Living, Breathing History in Ancient Athens is the talk I gave at the Sound Education conference in November 2018. Listen to it a audio only version of it right here. You can find more on the conference at https://www.soundeducation.fm .

Today we welcome Dr. John Hale to the show, author of the book Lords of the Sea. It is a compelling look at the history of Athens, largely from the seat of a rower’s bench behind an oar. The New York Times has called Dr. Hale an intellectually series historian who knows how to tell war stories, and I couldn’t agree more. Of course, we spend a good bit of time inside the wooden walls of a trireme and we also spend some time with the various leaders of Athens. He also provides some salient comparison to the United States and how our democracy runs before giving us a preview of the new book he is working on! Find his book here at: https://www.amazon.com/Lords-Sea-Story-Athenian-Democracy/dp/B002WTC8R0.

Today we welcome Dr. Melissa Lane to the show, author of the book The Birth of Politics. Her book was the final straw in convincing me to start the show and centers around eight political ideas, what they meant to the Greek and Romans, and why they matter today. She provides some clarity to different Athenian institutions and I take advantage of her expertise to have her critique some of the thoughts I had while doing the show. We wrap up with a few question on how the story of Greece can change the way we live today. I think you will enjoy our conversation and if you want to learn more about Greece, Rome and about the foundation to the political ideas of today, then pick up her book: The Birth of Politics: https://www.amazon.com/Birth-Politics-Eight-Political-Matter/dp/0691173095.

Athens leaves us their legacy in the Season 1 finale. https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1604.html

The Peloponnesian War comes to a sudden and unexpected end. The defeated will face the fate the victor thinks it deserves. We witness both timid and brutal approaches to war and are forced to ask: Is there a difference between acting cruelly out of desperation versus cruelty as a matter of course? This episode covers approximately 405 B.C. – 404 B.C.

More than twenty years into the Peloponnesian War Athens has given nearly everything to the fight, but more is required. Sparta requests peace but Athens refuses and looks for more resources to continue the war. While Athens scrounges for money, Sparta and Persia renew their alliance with Sparta leading the fight while Persia funds the war. Meanwhile, the weight of carrying the Athenian military is beginning to crack their society. This episode covers approximately 407 B.C. – 405 B.C.

Athens is broke. The sole hope for retaining its empire rests in their fleet of triremes at Samos. To make matters worse a Spartan fleet, supported by a Persian army and Syracusian ships, has wedged itself into the Hellespont, the crucial route by which Athens receives most of its food. Alcibiades, though still refusing to return to Athens for fear of the death penalty on him, contributes to the fighting in any way he can. Some sort of miracle is needed for Athens to step back into security. This episode covers approximately 411 B.C. – 407 B.C.