Classical Wisdom Speaks

Joel Bowman, of Bonner Private Research, interviews Anya Leonard from Classical Wisdom about the End of Empires and the Fall of Nations... in anticipation of this week's Symposium 2021 (August 21/22).Make sure to secure your tickets (and Pay what YOU want) here: https://classicalwisdom.com/symposium-2021-speakers/ Find out more about Bonner Private Research: https://www.bonnerprivateresearch.com/Time stamps - A rough guide...(00:50) - Intro(02:00) - START(02:15) - A marital disclaimer from Athens, Greece(03:05) - Don’t believe everything you hear (or read in the newspapers)(04:05) - Greece is open for business... Come visit!(04:45) - Exploring the ancient Greek concept of Xenia(05:45) - Time travelling to a pre-budget airline Europe(07:15) - Public space vs. private anxieties: developing a sense of community(09:05) - Philosophy in the time of Plague - lessons from the ancients(13:00) - The art of cherry picking - the best of the best from the classics(17:45) - Contemporary issues viewed through the lens of the past(20:05) - Rome and the USA: The rise and fall of empires, then and now(22:15) - How canceling history dooms us to repeating its mistakes(22:55) - What can we know? The search for truth, even when we’re wrong(25:15) - The End of Empire and Fall of Nations: A Classical Wisdom Symposium(28:15) - Rise of the historians: Niall Ferguson on Doom Politics(28:45) - Speaker Roster: A who’s who of the coming symposium(31:35) - Ancient Athens... from the comfort of your own home!(33:15) - Libate while I contemplate? Where can I register?(35:15) - Adrift in the Aegean: Where to next?(36:22) - END

Who were the Seleucids?? The largest and most diverse empire of the Hellenistic world, and yet so under-appreciated and overlooked... What do we know about this empire and why do we know so little? This week's podcast is with Derek L., the host and creator of the Hellenistic Age Podcast about this vast and vastly overlooked period of history.Now, if you find the rise and fall of empires fascinating, then we do have very exciting news... We have officially launched tickets to Classical wisdom’s symposium 2021: the end of empires and the fall of nations, taking place august 21st and 22nd.  We are thrilled to have an amazing line up of some of the most brilliant minds to discuss history, philosophy and mythology. Join Niall Ferguson, Edith hall, Donald Roberson, Paul Cartledge, to name just a few! Make sure to secure your tickets at: https://classicalwisdom.com/symposium/. Best of all - we want to make sure anyone and everyone can join us for this star studded event. If you can’t afford the ticket price, just email us at info@classicalwidsdom.com and we will help you out! You can learn more about the Hellenistic Age with Derek's podcast at: https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/Or follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod

Formed in 379 BC to combat the Spartan threat...Hailed by Plato as a force that could never be beaten...The last hope to preserve the freedom of Greece...Buried together on the spot they fell....300 male lovers reveal a dramatic ancient tale whose story will leave you gripped into the end. James Romm of Bard College, and author of the Sacred Band, discusses Sex, Soldiers and Thebes with Cambridge Professor, Paul Cartledge, and Columbia Professor, Helene Foley. Moderated by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. They delve into the history of Thebes, the evolution of male eros and the essential role of the Sacred Band in fighting for Greek democracy. About the Speakers: James Romm is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College and specializes in ancient Greek and Roman culture and civilization.  Dr. Romm is author of several books, including Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero, Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and most recently, “The Sacred Band: Three Hundred Theban Lovers fighting to save Greek Freedom”. Paul Anthony Cartledge is the A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Clare College. He has published extensively on Greek history over several decades, including The Cambridge Illustrated History of Ancient Greece, Alexander the Great: The Hunt for a New Past as well as Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece (2020) Helene P. Foley is Professor of Classical Studies at Barnard College, Columbia University and a member of the Institute for Research on Women, Gender and Sexuality at Columbia. She specialises in ancient Greek literature, women and gender in antiquity, and the reception of classical drama. Helene is author of many books, her most recent being Reimagining Greek Tragedy on the American Stag.Anya Leonard, Founder and Director of Classical Wisdom, a platform dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to Modern Minds.   For more information about Classical Wisdom and Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.comYou can buy the speakers' excellent books below: The Sacred Band: Three Hundred Theban Lovers fighting to save Greek Freedom: Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient GreeceReimagining Greek Tragedy on the American StagSign up to get Classical Wisdom's Free newsletter as well as a FREE E-book on the "Two Sides of Jesus", Here: https://classicalwisdom.com/free-e-book-two-sides-of-jesus/

