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Classical Wisdom Speaks

Classical Wisdom
Classical Wisdom Speaks
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132 episodes

  • Classical Wisdom Speaks

    The Roman Guide to War

    26/03/2026 | 38 mins.
    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
  • Classical Wisdom Speaks

    What Can Ancient History Tell Us About Revolutions?

    12/03/2026 | 1h 21 mins.
    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/
  • Classical Wisdom Speaks

    Slave of God: Should We Rethink St. Augustine?

    26/02/2026 | 41 mins.
    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
  • Classical Wisdom Speaks

    How Plato Explains the Modern World

    12/02/2026 | 47 mins.
    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
  • Classical Wisdom Speaks

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

    01/02/2026 | 49 mins.
    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

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About Classical Wisdom Speaks

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
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