling that stretched back hundreds of years into the Bronze Age. If there was a Homer, he did not just make up all these monsters and adventures up the top of his head. He inherited most of the individual episodes from the oral tradition. If we want to understand what makes the Odyssey great story-telling, we should look not for originality in the story per se, but at how the author weaves all the episodes together, puts them in a certain order to achieve maximum effect, and plays around with different tropes and formulas in order to tell a familiar type of narrative in an exciting way. To find out more about the Odyssey (including our recommended translations) and about Richard Martin's books on mythology, visit the webpage for this episode at greecepodcast.com/episode15.html  You can also use this link to post, tweet, or share this episode with friends. 

Mythology expert Richard Martin joins us to discuss why the Odyssey has been considered great story-telling by audiences across millennia. As we talked about in episode 2 (on the Iliad), the Homeric epics came out of a long tradition of oral storytelling that stretched back hundreds of years into the Bronze Age. If there was a Homer, he did not just make up all these monsters and adventures up the top of his head. He inherited most of the individual episodes from the oral tradition. If we want to understand what makes the Odyssey great story-telling, we should look not for originality in the story per se, but at how the author weaves all the episodes together, puts them in a certain order to achieve maximum effect, and plays around with different tropes and formulas in order to tell a familiar type of narrative in an exciting way. To find out more about the Odyssey (including our recommended translations) and about Richard Martin's books on mythology, visit the webpage for this episode at <a href="http://www.greecepodcast.com/episode15.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">greecepodcast.com/episode15.html</a> You can also use this link to post, tweet, or share this episode with friends.

15 Homer's Meta-Odyssey w/ Richard Martin

Emily Greenwood

The Athenian historian Thucydides observed and chronicled the greatest military conflict of his day: the epic contest between Athens and Sparta known as the Peloponnesian War (431-404BC). Much more than just a straightforward history, his work is a study of the struggle between democracy and oligarchy, as well as a meditation on the dangers of populism and political polarization. Perhaps for this reason, Thucydides' work has experienced a surge in popularity over recent years as polarization and civil strife have spread throughout the developed world. In this episode we are joined by Emily Greenwood, professor of classics at Yale University and author of  Thucydides and the Shaping of History. Our conversation covers Thucydides' historical context, his ambition and purpose in writing his history, his insights and blindspots, and his relevance to our world. Stick around at the end of the episode for a chance to win an autographed edition of  Thucydides and the Shaping of History. ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast Or make a one-time donation: paypal.me/greecepodcast ------------------ Scholarly works mentioned during the conversation:  The Blinded Eye: Thucydides and the New Written Word, by Greg Crane (particularly Chapter 4: “Thucydidean Exclusions and the Language of Polis II: Oikos, Genos, and Polis”) ------------------ The intro to this episode was provided by Dr. Greenfield and Dr. Radford of The Partial Historians podcast. Dr. G and Dr. Rad both hold PhD's in Roman history and they offer a unique take on the Roman world that combines humor, storytelling, and scholarly rigor. Check out their pod at partialhistorians.com

The Athenian historian Thucydides observed and chronicled the greatest military conflict of his day: the epic contest between Athens and Sparta known as the Peloponnesian War (431-404BC). Much more than just a straightforward history, his work is a study of the struggle between democracy and oligarchy, as well as a meditation on the dangers of populism and political polarization. Perhaps for this reason, Thucydides' work has experienced a surge in popularity over recent years as polarization and civil strife have spread throughout the developed world. In this episode we are joined by Emily Greenwood, professor of classics at Yale University and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0715632833/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0715632833&amp;linkId=74317a06ced309e6d2a659ea246340a9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Thucydides and the Shaping of History</a>. Our conversation covers Thucydides' historical context, his ambition and purpose in writing his history, his insights and blindspots, and his relevance to our world. Stick around at the end of the episode for a chance to win an autographed edition of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0715632833/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0715632833&amp;linkId=74317a06ced309e6d2a659ea246340a9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Thucydides and the Shaping of History</a>. ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/greecepodcast</a> Or make a one-time donation: <a href="http://paypal.me/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paypal.me/greecepodcast</a> ------------------ Scholarly works mentioned during the conversation: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HC0Q3QK/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01HC0Q3QK&amp;linkId=826d57fa692900404279ff706fac38e1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Blinded Eye: Thucydides and the New Written Word</a>, by Greg Crane (particularly Chapter 4: “Thucydidean Exclusions and the Language of Polis II: Oikos, Genos, and Polis”) ------------------ The intro to this episode was provided by Dr. Greenfield and Dr. Radford of <a href="partialhistorians.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Partial Historians</a> podcast. Dr. G and Dr. Rad both hold PhD's in Roman history and they offer a unique take on the Roman world that combines humor, storytelling, and scholarly rigor. Check out their pod at <a href="partialhistorians.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">partialhistorians.com</a>

