The Peloponnesian War rages between Athens and Sparta, enveloping the ancient Greek world. The city of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, once allied with Athens as part of the Delian League, stages a rebellion against Athens' increasing tyranny. When the revolt fails, the citizens of Athens must decide the fate of the Mytileneans, and a fiery debate ensues: are the people of Mytilene to be executed and enslaved, or should the Athenians show restraint? The very identity of Athens and the justice ...
Jun 14, 2022•17 min
Alexander the Great takes a detour from his war against the Persian Empire, trekking into Egypt and becoming its new pharaoh. In search of an ancient temple of the supreme god Zeus-Ammon in the desert oasis of Siwa, Alexander receives a transformative prophecy from the god's oracle: the truth of his divine lineage from Zeus-Ammon himself. A story from the ancient Mediterranean world (332 BC), based on Quintus Curtius Rufus' Histories of Alexander the Great (4.7) and Plutarch's Life of Alexander ...
Jun 03, 2022•19 min
Mithridates of Pontus seeks to expand his rule over Asia Minor, and rid his lands of the influence of the ascending Roman empire. In his vengeful quest for power, he orchestrates one of the bloodiest acts of terror in ancient history: the coordinated mass murder of all Romans or Italians who live within his reach. A story from Roman history, based on Appian's Mithridatic Wars (10-23) and Augustine's City of God (3.23), featuring: Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus; Nicomedes IV Philopator, K...
May 19, 2022•19 min
Medea is a beautiful and cunning princess, versed in the arts of magic. When Jason arrives from Greece with the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece, the two fall deeply in love, and begin a new life together in the Greek city of Corinth. But fate has other plans: when Jason betrays Medea and threatens to leave their two children, her sorrow wreaks vengeance upon them all. A story from ancient Greek literature, based on Euripides' Medea (431 BC), Pindar's Fourth Pythian Ode (466 BC), and...
May 09, 2022•19 min
The Battle of Frogs and Mice (Batrachomyomachia) is an ancient Greek epic poem written as a parody of Homer's Iliad. Featuring pint-sized warriors who talk and fight with the seriousness of Achilles or Hector, the poem spins a tale of tragedy, revenge, and war at the marshy edges of a lake -- while Zeus and the Greek gods look on with a mixture of shock and amusement. A story from ancient Greek literature (8th century BC - 2nd century AD; date disputed), based on the translation by H.G. Evelyn-W...
Apr 22, 2022•24 min
The Peloponnesian War has begun, and Athens recovers from Sparta's first attacks. As the city mourns its dead after the first year of fighting, the famed political leader Pericles is called upon to give a eulogy over the departed. Praising the valor of their fallen soldiers and inspiring the Athenians to fight on for their land, Pericles captures an enduring vision of the glory of Athens. A story from ancient Greek history (431 BC), based on Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War (Book 2.3...
Apr 15, 2022•22 min
A dispute between the young city of Rome and its neighbor, the ancient capital called Alba Longa, escalates into war. Rome's ambitious king, Tullus Hostilius, seeks a glorious victory in battle; a fateful duel to the death ensues, fought between the Horatii, a set of three brothers from Rome, and the Curiatii, three brothers from Alba. The freedom of Rome and Alba Longa hang on the outcome of the duel of champions. A story from Roman history (7th century BC), based on Livy's History of Rome (Boo...
Apr 05, 2022•22 min
The Greek city of Thebes was among the oldest and most storied of them all, and the heroic tales of its founder, Cadmus, remained alive in the ancient imagination. Traversing East and West, conquering fearsome beasts, and building a new homeland, Cadmus the hero was admired for his great deeds -- and haunted by a fate he could not escape. A story from Greek mythology, based on Ovid's Metamorphoses (Books 3 and 4), featuring: Cadmus, Europa, Agenor, Phoenix, the Sown Men, Harmonia, the Oracle of ...
Mar 10, 2022•19 min
It is the year 64 AD, and Nero rules the Roman Empire. In the wake of a Great Fire that blazes through the city, Nero finds an unwitting scapegoat to draw the blame of angry Romans: a mysterious, distrusted religious minority known as the Christians. A legendary tale of cruelty unfolds as Nero unleashes a violent purge of the Christians upon the city. A story from ancient Rome (64 AD), based on Tacitus' Annals (Book 15) and Suetonius' Life of Nero, featuring: Nero, St. Peter, St. Paul Special th...
Mar 04, 2022•13 min
Jesus of Nazareth is born in the Roman-occupied land of Judea around 6 or 4 BC, an event that will inspire the holiday of Christmas. The world of the Nativity is a tumultuous scene of competing empires, diverse cultures, and ambitious leaders. How did Judea, homeland of Jesus and the Jewish people, become a province of the Roman Empire, and how did the infamous King Herod ascend the throne? Far from the capital of Rome, the wondrous birth of a child in rural Judea would one decide the fate of a ...
