Epic Greek History

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Epic Greek History

Scott Emmons

12 episodes

1 day ago

Send us a text Ancient Greece was defined by its culture, not by its borders. Starting in the 8th century BCE, Greeks planted settlements in southern Italy and Sicily — so many that the area came to be known as Magna Graecia, "Great Greece." Hellenic settlements soon spread to other parts of the Mediterranean and also to the northeast, even surrounding the Black Sea. This episode takes you on a whirlwind tour of Greek settlements, then focuses in on Cyrene, a thoroughly Greek city located in ...

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Episodes (12/12)

Epic Greek History

Straight Outta Greece: The Age of Expansion

1 week ago

45 minutes

Epic Greek History

(Bonus Episode) The First Truly Historical Greek War — Maybe

Send us a text The Lelantine War between Khalkis and Eretria was the first major historical conflict that drew in combatants from around the Greek world. And yet, we know next to nothing about it. Ancient historians and other authors mention it in passing, but they don’t tell us exactly when it happened, how long it lasted, or even who won. While it’s possible to reconstruct a rough outline from ancient sources, some scholars maintain that the war may never have taken place at all. The Lelant...

3 weeks ago

20 minutes

Epic Greek History

Owned! People as Possessions in Ancient Greece

Send us a text In ancient Greece, freedom was something to be cherished — in part because its opposite was an ever-present part of Greek life. Slaves worked as farmhands, domestic servants, skilled craftsmen, miners, prostitutes, and more. While some lived almost as independently as free wage workers and could even aspire to purchase their freedom, others were condemned to a life of hard labor under the harshest conditions. In this episode, host Scott Emmons provides and introduction to Greek...

1 month ago

25 minutes

Epic Greek History

The Great Greek Reboot

Send us a text The 8th century BCE brought big changes to Greece, including an increase in population and a dramatic upswing in economic activity. Many of the defining features of Greek civilization began to take shape. Monumental temples appeared. The Olympic Games began, inspiring a sense of a common Greek identity. Perhaps most importantly, the Greeks adapted a Phoenician alphabet and produced the writing system through which we can experience all of ancient Greek literature, history, phil...

1 month ago

52 minutes

Epic Greek History

It's Greek to Me: How to Pronounce Greek Like an Ancient Athenian (Or a Modern American)

Send us a text Any student of Greek history will occasionally come across a Greek word or name that's hard to pronounce. In this episode, host Scott Emmons offers a few pointers — but only after exploring the more interesting question of how we know what classical Greek sounded like. We know a lot more about it than you might think! For a few accompanying visuals, check out Episode 8 at epicgreekhistory.substack.com Reading suggestion: Vox Graeca by W. Sidney Allen Support the show

2 months ago

21 minutes

Epic Greek History

The Period Formerly Known as the Dark Age of Greece

Send us a text The Early Iron Age in Greece has traditionally been called a dark age, both because of the economic decline after the fall of the Mycenaean palaces and because the archaeological evidence is less abundant for this period. The picture is still far from clear, but archaeology continues to turn up more information. In this episode, host Scott Emmons draws on ancient legends, archaeological evidence, and the Homeric epics to shine some light on this puzzling yet fascinating early p...

2 months ago

50 minutes

Epic Greek History

Homer: Immortal Rockstar of the Ancient World

Send us a text If you were asked to name a book that was foundational to your nation’s literature and culture, what would it be? For the ancient Greeks, there would have been no question — Homer was the king. In this short episode, host Scott Emmons explores Homer's enormous and long-lasting influence on both Greek and Roman culture. For accompanying photos, check out Episode 6 at epicgreekhistory.substack.com Support the show

2 months ago

21 minutes

Epic Greek History

Trojan Horse or Trojan Hoax? Was There a Real Trojan War?

Send us a text The discoveries of Troy and Mycenaean Greece in the 19th century led to a shift in attitudes toward Ancient Greek legends. If archaeology showed that Troy had existed, was it possible that the Trojan War saga had its basis in historical fact? In this episode, Scott Emmons sifts through clues from the Homeric epics, excavations at Troy, and ancient Hittite documents to explore a question that has fascinated both scholars and amateurs for generations. For photos and other comment...

3 months ago

48 minutes

Epic Greek History

(Short Episode) The Write Stuff: The Decipherment of Linear B

Send us a text The decipherment of the Linear B tablets from Knossos and Pylos revolutionized our understanding of the Mycenaean world. But how did a small group of dedicated Greek scholars arrive at the solution? This episode recounts the painstaking process that ultimately led to the paradigm-shifting conclusion that Linear B was an early form of Greek. For samples of the writing system and a link to an interactive site where you can try your hand at constructing words in Linear B character...

3 months ago

17 minutes

Epic Greek History

Greek Civilization Version 1.0: Minoans and Mycenaeans

Send us a text Centuries before the Parthenon, Greek drama, and the Olympic Games, a highly developed Bronze Age culture evolved in Greece. This was the Mycenaean civilization, where warrior kings ruled from great palaces that dominated the surrounding territories. But the Mycenaeans drew heavily from the early Minoan culture on the island of Crete. In this episode you'll learn about the legendary excavation of the Minoan palace at Knossos, the powerful influence of Minoan culture in the Aege...

3 months ago

47 minutes

Epic Greek History

Going for the Bronze: Heinrich Schliemann and the Rediscovery of Bronze Age Greece

Send us a text Every now and then, the story of a discovery is as compelling as the thing discovered. One such story is the discovery of Bronze Age Troy and Mycenae by an eccentric German businessman turned archaeologist named Heinrich Schliemann. At a time when most scholars thought the Homeric epics were nothing more than myth and legend, Schliemann proved that they looked back on an age of great palaces and powerful warrior kings. This episode follows Schliemann from his humble beginnings ...

4 months ago

35 minutes

Epic Greek History

Introduction: Greece Is the Word

Send us a text Welcome to the first episode of Epic Greek History! In this introduction, amateur historian Scott Emmons lays out his vision for this podcast. Taking inspiration from two of his favorite history podcasts, he'll focus on the human experience in a way that he hopes will bring ancient Greece to life. His guiding principle will be a short quote by historian Neville Morley: "History is a kind of story." See the Substack companion to this podcast at epicgreekhistory.substack.com

4 months ago

16 minutes