28 Thucydides: A Historian for Our Time? w/ Emily Greenwood

Andromache Karanika

Sappho is one of the first song-writers we know of in history, partly because she was one of the first singers to write down her songs, in around 600BC. We still know about her because she was considered the best song-writer for about a thousand years after her death. While best known as a singer of female desire, her lyrics were so powerfully felt by men and women across the centuries that she became known as the tenth muse, joining the ranks of the 9 divine muses – the goddesses of art and inspiration. But after a millennium of celebrity status, Sappho's works were almost completely lost. Of the nine volumes of her songs that once graced the shelves of libraries at Alexandria and elsewhere, only a few pages survive today – most of it scattered bits and fragments of different songs. Andromache Karanika, professor of classics at the University of California Irvine has written extensively on Sappho and early Greek poetry. She joins us to talk about the tenth muse, her life, and works, and why they were lost.

Sappho is one of the first song-writers we know of in history, partly because she was one of the first singers to write down her songs, in around 600BC. We still know about her because she was considered the best song-writer for about a thousand years after her death. While best known as a singer of female desire, her lyrics were so powerfully felt by men and women across the centuries that she became known as the tenth muse, joining the ranks of the 9 divine muses – the goddesses of art and inspiration. But after a millennium of celebrity status, Sappho's works were almost completely lost. Of the nine volumes of her songs that once graced the shelves of libraries at Alexandria and elsewhere, only a few pages survive today – most of it scattered bits and fragments of different songs. Andromache Karanika, professor of classics at the University of California Irvine has written extensively on Sappho and early Greek poetry. She joins us to talk about the tenth muse, her life, and works, and why they were lost.

04 Sappho: The Tenth Muse w/ Andromache Karanika

Ian Morris

Ian Morris, archaeologist and professor of Classics at Stanford University, joins us for a discussion on the Persian expeditions against Greece in 490-479 BC. How did the Greeks pull off a totally unexpected victory against the biggest invasion force that had ever been launched? Morris explains what the latest research and archaeology tell us about the economies, technologies, and demographics of these civilizations, as well as how these factors may have affected the result of the conflict.  Morris' most recent book is "War: What is it good for?" - a fast-paced history of the world from the Stone Age to the present that focuses on warfare, geography, and technology. In it, he makes a counter-intuitive claim: that warfare, if we look at it over many thousands of years, has actually made human societies progressively less violent.This episode focuses on the Persian wars but touches on some of the main ideas from Morris' book.

Ian Morris, archaeologist and professor of Classics at Stanford University, joins us for a discussion on the Persian expeditions against Greece in 490-479 BC. How did the Greeks pull off a totally unexpected victory against the biggest invasion force that had ever been launched? Morris explains what the latest research and archaeology tell us about the economies, technologies, and demographics of these civilizations, as well as how these factors may have affected the result of the conflict. Morris' most recent book is "War: What is it good for?" - a fast-paced history of the world from the Stone Age to the present that focuses on warfare, geography, and technology. In it, he makes a counter-intuitive claim: that warfare, if we look at it over many thousands of years, has actually made human societies progressively less violent.This episode focuses on the Persian wars but touches on some of the main ideas from Morris' book.

