Cost of Glory

The fall and political struggles of the great Lucullus, rival of Pompey and Caesar.

Cost of Glory Men's Retreat 2024 application open! - costofglory.com/retreat 

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Cicero's Pro Archia

https://www.attalus.org/cicero/archias.html 

People in this episode: 
Mithridates, King of Pontus 
Tigranes, King of Armenia 
Clodius, the Brother in Law 
Pompey 
Clodia, the Bad Wife
Servilia, also a Bad Wife 
Cato the Younger 
Cicero 
Caesar 

Places in this episode:
Tigranokert 
Artaxata 
Nisibis 
Pontus 
Armenia 
Rome 

Lucullus drives Mithridates out of Pontus, and war escalates

In this episode:
-The power of concentration
-Nothing is more important than sleep
-Bold Barbarian Queens
-The value of bad news
-Battle of Tigranocerta

Book Rec - Gareth Sampson, Rome's Great Eastern War

Lucullus, Conqueror of Armenia.  Highlights from Plutarch's biography of the great foe of Pompey

Cost of Glory Men's Retreat 2024 application open! - costofglory.com/retreat 

Thanks to our sponsor Ancient Language Institute - Tutoring now available:

Latin: https://ancientlanguage.com/latin-tutorials/ 

Ancient Greek: https://ancientlanguage.com/ancient-greek-tutorials/ 

In this episode: 
-How to get noticed early on in your career 
-Seducing your way to warlord status 
-Taking the time to do the math 

The vice of "dysopia" brings down even the strongest.  Plutarch gives some advice on how to fortify ourselves against it. 

Reach out to [email protected] for more info on the 2024 Cost of Glory Men's retreat in Rome!

Link to a translation of Plutarch's text : https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Moralia/De_vitioso_pudore*.html

What happened to Crassus' captured soldiers?  To his family?  What can we learn from his successes and his world-historic failure? 

ANNOUNCEMENT! Cost of Glory Men's Leadership Retreat in Rome - July 2024.  Reach out to [email protected] if you're interested.

Buy the books:

-Penguin edition of Plutarch including Life of Crassus
-Sallust's war with Catiline
-Tom Holland's Rubicon
-Barry Strauss' book on Spartacus
-Edward Watts's Mortal Republic
-Gareth Sampson, "The Defeat of Rome" on Parthian Expedition
-Peter Stothard, The First Tycoon 

See also Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic; Ward, Crassus and the Late Roman Republic; Rawson, Crassorum Funera (in journal Latomus).

Pictured: Roman Soldier next to a Han noble, statue group in Liqian, China.  Photo: Natalie Behring

Crassus' famous campaign against the Parthians - what motivated it?  What happened at Carrhae?  What can we learn from it?

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Key Figures
Marcus Licinius Crassus - The Protagonist 
Gaius Pompeius Magnus - Pompey, the Rival 
Lucius Licinius Crassus - the Orator 
Publius Licinius Crassus - Crassus' father 
Publius Licinius Crassus - Crassus' Son 
Publius Clodius Pulcher - The Playboy Mobster 
Titus Annius Milo - Anti-Mobster 
Marcus Tullius Cicero - The Mentor 
Gaius Julius Caesar - The Triumvir 
Marcus Porcius Cato - The Nemesis 
Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus - The Challenger 
Ptolemy XII "Auletes" - The Piper King 
Aulus Gabinius - Pompey's Crony in Syria 
Trebonius - Willing Tribune 
Ateius (Capito) - Unwilling Tribune 
Gaius Cassius Longinus - The Assassin 
Octavius - The Junior Officer 
Orodes II - King of Parthia 
Mithradates IV - Parthian Usurper 
Surena - the Parthian Commander at Carrhae 

Key Places 
Rome 
Ravenna - City in Northern Italy (cisalpine Gaul) 
Luca - City in Northern Italy (Etruria/Cisalpine Gaul) 
Curia - The Senate house 
Syria - Roman Province 
Mesopotamia 
Iraq 
Seleucia 
Babylon 
Ctesiphon 
Carrhae 
Euphrates River 

Italian quote at the beginning: Dante, Purgatorio XX

Marcus Licinius Crassus, Richest Man in Rome.  The plot thickens in the contest with Pompey, and Crassus takes on new allies: Catiline and Julius Caesar.

In this episode:
-How to defuse the resentment of opponents you've beaten
-The power of debt at Rome
-Fighting for the hardest prizes, but playing it like a game
-Cicero's mortgage and homeowner headaches

Thanks to Sponsors:

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The story of Marcus Licinius Crassus, Richest man in Rome.

In this episode:
-The Real Spartacus
-How to make a fortune, ancient style
-Why Crassus was a better spender than modern billionaires

Thanks to our Sponsor!
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Some Sources:
Barry Strauss, The Spartacus War
Plutarch, Life of Crassus

Plutarch gives more examples of how to get it right, from Great Leaders of Greece & Rome

-Phocion, 
-Agathocles, 
-Pericles, 
-Sulla, 
-Themistocles, 

You know you want to do it.  But how?  Plutarch offers a few key examples.

Highlights from Rome's Deadliest Conspiracy, the Catilinarian conspiracy.

Featuring speeches by Julius Caesar and Cato the Younger.

Get into one of the great moments of history - highlights from Cicero's speech Against Catiline.  Featuring a quote or two from the original Latin.

The Conspiracy to overthrow the Roman Republic at the height of its power.  Catiline and his associates challenge Cicero and Cato. 

Rumors were that Crassus and Caesar were involved... 

Part I: Highlights from Sallust's War with Catiline.

ANNOUNCING - New Megaseries:  Visions of Caesar.  I am beginning an arc on the biographies of all the most prominent of the era of Caesar, including The Man himself.  Crassus, Pompey, Cato, Caesar, Cicero, Brutus, Antony.

The Greatest hero of all, Hercules - told by Seneca: Billionaire, Politician, Stoic Philosopher, and... Tragic Playwright.

