006– The Fathers of Lies
Listen:
Like the Persians, we make all our decisions when we’re drunk. Such as podcasting about Ancient Greek History in a molten-hot, spider-infested shed. Find out about the culture that gave us democracy, philosophy, science, theatre, history itself... but sadly not proper lavatorial plumbing.
It’s a classic story of the foundations of our civilisation. So don’t think this isn’t for you, don’t get drunk and smash the willies from all the local statues – and definitely don’t start a land war in Asia.
Battle of the Books - Round 6
Herodotus – The Histories
Thucydides – History of the Peloponnesian War
Wildcard: Xenophon – The Anabasis (‘The March Up Country’)
Shortcuts
300 and 300: Rise of An Empire re-tell parts of the story told first (and better) by Herodotus.
World War 2 romance The English Patient also heavily features Herodotus’s Histories, and is a cracking story in itself.
Not sure what’s more bizarre: the fact that there’s no straight adaptation of Xenophon’s amazing true story, or the existence of Warriors: a re-telling of his great journey... set amongst the gangs of 1970’s New York!
Finally, as promised, a C19th painting of Gyges and the Lydian Queen: ‘Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, as She Goes to Bed‘, William Etty, exhibited 1830 | Tate
And for the ladies, here’s Leonidas and his 300, heroically fighting off the Persians, and definitely not dressed for the part: Léonidas aux Thermopyles - Jacques-Louis David - Musée du Louvre Peintures INV 3690 ; L 3711 - Leonidas at Thermopylae - Wikipedia
Battle of the Booze
Karas Armenian Areni and Sereni Noir, aged in amphora , just like it was made in Xenophon’s day. Armenia has a good claim to be the first place on Earth where wine was made, and its wine-makers still rightly refer to Herodotus and Xenophon as evidence of their viticultural heritage
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