Dec 20, 2021•22 min
A mythic showdown unfolds in the ancient land of Lydia: Arachne, a girl whose skill in weaving surpasses all, faces off against a wrathful Athena, the goddess of artisan crafts herself. The boastful but extraordinary Arachne weaves a masterpiece that shakes the glory of Olympus -- and awakens the fury of an equally proud Athena. As Arachne deftly spins her threads, will she become trapped in a web of her own making? A story from Greek mythology, based on Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book 6), featuring:...
Dec 09, 2021•14 min
It is the 2nd century BC, and the land of Judea, homeland of the Jews, is ruled by the Seleucid Kingdom based in Syria. Subjected to a militant crackdown on their religious traditions, the Jews rebel against the Seleucid king Antiochus, and rally behind the leadership of Judas Maccabeus. The success of the Maccabean Revolt and Judas’ restoration of the Temple of Jerusalem bring hope to the Jewish people, a legacy celebrated with the sacred festival of Hanukkah that endures to this day. A story f...
Nov 20, 2021•18 min
The origins of Cyrus the Great (c. 600-530 BC), the first king of the Persian Empire, are shrouded in myth. The best known story, related by the Greek historian Herodotus, weaves a tale of intrigue in the lands of Media and Persia, ruled by the tyrannical king Astyages. When Astyages is visited by ominous dreams connected to the birth of his grandson Cyrus, a deadly plot is set in motion that leads ultimately to Cyrus’ rise as the leader of the vastest empire yet seen. A story from the ancient M...
Nov 11, 2021•46 min
Decebalus, king of the Dacians, gains power in the lands of eastern Europe now called Romania, and draws the attention of the Roman Empire commanded by the dynamic emperor Trajan. The two hard-fought Dacian Wars ensue, as Trajan and Decebalus engage in a battle of weapons and wits. A new imperial province will emerge from Dacia's conquest, sowing the seeds of a modern nation whose name bears witness to its Roman past. Very special thanks to Alba Wolf, who contributed this story for the channel! ...
Nov 10, 2021•14 min
The Roman Civil War between Caesar and Pompey is raging, and the armies gather for a decisive battle at Pharsalus. In this dark tale from the Roman epic poem on the Civil War by Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (Lucan), the young Sextus Pompey, son of the great commander, seeks out a horrific necromancer as the showdown looms, desperate to learn of his family’s fate. The witch Erichtho revives the corpse of a fallen soldier, who brings report from the underworld and reveals a grim destiny for Rome. A stor...
Nov 09, 2021•21 min
Echo and Narcissus meet in the mysterious woods of Mount Helicon, an encounter that begins with curiosity, and ends in a shocking twist of fate. Echo is a carefree nymph, who suffers the curse of an angry goddess; Narcissus is a mortal famed for his astonishing good looks, but cold-hearted demeanor. A tragic story of voicelessness, irresistible love, and unexpected transformations ensues, deep in the forests of Greece. A story from Greek mythology, adapted from Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book 3), fea...
Nov 09, 2021•17 min
Alexander the Great arrives at the fortified island city of Tyre, and lays siege to the impregnable stronghold before continuing his conquest of the Persian Empire. The siege of Tyre demands legendary feats of engineering and strategy as the tides of battle swing between the Macedonian army and the Tyrian defenders, lasting for seven long months and culminating in a devastating defeat. A story from the ancient Mediterranean world (332 BC), featuring: Alexander the Great --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCA...
Nov 08, 2021•21 min
Dido, the queen of Carthage, and Aeneas, the leader of the Trojan War's survivors, have fallen deeply in love. But Aeneas' destiny as forefather of the Roman Empire demands that he leave Africa to pursue glory in Italy; a betrayed and heartbroken Dido descends into fury, culminating in a dark curse that will lock Carthage and Rome in war forever. A story from Roman mythology (Vergil's Aeneid, Books 1 and 4 ), featuring: Aeneas, Dido, Anna, Sychaeus, Mercury, Jupiter, Juno, Iris, Venus --- FREE C...
Nov 08, 2021•22 min
The fateful romance of Aeneas and Dido begins, as the prince of ancient Troy escapes his city’s destruction and sails to Africa with Trojan survivors. There he discovers the mighty new city of Carthage, and meets its leader, the capable and beautiful queen Dido. But the gods, who decree that Aeneas must lay the foundations of the Roman Empire, have other plans… A story from Roman mythology (Vergil's Aeneid, Books 1 and 4 ), featuring: Aeneas, Dido, Juno, Jupiter, Venus, Ilioneus, Achates, Sychae...
