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by Dr. Lantern Jack
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- Jan 31, 20261h 15m
65 From Vengeance to Justice: The Genius of Aeschylus' ORESTEIA w/ Doug Metzger
Aeschylus' "Oresteia" is one of the most extraordinary works of literature to have come from Ancient Greece. It's a story about murder, revenge, and the birth of justice itself. We are joined by Doug Metzger, host of the "Literature and History" podcast to explore how the ancient Athenian tragedian Aeschylus turned a bloody family feud into a vision of civilization, and offered the Athenians a new foundation myth for their democracy. *** Recommended translations of the Oresteia: For readability and beautiful language, you can't go wrong with Fagles. For accuracy and faithfulness to the original Greek syntax, go with Sommerstein. *** To support this show and our mission to bring the classics to the general public, please visit https://patreon.com/greecepodcast *** You can find Doug's incredible podcast on all major platforms and at https://literatureandhistory.com *** TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to the "Oresteia" 05:22 Agamemnon in the Iliad and Odyssey 12:17 Life of Aeschylus 14:00 The 1st Play: "Agamemnon" 20:03 Sacrifice of Iphigenia 26:58 Agamemnon's Arrival 34:56 The 2nd Play: "Libation Bearers" 41:35 Orestes kills Clytemnestra 51:40 The 3rd Play: "Eumenides" 59:12 The Trial 1:06:58 The Areopagus and Ephialtes's Reforms 1:10:24 Main Takeaways
- Sep 1, 20251h 19m
64 Plato's Republic: Full Summary and Explanation w/ Gina White
Plato's Republic isn't just a cornerstone of Western thought—it's a mirror reflecting the challenges of our own time. In this episode of Ancient Greece Declassified, host Lantern Jack teams up with scholar Gina White to deliver a one-stop, accessible guide to this timeless work—exploring its big ideas, enduring impact, and eerie relevance to today's world. ------------------ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/greecepodcast ------------------ Timestamps [00:50] Introduction to the Republic [05:35] A bird's-eye view of the entire work [15:20] Book 1: What is justice? [20:56] Book 2: The immoralist challenge [25:33] Book 3: Building the ideal city [34:00] Book 4: Justice defined [43:10] Book 5: Philosopher kings [49:30] Book 6: The Form of the Good [56:33] Book 7: The Cave [1:02:44] Book 8: Bad constitutions, bad souls [1:05:23] Book 9: The secret misery of tyrants [1:07:17] Book 10: The Myth of Er
- Aug 1, 20251h 0m
63 The Spartan Strategy for Acquiring and Wielding Power w/ Eric Robinson
How did Sparta—a mere city-state with an agrarian economy and barely any economic growth to speak of—rise to become the supreme power in ancient Greece? We investigate in conversation with renowned historian Eric W. Robinson, author of the forthcoming book "Spartan Legend." ------------------ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/greecepodcast ------------------ Timestamps [03:28] Origins of Spartan power [12:26] Democratic aspects of the Spartan constitution [17:25] Athenian admiration of Sparta [23:00] How good were Spartan armies? [27:05] Robinson's theory of a Spartan "Mystique" [44:04] Why Sparta won the Peloponnesian War against Athens [48:46] Why Spartan power declined
- Jun 30, 202541 min
62 Marcus Aurelius and the Kingdom of Gold w/ Judith Stove
Marcus Aurelius became emperor of Rome in 161 AD and went on to win several wars against the northern barbarians. But it wasn't his military exploits that earned him everlasting fame. Rather, it was his philosophical mind and the writings he left behind. In this episode, we are joined by author and scholar Judith Stove to explore the character, writings, and legacy of Rome's "philosopher king." Stove's latest book is called Marcus Aurelius and His Legacy: Seeking Rome's Kingdom of Gold. ------------------ Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast
- May 24, 20253 min
Announcements: Next Tour, Seeking Video Editor, Connect on Social Media, Patreon update
Some announcements for those of you who care about what's happening at AGD behind the scenes...
- May 21, 20251h 4m
61 Who is Lantern Jack? (Doug Interviews Me)
I chat with friend and fellow podcaster Doug Metzger about how I first became fascinated with the ancient world and share some of the adventures I had on the way to getting a PhD in Classical Philosophy. ------------------ Support AGD on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast ------------------ Timestamps [01:25] Why I started AGD [05:15] Why Stoicism is misunderstood today [11:20] Debunking two big myths about the ancient world [14:45] How I got interested in ancient Greece [19:58] Reggie Foster, renegade priest [25:08] What makes Ancient Greek a precise and musical language [33:57] Hitchhiking adventures [44:27] AGD tours [53:35] The genius of Aeschylus' "Oresteia"
- Apr 9, 20251h 6m
60 The Rise of Athens (Themistocles and the Persian Wars, Part 3)
During the Persian Wars, the city of Athens was completely razed to the ground by the Persian army. And yet, from its ashes, a new Athens was born, more powerful and magnificent than any other city in the Mediterranean. How did the Athenians pull that off? In this finale to our Persian Wars saga, we explore the final battles of the conflict and the clever machinations of Themistocles—one of the chief masterminds and architects of Athenian power. Contents of the episode, with timestamps: [05:35] Aftermath of Salamis [15:50] Xerxes Goes Home [23:20] The Final Battles (Plataea and Mycale) [39:08] The Themistoclean Walls [46:05] Themistocles' Exile and Death [55:50] Conclusion ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast
- Mar 1, 202559 min
59 The Ancient Novels w/ Doug Metzger (Apuleius, Lucian, Chariton, Heliodorus, Petronius, Achilles Tatius)
Unveiling the wild world of ancient Greek and Roman novels with Doug Metzger, host of the "Literature and History Podcast." ------------------ Support Ancient Greece Declassified on Patreon: patreon.com/greecepodcast ------------------ Contents of the episode, with timestamps: 04:22 When did novels first arise? 09:12 The four genres of ancient novels 11:39 The typical plot (Callirhoe) 17:55 Daphnis and Chloe 21:10 Euripides' romances 28:17 Narrative in the Bible 32:43 Evolution of the ancient novel 34:27 Leucippe and Clitophon 35:47 Heliodorus' Aethiopica 37:35 Lucian and the influence on modernity 43:08 The Second Sophistic 47:14 Greek VS Roman novels 53:44 The X-rated stuff
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About Ancient Greece Declassified
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.
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