Who was Dionysus, the son of Zeus, and Greek god of ecstasy, revelry and madness? Why was he so central to the ancient Greeks? What is the story of the Bacchae, the play in which a young man is ripped apart by the handmaidens of the goddess Artemis? What did it mean to be a Bacchae, one of the followers of Dionysus, and what shocking acts did it entail? Why ... Show More
Oct 29
718. The Suez Crisis: Britain's Shattered Empire (Part 2)
What role did France, Russia, America and Israel play in the Suez Crisis of 1956? Did the Egyptian leader, President Gamal Abdel Nasser, respond to the foreign invasion with military force? And, how did the debacle unfold? Join Dominic and Tom as they embark upon the final, drama ... Show More
1h 16m
Oct 26
717. The Suez Crisis: Anarchy in the Middle East (Part 1)
Why did the Suez Crisis break out in 1956? Who were Anthony Eden, the British Prime Minister at the heart of the scandal, and Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Egyptian President? And, would the crisis be the death knell to the British Empire? Join Dominic and Tom as they begin their journ ... Show More
1h 26m
Jun 2025
Madness and Piety: A Discussion on The Bacchae Part I
Madness, piety, gore, and reason! Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, host Dcn. Harrison Garlick and the always insightful Dr. Frank Grabowski delve into the first part of Euripides’ The Bacchae—a chilling yet captivating Greek tragedy that explores piety, eros, the nature ... Show More
2h 26m
Sep 2022
Finally We’re Talking About Zagreus, Are You Happy? The Orphic Thrice Born Dionysus
Zagreus, Zagreus, Zagreus. What a mess of a story. It's gross, it's weird, it's both an afterthought and supremely important. Welcome to the story of thrice born Dionysus, better known as Zagreus.CW/TW: **this episode includes particularly egregious assault and incest, even for G ... Show More
38m 43s
Apr 2022
The Symposium: How To Party Like An Ancient Greek
<p>In Ancient Greece, the symposium was no ordinary after-dinner drinking party, but one in which the Hellenic men of society got together to wine, recline and philosophise. They took various forms depending on the whim of the leader of the symposium - the symposiarch - but were ... Show More
41m 34s