Highlights and power quotes from Seneca's "The Madness of Hercules":  
in a new, brilliant, poetic translation by one of America's great poets, Dana Gioia

Get a copy here: https://amzn.to/42TEUqJ
(and support the show thereby)

More about Dana Gioia and his work here:
https://danagioia.com/

The Finale: Xenophon's Anabasis, book 7 of 7.  Highlights for the High Life. 

In this episode:

-Sailing to Byzantium 
-How to Tame a Mob 
-Spartan Indecision
-Drinking more wine from big horns with dangerous men 
-Raiding with Thracians 
-Fire attack at night 
-How to lose a good friend for good 
-What all gyms should aspire to be like 
-The importance of keeping your horse 

Highlights from Book 6 of Xenophon's Anabasis

In this episode:
-Drinking parties, War Dances 
-Why every modern gentleman should sacrifice to the gods
-How to gracefully decline a promotion 
-Hercules in Hell
-On keeping the Fellowship together
-Isolated sheep rustling incident threatens to start an international war 
-The value of a cool head 

Xenophon, Anabasis 5.  #1 Highlights for Life Success.  In this episode:

-Fending off chaos in all its forms
-Dealing with a power vacuum
-The Source of the Golden Fleece
-The BEST way to spend Sacred Funds (Hint: Real Estate)
-Artemis and her 7 wonders Temple at Ephesus (cult statue here)
-Sampling Local Delicacies (as always) 
-Pale white children as wide as they are tall
-Dreams of city founding
-The metaphysical basis of international law
-Xenophon, hubris, and soldier punching

Don't forget to follow @costofglory on Twitter for updates and additional takeaways

Also - Leave a review if you like this!

Top 4 takeaways from the life of Agesilaus. 

Also, further reading:

Plutarch, "On Sparta":
https://amzn.to/3Ni3RaO

-Cornelius Nepos, Lives of the Great Commanders (trans. Quintus Curtius):
https://amzn.to/3AtrqpO

-Xenophon, Hellenica:
https://amzn.to/41YXmOx

-Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire (historical novel):
https://amzn.to/3V0gCsH

-Paul Cartledge, Agesilaos and the Crisis of Sparta:
https://amzn.to/3L3Wj9d

-John Buckler, Theban Hegemony:
https://amzn.to/3Lonc98

-James Romm, The Sacred Band:
https://amzn.to/3L1WoKA

-Charles Hamilton, Agesilaus and the Failure of Spartan Hegemony: https://amzn.to/3oDn38P

How to Take Over the World Podcast: Philip of Macedon

Agesilaus, old King of Sparta, faces his final enemy, and greatest foe of all: the Theban commander Epaminondas.

Map

Key People: 
Agesilaus, king of Sparta 
Demaratus, king of Sparta 
Artaxerxes, King of Persia 
Epaminondas, Theban Statesman 
Pelopidas, Theban Statesman 
Antalcidas 
Xenophon, the Philosopher-warrior 
Gryllus, son of Xenophon 
Nectanebo, Pharaoh of Egypt 
Menelaus, king of Sparta 

Key Places: 
Sparta 
Thebes 
Leuctra 
Athens 
Corinth 
Arcadia 
Mantinea 
Tegea 
Elis 
Achaea 
Mt. Taygetos 
Eurotas River 
Messenia 
Kalamata 
Messene 
Mt. Ithome 
Pamisos River / Valley 
Megalopolis 
Olympia 
Egypt 

Sparta's greatest king, from his grandest moments, to his most challenging setbacks.  394-371 BC.

In this episode:
-Isolating your enemies
-Working through intermediaries
-The power of culture
-Democracy vs. Oligarchy
-personal integrity vs state integrity

Thanks to our Sponsor, Ancient Language Institute: 
https://ancientlanguage.com/register-greek/

Here's a nice map of ancient Greece 

Places: 

Thebes 

Corinth 

Athens (in Attica) 

Argos 

Sparta/Lacedaemon (in Laconia) 
Acrocorinth

Peloponnese 

Cadmeia 

Olynthus 

Piraeus (Port city of Athens) 
Elis
Arcadia

Mantinea 

Olympia 

Thespiae (in Boeotia) 

Plataea (in Boeotia) 

Leuctra (in Boeotia) 

People:  

Agesilaus 

Xenophon 

Antalcidas (of Sparta) 

Cynisca (of Sparta) 

Leontiades (of Thebes) 

Ismenias (of Thebes) 

Phoebidas - Spartan Commander 

Agesipolis - King of Sparta 

Pelopidas (of Thebes) 

Epaminondas (of Thebes) 

Sphodrias - Spartan Commander 

Cleonymus - son of Sphodrias 

Archidamus - son of Agesilaus 

Cleombrotus - King of Sparta 

The story of Sparta's greatest king.

Sponsors:
-The Excellent How To Take Over The World Podcast; 
-Ancient Life Coach Rome Retreat 

In This Episode:
-Inspiration from a rough childhood
-The Spartan youth training system
-The Spartan art of consensus building
-The Iliadic vision of a Panhellenic King
-Getting enemies to finance your war effort
-War and Friendship among Greeks and Persians

People:
Agesilaus
Pompey
King Archidamus (of Sparta)
King Agis (of Sparta)
King Leonidas (of Sparta)
Lysander
Alcibiades
Prince Cyrus
King Artaxerxes (of Persia)
Xenophon of Athens
Tissaphernes

Places:
Sparta 
Peloponnese (Peloponnesus)
Athens 
Mt Taygetos
Mantineia
Thebes (in Boeotia)
Aulis (in Boeotia)
Boeotia
Asia (Minor) 
Ephesus 
Lydia 
Sardis 
Phrygia 
Corinth
Argos
Haliartus (in Boeotia)
Hellespont
Thermopylae 
Orchomenus (in Boeotia)
Cnidus (Knidos)
Coroneia (in Boeotia)

Xenophon's Anabasis 4: The best parts of all, with analysis for action.
 
