The Olympic Games didn’t begin with gold medals, national anthems, or massive stadiums. They began nearly 3,000 years ago in ancient Greece as a sacred festival dedicated to Zeus — where city-states paused wars, athletes competed for honor, and victory meant glory, not money.

In this episode of Have To Know History, we explore the true origins of the Olympic Games:• Why Greek city-states stopped fighting just to hold the Games• What events the ancient athletes actually competed in• Why competitors ran, wrestled, and fought completely naked• How the Olympic truce worked in the ancient world• The story behind the first marathon• Why the Games eventually disappeared — and how they were reborn

From Olympia and the Temple of Zeus to pankration, chariot races, olive wreaths, and the idea of arete (excellence), this is the story of how the Olympics began — and why their influence still echoes every time the torch is lit.

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.
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What is courage? What is love? What is beauty?

More than 2,400 years ago, Socrates was asking the same questions we still struggle with today. In this episode of Have To Know History, we explore Socrates, the Socratic Method, and why asking questions — instead of accepting easy answers — became one of the most powerful tools in Western thought.

Socrates believed wisdom begins by admitting what you don’t know. That belief made him famous… and ultimately led to his execution.

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What does it really mean to be romantic?

Believe it or not, the word “romance” originally meant being Roman.

In this episode of Have To Know History, we explore how the ancient Romans saw themselves as refined, polished, and civilized — and how that self-image shaped the meaning of romance, love, and even the Romance languages we still speak today.

From Roman bathhouses and Latin poetry to the rise of Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian, this episode connects everyday words to ancient history in a way that will completely change how you think about love and language.

We also look at how Latin evolved after the fall of Rome, why “barbarian” languages got their name, and how modern English is changing in similar ways today.

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.
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Before he conquered Rome, before he became dictator, and long before his dramatic assassination, Julius Caesar made one decision that changed everything: he crossed the Rubicon.

In 49 BC, Caesar stood on the edge of a small river that marked the legal boundary of his authority. Crossing it with his army was treason. Not crossing it meant losing everything — his power, his allies, his safety, and possibly his life.

According to ancient writers, a mysterious “man of noble mien” appeared, grabbed a trumpet, and signaled the march forward… as if fate itself pushed Caesar across the line.

In this episode, we explore:
• what the Rubicon actually was
• why crossing it was illegal under Roman law
• how Caesar’s enemies backed him into a corner
• the eerie story of the trumpet-blower
• and how one river crossing ignited a civil war that ended the Roman Republic

Once Caesar crossed that river, there truly was no turning back.
For him — or for Rome.

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Julius Caesar, Crossing the Rubicon, Rubicon River, Roman Republic, ancient Rome, Caesar civil war, Caesar vs Pompey, Roman history, Caesar biography, world history podcast, Have To Know History, Jason Freewalt

Before Julius Caesar became the most famous Roman in history, he was kidnapped by Cilician pirates — who had no idea who they were dealing with.

In this episode, we explore the unbelievable true story of how young Caesar:
• mocked the pirates holding him hostage
• demanded they raise his ransom because he was “worth more”
• treated the pirates like his employees
• promised he’d come back to punish them
• and then actually returned with a fleet to make good on his promise

It’s bold, hilarious, and a little terrifying — and it reveals the early personality of the man who would reshape Rome.

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Julius Caesar, Cilician pirates, Caesar kidnapping, Roman Republic, ancient Rome, Caesar biography, Roman history podcast, Have To Know History, Jason Freewalt, pirates of the Mediterranean, Caesar ransom story, early life of Caesar

Julius Caesar. Pompey. The Roman Senate. The Rubicon. The epic assassination.

This is the dramatic story of how the Roman Republic collapsed — and how one ambitious general changed world history forever.

In this episode of Have To Know History, we break down Caesar’s rise to power, his conquest of Gaul, his rivalry with Pompey the Great, and the fateful moment he crossed the Rubicon and plunged Rome into civil war. You’ll hear how political chaos, military ambition, corruption, and unstoppable popularity pushed the Republic to its breaking point and led to the fall of the Roman Republic.

Perfect for listeners who love:
• Roman history
• Julius Caesar stories
• Ancient civilizations
• Myth-busting, fast-paced explanations
• Short, engaging history podcasts

If you’ve ever wondered how Rome transformed from a republic into an empire, this is the episode for you.

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz isn’t just a fantasy story — it may also be a hidden allegory about America in the late 1800s.

In this episode, we explore how L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel reflects the Panic of 1893, the gold vs. silver debate, and the rise of the Populist movement.

We break down the symbolic meaning behind:

• Dorothy and ordinary Americans

• The Scarecrow and farmers

• The Tin Woodman and industrial workers

• The Cowardly Lion and political power

• The Wicked Witches of East and West

• The Yellow Brick Road (gold standard)

• Silver shoes (the silver standard)

• Emerald City and illusion

• The Wizard and leadership without real authority

Whether Baum meant it or not, the timing is remarkable—and the parallels are eye-opening.

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.
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Long before Instagram or travel blogs, the ancient Greeks made the world’s first bucket list — the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. From the Great Pyramid of Giza to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, these incredible creations showed what humans could build with imagination, ambition, and divine inspiration.

In this episode, Mr. Freewalt takes you on a journey through the ancient Mediterranean to uncover the stories behind each Wonder — what they were, how they were built, and why most of them have vanished.

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.

🎙️ Hosted by Jason Freewalt

#History #SevenWonders #HaveToKnowHistory #JasonFreewalt #AncientWorld

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.

Rome didn’t start with marble temples and mighty emperors. According to legend, it began with a jealous king, an abandoned pair of twins, a war god, and a wolf.

In this episode, we dive into the myth of Romulus and Remus — and why the Romans needed this story.

Here’s what we explore:

• 🏛️ Rome’s not-so-glamorous real beginnings — a collection of rough shepherd tribes along the Tiber

• ✍️ How the poet Virgil, under Emperor Augustus, invented a heroic origin linking Rome to the survivors of Troy

• 👶 The twins Romulus and Remus — born of a Vestal Virgin and the god Mars

• 🐺 The she-wolf who rescued and nursed them

• ⚔️ The brothers’ return to overthrow a tyrant — and the deadly fight that followed

• 👑 The founding of Rome, the Sabine Women, and Romulus’ rise as the first king

• 🌩️ His mysterious death (or ascension) and transformation into the god Quirinus

So… is any of it true? Maybe not.
But it tells us how the Romans wanted to see themselves — fierce, chosen by the gods, born from struggle and ambition.

This is Have To Know History — history you just have to know.
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After the Greek city-states united to defeat the mighty Persian Empire, peace didn’t last long. Athens rose to power through the Delian League, transforming an alliance for defense into an empire of tribute, ships, and wealth. Sparta watched with growing resentment — and before long, the two greatest powers in Greece were on a collision course.

In this Have To Know History – Story Time episode, I trace how Greek victory over Persia led to the bitter rivalry that tore Greece apart in the Peloponnesian War.

🏛️ What you’ll hear in this story:

• How the Persian invasions united Greece at Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis

• How Athens turned the Delian League into an empire

• Why Sparta could no longer ignore Athenian dominance

• How jealousy, pride, and ambition led to the greatest Greek civil war in history

🎙️ This is Have To Know History – Story Time, where I bring ancient events to life through dramatic storytelling and classroom energy.

Thanks for listening — and remember, not all empires fall from enemies abroad… some crumble from within.