07 The Persian Wars w/ Ian Morris (Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon)

Rush Rehm, professor of classics and of theater and performing studies at Stanford University, joins us for a discussion about Greek tragedy. The origins of tragedy (and theater in general) can be traced back in time to one city in the late 6th century BC: Athens. Theater in Athens seems to emerge at the same time that democracy is born. Is that a coincidence? Or is there some deeper connection between the invention of theater and democracy? Scholars have been debating this for a long time. Furthermore, Greek tragedies are famous for their depiction of human suffering. What are we to make of these wrenching stories? Is this just horror for the sake of horror? Is it just shock-value? Is it extreme pessimism? Or, as some philosophers have argued, is there something cathartic, or even elevating, about these plays? Our discussion today will take us back to the dawn of theater in 5th century BC Athens. We're going to talk about what going to the theater was like for the ancient Athenians, and then we're going to get into some of the deeper issues these plays bring up. If you would like to learn more about the individual Greek tragedies mentioned in this episode (like Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Medea etc), check out the awesome podcast called “Literature and History.” Not only will you hear these classic stories told in a witty, dramatic way, but you'll also find an exploration of the deeper meanings and historical background of these plays.

Rush Rehm, professor of classics and of theater and performing studies at Stanford University, joins us for a discussion about Greek tragedy. The origins of tragedy (and theater in general) can be traced back in time to one city in the late 6th century BC: Athens. Theater in Athens seems to emerge at the same time that democracy is born. Is that a coincidence? Or is there some deeper connection between the invention of theater and democracy? Scholars have been debating this for a long time. Furthermore, Greek tragedies are famous for their depiction of human suffering. What are we to make of these wrenching stories? Is this just horror for the sake of horror? Is it just shock-value? Is it extreme pessimism? Or, as some philosophers have argued, is there something cathartic, or even elevating, about these plays? Our discussion today will take us back to the dawn of theater in 5th century BC Athens. We're going to talk about what going to the theater was like for the ancient Athenians, and then we're going to get into some of the deeper issues these plays bring up. If you would like to learn more about the individual Greek tragedies mentioned in this episode (like Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Medea etc), check out the awesome podcast called “Literature and History.” Not only will you hear these classic stories told in a witty, dramatic way, but you'll also find an exploration of the deeper meanings and historical background of these plays.

06 What Is Greek Tragedy? w/ Rush Rehm (Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides)

Mark Adams

No other story from ancient Greece has fueled so many controversies, theories, investigations, novels, movies, and documentaries as the story of Atlantis – that grand civilization that supposedly flourished thousands of years before the pyramids were built, and was completely wiped off the face of the earth by a major cataclysm. Interestingly, all of the written “evidence” for Atlantis from ancient times is contained in the work of a single author – the philosopher Plato (who we talked about in episode 8). Plato wrote about Atlantis towards the end of his life in two philosophical works called the Timaeus and the Critias, which are meant to be sequels of his earlier philosophical blockbuster the Republic. With us today to talk about the various theories that have been proposed on the meaning of the Atlantis tale and whether there’s any grain of truth to it, is someone who has traveled to all the major sites that people have suggested for Atlantis and has met with the most hardcore atlantologists in the world. Mark Adams is author of the book  Meet Me In Atlantis. He is probably best known for his New York Times best seller  Turn Right at Machu Pichu. For more information on Atlantis, visit the webpage for this episode at greecepodcast.com/13 BOOK GIVEAWAY info: If you'd like to enter to win a copy of Mark Adams' book Meet Me In Atlantis here's what to do. Go to our Facebook page at facebook.com/greecepodcast The first post you'll see will be a post about this episode. Share the post with your friends by clicking the share button. Then, once you've shared it, go back to our Facebook page, click the “message” button, and send us the word “shared” so we know you shared it. On November 10, we will randomly pick two winners and send you guys each a copy of Adams' book.