Thanks to our sponsor, Ancient Language Institute!
https://ancientlanguage.com/register-greek/
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Apply for the Ancient Life Coach Speak Lead Retreat!
ancientlifecoach.com/retreat

In this Episode:
-How to cross a guarded river
-The mindset of people who push through massive stress and pain
-Distinguishing yourself as middle management
-The Sea, The Sea
-Lawrence of Arabia, Xenophon admirer
-Psychedelic Bees

Apply for the Rome Retreat: https://ancientlifecoach.com/retreat

Announcing a new partnership!
Alex gets interviewed by Ben Wilson of How to Take Over the World
In this episode: 

-What's in store
-What Alex is listening to
-Why Cost of Glory exists
-Why biography is energizing
-What the greats, ancient and modern, have in common
-The true meaning of Zeal

Xenophon's Anabasis Book 3 - The best highlights, the Power Highlights. For Power Listeners.

In this Episode:
-The power of public speaking
-What Socrates told Xenophon before he left
-Xenophon's inner monologue in GREEK
-Motivating your managers
-Finding resources you didn't know you had
-Lost cities of Mesopotamia
-Goat and donkey balloons
-The Original Kurds?

Apply to join us in Rome for the Speak Lead Retreat!  July 16-23
ancientlifecoach.com/retreat

Amazon links (Click, Buy -> Support this show!)

David Allen, Getting Things Done
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Jocko's Extreme Ownership:
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Landmark Xenophon's Anabasis
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Old Penguin Anabasis:
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Loeb Edition:
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Key Characters
Xenophon
Proxenus (+)
Cheirisophus
Mithradates
Some Hater from Boeotia
A Rhodian Balloon smith
The Carduchians

Places: 
Nimrud
Nineveh (Mosul)
Tigris River

Best highlights, power quotes, and notes from a leadership and adventure classic, Xenophon's Anabasis 2. 
Featuring:

-Deciding who won a battle
-How to deceive the wise
-The noble and the base among Greek leaders
-The hazards of date palm wine

Amazon links (Click, Buy -> Support this show!)

Landmark Xenophon's Anabasis
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Old Penguin Anabasis:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Loeb Edition:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Characters
Cyrus The Younger (RIP)
Ariaeus
Phalinus of Persia
Ctesias of Cnidos
Clearchus of Laconia/Sparta
Xenophon of Athens
Proxenus of Thebes/Boeotia
Menon of Thessaly
Tissaphernes
Ataxerxes, King of Kings

Best highlights, power quotes, and notes from a leadership and adventure classic, Xenophon's Anabasis 1. 
Featuring:
-How to get people to take real risks on your behalf
-How ancient army logistics worked
-Love affairs with foreign queens
-Hunting the Ostrich
-Qualities of good leaders, in Xenophon's opinion

Amazon links (Click, Buy -> Support this show!)

Landmark Xenophon's Anabasis
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Old Penguin Anabasis:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Loeb Edition:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Key People:
Prince Cyrus
King Artaxerxes
Tissaphernes (satrap)
Epyaxa (Queen of Cilicia)
Xenophon
Clearchus
Tissaphernes
sacred fish
bustards
wild asses
ostriches

Key Places
Cilicia
Tarsus
Cunaxa (Battle of)
Euphrates River
Phrygia
Lydia
Thrace

The moment when someone obscure and untested realizes, in a crisis, that they can handle this.  An autobiographical story from someone who was both a great writer and great leader, Xenophon.

Persevere when you are surrounded by enemies, like the other Santa Claus, Saint Basil of Caesarea.  A Christmas special, from the Cost of Glory.

A Spartan story about a conspiracy.  Whether it's a hostile corporate takeover, a plot to overthrow a president, or a school board coup, how do you make sure your conspiracy doesn't fail?  Learn this lesson or be sorry later.  Also featuring commentary from Aristotle's Politics.

How do you buy yourself some time when you can't afford to tell people the reason why?  A strategy used by a Spartan commander, Dercylidas.  Brought to you by the Greek philosopher-historian-warrior Xenophon.

How should we look at the lives of “problematic” great figures?  Join us as we join the ancient philosopher Plutarch, in sizing up two incredible men of action.  Who wins?  

Shout out to sources and inspirations: 

Ancient: 

Plutarch, life of Sulla

Plutarch, life of Marius

Plutarch, life of Sertorius

Plutarch, life of Pompey

Plutarch, life of Lucullus

Appian, Civil Wars

Appian, Mithridatic Wars

Cicero, pro Sexto Roscio

Sallust, Jugurtha

Secondary:

Arthur Keaveney (R.I.P.), Sulla, The Last Republican

Theodor Mommsen, History of Rome

Gareth Sampson, Collapse of Rome

Catherine Steel, The End of the Roman Republic; “Sulla the Orator”

Adrienne Mayor, The Poison King

Mass murderer or brilliant patriot?  Whatever your take on Sulla, it's worth analyzing the qualities that made him a joy to his friends, and a terror to his enemies.

How do you keep your team together in a civil conflict?  Can a country right itself by warring with itself?  What are the limits to which one man will go to punish his enemies?  

In this episode, Sulla’s most famous, or rather infamous, acts as a leader.  

—People—

Sulla

Plutarch

King Pyrrhus 

Cinna

Metellus Pius

Marcus Licinius Crassus

Carbo

Gaius Norbanus

Lucius Cornelius Scipio (Asiaticus)

Sertorius

Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey)

Gaius Marius (Jr.)

Damasippus

The Samnites

Telesinus

The Lucanians

Lucius Ofella

Sextus Roscius (Amerinus)

Cicero

Catiline

Julius Caesar

The Gracchi

Metella

Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (consul 78 BC)

—Places—

Apollonia

Epirus

Adriatic Sea

Italy

Dalmatia

Campania

Mt Tifata

Capua

Capitoline Hill

Picenum

Praeneste (Palestrina)

Rome

Colline Gate

Antemnae Field of Mars (Campus Martius)

Temple of Bellona

Circus Flaminius

Ameria

Cumae

How does a great commander handle being undermined by his government back home?  How should we treat opponents we defeat?  And how do we negotiate the best deal when our backs are against the wall and our counterparts know it?

