The Daily Stoic

Professor Josiah Osgood on Cato, Caesar and the Battle for Rome's Legacy

Dec 7, 2022

Josiah Osgood, a Professor of Classics at Georgetown University and an expert in Roman history, dives into the fierce rivalry between Cato and Caesar. He discusses how Cato's Stoic values clash with Caesar's ambition, reflecting broader themes of politics and virtue. The conversation also delves into the complexity of Cato's legacy, questioning whether his suicide was a brave stand or a surrender. Osgood draws parallels between ancient Rome and modern American politics, illustrating timeless lessons about leadership and moral dilemmas.

01:04:36

Episode guests

Josiah Osgood

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Life and Legacy of Cato the Younger

01:53

The Rivalry of Cato and Brutus

02:05

Intro

4min

Rivalry of Rome: Cato vs. Caesar

21min

Rivalry and Consequences: Lessons from History

3min

Echoes of Power: Rome and America

19min

The Complexity of Cato's Legacy: Sacrifice or Surrender?

3min

Cato's Legacy and Political Dilemmas

17min

Exploring the Complexities of Tyranny and Redemption

3min

Ryan speaks with historian of Rome Josiah Osgood about his new book Uncommon Wrath: How Caesar and Cato’s Deadly Rivalry Destroyed the Roman Republic, the complicated legacy of Cato, how Caesar and Cato’s relationship can help inform our daily lives, and more.

Josiah Osgood is Professor of Classics at Georgetown University. His teaching and research cover many areas of Roman history and Latin literature, with a special focus on the fall of the Roman Republic. Josiah’s interest in the fall of the Roman empire began in high school Latin class, where he read Cicero’s speeches against Catiline. He found Cicero’s rhetoric so powerful that he became enthralled by Roman politics and has been studying the subject compulsively for twenty years since. He is the author of several books, including Caesar's Legacy, Turia: A Roman Woman’s Civil War, and How to be a Bad Emperor.

Listen to Josiah and Ryan’s previous conversation from 05/11/22 here: https://dailystoic.com/josiah-osgood/

Check out Rome’s Last Citizen by Rob Goodman and Jimmy Soni.

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