Cost of Glory

A conversation with American classicist, military historian, and conservative political commentator Victor Davis Hanson.
We discuss:
Why Epaminondas remains one of the most underrated commanders in Greek history, and how the loss of Plutarch's Life of Epaminondas has obscured his legacy
The pivotal liberation of Thebes in 378 BC: how a small band of conspirators overthrew the Spartan-backed oligarchy and sparked a democratic revolution
Epaminondas's strategic masterstroke at Leuctra — the deep oblique phalanx on the left — and how it shattered 200 years of Spartan military supremacy
How freeing the Messenian Helots and building Megalopolis, Mantinea, and Messene permanently encircled and emasculated Sparta as a great power
The fatal miscalculation of 335 BC: why Thebes revolted against Alexander on the basis of a false rumor, and how every potential ally abandoned them
The recurring pattern of doomed civilizations — from Thebes to Carthage to Constantinople — that share delusions about allies, enemies, and their own decline
What ancient history reveals about America's current strengths and vulnerabilities, from demographic pressures to the China threat

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Part 3 of 3 of the Life of Julius Caesar. 
Did Caesar want to be a King? A god? What was his vision for Rome? Was there a way he could have prevented his assassination? 
In this episode:
Caesar returns to Rome 
His Triumphs
His Reforms 
His Clemency 
His Final War in Spain; the Batle of Munda
The Octavius Question
The Plots, Dreams, Portents, 
The men he trusted; the men who betrayed him

Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business.  Powered by Shokworks.
Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series.
And check out Warlords of History podcast here!

In this episode:
Michael Gibson's origin story
Meeting Peter Thiel and launching the Thiel Fellowship
The importance of Aristotle
Aristotle on "The Gigachad"
Is intelligence enough?
Failure of philosophy is present in Plato's work...not Aristotle's
Alexander the Great's major influence
Inspiration from the immortals
Why victory is better than happiness
Friends as a second self

A conversation with the bestselling author, classicist and the military and naval historian Barry Strauss about his latest book Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World’s Mightiest Empire.

We explore:
Why Julius Caesar became a key patron of the Jews and how his support shaped Jewish life in the Roman Empire
The pivotal moment when Antipater (Herod's father) saved Caesar in Egypt, and how it changed Jewish-Roman relations
Caesar's assassination: the personal ambitions and fears that drove the conspirators beyond Republican ideology
Herod the Great's extraordinary political survival skills: switching allegiances from Antony to Octavian and always landing on his feet
The ruthless pragmatism of Herod's reign, including the execution of his own talented sons
The historical plausibility of the "slaughter of the innocents" story and what it reveals about Herod's character
For Barry's previous appearance, check out episode 81.
Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/
Get in touch at:
Website: https://costofglory.com
X: https://x.com/costofglory

A conversation with Johnathan Bi (Cosmos Institute, The Great Books podcast) for a deep dive into Stoicism through the life and philosophy of Cato the Younger.
We explore:
Why Stoicism continues to attract modern audiences
Jonathan’s personal journey with Stoicism—and why he ultimately turned to other philosophies
Nietzsche’s critique of Stoicism as a coping mechanism
How Cato embodied Stoic principles (and where he may have fallen short)
The tension between Stoic theory and Stoic practice in figures like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius
Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/
Get in touch at:
Website: https://costofglory.com
X: https://x.com/costofglory