In this episode: Sulla goes to Greece, to war against Rome’s arch rival Mithridates of Pontus.  Can he hold out against a vastly superior enemy army?  And can he weather the escalating crisis in Rome?

--People--

Sulla, The Hero

Plutarch, The Narrator

Marius, The Scoundrel

Sulpicius, The Henchman

Cinna, The Politician

Mithridates, The King 

Aristion, the Tyrant

Archelaus, The Foe

Flaccus, The Replacement

Fimbria, The Backstabber

Apellicon, The Book Collector

Andronicus, The Editor

--Places--

Rome

Athens

Piraeus

Epidaurus

Olympia

Delphi

Boeotia

Mt Parnassus

Chaeronea

Thebes

Livadeia

Orchomenus

Lake Kopais

Asia (Minor)

The Dardanelles

Dardanus

Euboea

Halae

--Divinities--

Ma

Bellona

Minerva

Venus

Aphrodite

Apollo

Asclepius

Trophonius

How do we get Fortune on our side?  What are the qualities necessary for daring unthinkable, unspeakable acts? When is it justifiable to massacre your enemies?   Sulla: A man of contradictions.  Enjoyer of dramas and hedonistic pleasures; most successful general of his generation, and one of the greatest of all time.  Patriot and champion of the ancient constitution; the Roman responsible for more Roman deaths than perhaps any other man in history.  

Was Sulla one who broke the Republic?

In this episode learn the arts of:

-Wisdom

-charm

-gift giving

-deception

People:

Gaius Marius

Jugurtha

King Bocchus

The Cimbri and Teutones

Quintus Lutatius Catulus

The Metelli

Aemilius Scaurus

Mithridates of Pontus

The Parthians

Quintus Pompeius Rufus

Manius Aquillius (cameo)

Publius Sulpicius Rufus

Places:

Rome

Numidia

Gaul

Cilicia

Cappadocia

Armenia

Euphrates River

Persia

Parthia

Nola

A principle for building exercises to control your anxiety or fear.  Favorinus, a philosopher from the time of Plutarch, offers some deft observations about Socrates.

Plutarch offers insight on relating to people above your station

Plato gives some insight in how to undermine your enemies.

How to turn bad luck around.  SPOILER: it's not just more effort.

Stories of Timotheus and Sulla

What happened after Lysander died?  What was his legacy?  What can we learn from his life?  

Lysander returns from his setbacks at Sparta with a revolutionary plan.  He consults the gods about the Spartan Kingship; and some of his own prophecies about Greek geopolitics come true.

In this episode: How should protegés treat mentors?  How do you change a deeply conservative state?  And, as always, what is the cost, for an individual, for a state, of striving for supreme glory?

Characters:
Alexander Hamilton (cameo)
Lysander
Tissaphernes, Satrap of Lydia
The Pythia
Agesilaus
Cyrus the Younger
King Pausanias
Thrasyboulus of Athens

Places:
Sparta
Oracle of Delphi
Oracle of Dodona, in Epirus
Oracle of Zeus Ammon (Amun Ra), Libya
Ephesus
Thebes
Haliartus

Lysander - The Spartan who took down Athens.  In this episode: the dangers of success.

How (and why) Lysander installed the notorious "Thirty" at Athens, and how he came to be worshipped as a god.  Could Sparta contain such a man?

Characters:

Lysander

Socrates

Theramenes
Critias

King Pausanias

King Agis

Thrasyboulus
The Thirty

The Mob

Key Virtues:

Patience

Flexibility

Obedience
Indifference to Money
Resilience

Key Places:

Athens

Sparta

Thebes
Samos
Miletus
Delphi

A Spartan; first Greek honored as a god during his lifetime; destroyer of Athenian naval supremacy.

In this episode: his rise to power, how he pulled off the greatest naval upset in Greek history, and WHY he did it.

Characters:

Lysander

Socrates

Xenophon

Alcibiades

Prince Cyrus the Younger

Agesilaus

King Agis

Kallikratidas

The Mob

Key Virtues:

Patience

Flexibility

Obedience

Key Places:

Athens

Sparta

Ephesus

Dardanelles / Hellespont

A story about how Socrates reacted when he got publicly shamed.

Harry Truman was a great admirer of Plutarch's lives, and recommended them often.  He discusses why.

Quotes taken from Miller's oral biography of Truman, "Plain Speaking."

How do we translate the advice Plutarch gives on free speaking, with the example of Pericles, into the world of modern media?

What combination of habits produces both strength and peace?  How do we become more sovereign over our lives, over ourselves?  With some references from a famous, classic text from Plutarch's works.

Why do we work? How should we spend our leisure?  Also, announcing the next biography subjects!

What did Pyrrhus and Marius had in common, what lessons can be drawn for leaders?

A transcript of an article from Antigone Journal.  Read the article here:
https://antigonejournal.com/2022/03/publius-rutilius-rufus/

Rutilius was a side character in the Life of Marius, but deserves his own treatment here.  See also his treatment in the book Lives of the Stoics by Holiday and Hanselman, which inspired this essay.

3 Lessons for Leaders from the Life of Marius.  Also, what happened after Marius died?

This is the story of how Gaius Marius went from being the Greatest Man in Rome to Public Enemy #1.

But Marius, usually master of the political narrative, ended up having his story written by his political rivals.  What was the true character of this surprisingly elusive figure?

What is worth imitating? What is worth avoiding?  

Before fully answering these questions, we must understand the details of his story, one of the most dramatic and memorable sequences in all of Plutarch’s lives.

