Cost of Glory

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

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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.
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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/
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Website: https://costofglory.com
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A conversation with Rob Henderson — Air Force veteran, psychologist, and author of the bestselling "Troubled". 
In this episode:
Rob's journey from foster care to Cambridge and lessons about status, envy, and human nature
The psychology of envy and jealousy - from Julius Caesar's assassination to modern politics
Difference between dominance and prestige in human behavior
Why envy is one of the most powerful yet unacknowledged human emotions
How these dynamics shape personal relationships and society
Why men are drawn to history and the Great Man theory
What academia misses in its focus on present-day issues
Luxury beliefs, status games, and why successful people downplay hard work
Attention spans in the digital age and effects of TikTok and short-form media
Why biographies and long-form stories matter for character development
How reading about great and troubled historical figures helped Rob navigate teenage hardship
Insights on history, psychology, and the hidden forces shaping society
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