Nov 07, 2021•18 min
Zenobia is the queen of Palmyra, an ancient city in Syria on the Roman Empire's eastern frontier. When her growing Palmyrene Kingdom is drawn into war with Rome, Zenobia fights to defend her city and her throne against a determined emperor Aurelian, with the fate of her people at stake. A story from the Roman world (c. 260-275 AD), featuring: Zenobia, Odaenathus, Aurelian, Gallienus --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical...
Nov 07, 2021•22 min
As the Battle of Salamis looms, the Athenian leader Themistocles struggles to save Athens -- and all of Greece -- during a second war against Persia. How will Themistocles and the allied Greeks defend their land against the invading Persian Empire of King Xerxes? A mysterious oracle from Delphi may hold the answer: they must trust in the "Wooden Walls" at "Divine Salamis"... A story from Greek history (Persian Wars, 480 BC), based on Herodotus' Histories, featuring: Themistocles, Xerxes, the Pyt...
Nov 06, 2021•29 min
The Titanomachy breaks out, and war rages between the Titans and the Olympian gods as Zeus' rise to cosmic kingship continues. Zeus fights to establish his reign against Cronus, the other Titans, and finally the fearsome monster Typhon, the very embodiment of primal chaos. A story from Greek mythology, based on Hesiod's Theogony, featuring: Zeus, the Titans, Typhon, the Hecatonchires (Cottus, Briareus, Gyges), the Cyclopes, Gaia, Tartarus, Prometheus, Atlas --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now avail...
Nov 06, 2021•12 min
The birth and origins of Zeus, king of the gods, is a tale of danger and deception, as he survived in secret from the Titan Cronus, his father. How did Cronus come to reign as king of the cosmos, how was Zeus born, and how did he free his brother and sister Olympians, devoured by the mad Cronus? A story from Greek mythology, based on Hesiod's Theogony, featuring: Zeus, Cronus, Rhea, Gaia, Uranus, Metis, the Titans --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn m...
Nov 05, 2021•14 min
Julius Caesar stands at the Rubicon river, as the Roman Republic teeters on the brink of civil war. Will he cross the Rubicon, march on Rome against his rival Pompey the Great and the Roman senate, and plunge the Republic into civil war? A story from Roman history (Late Roman Republic, Civil Wars, 49 BC), featuring: Gaius Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great), Marcus Licinius Crassus --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about th...
Nov 05, 2021•13 min
The hero Odysseus meets Circe, a powerful sorceress, on her mysterious island in this story from Homer’s epic Odyssey. Will Odysseus outwit Circe, rescue his crewmates from the sorceress, and survive to complete his journey home to Ithaca? A story from Greek mythology, based on Homer's Odyssey (Book 10), featuring: Odysseus, Circe, Hermes, Eurylochus --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical and cultural context behind each...
Nov 04, 2021•29 min
The Roman emperor Nero's murder of his own mother, the empress Agrippina the Younger, is among his most shocking crimes. Who was Agrippina, and what drove Nero to plot the death of an empress? A story from Roman history (Early Imperial Period, Julio-Claudian dynasty, 59 AD), based on Tacitus' Annals, featuring: Agrippina the Younger (Julia Agrippina), Nero, Seneca, Burrus, Anicetus --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical ...
Nov 04, 2021•27 min
Actaeon, a young hunter, unexpectedly meets the goddess Artemis in the forests of Boeotia near the ancient city of Thebes. What will happen to Actaeon when Artemis unleashes her power, and the hunter becomes the prey? A story from Greek mythology, based on Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book 3), featuring: Actaeon, Artemis --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical and cultural context behind each Wine-Dark Sea tale. Find the full ar...
Nov 03, 2021•13 min
The Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus creates a new law code and way of life in ancient Sparta -- revered thereafter as the Laws of Lycurgus -- that pave the way for Sparta's rise as one of the greatest city-states in Greece. A story from Greek history (Early Sparta, Archaic Period, c. 800 BC), based on Plutarch's Life of Lycurgus --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical and cultural context behind each Wine-Dark Sea tale. Find th...
Nov 03, 2021•9 min
The Greek myth of the Great Flood ends with Deucalion and Pyrrha, the last mortals left alive, who struggle to survive as Zeus looks on. How was humanity created again after the deluge? A story from Greek mythology, based on Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book 1), featuring: Deucalion, Pyrrha, Zeus, Themis --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical and cultural context behind each Wine-Dark Sea tale. Find the full archive of videos a...
Nov 02, 2021•14 min
The tale of the Great Flood in Greek mythology continues, as the gods and goddesses of Olympus decide how to end human injustice...and Zeus and Poseidon unleash the great flood that destroys the world. A story from Greek mythology, based on Ovid's Metamorphoses (Book 1), featuring: Zeus, Poseidon --- FREE COMMENTARY PODCASTS now available for every story on the channel! Learn more about the ancient historical and cultural context behind each Wine-Dark Sea tale. Find the full archive of videos an...
Nov 02, 2021•10 min
