Epic Greek History

34 Episodes

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Based on a True Story: Legends of Marathon

2026-09-1515:39

The Battle of Marathon quickly morphed from history to legend. In this episode, host Scott Emmons describes how tales of the battle grew ever taller over time. For visuals illustrating the legendary character of the battle (some not mentioned in the podcast), check out Episode 33 at epicgreekhistory.substack.com. Reading Suggestions: Tom Holland, Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West “Greece: The Battle of Marathon” at World Archaeology Owen Rees, “Did Pheidi...

The Persians are Coming! Showdown at Marathon

2026-09-0152:02

The battle of Marathon was the first great confrontation between mainland Greeks and Persian forces. The Athenian victory over a numerically superior force gave the citizens a heightened confidence that carried them through the next Persian invasion and fueled their cultural achievements of the 5th century BCE. In this episode, host Scott Emmons guides you through the events leading up to this climactic battle. For maps an other visuals illustrating this topic, check out Episode 32 at www.e...

Herodotus: What Was His Deal, Anyway?

2026-08-1526:59

The Roman orator Cicero dubbed Herodotus the “father of history.” 19th-century skeptics called him the “father of lies.” Since antiquity, scholars have debated Herodotus’ reliability, his methods, and his sincerity. In this episode, host Scott Emmons examines the life and work of the author who, for better or for worse, is our chief literary source for early Greek history. For visuals supplementing this episode, check out Episode 31 at epicgreekhistory.substack.com. Suggested Read...

Fighting the Power: The Ionian Revolt

2026-08-0144:11

In 499 BCE, Aristagoras of Miletus led the Ionian Greek cities in a revolt against the Persian Empire. Athens sent a force of 20 ships to support her allies. As Herodotus puts it, “These ships were the beginning of evils for both the Greeks and the barbarians.” In this episode, host Scott Emmons guides you through the five-year revolt, which brought Persia and Greece closer to the great confrontations of the following two decades. For visuals illustrating aspects of this episode, ...

Bonus Episode: Thoughts on Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey"

2026-07-1909:15

Look! It's another podcaster sharing his thoughts about the new Odyssey movie! Opinions expressed here are solely those of a philhellenic film buff. Support the show

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