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With millions of downloads, hundreds of hours of soundtracked content, and an overall emphasis on the cultural history behind famous works of literature, Literature and History is one of the most popular independent podcasts on its subject. Starting with Sumerian cuneiform in 3,100 BCE, Literature and History moves forward in chronological order through Assyriology, Egyptology, the Old Testament, Ancient Greece and Rome, and the birth of Christianity. The show's current season is on Late Antiquity (or 200-700 CE) and the dawn of the Middle Ages.
A typical episode (they average about two hours) features a general introduction to a work of literature, then a full summary of that work that expects no prior knowledge, and finally, an analysis of the cultural, biographical, and historical forces that gave rise to the work in question. Original symphonic and ambient background music is woven throughout each show, and all episodes offer free full, illustrated, footnoted transcriptions as well as quizzes for purposes of review. The show has no advertisements, and its host takes pride in a professional approach that avoids chitchat and ephemera and gets straight to the educational content. You can listen to the episodes in any order, although most listeners begin at the beginning and proceed from there, as the podcast itself is chronologically organized.
Doug Metzger finished his Ph.D. in literature in 2011. His chief scholarly interest, following his dissertation work, continues to be 19th-century realism and postbellum American philosophy.
A typical episode (they average about two hours) features a general introduction to a work of literature, then a full summary of that work that expects no prior knowledge, and finally, an analysis of the cultural, biographical, and historical forces that gave rise to the work in question. Original symphonic and ambient background music is woven throughout each show, and all episodes offer free full, illustrated, footnoted transcriptions as well as quizzes for purposes of review. The show has no advertisements, and its host takes pride in a professional approach that avoids chitchat and ephemera and gets straight to the educational content. You can listen to the episodes in any order, although most listeners begin at the beginning and proceed from there, as the podcast itself is chronologically organized.
Doug Metzger finished his Ph.D. in literature in 2011. His chief scholarly interest, following his dissertation work, continues to be 19th-century realism and postbellum American philosophy.
106 Episodes
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3The second half of the History of the Franks (591) is a deep dive into the grime and intrigue of the Merovingian dynasty, written in a style that's as medieval as it is classical. Episode 106 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-106 Episode 105 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-106-gregory-of-tours-part-2 Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Gregory of Tours (c. 539-594) completed The History of the Franks in 591. The long book's account of Clovis and the Merovingian Dynasty has been one of our most important sources on early Medieval History, ever since. Episode 105 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-105 Episode 105 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-105-gregory-of-tours-part-1 Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Second only to the Tanakh, the 63 Tractates of the Talmud are the main text of Rabbinic Judaism, containing the teachings of thousands of ancient rabbis. Upcoming Seasons: https://literatureandhistory.com/upcoming-seasons/ Episode 104 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-104 Episode 104 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-104-introduction-to-the-talmud Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
In the twilight of the Western Empire, Boethius (c. 476-523) served as consul, but ended his life imprisoned by the Ostrogothic King Theodoric, writing The Consolation of Philosophy. Episode103 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-103 Episode 103Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-103-boethius Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Augustine’s City of God, Part 2 of 2. The second half of the City of God contains some of Late Antiquity’s most influential writings – most notably Augustine’s take on Original Sin. Episode 102 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-102 Episode 102 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-102-an-old-mans-book Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Augustine’s City of God, Part 1 of 2. The first half of the City of God is a broadside against paganism – its culture, religion, and history, subjects about which Augustine had much to say. Episode 101 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-101 Episode 101 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-101-against-the-pagans Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Augustine’s Confessions, Part 2 of 2. The second half of Augustine’s Confessions contains some of the most famous theology in Christian history. Episode 100 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-100 Episode 100 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-100-late-have-i-loved-you Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Augustine’s Confessions, Part 1 of 2. The first half of Augustine’s Confessions tells of his wayward early years, his intellectual journey, and his spiritual awakening. Episode 99 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-099 Episode 99 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-099-the-boy-who-stole-pears Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Polyglot Jerome (347-420) had a gigantic impact on all subsequent Christian history, leaving behind a huge body of works, including the Latin Bible. Episode 98 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-098 Episode 98 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-098-saint-jerome Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory Ancient Greece Declassified Tour: https://www.greecepodcast.com/tour/
The Dionysiaca, Part 2 of 2. The last surviving Greek epic of antiquity draws to a close with Dionysus fighting wars far to the east, in India. Episode 97 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-097 Episode 97 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-097-blood-and-ivy Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
The last epic from Greco-Roman antiquity that survives in full, Nonnus’ fifth-century Dionysiaca tells of the wine god Dionysus’ journey eastward, to India. Episode 96 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-096 Episode 96 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-096-the-last-pagan-epic Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
