Relevant History

In the first century BC, the Roman Republic is expanding rapidly across the Mediterranean basin. As the legions venture eastward into Anatolia, the Romans are able to divide and conquer all of their enemies, except for one: Mithridates VI of Pontus, also known as the Poison King.

Mithridates is more than a mere historical figure; he’s a mythic hero, born under the sign of a shooting star and nearly murdered by his own mother before spending much of his youth in the wilderness. These details may sound made up, but truth is often stranger than fiction, and the story of Mithridates is one of the strangest ever told.

Map of Anatolia during Mithridates’ reign: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Asia_Minor_in_the_Greco-Roman_period_-_general_map_-_regions_and_main_settlements.jpg

My Interview with Sean McFadden of Deep Noetics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eecCdz7cbug

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRmqvP5OKsISkJeh798lUhzBaublU3RwXtQJm78gx0jBSn5i5rM7PlmXIC7RXxs2G6bjymLQKKX8Kgn/pub

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

SOURCES:

Appian: https://www.livius.org/sources/content/appian/appian-the-mithridatic-wars/

Cassius Dio: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html

Justin: https://www.attalus.org/translate/justin6.html#37.1

Livy: https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/baker-the-history-of-rome-vol-6 (Livy’s work on Mithridates is lost. Only a summary remains.)

Philip Matyszak, Mithridates the Great, Rome’s Indomitable Enemy: https://www.everand.com/read/444975669/Mithridates-the-Great-Rome-s-Indomitable-Enemy

Adrienne Mayor, The Poison King, the Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy

Valerius Maximus: http://attalus.org/info/valerius.html

Brian McGing, The Foreign Policy of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus: https://archive.org/details/foreignpolicyofm0000mcgi/page/n13/mode/2up

Brian McGing (Encyclopaedia Iranica article on Pontus): https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/pontus

Plutarch’s Parallel Lives:

                -Sulla https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Sulla*.html

                -Lucullus https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Lucullus*.html

                -Pompey https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Pompey*.html

                -Sertorius https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Sertorius*.html

Rank-Raglan mythotype and scores: https://everything.explained.today/Rank%E2%80%93Raglan_mythotype/

Laurence M. V. Totelin (study on antidote): https://www.jstor.org/stable/4130095?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Bonus Episode – Why Capitalists Make the Best Communists

In this bonus episode, Dan delves into the nitty-gritty of far-left politics and the history of various ideologies dedicated to the establishment of communism.

Then he asks the question: What if the best way to build an egalitarian utopia is via the power of capitalism?

Apologies for the constant birdsong in the background. It was a gorgeous day and I decided to record with the window open. Never again!

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQJPex4SmcO4a7c-p2sh7OEz0VaDlS1_oxinP_qlwWz5IhxwBgGnkyYw11LPKY6XxzmsdevibU40VYL/pub           

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In the sixth and final installment on the French Revolution, Dan takes a deep dive into one of history’s most influential and controversial figures: Napoleon Bonaparte.

After winning victory for France in Northern Italy, the brilliant young general has the attention of the French Directory. A campaign in Egypt and victory in another war will put Napoleon in a position to become Emperor. But across the English Channel, Great Britain continues a naval blockade and a diplomatic campaign to unite Europe against the new French Empire.

To hold onto power, Napoleon will battle a series of coalitions, each time hoping it will be the last. Win or lose, one thing is certain: Europe – and the world – will never be the same.

NOTE: Because this is a very long episode, I have included timestamps for each chapter at the end of this description.

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSX7OwjHODNJxt3aNlynA1e2SPLsHaavqDrhe4RmhOWBJwB23UlY84yO6nIXdutScKLplri9xQVUIwi/pub

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:

Introduction – 0:00:00

Chapter 1: The French Directory – 0:5:09

Chapter 2: The Invasion of Egypt – 0:33:03

Chapter 3: The Second Directory – 0:55:04

Chapter 4: Napoleon Takes Command – 1:10:32

Chapter 5: The War of the Second Coalition – 1:41:18

Chapter 6: The French Consulate – 2:20:01

Chapter 7: A Changing Continent – 2:47:07

Chapter 8: Emperor Napoleon – 3:08:54

Chapter 9: The War of the Third Coalition – 3:32:04

Chapter 10: Austerlitz – 3:52:41

Chapter 11: The End of an Empire – 4:13:22

Chapter 12: The War of the Fourth Coalition – 4:30:35

Chapter 13: The Continental System and the Peninsular War – 4:48:09

Chapter 14: Re-Painting the Map of Europe – 5:02:30

Chapter 15: The War of the Fifth Coalition – 5:21:38

Chapter 16: Life in Napoleonic France – 5:42:49

Chapter 17: Spies and Diplomats – 5:54:01

Chapter 18: The Grande Armée – 6:10:27

Chapter 19: The Arson of Moscow – 6:31:46

Chapter 20: The War of 1812 – 6:41:45

Chapter 21: The War of the Sixth Coalition – 6:49:15

Chapter 22: The Fall of an Emperor – 7:28:24

Chapter 23: Elba – 7:44:39

Chapter 24: The Bourbon Restoration – 7:56:20

Chapter 25: The March to Paris – 8:13:11

Chapter 26: The Hundred Days – 8:28:31

Chapter 27: Waterloo – 8:43:24

Chapter 28: The Death of a Legend – 9:02:22

Chapter 29: The World After Napoleon – 9:14:19

Epilogue: What Did the French Revolution Achieve? – 9:42:38

The Reign of Terror reaches a climax when the French Revolutionaries begin to turn on one another. Jacques Hébert and Georges Danton are executed, and Robespierre rules briefly as a dictator, verging on a god-king. After the Festival of the Supreme Being, he too will face the guillotine.

A new government takes power, ruled by men like the corrupt Paul Barras, who have survived the Reign of Terror. Meanwhile, a new generation of military commanders also takes the stage, led by an artillery commander named Napoleon Bonaparte. Will the republic survive, or will the French Revolution lead to another dictatorship?

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRKfoIREpNFsjjY4mL3WX4yv8ILnwflsNzI9vVQwLk_mGDjyIFLpRpYXj7BwmwtNqAN175UbxTA_EvV/pub

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

When the young French Republic declares war on the Netherlands, all hell breaks loose. Within a month, the French find themselves facing a coalition that includes Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and most of Italy.

At home, a counter-revolution in the rural Vendee region threatens to tear the country in two, and smaller federalist revolts break out in several major cities. In Paris, Robespierre and the Mountain seize control of the government from the Girondins, and send a flurry of people to the guillotine.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

After the Flight to Varennes, the Parisian public turns decisively against Louis XVI. The French constitutional monarchy teeters on the brink, reliant on a war with Austria to maintain public confidence. When the war turns against France, the French people turn against their government and overthrow the King for good.

A new legislature is formed, and the revolutionaries struggle to achieve their goals on the battlefield and in politics. Meanwhile, the French Revolution cannot move forward with a deposed King who sits in limbo. As 1792 comes to a close, Louis XVI is put on trial for his life.

***CONTENT WARNING***

Since we’re coming up on the Reign of Terror and a lot of people are about to get guillotined, the last portion of this episode is an addendum on the history of capital punishment. This addendum covers both the pre-modern and modern world, and I talk about both state and non-state actors. There are graphic descriptions of torture and execution, so proceed with caution.

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSyb6ZCzMdX7smyU089I2hTLvboZamoo7WXWBYlTRXAld0Tszm80D5g1_e2MYW8x0HwNAR_yNxRd71K/pub

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

After the Storming of the Bastille, the French Revolution shifts into high gear. The Constituent Assembly quickly abolishes feudal reforms and promotes the foundation of a new government with a document: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

1790 is a quieter year, but under the surface, divisions harden as the Paris political clubs metamorphosize into modern political parties. Meanwhile, the Assembly faces unexpected backlash when it passes the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, a law that converts all Catholic clergy into civil servants employed by the state.

All of this culminates in the famous Flight to Varennes, an ill-fated attempt by the royal family to escape France altogether. The consequences for France – and for humanity – are yet to be seen.

Dan’s interview with Ro Martin on the Stoned Genius podcast: https://spotify.link/wZdJiSEY4Db

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRO_5dI2Ubxpe-wJOFRnZbWesgwAVzm_uIbxLho0pZOaHtm24okuTMexhjNIBmc5DUxBTZxka3qbMOY/pub

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

The French Revolution is a watershed moment not just in the history of France, but for all of humanity. Old ideas of class, hierarchy, and the divine right of kings are being challenged. For the first time since the classical era, an urban proletariat is starting to demand its own voice in politics. But the Revolution doesn’t start that way.

