Confederate General James Longstreet, who was decisive in his opposition to fighting the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1,2 and 3rd 1863. In light that we are not only commemorating the Fourth of July, we should also acknowledge the greatest battle fought on American soil, Gettysburg on July 1,2 and 3rd 1863. Consequently, in this episode will examine the life and career of Confederate General James Longstreet- whom Jose considers the “best Corps Commander on either side in the Civil War,” Victor of Fredericksburg, Chickamagua and who almost turned the tide at the Wilderness. Longstreet vehemently opposed Lee’s decision to attack at Gettysburg and as a result was criticized but he became a pariah in the south for becoming a Republican and supporter of Reconstruction- yes bet you didn’t see that coming. History my friends is nothing else if not surprising!

In this episode, we turn to modern mythology the Marvel Universe. Thanks to Stan Lee, Jack “King” Kirby, Steve Ditko and Jim Starlin- we have a marvelous, pun intended, new mythology. Jose and I will discuss the nature of that mythology- which has from the very beginning incorporated mythological pantheons and Gods while incorporating new archetypes and concepts following Jungian patterns and the Hero’s voyage. Get ready nerds, nuff said and Excelsior

In this episode, José and special guest Carl discuss J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythological background and foundation for The Lord of the Rings and its Middle-earth, his life’s work, The Silmarillion. They will explore the quality and validity of The Silmarillion as a coherent and credible modern mythology and secondary epic. The nuance of its ideas, complexities, themes, morals, and inspirations will be discussed.

This episode will examine the life and career of one of the most influential of the Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804). As a young military aide to George Washington, he impressed the Commander in Chief with his organizational brilliance while craving military glory.  He went on to support the US Constitution by coauthoring the Federalist Papers, particularly Federalist 78 on the judiciary. Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury and reorganized the American economy on the basis of three brilliant reports to the Congress. He was detested by Thomas Jefferson who called the self made Hamilton an elitist. Hamilton was also the protagonist of the first government sex scandal in  US history dealing with it in a most interesting way. Join us on this episode and enjoy the ride!

This episode will explore the political system that Polybius called the most balanced and effective constitution in history. How did the Roman elite- about 100 families control millions as they conquered an empire and how/why did this system collapse in the Roman Revolution (133-27 BCE) we will deal with the process of empire building and warfare that built the Roman edifice but also contributed to the demise of the Republic.

In this episode, Jose and Felix discuss the history of Islam and its contemporary consequences. We will delve into how Muhammad was influenced by Judaism and Christianity. Additionally, the podcast will examine a few critical moments and debates in the Islamic world.

In this episode Jose explores the history of Christianity by examining the basic documents of the tradition in the context of its turbulent history. Was Jesus a historical or a purely mythological figure? Was he something in between? These questions along with how did Christianity manage to not only survive but also triumph.

In this episode Jose explores whether the story of Moses has any foundation in archeology. It analyzes the development of a political ideology based on earlier myths and contrasts the tale with the verifiable history to demonstrate a purposeful effort by the seventh century King of Judah Josiah to appropriate earlier traditions to unify disparate tribes.