Western Civ

Buy The BookIn his own day, the ancient philosopher Diogenes the Cynic had a reputation for eccentricity, heckling his fellow philosophers in the marketplace, living in a clay pot, and relieving himself in public. Since his death in 323 BCE, devoted followers made him and his ideas famous the world over. But what we think we know about Diogenes remains distorted and sanitized.In Diogenes, classicist Inger N.I. Kuin scours all existing evidence of Diogenes and his followers to offer an in-depth account of Diogenes’ life and thought, revealing a man whose innovative ideas about power, death, nature, and the body have much to teach the contemporary world. He pioneered a vision of simplicity and autonomy in his day-to-day life, stressing the importance of living in the here and now, and of always thinking for oneself. Diogenes stands apart as history’s first recorded critic of slavery and a proud exile from polite society whose challenging thought proved foundational for the Stoics and their successors.Diogenes rehabilitates Diogenes as a compelling thinker for the twenty-first century, one who demands that we look at our society with fresh eyes and be unafraid of change—starting with ourselves.

Bread shortages force the Revolution's hand.Western Civ Podcast 2.0

The French Revolution gets serious as the people of Paris rise up and storm the Bastille. Western Civ Podcast 2.0

In this bonus interview, I sit down with Phillips Payson O'Brien and we discuss his latest book: War and Power: Who Wins Wars—and Why. For nearly two centuries, international relations have been premised on the idea of the “Great Powers.” As the thinking went, these mighty states—the European empires of the nineteenth century, the United States and the USSR during the Cold War—were uniquely able to exert their influence on the world stage because of their overwhelming military capabilities. But as military historian Phillips Payson O’Brien argues in War and Power, this conception of power fails to capture the more complicated truth about how wars are fought and won.Our focus on the importance of large, well-equipped armies and conclusive battles has obscured the foundational forces that underlie military victories and the actual mechanics of successful warfare. O’Brien suggests a new framework of “full-spectrum powers,” taking into account all of the diverse factors that make a state strong—from economic and technological might, to political stability, to the complex logistics needed to maintain forces in the field.Drawing on examples ranging from Napoleon’s France to today’s ascendant China, War and Power offers a critical new understanding of what makes a power truly great. It is vital reading in today’s perilous world.Buy The Book HereSupport Western Civ

An oath on a tennis court, of all things, sparks the French Revolution.Western Civ Podcast 2.0

Efforts to reform France under Louis XV and Louis XVI fail, plunging the kingdom into the flood of revolution. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Join historian Michael Livingston, author of *Bloody Crowns*, as he reexamines the Hundred Years War, revealing it as a two-century saga of conflict across medieval Europe. He discusses the complexities of sovereignty and feudal allegiances that shaped national identities beyond England and France. Discover how Philip IV's death ignited a succession crisis, and why most battles occurred on French soil. With insights into military transformation and the legendary Battle of Crécy, Livingston uncovers the dramatic tales and mythmaking that influenced the course of history.

Also known as the Ancien Regimé, the system of France going into the revolution was maddeningly complex and, seemingly, designed to fail. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

The Americans won their independence, but what would they do with it?Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Today I sit down with historian Edward J. Watts and talk about his latest book: The Romans.When we think of “ancient Romans” today, many picture the toga-clad figures of Cicero and Caesar, presiding over a republic, and then an empire, before seeing their world collapse at the hands of barbarians in the fifth century AD.  The Romans does away with this narrow vision by offering the first comprehensive account of ancient Rome over the course of two millennia. Prize-winning historian Edward J. Watts recounts the full sweep of Rome’s epic past: the Punic Wars, the fall of the republic, the coming of Christianity, Alaric’s sack of Rome, the rise of Islam, the Battle of Manzikert, and the onslaught of the Crusaders who would bring about the empire’s end. Watts shows that the source of Rome’s enduring strength was the diverse range of people who all called themselves Romans. This is the Rome of Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, and Constantine, but also Charlemagne, Justinian, and Manuel Comnenus—and countless other men and women who together made it the most resilient state the world has ever seen.  BUY THE BOOK HERESUPPORT WESTERN CIV