Knowledge from the Ancients
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Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson
A conversation with American classicist, military historian, and conservative political commentator Victor Davis Hanson.
Caesar 3: Divus Julius
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?
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Sulla 2: Rogue Commander
How does a great commander handle being undermined by his government back home? How should we treat opponents we defeat? And how do we negotiate the best deal when o...
Sulla 1: The Lucky
How do we get Fortune on our side? What are the qualities necessary for daring unthinkable, unspeakable acts? When is it justifiable to massacre your enemies? Sulla...
An uncommon strategy for mastering fear
A principle for building exercises to control your anxiety or fear. Favorinus, a philosopher from the time of Plutarch, offers some deft observations about Socrates.
Get Friendships with Powerful People
Plutarch offers insight on relating to people above your station
Plato on how to Destroy an Aristocracy
Plato gives insight on how to undermine your enemies
How to get lucky when the gods are against you
How to turn bad luck around. SPOILER: it's not just more effort. Stories of Timotheus and Sulla.
Lysander Aftermath: or, How to Keep Fighting
What happened after Lysander died? What was his legacy? What can we learn from his life?
Lysander 3: Kings of Sparta
Lysander returns from his setbacks at Sparta with a revolutionary plan. He consults the gods about the Spartan Kingship; and some of his own prophecies about Greek ge...
Lysander 2: Thirty Tyrants
Lysander - The Spartan who took down Athens. In this episode: the dangers of success. How (and why) Lysander installed the notorious "Thirty" at Athens, and how he...
History Contains Power
My name is Alex Petkas, and in The Cost of Glory, I present you with the best stories, analyses and takeaways, from the greatest and most influential figures from Greco-Roman antiquity.