On today’s podcast:

• One way to respond when you’re being undermined
• The problem with putting off legitimate political complaints 
• Marius, Drusus, and the beginning of the Social War 
• Sulla, Marius, and the beginning of the Civil War 
• Marius’ harrowing escape
• The prophecy about Marius’ 7 consulships
• The Bloody Return of Marius

Links:

• Thanks to our sponsor - ideamarket.io -  @ideamarket_io on twitter!
• Thanks to our guest narrator, Justin Murphy! visit otherlife.co, indiethinkers.org, or @jmrphy on twittter

In this episode, Gaius Marius goes from upstart commander to Third Founder of Rome.

Roman writer and historian Sallust said Marius possessed Virtus (“manliness, prowess, virtue” - but, was Marius ultimately a “good man”? 

In part two of The Life of Gaius Marius, Marius captures Jugurtha, he enlists the help of a prophetess to annihilate an army of Teutones, and triumphs over the Cimbri at the Battle of Vercellae.  And how he became six times Roman consul.

But in order to reach the top, Marius had to dispatch political enemies, and make alliances with some dubious characters.  Was it worth it? 

Thanks to sponsor ideamarket.io! (@ideamarket_io)

On today’s podcast:

• The power of narrative
• How to commandeer a war from a decorated general
• Marius the Military Reformer and Strategist
• The battles of Arausio, Aquae Sextiae, Vercellae
• Third Founder of Rome
• How to engineer the downfall of a rival

Links:

• ideamarket.io

Hated by many contemporaries, admired by even more - and later Romans, such as the emperor Augustus.  

“Seven times Consul, Praetor, Tribune of the Plebs, Quaestor, Augur, Military Tribune, Marius waged war against Jugurtha, the King of Numidia and captured him. He annihilated an army of Teutones. He triumphed over the Cimbri…”

Gaius Marius, an outsider, an Italian…  A story of rising from obscurity to the apex of the Roman hierarchy.  How did he do it?

And does he deserve the blame for starting the Roman Civil War? 

Nobody becomes the greatest Roman alive in times of peace. 

Marius was a young man of incredible ambition and razor sharp perception. He not only noticed the rare opportunities, but he seized them with dogged determination. Even more remarkably, Marius’ achievements didn’t happen until he was an older man. 

In fact, Marius’ story was practically just beginning when he was age 50. Perhaps yours will too. 

In this first installment of The Life of Gaius Marius, we learn about the foundations Marius laid in his early life as he positioned himself for greatness. 

Thanks to sponsor ideamarket.io! (@ideamarket_io)

On today’s podcast:

• Learning the populist game from Scipio Africanus and the Gracchi
• Fitting in but staying different
• Acquiring a fortune and a reputation
• Entering Roman politics as an outsider
• Conciliating Rivals
• From Tribune, to Praetor, to Consul 
• War with Jugurtha

Why did Plutarch write biographies?  What does one hope to get out of a biography podcast?

Plutarch reads the Odyssey

A winter message from Plutarch

Plutarch on what the octopus, and the mythic figure Proteus (who King Menelaus met on his way back from Troy) can tell us about friendship.

Coming back to Plutarch's essay on having many friends, with remarks from Zeuxis, Chilon, and Thucydides

A quote and meditation from Plutarch's On Having Many Friends.

Sign up for our email list at ancientlifecoach.com! 

Merry Christmas (etc.) from Ancient Life Coach.  The historical aftermath of Pyrrhus' death, and some thoughts on gift giving.

In this episode:
The fate of Pyrrhus' kingdom
Pyrrhus's role in the outbreak of the great Punic Wars?

Merry Christmas (or Saturnalia) to all!

Antigonus was famously once asked, “who is the greatest General of our day?” to which he replied, “Pyrrhus, if he lives to be old.”

This is the third and final installment of The Life of Pyrrhus, King of Epirus.  

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

Pyrrhus takes opportunity after opportunity, always imagining this will further his cause.  It begins with a Sicilian expedition. After this, Pyrrhus returns to Italy to fight the Battle of Beneventum.   Then he goes to Macedonia to try and claw back an opportunity he didn’t pursue earlier. 

It’s a predictable pattern, according to Plutarch:

“Pyrrhus was always entertaining one hope after another, and since he made one success but the starting point for a new one, while he was determined to make good each disaster by a fresh undertaking, he allowed neither defeat nor victory to put a limit to his causing trouble for himself and for others.”

Pyrrhus made his mark by cultivating an almost maniacal focus on winning in battle - he had a lust for combat. In doing so he won for himself long lasting glory. But we should perhaps ask, together with Plutarch - what was the cost? And was it worth it?  

On today’s podcast:

• Pyrrhus’ whirlwind Sicilian expedition
• Fabricius’ revenge
• Pyrrhus vs Antigonus
• The Siege of Sparta 
• The Battle for Argos

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Some Places Mentioned

Akragas (Agrigento)

Leontini (Lentini)

Tauromenium (Taormina)

Eryx (Erice, Trapani)

Lilybaeum (Marsala)

Tarentum (Taranto)

Beneventum (Benevento)

Syracuse

Calabria

Aegae

Sparta

Crete

Corinth

Argos
Nafplio

“Pyrrhus… saw clearly what great happiness he was leaving behind him. But he just couldn’t renounce his hopes of obtaining what he eagerly desired.”

We can think of many ambitious leaders or groups who made a big dent in the world by smashing through boundaries: The Mongols, The British East India Company, Moses and Joshua taking the promised land.  But many dreamed big and failed to deliver: Napoleon in Russia, Xerxes in Greece.

Which kind of leader will Pyrrhus be?

In this episode, the story of Pyrrhus' great challenge to the Romans; the first well-documented visit to Rome by a Greek; Pyrrhus' famous utterance,  “If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.”

Some takeaways:
Fortune favors the bold: if you have your heart set on something, why not do everything within your power to achieve it?  Show compassion even when you don’t have to - Pyrrhus consistently showed respect for his enemy.  Also Pyrrhus is not famous for being a politician, but he was a competent negotiator who sought a peaceful resolution before resorting to violence. 

On today’s podcast:

• The cost of following your dreams 
• Showing respect for your adversary
• Winning wars without resorting to violence (sometimes)
• Letting your strengths guide your decisions

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

Thanks to our sponsor, Ovadia Heart health!  You can support this podcast by visiting the following links and, if you like something, make a purchase. 

