In this episode, we explore what happened to gender in the pressure-cooker of ancient war. To do that, we skip ahead ten years to a different beach: the war-blasted, corpse-strewn sands below the walls of Troy.
As the Trojan War dragged on, the most respect went to those who were able to slaughter and pillage and plunder: gender for men devolved into “Smash ... Show More
Jun 25
The Secret Lives of Julio-Claudian Wives (Part 1)
Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! The First Ladies of Rome—the women of Augustus’ family—played a role in building his empire. Octavia, Livia, Julia, Agrippina—these were the women who helped kill a democracy. In this episode, we will explore how they ... Show More
1h 16m
Mar 2018
Achilles & Agamemnon, the Real Housewives of the Trojan War (The Iliad, Part 1)
We're in it now. Achilles and Agamemnon have a major spat over a prize (read: a woman). The gods are called in to settle things, and everyone gets a little dramatic. CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, ... Show More
27m 7s
Aug 2024
Choose Your Fighter: Achilles as a Manly Archetype
The game is on, Helen is abducted, and now it's time to gather the Greeks for war. There are lots of stories about how the Achaean forces made their way to Troy, and some of them--like the story of the Achilles heel--are permanently associated in the popular imagination with Home ... Show More
59m 44s
Oct 2024
The Trojan War
The Trojan War was a time of heroes. From the swift-footed Achilles, and the hot-headed Prince Paris, to the beautiful Queen Helen, and the all-powerful gods, Zeus, Athena, and Aphrodite. In these early days of what we now call Ancient Greece, the story of Troy was already a saga ... Show More
54m 20s
Aug 2016
EPISODE 14 “DEADLY DESTINY”
THE STORY: (57 minutes) This episode, pivotal to the entire Trojan War Epic, features philosophy, bedroom farce, and genuine tragedy -- all in equal measure. Temptation plays the lead: Agamemnon tempts Achilles; Hera tempts Zeus; and Patroclus tempts Deadly Destiny. THE COMMENTAR ... Show More
1h 17m
Aug 2016
EPISODE 13 “TERRIBLE, GLORIOUS WAR”
THE STORY: (56 minutes) As Greek and Trojan forces openly clash on the plains of Troy the goddess Athena imbues a Greek warlord – Diomedes – with fearsome, godlike powers of combat. So with the Trojan forces in disarray and on the verge of wholescale panic, Hector decides on an a ... Show More
1h 14m