Part 1 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. The die is cast—Caesar crosses the Rubicon and plunges Rome into civil war. In this episode:The political crisis of 51-50 BCE as Caesar's enemies demand his recall from GaulCurio's shocking defection and proposal that both Caesar and Pompey lay down armsThe breakdown of negotiations and Pompey's fateful acceptance of command against CaesarHis lightning campaign through Italy as cities surrender without a fightThe siege of Corfinium and Caesar's revolutionary policy of clemency toward enemiesPompey's strategic retreat to Greece, abandoning Rome and splitting the RepublicThe brilliant Spanish campaign at Ilerda, showcasing Caesar's military geniusThe brutal siege of Marseille and Caesar's appointment as DictatorCaesar's own account reveals a man driven not by revolutionary ambition, but by wounded dignity and the desperate need to defend his honor against enemies who would destroy him through partisan prosecution. As Lucan wrote of this cosmic struggle: "Of civil wars and worse waged on Thessalian fields / Of crime made law we sing, how a powerful people / Turned on its own heart its conquering hand." The war that would transform Rome forever begins not with grand ideology, but with Caesar's refusal to submit to humiliation—and his enemies' fatal miscalculation of the man they sought to crush.Works CitedKurt Raaflaub (ed.), The Landmark Julius CaesarMatthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and StatesmanErich Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic
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!
04/6/2025
1:49:20
108 - Caesar 2: Law and Nature
Part 2 of 3 of the Life of Julius Caesar. In this episode:Caesar forms the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus, uniting Rome's most powerful menHis revolutionary consulship of 59 BCE bypasses Senate opposition through popular assembliesThe brilliant staging of the Gallic conquest, using allies and tribal conflicts as pretexts for expansionHis management of Rome through letters while commanding armies across GaulThe death of Julia and Crassus fractures the political alliance holding Rome togetherVercingetorix's rebellion culminates in the decisive siege of Alesia, securing Gaul for RomeCaesar transforms both Rome and Gaul forever through calculated strategy, personal magnetism, and relentless ambition—all while his enemies in Rome, led by Cato, plot his downfall and convince Pompey to turn against him, setting the stage for civil war.
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!
10/5/2025
2:10:03
107 - Caesar 1: Man of Destiny
The much awaited series on Julius Caesar begins, with the inaugural episode: "Man of Destiny".In this episode:Caesar's formative years in the shadow of Sulla's dictatorshipHis early political boldness and refusal to divorce CorneliaThe capture by pirates and his merciless revengeCaesar's rise through the ranks of Roman politics as Quaestor and AedileThe Catilinarian conspiracy and Caesar's narrow escape from executionHis famous ambition: "I would rather be first man here than second at Rome"A tale of charm, audacity, and calculated risk as a young aristocrat from a modest branch of an ancient family navigates the treacherous waters of late Republican politics. Caesar—stylish, charismatic, deeply in debt, and dangerously ambitious—sets himself against the legacy of Sulla while methodically building a coalition that would eventually transform Rome forever.
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!
08/4/2025
1:53:52
106 - The New Indiana Jones - w/ Dr. Brent Seales
A conversation with Dr. Brent Seales, professor of computer science at the University of Kentucky and a modern day Indiana Jones who has been using advanced technology to restore and redeem cultural and historical artifacts from the ravages of time.In this episode:The 'virtual unwrapping' of the Vesuvius scrollsUnearthing an entire new RenaissanceBrent's encounters with Silicon Valley and some DOGE membersThe long-term future of this project
23/3/2025
51:17
105 - Breeding Future Statesmen: Interview w/ Kevin Dolan on the EXIT podcast
A conversation w/ Kevin Dolan on Kings of Sparta, Anti-Natalist Roman Aristocrats, and whether Christianity destroyed or saved Rome.Join me at the Natal Conference, March 28-29, 2025, in Austin, TX! https://natalism.orgFind Kevin on X at https://x.com/extradeadjcb
The most influential biographies ever written, admired by leaders, creators, soldiers, and thinkers for nearly 2,000 years: Plutarch’s Parallel lives. Essential listening for anyone striving after greatness. Alex Petkas, former professor of ancient philosophy and history, revives and dramatically retells these unforgettable stories for modern audiences. The subjects are statesmen, generals, orators, and founders; pious and profane, stoics and hedonists. The stakes bear on the future of Western civilization. The cost of glory is always great. Visit costofglory.com to find out more.
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