Dr. Philip Ovadia's Metabolic Health Tracking System

Stronger Hearts Society with Dr. Philip Ovadia

"Stay off My Operating Table" eBook

"Stay off My Operating Table" Audiobook

I've been using Dr. Ovadia's guidelines in my own life for a few months and been experiencing great results.

Pyrrhus, the Warrior King.  Father of the "Pyrrhic Victory."  Smuggled out of the palace at two years old.  Raised in exile by Illyrians.  Pyrrhus grew to be the "greatest commander of his day" according to observers like Hannibal and Antigonus.

[Original music score based on Epirot and other Greek folk traditions, by Ilias Markantonis.

See Ilias' work on Facebook, or Instagram (@ilias_markantonis)]

In this episode:
-Find a mentor
-Transcend a mentor
-Identify the Master Skill in your field, and focus
-How to master fear
-Seizing opportunities to expand your network

Thanks to our sponsor, historical fiction author Jackson Riddle! www.jacksonsriddle.com

Check out his new book, A Potter's Vessel, an alternative telling of the conflict that became the US Civil War.

Pyrrhus of Epirus (319-272 BC) was a cousin of Alexander the Great.  He was the first man to take battle elephants to Italy. He defeated the Romans on several occasions in what became known as the Pyrrhic Wars.

In Part 1, we meet Pyrrhus as a 2 year old, as he is snatched from his crib in a deadly coup.

As he struggles to establish himself in his kingdom through his teenage and early adult years, he learns that the only path toward self-reliance for him and for his kingdom is through the sword.  

Some lessons:

It's always useful to have a mentor.  But you may not have to bind yourself to that person forever.

“As his former mentor and now esteemed arch enemy, Demetrius put Pyrrhus through the best school of war anyone could hope for – strategy, tactics, hand to hand combat – Pyrrhus could learn it all from the best - if he could keep his head.”

Also, seize any opportunity to expand your network both professionally and personally. Case in point: Pyrrhus in Asia, and Egypt.

Find a master a skill in your own field. If there is one thing Pyrrhus exemplifies, it is the power of personal courage in a leader.  So if that’s an area you need to work on (hint: you can never have too much courage), start now.  Courage is physical.

"Satisfy your souls on Plutarch, and dare to believe in yourselves when you believe in his heroes" - Nietzsche

**PYRRHUS ARRIVES NEXT WEEK**

Friedrich Nietzsche: Greek Scholar, Plutarch fan, student of history, incisive critic of history nerds such as your host.

How does history help us, actually? Is it in the ways we think?

Listen to this episode for encouragement if you feel woefully ignorant about history.  Or, if you are a big history buff and need the occasional kick in the pants.

Insights and Quotes from Nietzsche's Essay "On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History."

Available on its own here

or in this collection.

Plato spent time around some bad people.  But he had a way of trying to stay at the top of his virtue game despite the many bad influences he was around. 

You can use it too.

Links to Lysias' Against Eratosthenes (Lysias 12), mentioned in the episode:

A PDF (It's public domain):
https://ryanfb.github.io/loebolus-data/L244.pdf

Perseus (Annoying interface, but convenient):
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0154%3Aspeech%3D12

How enemies can be more useful than Reason itself.  Anecdotes from Chilon of Sparta, Scipio Nasica. From Plutarch's treatise How to Profit from your Enemies.  

His treatise was addressed to Cornelius Pulcher, of Epidaurus, custodian of the cult of Asclepius.

In the Parallel Lives, the philosopher Plutarch pairs individual Greeks and Romans with each other, comparing their lives. In the last few episodes of The Cost of Glory we’ve shared Plutarch’s stories about the lives of Eumenes of Kardia and Sertorius of Rome, pulling out key lessons for modern leaders. 

In this comparison episode, we’re joined by guest narrator Stephen Blackwell, President of Ralston College, Savannah, Georgia.
(www.ralston.ac)

Plutarch offers his own thoughts on the lives of Eumenes and Sertorius.

We offer ours on their respective legacies. 

Both Eumenes and Sertorius lived similar lives, with similar fortunes, and competed using similar qualities. They both possessed great innate talent, and a tremendous dedication to hard work and perfecting their skills. They were also motivated by powerful ambition, but were both ultimately betrayed by people on their own team.

Lessons?

#1:  If you’re a leader, you need to do everything you can to read the character and disposition of your immediate reports. Are they following you willingly? Or are they likely to jump ship when something better comes along? Take measures to learn the character of your subordinates. 

#2:  For your legacy: Leave behind living people who admire and respect you. People for whom you gave everything you had, to help and defend their rights, to promote their flourishing in the world, even at the highest cost. They’re the ones who will ensure your good work lives on. 

On today’s podcast:

• Plutarch’s comparison of Sertorius and Eumenes
• Julius Caesar and the legacy of Sertorius
• The importance of having favorable storytellers:  Hieronymus and Sallust
• Is loyalty a virtue?
• The importance of being faithful
• Channel your ambition into a cause and principle

Links:

• www.ancientlifecoach.com
• Plutarch’s essay
• Ralston College

What happened to Alexander's kingdom after the death of Eumenes?

In this episode: 
-The end of the Eumenes Story
-The age of warring successors begins. 
-What is special about Eumenes?

In this final part of his Life, Eumenes’ loyalty to the legacy of Alexander is put to the ultimate test.  He faces off against Antigonus, on behalf of Queen Olympias, over rulership of the kingdom and the regency of the kings.

A notable historian, A.B. Bosworth, remarks that the struggle between Eumenes and Antigonus “Did more than anything to determine the shape the Hellenistic world.”

Our guest narrator is Dawn LaValle Norman, a classicist and scholar of Plutarch and his era.

Eumenes has the choice at multiple points to retire in peace.  But he fights on.  Why? And what can we learn from his example? 

Eumenes knew the secrets of how to secure the loyalty and admiration of followers, and the compliance of reluctant subordinates. 

