It took about ten years, but it looks like our road, like all of them, lead to Rome. Dean Kinzer of Kinzer Coins joins us for a conversation about the role that coins played in the ancient world. He explains how money evolved in ancient Europe, the process through which coins were produced, and how you can see the rise and fall of the Roman empire through the output of their mint.

If you're interested in learning more about ancient coins check out Dean's podcast, The Ancient Coin Hour, or visit Kinzer Coins' website at KinzerCoins.com.

This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.

At the beginning of the 20th century, most of the territory that we call the Middle East- including Syria, Iraq, Israel and Turkey- were part of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman alliance w/ Germany and Austria-Hungary during World War I provided Britain and France w/ the opportunity to divide the once-great empire into many states based on European imperial ambitions. In this episode Bob and Ben speak w/ Eugene Rogan to learn more about why the Ottoman Empire was divided, how that process shaped the Middle East, and how this history helps us understand the world today.

Dr. Eugene Rogan is a Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at St Antony's College, University of Oxford. He is author of The Arabs: A History (Penguin, 2009, 3rd edition 2018), which has been translated in 18 languages and was named one of the best books of 2009 by The Economist, The Financial Times, and The Atlantic Monthly. His new book, The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East, 1914-1920, was published in February 2015.

We'd also like to say a special thanks to the family of Roscoe L. Strickland Jr. for providing the support that brought Dr. Rogan to MTSU as part of the Strickland Scholars Program. Additional thanks goes to Dr. Susan Myers-Shirk for her work in arranging for MTSU's Strickland Scholars to appear on our podcast.

This is a rebroadcast of episode 112 which originally aired on November 19th, 2018. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.

Throughout the latter part of the 20th century, Golf developed a reputation as a sport for wealthy white men who gathered at their exclusive country clubs to make business deals over 18 holes of golf, all the while smoking expensive cigars and drinking martinis (you know, like in CaddyShack?). But then, seemingly from out of nowhere, Tiger Woods burst onto the scene, changing the look and style of the sport forever.

It turns out that most Americans' perception of the sport is does not quite fit the reality. The truth behind golf's history is much more complicated and a bit more noble. And today, Golf raises more money for charity than all other major sports combined. For example, since 1970 the FedEx St Jude Classic Golf tournament has raised over $79 million dollars for the hospital (That number was $33 million when this episode originally aired in 2017). In this episode of the Road to Now we get the story straight in our conversation on the history of golf with Dr. Tony Parker of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.

This episode originally aired as RTN #51 on April 3, 2017. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.

Ben & Bob took a trip to the home of Andrew Jackson, so they took the opportunity to record an episode on their impressions of the Hermitage and why Bob doubts they'll ever have a copy of America's Founding Son in the bookstore. They also talk about Cuba's place in American history and other current events.

Make sure to check out the upcoming AVTT/PTTN tour dates and plan to catch a show if you can!

This episode was recorded in Ben's pickup truck. It was 'edited' by Ben Sawyer and produced by the bumpy roads of Middle Tennessee.

Did you know that the Boston Tea Party was sparked by a corporate tax cut? Or that during the explosive post-WWII economic boom, the highest tax bracket in the US was about 90%? Or that the more democratic a country is, the more taxes its citizens tend to pay?

In this episode, Vanessa S. Williamson joins us for a conversation about her new book, The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History (Basic Books, 2025), the misunderstandings that shape both liberal and conservative attitudes toward tax policy, and the reasons she thinks that taxation and democracy are inseparable in US history.

Dr. Vanessa S. Williamson is Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institute and Senior Fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.

Directors Erik Ewers & Christopher Loren Ewers join us to discuss their new film, Ken Burns Presents: Henry David Thoreau. Erik & Christopher talk about their rediscovery of Thoreau's place in American history, their process for capturing his story, and why Thoreau's views of his own time might resonate with those seeking to make sense of the modern world. The two-part series premieres on PBS March 30-31, so make sure to check your local listings and tune in!

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.

Martin Van Buren served just one term as President from 1837 to 1841, but as the architect behind the founding of the Democratic Party, his legacy lives on in the US today. In this episode, we speak with James M. Bradley, author of the new book Martin Van Buren: America's First Politician, to learn how Van Buren helped reshape politics in the 19th century and laid the groundwork for America's two-party system.

You can learn more about the work being done to preserve the papers of Martin Van Buren at VanBurenPapers.org.

Love history and want to go on a cruise? Join Ben and History That Doesn't Suck's Greg Jackson for a 5-day/4-night cruise of the Caribbean that runs from May 18-22! Visit htdscruise.com for details and enter promo code RTN at checkout for $100 off a cabin!

And don't forget that Bob's new book America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams from President to Political Maverickis now available! Click here to get your copy!

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher and originally aired as episode 324 in January 2025.

Ben & Bob speak with Hans Zeiger, President of the Jack Miller Center for Teaching America's Founding Principles & History. We discuss the work that the JMC is doing to promote teaching the founding principles and civics to Americas young people from kindergarten through college. The JMC will be hosting a National Summit on Civil Education in Philadelphia, May 18-19. Click here for details.

Love history and want to go on a cruise? Join Ben and History That Doesn't Suck's Greg Jackson for a 5-day/4-night cruise of the Caribbean that runs from May 18-22! Visit htdscruise.com for details and enter promo code RTN at checkout for $100 off a cabin!

And don't forget that Bob's new book America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams from President to Political Maverickis now available! Click here to get your copy!

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.

Bob Crawford's first book has arrived! America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams from President to Political Maverick launches March 10 via Zando Press and we're celebrating with an episode dedicated to the book.

Bob will be speaking about his new at bookstores across the country. Click here for dates & locations!

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher

The Oscars hold a special place in popular culture, but the first Academy Awards ceremony, held in 1929, bore little resemblance to the spectacle most of us know today. In this episode, media expert Monica Sandler takes us from that first award ceremony – when both Los Angeles and the films made there struggled for respectability – to the modern extravaganza that draws tens of millions of viewers worldwide. Monica also breaks down the way voting has changed over time, the evolution of categories, and what she thinks was the greatest snub of all time.

Dr. Monica Sandler is a film and media historian at Ball State University, specializing in the history of entertainment prizes and their influence on Hollywood. You can find out more about her at her website: MonicaSandlerPhD.com.

Come find Ben & Bob on the road this summer!

-Bob will be speaking about his new book, America's Founding Son (out March 10) at bookstores across the country. Click here for dates & locations!

-Ben will be joining his friend Greg Jackson of History That Doesn't Suck for a history cruise on the Caribbean from May 18-22, featuring a live recording of The Road to Now! Click here to find out more about a History Cruise That Doesn't Suck and use promo code RTN for $100 off a cabin!

This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.