Vol 3 Ep 8 - Ancient Greece: Ancient Ath...

Alongside listener messages, in this debrief we will be discussing which topics were the most popular in Volume 4, the ongoing question of how AI influences the podcast, and the possibility of the podcast becoming a physical book. 

700 - 1610 - In this episode, we journey to the Sahel — the narrow frontier between desert and savanna where the fortunes of empires were made and lost. From its shifting landscapes emerged the Mali Empire, a realm of immense wealth and faith. Discover how geography, trade, and p ... Show More

1000 BCE - 1897 CE - Two kingdoms, two legacies—Ifẹ and Benin shaped West Africa’s artistic soul and political power. From sacred bronze heads to sprawling palace complexes, this episode dives into the myths, monarchs, and masterworks that defined a civilisation. Discover how div ... Show More

<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In this episode, we discuss the construction, the history, and the significance of the main buildings on the Athenian Acropolis (the Parthenon, The Propylaia, The Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and a few others); together, these building ... Show More

In this episode, we discuss the final two years of the Peloponnesian War (405-404 BC), including the comedic play "The Frogs" by Aristophanes; Lysander's elevation to Persian satrap, his rebuilding of the Peloponnesian fleet, his tactical moves in the Hellespont, and his crushing ... Show More

<p>When we think of democracy in the ancient Greek world, our minds often go straight to Athens, the purported birthplace of democracy. But was Athens <em>truly</em> the home of democracy? And if so, who's responsible for giving a voice to the people?</p><br><p>In this episode, T ... Show More

<p>In this episode, we discuss the political struggle between Isagoras (who was now backed by the Spartan military) and Kleisthenes who ultimately was victorious, which allowed him to institute his overhaul of the Athenian constitution; the different democratic changes that he in ... Show More

<p>In a period of only about 100 years, Athens went from relative obscurity, to becoming an influential empire, to collapsing into ruin.</p><p>My guest today will guide us through the dramatic arc of this city-state and the larger-than-life characters that contributed to it. His ... Show More

While the Roman Republic was still in its infancy, the Greek city-state of Athens rose from the ruins of war with the Persians to become the most beautiful and powerful in the region. During this Golden Age, many Athenian citizens enjoyed unprecedented freedoms in the world’s fir ... Show More

<p>À partir du VIe siècle avant Jésus-Christ, la cité grecque d’Athènes met en place une toute nouvelle organisation politique : la démocratie. Ce régime inédit qui donne le pouvoir aux citoyens, devient par la suite et malgré ses limites, un véritable modèle. </p> <p>Comment les ... Show More

Llegado a Atenas como un desterrado, Diógenes se adhirió a la secta filosófica de los cínicos, una escuela fundada por un discípulo de Sócrates. Sin embargo, una vez instalado en la gran polis griega, ridiculizó las ideas de Platón y se rebeló contra todos los valores de una soci ... Show More

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Pericles (495-429BC), the statesman who dominated the politics of Athens for thirty years, the so-called Age of Pericles, when the city’s cultural life flowered, its democracy strengthened as its empire grew, and the Acropolis was adorned with the ... Show More

What did "demos" really mean to the Athenians? Why were women such a crucial part of Athenian democracy? And who was the Tom Wamsgams of Athens? Join Tom and Dominic as they explore whether Athenian democracy really was the precursor to modern day democracy, or whether it was som ... Show More