No other story from ancient Greece has fueled so many controversies, theories, investigations, novels, movies, and documentaries as the story of Atlantis – that grand civilization that supposedly flourished thousands of years before the pyramids were built, and was completely wiped off the face of the earth by a major cataclysm. Interestingly, all of the written “evidence” for Atlantis from ancient times is contained in the work of a single author – the philosopher Plato (who we talked about in episode 8). Plato wrote about Atlantis towards the end of his life in two philosophical works called the Timaeus and the Critias, which are meant to be sequels of his earlier philosophical blockbuster the Republic. With us today to talk about the various theories that have been proposed on the meaning of the Atlantis tale and whether there’s any grain of truth to it, is someone who has traveled to all the major sites that people have suggested for Atlantis and has met with the most hardcore atlantologists in the world. Mark Adams is author of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1101983930/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1101983930&amp;linkId=015d3abf3d1c6975cb5fc050da488935" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Meet Me In Atlantis</a>. He is probably best known for his New York Times best seller <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452297982/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=0452297982&amp;linkId=12a7f29892dc59bb877aaef5e778b1f3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Turn Right at Machu Pichu</a>. For more information on Atlantis, visit the webpage for this episode at <a href="greecepodcast.com/13" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">greecepodcast.com/13</a> BOOK GIVEAWAY info: If you'd like to enter to win a copy of Mark Adams' book Meet Me In Atlantis here's what to do. Go to our Facebook page at <a href="facebook.com/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/greecepodcast</a> The first post you'll see will be a post about this episode. Share the post with your friends by clicking the share button. Then, once you've shared it, go back to our Facebook page, click the “message” button, and send us the word “shared” so we know you shared it. On November 10, we will randomly pick two winners and send you guys each a copy of Adams' book.

13 Decoding Atlantis w/ Mark Adams (Plato, Timaeus, Critias)

Peter Adamson

Did you know that Aristotle is to blame for the sad state of science during the Dark Ages in Western Europe? We could have colonized Mars by now if it weren't for Aristotle's disastrously wrong scientific ideas holding back the progress of science for thousands of years. At least, that's the impression you might get from a host of popular books, blog-posts, and click-bait articles online. For example, here is how one such book, called 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know, argues that Aristotle held science back for millennia: “The Problem is that from the time he was alive (the 4th century BC) until the Enlightenment, when Aristotle said something, that was the end of the argument.... Like most Greeks, Aristotle championed the view that the Sun and planets revolved around the Earth. Copernicus (in the early 1500's) and Galileo (100 years later) had to risk their reputations and their LIVES to put the kibosh on that nonsense.” Once can find plenty of similar arguments online. While it's safe to say that none of the people who make these kinds of claims have a degree in the history of philosophy, some of them are really smart in other fields. Take Steven Weinberg, the nobel-prize winning physicist and celebrated author. The guy is undeniably a genius. And he has a similarly unenthusiastic view of the role Aristotle played in the development of science. Of course, he acknowledges the tremendous influence that Aristotle had throughout history. And he goes over a lot things that Aristotle got right. He just thinks that neither Aristotle nor Plato knew what science is, and that in later periods an over-reliance on Aristotle plagued both Islamic Science and later Medieval European Science. Meanwhile, over at the ivory tower the people who study philosophy and its history professionally have a very different view on Aristotle. Earlier this year, a blog that is popular among professional philosophers, called Leiter Reports, conducted a poll to determine who the most important western philosopher of all time was. Guess who won? Aristotle. So what's going on here? Can it be that Aristotle held science back for two thousand years and yet he's also the greatest western philosopher of all time? Or is one of these positions incorrect? With us today to try to answer that question is Peter Adamson. You may know him as the host of the History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps podcast, which aims to tell the entire history of philosophy not just of the west, but also of the Arabic world, India and China. It may be the most ambitious podcast ever created. Adamson is professor of philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. He joins us to discuss Aristotle's contributions to philosophy, and the role that his works have played in shaping the course of human knowledge. 