Super heroes and super twisted plots... is Sophocles a better psychological playwright than Euripides? How can we understand ancient art? And would Plato have liked cubism? This Classical Wisdom Speaks Episode is with Nickolas Pappas, Professor of Philosophy and Executive Officer of the Philosophy Program, at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He is an expert in Plato and author of several books, including "Plato's Exceptional City, Love, and Philosopher, Politics” and “Philosophy in Plato's Menexenus” as well as “The Routledge Guidebook to Plato's Republic.”We discuss how we can understand ancient art and theater and the role psychology plays in its understanding...You can purchase Nicklas’ book,  "Plato's Exceptional City, Love, and Philosopher, Politics”, here: https://www.routledge.com/Platos-Exceptional-City-Love-and-Philosopher/Pappas/p/book/9780367424473 For more information about Classical Wisdom's Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.comSign up to get Classical Wisdom's Free newsletter as well as a FREE E-book on the "Two Sides of Jesus", Here: https://classicalwisdom.com/free-e-book-two-sides-of-jesus/ 

What about Thebes? When thinking of the ancient Greek world, Athens and Sparta are the cities that jump to mind. Of Course the birth of Democracy and the Elite Warrior society capture the imagination right away. Perhaps after that, with the help of capitals and Hannibal's elephants, one might conjure Corinth or Carthage... but Poor little Thebes, so instrumental in history and mythology, often gets overlooked. In fact, when it comes to mythical origin legends, Thebes is rivaled only by Troy itself.  It was in Thebes that Cadmus, one of the very first Greek Heroes, founded the citadel Cadmea and there sown the seeds of the Spartoi or "Sown Men", the origin of the Theban nobility.It was in Thebes young Dionysus was sewn into his father’s godly thigh after he had accidentally blown up poor the mother, Semele, into smithereens after jealous Hera tricked Zeus’s young lover into demanding the king of gods show his full - lightning bolt - glory.  It was in Thebes that the seven gated wall was built by Amphion and his brother Zethus. It was in Thebes the tale of Laius, whose misdeeds culminated in the tragedy of Oedipus and the wars of the Seven against Thebes, took place. Outside the city walls, the path where Antigone dragged the dead body of her brother was a popular ancient tourist attraction.  And of course it was in Thebes that Heracles, arguably the most famous of all the Greek heroes was born and raised. But it is not only for the incredibly rich and extensive myths that Thebes deserves our attention. Its historical relevance can not be understated; at one point Thebes was the most powerful city in ancient Greece. This peak culminated in 371 BC when the Thebans enjoyed a remarkable victory against Sparta - all due to the Sacred Band of Thebes. But who were these ancient warriors? What role did they play in Theban history... and maybe more importantly, what did the discovery of the burial site of the sacred band reveal about Thebes, its role in ancient politics as well as ancient Greek culture? This June 8th, you can find out. James Romm, chair of Classics at Bard College and author of "The Sacred Band", discusses Sex, Soldiers and Thebes with Cambridge Professor and author of “Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece”, Paul Cartledge, and Columbia Professor, Helene Foley. Join this fascinating conversation (including Q&A), hosted by Classical Wisdom, on Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 at noon EDT (That’s NY Time)  to discover the history of Thebes, the evolution of male eros and the essential role of the Sacred Band in fighting for Greek democracy. Simply to go to https://classicalwisdom.com/sex-soldiers-thebes/ to learn how you can watch and participate in this live event for free. 

