Classical Wisdom Speaks

Classical Wisdom

A Podcast dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. This podcast is provided by Classical Wisdom, to learn more check out www.classicalwisdom.com

  1. 3D AGO

    Natalie Haynes on Medea: Greek Tragedy's Most Shocking Heroine

    Barbarian, witch, murderer… and mother. Today Anya is joined by author and broadcaster Natalie Haynes to discuss one of Greek mythology’s most famous and dramatic characters, Medea.  Discover the complex legends and legacy of Medea, from her daring love story with Jason to its dark aftermath… and how the Greek tragedian Euripides transformed her how her story is told, forever. Natalie Haynes is the author of several acclaimed books about women in Greek mythology, including Divine Might, Stone Blind, and most recently No Friend to This House, her own much-anticipated retelling of the myth of Medea.  You can buy a copy HERE: https://www.amazon.com/No-Friend-This-House-Novel/dp/0063258447  Natalie Haynes is an author and comedian as well as a broadcaster for the BBC, and she has written for The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, and The Observer. Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom.  To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

    54 min

  2. MAR 26

    The Roman Guide to War

    What were the secrets of Roman warfare? What is the best way to defeat an enemy… and what does all this have to do with aqueducts? Today Anya is joined by George Thomas to discuss the life of Frontinus, an ancient Roman general and governor of Roman Britain. In particular, they’re looking at Stratagems, his manual for war, which looked to ancient history to distil key lessons in military strategy and leadership.  George Thomas, also known by his pen name, Quintus Curtius, is an acclaimed translator of ancient texts, including those by Cicero, Sallust, and Cornelius Nepos. He is an MIT graduate, a former officer in the US Marine Corps, a founding partner of the law firm, Phillips and Thomas. His most recent work is a translation Frontius' Stratagems, of which we speak about today. You can buy it HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Stratagems-Translation-Sextus-Julius-Frontinus/dp/B0FPBTNCY5 Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/  An extended version of this podcast is available to Members of Classical Wisdom.  Become a Member HERE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe And access the extended version HERE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/a-forgotten-roman-masterclass-in

    38 min

  3. MAR 12

    What Can Ancient History Tell Us About Revolutions?

    Long before crowds stormed Bastille or Winter Palace, Greek thinkers treated revolution as the ultimate civic nightmare. So how did an existential danger morph into a promise of liberation—and what happens when that promise curdles into violence?  In this dynamic online forum, Dan Edelstein, Professor of French at Stanford University, is joined by classical-political heavyweights Josiah Ober, Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University, and Melissa Lane, Professorship of Politics at Princeton University, to excavate the deep past of an idea that still jolts headlines and rattles parliaments.  Hosted by Anya Leonard.  Brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. Learn more about our mission and sign up for the free newsletter here: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

    1h 22m

  4. FEB 26

    Slave of God: Should We Rethink St. Augustine?

    Existing at the very edge of the Classical world, in both time and geography, Saint Augustine has proven to be immensely influential on the modern world… but not always in a good way. Today Anya is joined by Tony Alimi to discuss the life and philosophy of Saint Augustine, how he was influenced by Roman philosophers, and the ‘entanglements’ that complicate his legacy. In particular, how his theology was used to justify slavery.  Discover how philosophy has been abused by history, and why Augustine still isn't through with us today...  Tony Alimi is assistant professor in the Sage School of Philosophy at Cornell University and author of Slaves of God: Augustine and Other Romans on Religion and Politics. You can buy it HERE: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691244235/slaves-of-god?srsltid=AfmBOoqe902LK8mqeBd3lUa4L8I9roc6Ouy7KmiNS3xrG-xnotPz5BRw  Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/  An extended version of this podcast is available to Members of Classical Wisdom. Become a Member HERE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe  And access the extended version HERE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/slave-of-god-rethinking-augustine

    42 min

  5. FEB 12

    How Plato Explains the Modern World

    What can Plato tell us about life TODAY? Quite a lot, it turns out… Today Anya is joined by Professor Angie Hobbs to discuss the essential and enduringly relevant nature of Plato’s ideas. Discover how they are infused in our modern world, in everything from politics to our personal lives. Angie Hobbs is Professor Emerita of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield and author of Plato and the Hero, Plato’s Republic: A Ladybird Expert Book, and most recently, Why Plato Matters Now. You can buy a copy HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Plato-Matters-Now-Interfaces/dp/1399403370 Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com An extended version of this podcast is available to Members of Classical Wisdom. Become a Member HERE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe And access the extended version HERE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/why-plato-matters-now-more-than-ever

    48 min

  6. FEB 1

    Man or Myth? King Arthur and Rome's Legacy in Britain

    Was King Arthur real? What can his story tells us about British history and identity? And what exactly happened to Britain after the Romans left?  Today Anya is joined by Murray Dahm, an independent academic researcher and freelance historian based in Sydney, Australia.  Discover how the era of post-Roman Britain is both a beginning and an ending, the thin line between history and myth, and how the dark age was MUCH shorter than commonly thought.  Murray Dahm is the author of several books, including Finis Britanniae: A Military History of Late Roman Britain and the Saxon Conquest. You can buy it HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Finis-Britanniae-Military-History-Conquest/dp/1398118273  Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/  An extended version of this podcast is available to Members of Classical Wisdom. This can be found here: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/roman-britain-origin-or-decline

    50 min

  7. JAN 15

    Echoes in Ancient Texts: India and Ancient Greece

    How is Odysseus like the heroes of Indian literature? And how did two cultures, separated by vast time and distances, come to have such remarkably similar stories? Today Anya is joined by Roberto Morales to discuss the parallels between ancient Greek, Roman, and Indian literature. They discuss what caused these parallels, and what we can learn from them today... Roberto Morales is Associate Professor of Sanskrit and Head of the Department of Classical Philology at the University of Costa Rica, and author of The Embassy, the Ambush, and the Ogre, which they discuss. You can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Embassy-Ambush-Ogre-Greco-Roman-Influence/dp/1805113615 Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

    32 min

  8. JAN 3

    The Life-Changing Lessons of Stoicism

    What can Seneca, the Roman statesman and Stoic, teach us about life today?  And how can we teach ourselves to do the right thing?  Today Anya is joined by Robert Kaster, Emeritus Professor of Classics at Princeton to discuss the complex and rewarding legacy of Seneca’s Stoicism. He is the author of many books including his most recent, How to Do the Right Thing: An Ancient Guide to Treating People Fairly, which is drawn from the writings of Seneca.  You can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Do-Right-Thing-Treating/dp/0691238642  Hosted by Anya Leonard of Classical Wisdom. To learn more about Classical Wisdom, and sign up for our free newsletter, please go to https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

    37 min
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4.8
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

A Podcast dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. This podcast is provided by Classical Wisdom, to learn more check out www.classicalwisdom.com

Information

  • Creator
    Classical Wisdom
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    133
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Classical Wisdom Speaks
  • Show Website
    Classical Wisdom Speaks

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