In 417 CE, the Roman poet Rutilius Namatianus journeyed from Rome back to his homeland of Gaul, not knowing whether there was a home to return to. Episode 95 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-095 Episode 95 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-095-rutilius-namatianus Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
One of the later Latin poets of the Empire, Ausonius’ expansive body of work gives us a window into the changing world of fourth-century Roman culture. Episode 94 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-094 Episode 94 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-094-ausonius Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Sulpicius Severus’ (c. 363-425) life of St. Martin is one of the great hagiographies – a portrait of a timeless saint, but also of a human being and working bishop. Episode 93 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-093 Episode 93 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-093-severus-life-of-st-martin Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Athanasius (c. 297-373) wrote a wildly popular biography of the desert hermit St. Anthony, touting the ideals of asceticism and triumph over demonic temptation. Episode 92 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-092 Episode 92 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-092-athanasius-life-of-antony Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
In Carthage, in 203 CE, a Roman noblewoman and her retinue were butchered in an amphitheater. Learn her story, and the earliest history of Christian martyrs. Episode 91 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-091 Episode 91 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-091-the-passion-of-perpetua Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Learn the documentary history behind how the Catholic Church was founded and set up as an organization, together with some of the works of the earliest church fathers. Episode 90 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-090 Episode 90 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-090-ante-nicene-catholicism Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
Heliodorus of Emesa (3rd/4th century CE) wrote the longest novel to have survived from antiquity, an adventurous romance that reemerged into Europe in the 1500s. Episode 89 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-089 Episode 89 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-089-the-aethiopica-of-heliodorus Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory Great Anthology of Ancient Greek Fiction: B.P. Reardon's Collected Ancient Greek Novels
In roughly the 160s CE, the Greek satirist Lucian of Samosata wrote A True Story, one of history’s earliest surviving novels, with strong tinges of what we’d call science fiction. Episode 88 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-088 Episode 88 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-088-ancient-greek-sci-fi Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
The satirist Lucian (c. 125-180) was popular in his own time and during the Renaissance, among other things probably being the first author of science fiction. Episode 87 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-087 Episode 87 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-087-lucian-of-samosata Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory
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Great job bro, love listening! •https://youtu.be/1YgWFZT1riA?si=vhZ7TRf6sH8nl63- •And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder(Mark 3:17) •https://youtu.be/e77ybggTHHg?si=6WPiW8O4eRphjnOG •https://youtu.be/v2AC41dglnM?si=djIapGDuPzC32A8K Appreciate you, have a good n'
Please, continue. It has been awhile since you posted. Great podcast.
Episode 32 on Antigone (Trees Bending to the Torrent) is absolutely brilliant. Having read the play several times and concluding that Antigone was the heroine, I now instead, and somewhat surprisingly, think that Haemon is the true hero. Thebes lost a king who could have truly lead it to peace and prosperity. The words over the oracle at Delphi, All Things in Moderation and Know Thyself should have been needed here by Creon. Antigone was a mere child of about 13 or 14, since that was the age when girls were forced to marry in ancient Greece. Haemon reasons like a wise and intelligent sophist in his dialog with Creon. He is subtle, skillful, and chose his with care.
Boom Boom Boom Seamonster. 😆 In the 16 years since I got my MA in comp lit, this has got to be the single most funny and concise piece of theology I have lighted on.
I'd like to thank Doug for accompanying me on hours and hours of runs. your podcast is the perfect blend of literature and history, I am in awe of the time, effort, research, and production. incredibly underrated podcast. Thank you for everything!
I came here because of tasting history, boy am I happy I did! The podcast was excellent!
Thank you for a very, VERY good episode. 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (^^,)
👍
❤ " I'm a Lion from Leon. " ❤ (^^,) Love your music !! " Pindar and the Charioteer. " https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hO7YW3l7I8g&pp=sAQA Thanks for all your great work, all your Podcasts and the deep dive into History. Truly a international 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Podcast
Beautiful retrospective. Happy to learn about the high number of downloads and even happier to hear that you have been treated well on the web. You definitely deserve praise and i am looking forward to coming seasons. Thank you.
The third dud of this podcast. Zoroastrianism, Gnosisticism, and Manichaeism are dead end duds in the history of literature. No masters or PhD level seminar in a literature department would spend more than a few minutes on each. Doug, get back to literature and away from dead religions.
First dud epidode of the entire podcast. Don't go too far off track Doug: The first word on the title of your podcast is "Literature" not "Religion."
Truly excellent.
You may like this Podcast. (^^,) He is very good in Context and in Historical background. He starts way back in the firsts written texts = Cuneiform. Plus he make some darn good music and funny too. Or take a Quick Quiz to test your memory and knowledge. https://literatureandhistory.com/index.php/quizzes
Thanks again for yet another very interesting Episode. Amazing quality as always, from first to last second.
YES this is the best Podcast = All Episodes (^^,) Amazing talented.
Great Podcast! I really loved this! I'll listen to everything you post here, man. Really loved it.
Regardless of the content, your constant references to "she" is nauseating.
This is a fantastic podcast. Keep up the great work!
Fantastic podcast. My new favourite.