He took his men on grand campaigns from the steppes of central Turkey to the marshes of Babylonia, the death valley of Susa, and the Iranian highlands.

As Plutarch remarks: “Success… makes even men of smaller character look impressive to us, as they stare down upon us from the heights, but it is when misfortune strikes, that the truly great and steadfast man becomes unmistakeable.”

On today’s podcast:

• How to secure loyalty from reluctant followers 
• How to wait out a siege
• The brittle peace after Antipater’s death, and the wrench that smashed it
• How Eumenes made it into the Babylonian Chronicle
• Why the debtor rules the creditor
• The way Eumenes fought when the odds were against him

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

What would you do if your closest friend died unexpectedly, leaving an incredible legacy, and an infant son. How far would you go to defend his rights? Would you give your life? 

In this episode Eumenes emerges onto the world stage as one of antiquity’s brilliant generals.

What is it like to believe in a divine kingship?  Or, at least, to act as though you do believe?

Eumenes fought rebel Persian satraps, upstaged Macedonian warrior nobles, arranged dynastic marriages, fought in hand to hand combat with great commanders.  He was visited in his dreams by the gods.  He strove mightily against fate.

Like the figures he worked for and fought with, he seems larger than life sometimes.  What can we take away from his biography? 

Eumenes stayed true to his principles, kept his word in an increasingly faithless age, and though all adversity, by gradually taking on larger and larger challenges and responsibilities, he transformed himself, and became an equal of the great lords who were deciding the fate of the throne of Alexander.

On today’s podcast:

• Why you should be careful who you marry
• How to remain loyal to yourself and the cause you believe in
• How the The first great War of the Successors began
• How to get the gods to fight on your side
• Eumenes’ transformation from a man of letters to a man of war

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

As the Royal Secretary to Alexander the Great, Eumenes of Kardia had a front row seat to Alexander bringing his impossible dream crashing into the real world. 

As a young man, Eumenes couldn’t possibly have known that the Mediterranean world he lived in was on the cusp of the most dramatic political and cultural shift in its recorded history, up to that point. And that he would be at the very center of the administrative and military machine that brought that change about. 

But just when Eumenes was on top of this new world order he had helped forge, Alexander died. And things suddenly looked like they were starting to unravel. When this happened, Eumenes was determined to keep it all together, because he was one of the only people who could.

Not many people can expertly pivot their position so smoothly, but in the aftermath of Alexander’s unexpected death, Eumenes adroitly converted his position and influence into political power. 

In this first part of The Life of Eumenes of Kardia, we learn why King Philip of Macedonia initially hired Eumenes as his secretary, how Eumenes grew close to Alexander, why Eumenes got on Olympias’ good side, and on Antipater’s wrong side, the expeditions Eumenes accompanied Alexander on, why the expedition into the Punjab region transformed Eumenes from administrator to taking charge of an elite division of cavalry, Eumenes’ role in settling the succession of Alexander at the Partition of Babylon, and finally why Perdiccas sent Eumenes to Cappadocia.

From the outset, Eumenes displayed the traits of a great leader - his ability to be an effective follower of the right cause, and a loyal servant to the decision makers in the situation he found himself in. He was able to slow his mind down and comprehend the situation as a whole, and find where the real potential for action was, the real leverage points. But more importantly, Eumenes performed all his roles, no matter how minor, with excellence, because he saw in them the clear potential for much greater roles.

So, if like Eumenes, you’re looking for a way to sharpen your present self, download and listen to this latest episode. 

On today’s podcast:

• How to excel in the service of charismatic leaders
• That some accountants can wrestle
• Philip II of Macedon’s conquest of Greece, and subsequent Murder
• The importance of being trustworthy
• Alexander’s conquest of Asia and beyond
• How to build up creds and respect as an outsider
• Eumenes’ role in the Partition of Babylon - The post- Alexander settlement

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Plutarch in On Tranquillity of Mind discusses a way to use the famous phrase Know Thyself.

Some Figures mentioned:

Sertorius
Eumenes, 
Philip II of Macedon
Alexander the Great
Dionysius I, Tyrant of Syracuse
Philoxenus the Poet
Pindar
Empedocles
Plato
Democritus
Ismenias, wealthy citizen of Thebes
Epaminondas, Theban general
Euripides

Quotes:
"Know Thyself"
"Rule the Sparta you got"

How do you keep a positive frame of mind in challenging circumstances?  Troubles with loved ones, at work, with poverty, business?  Try this tool, drawn from a passage of Plutarch's moral writings (Moralia).

Treatise mentioned: On Tranquility of Mind (from the Moralia)
People Mentioned:
Paccius - a Roman senator, not known outside of Plutarch's works.  Possibly a friend or acquaintance of Pliny the Younger, Tacitus.
Epaminondas - Famous Theban general and statesman.  Major character in the Life of Pelopidas, brief mention in the Life of Eumenes.
Fabricius - Famous Roman general and statesman.  Major character in the Life of Pyrrhus (also coming soon)

Tool discussed: reframing the conception of external circumstances, in order to alter one's inner state.

This episode provides a brief summary of the life of Sertorius (spoiler alert), recounts events at Rome after his death, and offers a few practical takeaways.

Go deeper! Sign up for Ancient Life Emails at ancientlifecoach.com. 

Life of Sertorius Cheat Sheet - ancientlifecoach.com/quintussertorius

(To skip the summary, go to 6:00) 

There is some closure to the story - the wicked are punished, at least some of them.  But in the wake of the civil war, Sertorius' legacy was, for now, in jeopardy.  The narrative was controlled by his enemies.  But this situation did not last forever.

Some Takeaways: 
How to work your hardest
Which game to play
How to survive when death and failure threaten
How to bring people in to your dream

How do you fight off the greatest military machine the world had ever produced? How do you take back an empire?  

In his quest to win a better life for himself and the men he led, Sertorius shows what talented and determined people can do when they justly feel they have been wronged and have been given no recourse. 