Did you know that Aristotle is to blame for the sad state of science during the Dark Ages in Western Europe? We could have colonized Mars by now if it weren't for Aristotle's disastrously wrong scientific ideas holding back the progress of science for thousands of years. At least, that's the impression you might get from a host of popular books, blog-posts, and click-bait articles online. For example, here is how one such book, called 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know, argues that Aristotle held science back for millennia: “The Problem is that from the time he was alive (the 4th century BC) until the Enlightenment, when Aristotle said something, that was the end of the argument.... Like most Greeks, Aristotle championed the view that the Sun and planets revolved around the Earth. Copernicus (in the early 1500's) and Galileo (100 years later) had to risk their reputations and their LIVES to put the kibosh on that nonsense.” Once can find plenty of similar arguments online. While it's safe to say that none of the people who make these kinds of claims have a degree in the history of philosophy, some of them are really smart in other fields. Take Steven Weinberg, the nobel-prize winning physicist and celebrated author. The guy is undeniably a genius. And he has a similarly unenthusiastic view of the role Aristotle played in the development of science. Of course, he acknowledges the tremendous influence that Aristotle had throughout history. And he goes over a lot things that Aristotle got right. He just thinks that neither Aristotle nor Plato knew what science is, and that in later periods an over-reliance on Aristotle plagued both Islamic Science and later Medieval European Science. Meanwhile, over at the ivory tower the people who study philosophy and its history professionally have a very different view on Aristotle. Earlier this year, a blog that is popular among professional philosophers, called Leiter Reports, conducted a poll to determine who the most important western philosopher of all time was. Guess who won? Aristotle. So what's going on here? Can it be that Aristotle held science back for two thousand years and yet he's also the greatest western philosopher of all time? Or is one of these positions incorrect? With us today to try to answer that question is Peter Adamson. You may know him as the host of the <a href="http://historyofphilosophy.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps podcast</a>, which aims to tell the entire history of philosophy not just of the west, but also of the Arabic world, India and China. It may be the most ambitious podcast ever created. Adamson is professor of philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. He joins us to discuss Aristotle's contributions to philosophy, and the role that his works have played in shaping the course of human knowledge.

14 Did Aristotle Hold Science Back 2000 Years? w/ Peter Adamson

Josiah Ober

Historian Josiah Ober of Stanford University joins us for a discussion on classical Athens and how the Athenian system compared to our own democracy. As Ober writes in his recent book The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece, “Democracy and growth define the normal...conditions of modernity: Autocracy, while still prevalent, is regarded as aberrant, so that most autocrats pretend to be democrats.... These conditions were not normal, or even imaginable, for most people through most of human history. But, for several centuries in the first millennium BCE, democracy and growth were normal for citizens in ancient Greece." Ober's book brings together archaeological data, economic theory, and historical and demographic models in order to explain the political developments of the classical Greek world. In it, he suggests that the Ancient Greek world was historically exceptional in many of the same ways that our modern world is. If that's true, what lessons, if any, can we take away from the Athenian experience? Don't forget to check out the web page for this episode at greecepodcast.com/5 where you can join the conversation and vote in a poll we've set up about the future of democracy.

Historian Josiah Ober of Stanford University joins us for a discussion on classical Athens and how the Athenian system compared to our own democracy. As Ober writes in his recent book The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece, “Democracy and growth define the normal...conditions of modernity: Autocracy, while still prevalent, is regarded as aberrant, so that most autocrats pretend to be democrats.... These conditions were not normal, or even imaginable, for most people through most of human history. But, for several centuries in the first millennium BCE, democracy and growth were normal for citizens in ancient Greece." Ober's book brings together archaeological data, economic theory, and historical and demographic models in order to explain the political developments of the classical Greek world. In it, he suggests that the Ancient Greek world was historically exceptional in many of the same ways that our modern world is. If that's true, what lessons, if any, can we take away from the Athenian experience? Don't forget to check out the web page for this episode at <a href="http://greecepodcast.com/5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">greecepodcast.com/5</a> where you can join the conversation and vote in a poll we've set up about the future of democracy.

