In this special linguistic episode, Doug discusses the importance and lasting impact that the Latin language has had on our Western culture. To give you an idea of how many Latin words, expressions, and abbreviations you use and hear without even realizing, Doug takes you through a situation where you find yourself graduating from college, getting a job, and then being accused of homicide (man-killing). Through the situation you will see how much Latin gets bandied about in ordinary (and extraordinary) contexts. Hopefully, your mind explodes just a bit as you finally realize what all of these things you've been saying for years really mean.

Join us as we learn about the broke farmer who was granted unlimited power by his government to save Rome from disaster.  After a two week military campaign and victory celebration, Cincinnatus gave back all the power he was given, and went back to his plow. The story is iconic. So iconic in fact, that George Washington modeled his whole career after Cincinnatus. We conclude the episode comparing Washington and Cincinnatus, and discuss a leadership attribute that we can glean from the two of them.

Marie talks about Ovid, Catullus, Virgil. Roman poets who are so sappy that it's adorable. Other topics: Augustus, the Aeneid, reasons to break up with your girlfriend.

Have a question? Email us! 

Also for real, read Catullus 5

https://latinintranslation.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/catullus-5/

Also listen to the Aenied https://librivox.org/the-aeneid-by-virgil/

In this episode, Doug takes a step back from the history to expound on the structure and roles of the Roman Republic. And you will see how many features of our republic today are copied and pasted from the Romans' homework: the rule of law, inalienable rights, checks and balances, veto powers, bicameral legislatures, and representative democracy to name a few. 

In this episode, you will also learn about a lot of terms we use to talk about government today: demagogues, dictators, censuses, tribunals, plebeians, patricians, prerogatives, and vetoes. Oh my!

Marie discusses the origins of the Roman Republic, how to be a terrible inlaw, and why you should stick your hand in an open flame.

(In plainer terms, the reign of Servius Tullius, the expulsion of Tarquinius the Proud, the creation of the republic, Mucius Scaevola, Horatius Cocles).

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In this episode we examine the history of Athens between 700 BC and 500 BC and see how this ancient kingdom went through a series of reforms and counter-reforms, revolutions and counter-revolutions to develop DEMOCRACY!!!  

Despite its problems, democracy, and the ideas that came with it: equality under the law, power in the hands of the many instead of the few, jury by peers, constitutional safeguards against tyranny, and proportional representation are some of the most important ideas in western civilization and we owe a great debt to the Athenians who developed and wrote about these ideas. Namely, Draco, Solon, Kleisthenes, and Aristotle.

The sources used in this episode:

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/athenian_const.1.1.html

http://agathe.gr/democracy/tyranny.html

http://www.athensinfoguide.com/history/t2-1historical.htm

http://ancientathens.weebly.com/social-classes.html

https://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rauhn/athens_tyranny.htm

The last episode in our series on the Persian Wars discussing the battles of Salamis and Platea. How did those Greeks end up banding together? How did they almost fall apart? Why am I asking you all these questions? 

https://hestia.open.ac.uk/the-digital-text/

In this extra special episode, join us as Doug gives the Spartan side of the story in the Greco-Persian War. He will discuss Spartan beliefs, culture, and economy as a prelude to discussing their efforts in resisting the Persians. These efforts culminated at the battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartan soldiers stood with 7,000 other Greeks to fend off tens of thousands of Persians. This battle would not have been possible without the support of the Greek navy that held off the Persian triremes with their 30,000 marines at Artemisium. Though the battle ended in defeat, the 300 Spartans and around 700 other brave Greeks valiantly sacrificed themselves to save the thousands of other Greek soldiers and sailors, buying them time to fortify other cities and straits.

In this episode, we discuss the history and strategies of the Battle at Marathon. Giant Empire versus shrimpy city-state... Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story? 

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In this episode, Doug talks about how the Greeks invented the idea of the West during the epic conflict of the Greco-Persian Wars. We then explore what "The West" has evolved to mean today, and how we ought to study and look back on the Greeks. Prior to the industrial revolution, children in school and youths in college could read and speak Greek, and knew the stories, myth, history, philosophy, and science. This training gave them the tools to run our civilization, protect us from tyranny, think critically, and be lifelong learners. It is imperative that we revive that formation today.