Read more: Returning to the long-lost city of Miletus, we begin our journey through the history of Western philosophy alongside pre-Socratic thinkers such as Thales (who thought that everything was water), Anaximander (who thought that everything was nothing), and Heraclitus (who thought that everyone was a waste of his time)! Building on our vocabulary of philosophy,... ()

Read more: What is the universe made of? Why does nature operate in the ways that it does? What is truth? Can we even know truth? Is there a God? Ought we to behave in certain ways? These questions are the subject of the timeless conversation that is Western Philosophy. In this episode, we’ll define some... ()

Read more: Enter stage right! It’s time to break a leg as we explore the world of Greek Drama. Drawing on Homer and the great myths of ancient Greek religion, these early plays “set the stage” for 2500 years of Western Literature! We’ll explore how and why the ancient Greeks wrote plays, examine the differences between... ()

Read more: In this corrections and correspondence episode, we delve a little deeper into the history of the Persian Empire. In particular, we learn more about Cyrus the Great and his son, Cambyses, clearing up some misconceptions about the Persian War from the last episode. Thanks to everyone who wrote in!

Read more: Something is coming…something big! All of Asia is mustered, and they’re coming to enslave Athens, Sparta, and the rest of the gang! In this episode about the Persian War, we’ll hear Herodotus’ account of the titanic conflict that pit the Aegean world against Xerxes, King of Persia. From Marathon, to Thermopylae, to Salamis, we’ll... ()

Read more: The Ancient Athenian Tourism Bureau welcomes you, Spartan, to our walking tour of the City of Athens. On the way, we’ll learn about the differences between our two great city-states. Farming, government, and social life…you’ll see it all on our tour of the polis! (It’s a good thing the archons gave you special permission…I... ()

Read more: In this episode on ancient Greek warfare, we learn about the fabled military formation that would take the Balkan city-states from amateur skirmishers to imperial powers: the phalanx! Alone, each hoplite (or shield-carrying soldier) was a helpless target, but as part of a phalanx, the Aegean citizen-soldier became a force to be reckoned with.... ()

Read more: In this episode on Greek Mythology, we’ll see how from Chaos came Darkness, from Darkness came Love, and from Love came Light and Day. …Before long, the universe had created the gods! Still, the universe was not ready for Greek Civilization. The barbaric world of primordial violence had to be tamed by the anthropomorphic... ()

Read more: It’s anchors aweigh as we set sail for the stormy Aegean Sea! Before the Greeks came to inhabit the Mediterranean, the Aegean was home to two Bronze Age Civilizations: the Minoans and the Mycenaeans. In Episode 19, we’ll learn how myth and archaeology have shaped our understanding of these civilizations along with the rest... ()

Read more: In this C&C episode, we address some long-overdue correspondence…and even get scammed by a foreign benefactor! Happy Fourth of July Weekend!