05 Democracy and Demagogues in Ancient Athens w/ Josiah Ober

Philosopher MM McCabe joins us to discuss the art of the philosophical dialogue, both as a literary form and as a practice between people in real-time conversation. What makes Plato's dialogues, for example, worth reading? And is there anything we can still learn today from the ancient art of dialectic?  MM McCabe is emerita professor of ancient philosophy at King's College London. She has spent much of her career writing about the philosophy of Plato. Her books include Plato's Individuals (1999), Plato and his Predecessors: The Dramatization of Reason (2007), and Platonic Conversations (2015). For more information, visit the webpage for this episode at http://greecepodcast.com/episode16.html Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so that new episodes come straight to you!

Philosopher MM McCabe joins us to discuss the art of the philosophical dialogue, both as a literary form and as a practice between people in real-time conversation. What makes Plato's dialogues, for example, worth reading? And is there anything we can still learn today from the ancient art of dialectic?  MM McCabe is emerita professor of ancient philosophy at King's College London. She has spent much of her career writing about the philosophy of Plato. Her books include Plato's Individuals (1999), Plato and his Predecessors: The Dramatization of Reason (2007), and Platonic Conversations (2015). For more information, visit the webpage for this episode at <a href="http://greecepodcast.com/episode16.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://greecepodcast.com/episode16.html</a> Don't forget to hit the subscribe button so that new episodes come straight to you!

16 Dialogue and Dialectic w/ MM McCabe (Philosophy, Plato, Socrates)

Barbara Graziosi

How did the ancient Greek religion evolve? What was the meaning of sacrifice and other rituals? Did atheism exist back then? How about alternative religions? We explore all these topics and more in conversation with Barbara Graziosi, professor of classics at Princeton University and author of the book The Gods of Olympus. Stay tuned at the end of the episode to learn how you can win an autographed hard copy of The Gods of Olympus. ------------------ The intro to this episode was provided by Elizabeth from the Footnoting History podcast. On Footnoting History, Elizabeth and a team of academic historians share their favorite stories from across history. With 200 episodes to date, you can pretty much find any historical topic you're interested in. Check them out on your podcast app or at www.footnotinghistory.com  ------------------ Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/greecepodcast Or make a one-time donation: http://paypal.me/greecepodcast

How did the ancient Greek religion evolve? What was the meaning of sacrifice and other rituals? Did atheism exist back then? How about alternative religions? We explore all these topics and more in conversation with Barbara Graziosi, professor of classics at Princeton University and author of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250062349/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1250062349&amp;linkId=2e024865c2693c6efbe277b4b34c873a" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Gods of Olympus</a>. Stay tuned at the end of the episode to learn how you can win an autographed hard copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250062349/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=greecepodcast-20&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=1250062349&amp;linkId=2e024865c2693c6efbe277b4b34c873a" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Gods of Olympus</a>. ------------------ The intro to this episode was provided by Elizabeth from the <a href="http://www.footnotinghistory.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Footnoting History</a> podcast. On <a href="http://www.footnotinghistory.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Footnoting History</a>, Elizabeth and a team of academic historians share their favorite stories from across history. With 200 episodes to date, you can pretty much find any historical topic you're interested in. Check them out on your podcast app or at <a href="http://www.footnotinghistory.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">www.footnotinghistory.com</a> ------------------ Support us on Patreon: <a href="http://patreon.com/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://patreon.com/greecepodcast</a> Or make a one-time donation: <a href="http://paypal.me/greecepodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://paypal.me/greecepodcast</a>

23 Greek Religion and Its Discontents w/ Barbara Graziosi

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein joins us for a discussion about Plato, Socrates, and the legacy of Greek philosophy. Goldstein is one of the most acclaimed and widely-read philosophers today. Her most recent book, Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away, imagines Plato transported through time to the modern world having philosophical debates with scientists, celebrities, and technology pioneers about important life questions. More than just a series of fascinating dialogues, the book also offers a gripping account of the development of ancient Greek philosophy, tackling some of the big questions and mysteries along the way: Why was Socrates killed? What was Plato's relationship to Socrates? Why did philosophy emerge in Greece to begin with? Profound, witty, and entertaining, the book is also a defense of the enduring value of philosophy in the modern world.