What begins as a financial crisis for the French government requires a legislative body to sign off on new taxes. This body, the Estates General, calls for additional reforms, which provokes a reactionary response from the conservative faction of the government, led by Louis XVI’s Austrian wife, Marie Antoinette. The public backlash goes beyond the Estates General, culminating in a series of street riots that end in one of history’s most iconic moments: the Storming of the Bastille.

What is the Third Estate? (Complete text): https://pages.uoregon.edu/dluebke/301ModernEurope/Sieyes3dEstate.pdf

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTx_oaOfhi7aZmALI_W1Sy-d_sPnveEGE6zmtHEbLuDWRYb3pS5LCX7x7sKUHQFlNp9IuFaUSW94HFP/pub

What do the Kennedy assassination, the Martin Luther King assassination, and the Iraq War all have in common? Maybe nothing. Or maybe they were all orchestrated by a shadow government that has quietly taken over the United States.

In this bonus episode, Dan delves into the realm of conspiracy theory and asks whether everything we thought we knew about US history since 1960 was wrong.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode gets political, and Dan also talks about conspiracy theories. If you prefer a straight history podcast, best to skip this one.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

HELPFUL LINKS:

1947 National Security Act: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Act_of_1947#Provisions

1960 U2 Incident: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_U-2_incident

JFK assassination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ltg2RgHlsQ

MLK assassination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TA2AIuAuW8

RFK assassination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVScM_9Tn-s

Article on RFK assassination audio forensics: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2018/06/06/the-bobby-kennedy-assassination-tape-were-13-shots-fired-or-only-8/

NATO expansion timeline: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-world-war-ii-sweden-finland-240d97572cc783b2c7ff6e7122dd72d2

Some background on NATO-Russia relations, including as regards Ukraine: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/why-nato-has-become-flash-point-russia-ukraine

Iraq War documents leak: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War_documents_leak

Collateral Murder video: https://collateralmurder.wikileaks.org/

DISHFIRE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dishfire

PRISM: https://www.theverge.com/2013/7/17/4517480/nsa-spying-prism-surveillance-cheat-sheet

US worker productivity vs. inflation-adjusted pay: https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/

Former US intelligence agents at social media companies: https://www.mintpressnews.com/meet-ex-cia-agents-deciding-facebook-content-policy/281307/

Robert F Kennedy audio footage courtesy of: https://www.jfklibrary.org/

Audio of Ron Wyden and James Clapper courtesy of C-SPAN (audio-only license)

The British surrender at Yorktown isn’t the end of the American War for Independence, but it’s the end of the war in North America, and within another year the war overseas is also finished. With peace comes an end to the bloodshed, a chance to rebuild, and a turning point in many people’s lives.

But the end of the war is not the end of the American Revolution. Now that independence has been won, a new nation struggles to find its identity. In this episode, we’ll talk about the Constitutional Convention, George Washington’s presidency, and more.

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Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRe4Yrdjcca4QDfc-Yx6AC2wZlnddMbmmbVEYUsKJe-pabERL3laolInY7oJvHR7ak-fMgdmLcb0pdm/pub

Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY:

An American Crisis: George Washington and the Dangerous Two Years After Yorktown, 1781–1783 by William M. Fowler: https://amzn.to/3IUV8IF

Spain and the Independence of the United States: An Intrinsic Gift by Thomas E. Chavez: https://amzn.to/40V0XN1

The American Revolution: A Global War by Richard Ernest Dupuy: https://amzn.to/3K8K8at

Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution by Dan L. Morrill: https://amzn.to/3KOJtwJ

100 Decisive Battles from Ancient Times to the Present, by Paul K Davis: https://amzn.to/3BBx1Ld

George Washington – A Military Life by Edward G Lengel: https://amzn.to/3Jc5kMs

General George Washington: A Military Life by Edward G. Lengel: https://amzn.to/3lowoQB

Valiant ambition : George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick: https://amzn.to/3yLXmoe

The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon by John Ferling: https://amzn.to/3JOdJXJ

Washington: The Indispensable Man by James Thomas Flexner: https://amzn.to/3Lv5bqb