Greeced Lightning

This episode, join Sara and Sam as they let their tired toddler parent show while exploring a few choice classical-age cities. Discussion includes game naming conventions, the Pythian oracle, and a mindful Minotaur.

• Hekatompedon: Athens Acropolis Museum
• The Delphi Charioteer
• Pithoi from Knossos
• Dolphins in Knossos
• Procession Frieze in Knossos

This episode, Greeced Lightning dives into the Gen Z Odyssey with Epic: The Musical. Sam’s dislike of classics-themed musicals is confirmed as we discuss Baby Hitler, amoral heroes, Sara’s Iowa caucus experience, and the best bit of the Odyssey that this adaptation left out.

Join Sara and Sam as we discuss Polismos: taxing the rich, government satisfaction rates, and the calming effect of our first city builder set in Greece rather than Rome.

Time to make the film bros mad with Greeced Lightning After Dark! Sara and Sam are revisiting Petronius’s Satyricon, through the lens of the Fellini Satyricon. It didn’t go well for your hosts at all. Join us for our big feelings and big confusion around this critically acclaimed film, which is also "the worst film Sam has ever seen."

• Petronius's Satyricon, translated by P.G. Walsh - An excellent translation with notes and an introduction, by P.G. Walsh.
• Tacitus on Petronius - In the Annals Book 16, sections 17-19, Tacitus tells us about Petronius's fall from Arbiter of Elegance and his ultimate end.

This episode, Sam and Sara run the Battle of Raphia in two versions of Total War, head to head. Join us to hear which version we liked better, and to learn more about the only known battle when African and Asian elephants faced each other, including: the Hellenistic successor kingdoms, how to pronounce Seleucid, and the alarming 250-year expiration date of a nation.

• Polybius: Histories Book 5

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this emergency broadcast: Sam and Sara saw Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey in theaters and break down everything they loved — and everything they didn't — about this adaptation. Movie spoilers abound. (If you're worried about poem spoilers at this point, as a listener of Greeced Lightning, we have questions for you.)

Sara and Sam explore the life of Roman office workers in the TV show Plebs. Join us to hear all about Roman orgies, the sex appeal of gladiators, the slippery slope into authoritarianism, and the age-old question: what is the worst place to meet someone in ancient Rome?

• Horace, Satire 2.6: City mouse and country mouse

It’s finally happening: Greeced Lightning is tackling the Punic Wars! Join Sam and Sara for a lightning round of military history and Total War Rome Remastered: Hannibal Barca, teenage Sam’s World of Warcraft obsession, and Roman facial hair.

• Polybius: Histories, Bk. 3
• Livy Bk. 21

Sam and Sara dive into their first listener-recommended content! Grab a gallon of wine and join us as we wonder: who is the fish man? what is happening in Krapopolis? would we rather be dealing with the excrement of our children and/or pets than finding out?

• Ovid's Fasti, Book 5.493ff.: Orion's unsavory origins
• Iliad 19.74ff.: The story of Ate's banishment

We are kicking off Season 4 with something a little different: our first interview! Dr. Ben Angell, the Narrative Lead at CaptureAge, joins Sara and Sam to discuss his work on the Age of Empires II Chronicles: Alexander the Great and our Season 3 favorite, Battle for Greece. Come for the use of ancient sources in story and character development, stay for the predictions of future Chronicles campaigns.

• Age of Empires II: DE - Chronicles: Alexander the Great on Steam
• Alexander Mosaic
• Ben Angell: Writer, Narrative Designer, Voice Director