Novara Media Downstream: The Political Possibilities of the Ancient World w/ Josephine Quinn
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Sep 15, 2025 Josephine Quinn, a Professor of Ancient History at Cambridge University, dives into captivating discussions about the ancient world and its relevance today. She explores alternatives to democracy and the intriguing reasons behind the Bronze Age's disappearance of writing. The conversation highlights the benefits of teaching ancient languages to combat misinformation. Quinn also draws parallels between the Bronze Age Collapse and modern vulnerabilities, emphasizing resilience amid contemporary challenges. Plus, she reveals how oral traditions preserved knowledge in post-collapse societies.
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Study Ancient Languages
- Learn ancient languages because they strengthen reasoning and offer new perspectives.
- Josephine Quinn says studying difficult languages develops the brain and broadens worldviews.
No Single Human Nature
- Ancient history reveals that human beliefs and social arrangements vary widely across time and place.
- Quinn argues this undermines the idea of a fixed 'human nature' and expands political imagination.
Democracy Is Not Inevitable
- Democracy is historically rare and not the only legitimate political form to consider.
- Quinn emphasizes many past societies experimented with equal, voluntary, non-democratic arrangements.
