The History of Ancient Greece

In today's special guest episode, I am joined by Dr Denise Eileen McCoskey, Professor of Classics and affiliate of Black World Studies at Miami (OH) University. She has written extensively on the politics of race and gender in antiquity and is currently at work on a project examining the role of eugenics in early twentieth-century classical scholarship. In 2012, she published her book Race: Antiquity & Its Legacy, which will be the topic of today’s conversation. It accounts for the various ways in which ancient cultures thought about race (including race as social practice and racial representations). We also dig into the "Black Athena" controversy a bit and why the field of Classics handled it so poorly. Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/09/special-guest-episode-on-race-antiquity.html

21 Sep 20201h 12min

In this episode, we discuss the Second Greco-Punic War (410-406 BC), as hostilities in Sicily draw in Carthage and the Syracusan fleet away from the eastern Aegean and the Hellespont, including Hannibal Mago's first invasion of Sicily and the destruction of Selinus and Himera, the rebellion of Hermocrates, the rise of Dionysius as tyrant of Syracuse, Hannibal Mago's second invasion of Sicily and his destruction of Akragas, and the ceasefire which would see Carthage and Syracuse as the two strongest powers on Sicily Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/08/105-carthage-enters-war.html   Introduction by Alex Goodman of Antiquity in Question Website: https://anchor.fm/alexandergoodman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AIQpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AIQpodcast

24 Aug 20201h 24min

In this episode, we discuss the years 411-410 BC of the Peloponnesian War, including the shifting of the naval war to the Hellespont, the vigor that the Athenian democracy showed in carrying on the war effort against Sparta and Pharnabazos with victories at Cynossema and Cyzicus, the re-establishment of the radical democracy at Athens, and the transition from the historical account of Thucydides into that of Xenophon's Hellenica. Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/08/104-athenian-empire-strikes-back.html   Intro by Megan Lewis of Digital Hammurabi Website: https://www.digitalhammurabi.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBQo27DbqeB-xG17-kekrdQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitalhammurabi/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/digi_hammurabi

3 Aug 20201h 42min

In this special guest episode, Marc DeSantis and I discuss his most recent book, "A Naval History of the Peloponnesian War: Ships, Men and Money in the War at Sea, 431-404 BC". In particular, we talk about the ship designs, naval combat, the financial burden of navies, and the overall war strategies of both sides.   Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/07/special-guest-episode-on-greek-naval.html

13 Jul 20201h 19min

In this episode, we discuss the years 411-410 BC of the Peloponnesian War, including the third and final treaty between the Spartans and Tissaphernes; the comedic plays "Lysistrata" and "Thesmophoriazusai" by Aristophanes; how the Athenians succumbed to civil war for the first time in nearly a century and saw an overthrow of their democracy by what is known as the 400;   the vicissitudes of this new oligarchic government; and how factionalism between extremists and moderates led to its downfall Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/06/103-oligarchic-coup.html   Intro by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom Speaks Website: https://classicalwisdom.com/podcast-classical-wisdom-speaks/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClassicalWisdom Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalWisdomWeekly/

22 Jun 20202h 19min

In this episode, we discuss the years 413-412 BC of the Peloponnesian War, including the Athenian response at home to the Sicilian Disaster, the Spartan and Theban devastation of Attic agriculture and commerce from Decelea, the dissolution of the "friendship" between Athens and Persia, the Spartans' building up of a navy and encouraging of revolts of Athenian subject-allies, the shifting of the war to the eastern Aegean, and a series of treaties are made between Sparta and the Persian satrap Tissaphernes Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/05/102-livin-on-persian-prayer.html   Intro by Katie Nelson and Olivia Meikle of What's Her Name Podcast Website: https://www.whatshernamepodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatshernamepodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/WhatsHerNamePC

1 Jun 20201h 41min

In today's special guest episode, I am joined by director and screenwriter Esme von Hoffman (Festival of Cinema NYC 2019 Winner for Best Director) for her film, Ovid and the Art of Love. Esme and I discuss her background with Classics and Roman history, what drew her to make a film about the life of Ovid, her artistic vision in adapting the film to a modern audience, and some of the decisions that she made in writing its script.  Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/05/special-guest-episode-on-ovid-and-art.html   ***The film is available to stream on all major platforms on May 19th 2020*** Website: https://www.ovidandtheartoflove.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ovidandtheartoflove Twitter: https://twitter.com/OvidLove

18 Mai 202052min

In this special guest episode, Dr. Owen Rees and I discuss Ancient Greek land warfare in general with lengthy discussions on the definition of a hoplite, its socio-political importance, and the problems surrounding its chronology and historiographic tradition; the problems with the traditional reconstructive models of ancient Greek battles; the important role of cavalry and light infantry, particularly in the Peloponnesian War onwards; and why the concept of an “honorable western way of war” which seeks its origins in ancient Greek warfare is bogus and hyped up in modern ideology. There are also lots of digression on logistics, slaves, baggage trains, training, the Spartan mirage, the brutal experience of war, the fear that it instilled, the war dead, and the transition of soldiers from civilian life to the battlefield and back again, including all the psychological and sociological problems that arise from this.   Show Notes:  http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2020/04/special-guest-episode-on-greek-land.html   Dr Owen Rees Website: http://owenrees.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/reeshistory

27 Apr 20201h 47min