Rebecca Newberger Goldstein joins us for a discussion about Plato, Socrates, and the legacy of Greek philosophy. Goldstein is one of the most acclaimed and widely-read philosophers today. Her most recent book, Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away, imagines Plato transported through time to the modern world having philosophical debates with scientists, celebrities, and technology pioneers about important life questions. More than just a series of fascinating dialogues, the book also offers a gripping account of the development of ancient Greek philosophy, tackling some of the big questions and mysteries along the way: Why was Socrates killed? What was Plato's relationship to Socrates? Why did philosophy emerge in Greece to begin with? Profound, witty, and entertaining, the book is also a defense of the enduring value of philosophy in the modern world.

08 Plato Strikes Back! w/ Rebecca Newberger Goldstein

Edith Hall

World-renowned classicist Edith Hall joins us to discuss the relation between entertainment and politics in ancient Athens, particularly on the comic stage. Theatrical comedy, which was invented in Athens after the city's democratic revolution, was at first highly political. Comedy plays, put on publicly in the huge outdoor theater of Dionysus, often directly attacked prominent individuals in the city (who were usually in the audience). As mentioned in episode 8, Socrates was often parodied in the theater. Politicians like Pericles and Cleon were also periodically humiliated on the comic stage. No one was safe from ridicule. Moreover, playwrights did not hesitate to use scatological humor, sexual profanity, and lots of fart jokes in their satires of anyone and everything.  Joining us to help give us a clearer view of the Athenian comic stage is Edith Hall, prolific author and professor of classics at King's College, London. We explore what it was like to see comedies in the Athenian theater and what the surviving plays can tell us about the role of political satire in a democratic society. For additional information on Greek comedy as well as our guest, visit the webpage for this episode at greecepodcast.com/12  Today marks the one year anniversary of this podcast. Thank you all so much for listening! In the spirit of Athenian comedy, we conclude today's episode on a festive note, ending with a very funny song from our friend Doug Metzger over at the Literature and History podcast. If you aren't already listening to that show, you should check it out! There's nothing else like it in the podcast world for ancient Greek literature.

World-renowned classicist Edith Hall joins us to discuss the relation between entertainment and politics in ancient Athens, particularly on the comic stage. Theatrical comedy, which was invented in Athens after the city's democratic revolution, was at first highly political. Comedy plays, put on publicly in the huge outdoor theater of Dionysus, often directly attacked prominent individuals in the city (who were usually in the audience). As mentioned in episode 8, Socrates was often parodied in the theater. Politicians like Pericles and Cleon were also periodically humiliated on the comic stage. No one was safe from ridicule. Moreover, playwrights did not hesitate to use scatological humor, sexual profanity, and lots of fart jokes in their satires of anyone and everything.  Joining us to help give us a clearer view of the Athenian comic stage is Edith Hall, prolific author and professor of classics at King's College, London. We explore what it was like to see comedies in the Athenian theater and what the surviving plays can tell us about the role of political satire in a democratic society. For additional information on Greek comedy as well as our guest, visit the webpage for this episode at <a href="http://greecepodcast.com/12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">greecepodcast.com/12</a> Today marks the one year anniversary of this podcast. Thank you all so much for listening! In the spirit of Athenian comedy, we conclude today's episode on a festive note, ending with a very funny song from our friend Doug Metzger over at the Literature and History podcast. If you aren't already listening to that show, you should check it out! There's nothing else like it in the podcast world for ancient Greek literature.

12 The Comedy of Democracy w/ Edith Hall (Aristophanes)

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