Can we understand the Classics without the Classroom? A guide to getting (really) educated… with Dr. James Hankins, Professor of History at Harvard University, Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom, and Alexandra Hudson of Civic Renaissance. If you already know WHY we should preserve the classics... It's time to ask HOW... and how YOU can help. What are the resources? Where can we begin? And who can help? As mainstream educational institutions move away from a classical core in the liberal arts, it can be tempting to feel despondent about the future of this educational model that has educated men and women for millennia. Yet there are a growing number of organizations around the world committed to remedy this. These non-accrediting institutions are nourishing those who care about ideas and the wisdom of the past and are offering people a chance to engage in the Great Conversation.What can we learn from these initiatives? How can we promote more of them? How can these new organizations nurture the values of curiosity and lifelong learning?About the Speakers: Dr. James Hankins, professor of History at Harvard University and an intellectual historian specializing in the Italian Renaissance. He is author of many books, including, Virtue Politics: Soulcraft and Statecraft. You can purchase his book here.Anya Leonard, Founder and Director of Classical Wisdom, a platform dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to Modern Minds. You can learn more about Classical Wisdom here.Alexandra Hudson, curator of Civic Renaissance, a publication and intellectual community dedicated to the wisdom of the past. Sign up for Civic Renaissance here.ResourcesPodcasts: Classical Wisdom Speaks Ancient Greece DeclassifiedHellenistic Age PodcastThe Partially Examined Life PodcastCommunity/E-learning:Ralston CollegeClassical Pursuits (travel with the classics)Modern StoicismArticles:"The Forgotten Virtue" explores the classical notion of humanitas, or love of humanity, that the ancients cultivated through education and the Renaissance Humanists revived in their own era.  "What are the classics for?" By Alexandra Hudson. This essay explores recent criticisms of the classics and looks at what an omnicultural core might look like today.Books: "A Great Idea at the Time" by Alex Beam"Know Thyself" by Ingrid Rossellini"How to live on 24 Hours a day" by Arnold Bennett"Virtue Politics" by James Hankins. "Lost in Thought" by Zena Hitz. 

How can we Truly be lost in thought? What does the love of learning look like... can it be corrupted? And how can we find the time for leisure? This week’s episode is with Dr. Zena Hitz, Tutor at St. John's College in Annapolis, MD and Winner of the Hiett Prize in the Humanities, The Dallas Institute. Zena is also the author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life. We discuss how we can find leisure, why it's important, and the fantastic story behind MC Hammer and Zena’s friendship. You can purchase Zena’s book Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life Here.For more information about Classical Wisdom's Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.com

It’s Niche. Very Niche... But how exactly did ancient Athens bury their soldiers? How did this change over time? And what huge implications could this difference mean both then... and now? This week's Classical Wisdom Speaks is with Cezary Kucewicz, a National Science Centre Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of History, University of Gdansk, Poland, and Junior Research Fellow, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, UK. He is also the author of The Treatment of the War Dead in Archaic Athens.We discuss what exactly are the ancient war dead, how the custom changed dramatically between the archaic and classical periods of ancient Greece and what that change signifies... If you would like to learn more about Cezary’s book, The Treatment of the War Dead in Archaic Athens, please go to: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-treatment-of-the-war-dead-in-archaic-athens-9781350151550/ For more information about Classical Wisdom's Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.com

How are the Classics relevant to modern leaders? What lessons can they learn from Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides or Aristotle? And what can these ancient texts teach us in light of our modern technology and the state of democracy? This week's Classical Wisdom Speaks episode is with Claudia Hauer, an expert on liberal education, military education, and the relationship between the two. Claudia teaches humanities, science, and languages in the Great Books program at St. John's College, and moral philosophy at the United States Air Force Academy, where she holds the Lyon Chair in Professional Ethics. She is also the author of Strategic Humanism: Lessons in Leadership from the Ancient Greeks.We discuss strategic humanism, lessons from the ancient world and how we can connect theory to practice.You can find Claudia’s book, Strategic Humanism: Lessons in Leadership from the Ancient Greeks at: https://www.politicalanimalpress.com/product/strategic-humanism/For more information about Classical Wisdom's Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.com​​​​​Sign up to get Classical Wisdom's Free newsletter as well as a FREE E-book on the "Two Sides of Jesus", Here: https://classicalwisdom.com/free-e-book-two-sides-of-jesus/

What is the Canon? How is it defined? What should it look like... and should we even have it in the first place? This week’s Classical Wisdom Speaks is with Zachary Davis, the founder and president of Lyceum, an educational audio studio, the VP of Content for Himalaya as well as the organizer of the Sound Education conference. Zachary is also the host of Ministry of Ideas and Writ Large, a founding member of the Hub & Spoke audio collective.We discuss the history of the cannon, how it has evolved and what it should look like. To learn more about Zachary's work, please go to: https://www.zacharystevendavis.com/For more information about Classical Wisdom's Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at: http://classicalwisdom.com​​​​Sign up to get Classical Wisdom's Free newsletter as well as a FREE E-book on the "Two Sides of Jesus", Here: https://classicalwisdom.com/free-e-book-two-sides-of-jesus/