He makes allies with unexpected leaders, he mentors those beneath him, and inspires thousands of people, time and again, to fight alongside him. 

In this third and final installment of the Life of Sertorius, we follow Sertorius’ stunning and improbable rise to the leadership of a rival Roman state.  Hunted by his enemies, he throws in his lot with pirates from Cilicia.  When they abandon him, he battles against them in a proxy war in Mauretania (Morocco).   The Lusitanians, a Spaniard tribe, invite him to be their leader.  He persuades them to join him in a bold mission to restore Rome from Spain. 

He evades the great Metellus Pius, using guerrilla tactics, and sets about Romanizing the native peoples of Spain.  The Senate sends in Pompey the Great.  Sertorius schools him too.  

But the greatest challenge Sertorius faces is in sharing his power - in trusting other Romans who are not like him, who lack his vision, humility, and discipline.

Sertorius’ life provides many valuable lessons for leaders: lessons on strategy and tactics, the importance of preparation, surprise, speed, knowing your territory, but also the power of trustworthiness, empathy, and patience.

A great Roman historian, a nobel laureate, Theodor Mommsen, called Sertorius, “one of the great men, perhaps the greatest of all Rome had produced, and one who in more fortunate circumstances could perhaps have become the regenerator of his country.”

If you’re looking for a way to sharpen your present by learning from the lives of famous leaders such as Sertorius, download and listen to this latest episode. 

On today’s podcast:

• The Pirates of Cilicia
• Usurpers and the Giant’s tomb in Morocco
• Guerilla Warfare, Roman style
• The Lusitanians and their role in the great Sertorian rebellion
• Diana, the Hunter goddess, and her divine “gift”
• Sertorius’ famous opponents: Metellus Pius, Pompey the Great
• Spectacular military exploits at Lauro, Sucro, Saguntum, and more
• Beginning the Romanization of Spain
• A rival Senate, a rival State
• Sertorius’ final achievement

Links:

• https://costofglory.com/

Sponsors

• The Paideia Institute - classical tours and classical language teaching 
• www.paideiainstitute.org 

Alexander Hamilton - future founder and lawgiver - was just a young aide of General George Washington in the American Revolutionary war. This was much like Sertorius’ role under Gaius Marius in the last episode.

Very few Camp Aides go on to great things, like becoming General. If you want to be one of those people, the ones who make the most of the opportunity to level up, what do you do?

Hamilton, like many ambitious people before and after him, read Plutarch’s Lives, taking notes on the biographies of the founders and lawgivers of Athens, Rome, and Sparta, learning how they overcame challenges in order to triumph.

Sertorius, at this point in his career, as a political outsider, had to perform that much harder than his peers from noble families.  In this episode we trace his rise to political prominence.  He performs deeds of shocking daring and decisiveness when there are opportunities, and when all doors seem shut he patiently bides his time. In all cases, he maintains an iron will to survive and thrive.

We learn how Sertorius permanently secures two cities in Spain in one night. How he becomes Quaestor. How he loses his eye in the Social wars.  We listen as he’s enrolled as a member of the senate, as he runs for Tribune of the Plebs only to have Sulla form a cabal and block him. We witness the return of Marius - Marius 2.0, Make Marius Great Again. We listen as Sertorius makes an alliance with Cinna, before he, Cinna and Marius take back control of Rome. And finally, we hear how Sertorius is sent back to Spain as Governor, in the midst of a great civil war before being forced to take to the sea in a desperate attempt to keep hope alive for his cause.

So, if like Hamilton, you’re looking for a way to sharpen your present by learning from the lives of famous Greeks and Romans, such as Sertorius, download and listen to this latest episode. 

On today’s podcast:

• How Sertorius became Quaestor
• Why Sulla blocked him from becoming Tribune of the Plebs
• Marius 2.0: Make Marius Great Again
• The Social Wars and Civil Wars
• The alliance between Sertorius, Cinna and Marius
• Becoming Governor of Spain
• Sertorius’ decision to challenge the power of Rome

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Sponsors

• The Paideia Institute - classical tours and classical language teaching 
• www.paideiainstitute.org 

Sertorius - the greatest Roman rebel - was a commander whose story inspired both Beethoven and Machiavelli. As Beethoven realised he was going deaf, he turned to the ancient philosopher, Plutarch, and his work, Parallel Lives, for inspiration.

Plutarch’s biographies gave Beethoven the strength and determination to carry on, to cope, to overcome his aural tragedy and go on to become one of the greatest composers of all time. 

But what is it about Sertorius’ story that Beethoven, and many famous and ambitious people who followed him, admired? What can we take from Sertorius’ story that will sharpen us, and prepare us to face the present, whatever it throws at us?

“Sertorius was a traitor in the eyes of many, and a hero to others. He went on to be perhaps the greatest Roman Rebel, and certainly he was the greatest Roman Guerilla warrior.”

We start with his early career.

We meet Sertorius as he attends his first triumphal parade. We hear about that hot August day in 105 BC when the Romans were defeated by the Cimbri in battle. We learn that as a kid from Nursia, trying to get ahead in this world, he was looking for ways to stand out in front of the people who could make or break his career. But when there weren’t any great battles where he could win glory, he realized he’d have to create an opportunity. When he met with setback, he knew there was no use wallowing in resentment, waiting for yet another big shot to notice him. 

“He focused on what he could control, and that is… honing his craft, the art of war.”

On today’s podcast:

• How world class performers deal with setbacks
• Why Beethoven turned to Plutarch 
• What Sertorius can teach us about learning to defy fate
• The Battle of Arausio and the Cimbrian Wars
• The rise and fall of General Gaius Marius
• Saturninus the rogue Tribune
• The Gold of Tolosa
• The origins of the Roman Civil War

Links:

• https://ancientlifecoach.com/

Sponsors

• The Paideia Institute - classical tours and classical language teaching 
• www.paideiainstitute.org 

Introducing The Cost of Glory, launching August 2021.

For more information, visit https://ancientlifecoach.com