S8 Ep583: WEISBERG4.mp3 Weisberg discusses the evolution of divorce in New York, noting a significant increase during the Gilded Age. The scandal influenced novelist Edith Wharton, Mary’s cousin, who later wrote about these social circles. Additionally, the diary o

S8 Ep583: EISBRG3.mp3 Mary confesses her affair and a pregnancy of uncertain paternity to a stunned Peter. Peter pursues a taboo divorce to gain custody of their children, citing his patriarchal rights. The sources describe a sensational five-week trial in 1865 tha

S8 Ep583: WEISBERG2.mp3 Weisberg details Mary’s growing unhappiness and physical fragility following multiple pregnancies and life at Waverly. The narrative shifts as Mary begins a secret affair with Peter’s brother, Edward, after a chance encounter. This betrayal

S8 Ep583: WEISBERG1.mp3 Guest Barbara Weisberg introduces her book about Peter Strong and Mary Stevens, two elite New Yorkers who married in 1853. Despite their prominent backgrounds, Mary felt stifled living at Waverly, the Strong family estate in Queens, under he

S8 Ep582: 8. In this final segment, Cline summarizes the rankings of ancient societies based on resilience definitions from the IPCC. He distinguishes between those that "transformed" (the antifragile Phoenicians and Cypriots), those that "adapted" or "coped" (Eg

S8 Ep582: 7. Cline addresses the vulnerability of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations, which served as models for "what not to do" during a crisis. Despite their outward appearance of strength, these societies were fragile systems that collapsed completely after

S8 Ep582: 6. Cline explores the decline of the Minoans on Crete and the Mycenaeans on mainland Greece. Both civilizations are categorized as failures that were internally fragile despite impressive architectural achievements like the Lion Gate. Overextension throug

S8 Ep582: 5. The conversation details the collapse of the Hittite Empire in central Anatolia. Despite once being equal to Egypt, the Hittites suffered from poor leadership and internal rot, exacerbated by plagues and famine. Their capital, Hattusa, was eventually b

S8 Ep582: 4. This file focuses on the "antifragile" societies that thrived amid chaos: the Phoenicians and Cypriots. The Phoenicians transformed into a maritime powerhouse, establishing colonies like Carthage and spreading the standardized alphabet. Meanwhile, the

S8 Ep582: 3. Cline examines the varying fates of Egypt and emerging Levantine groups after the collapse. Egypt is described as "merely coping," struggling with internal anarchy and a delayed reaction to regional droughts while retreating from its previous internati

S8 Ep582: 2. This interview shifts to the aftermath of the Bronze Age collapse, focusing on the resilience of the Assyrians. Cline attributes their survival to strong leadership and redundant systems, such as their enduring military and government structures. While

S8 Ep582: 1. Eric Cline discusses the Late Bronze Age through the lens of the Uluburun shipwreck, which represents the era's globalized trade network. The ship's cargo, including copper from Cyprus and tin from Afghanistan, highlights the interconnectedness of civi

S8 Ep581: 8. Perpetua and the Shift to Christian Martyrdom (15) In the final segment, Southon discusses Perpetua, a well-born young woman in Carthage who was executed for being a Christian. Roman policy viewed the refusal to worship state gods as treason. Perpetu

S8 Ep581: 7. Daily Life and Business on the Frontier (13) Moving away from royalty, Southon highlights Julia Felix, a Pompeian property owner who ran a vast entertainment complex featuring "bougie" baths and restaurants. Archaeology shows she offered the middle cla

S8 Ep581: 6. Queens of Britain: Cooperation and Resistance (11) Southon compares two female leaders in Roman Britain: Cartimandua and Boudica. Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes, chose to collaborate with Rome, maintaining power for decades by bringing Roman luxur

S8 Ep581: 5. Julia: The Tool and Rebel of Augustus (9) Augustus used his only daughter, Julia, as a political tool to secure his heirs. He forced her into multiple marriages with potential successors like Agrippa and Tiberius. While she was initially obedient and p

S8 Ep581: . Cicero’s Rhetorical Attack on Clodia (7) In the late Republic, the orator Cicero engaged in a bitter feud with the wealthy and influential Clodia. During the trial of Caelius, Cicero launched a devastating character assassination, branding Clodia the "P

S8 Ep581: 3. Wicked Queens and the Sacrifice of Vestals (5) Southon discusses Tullia, the "wicked" opposite of Lucretia, who murdered her family to seize power and defiled her father’s body. Her ambition served as a warning that monarchy breeds tyranny. The focus t

S8 Ep581: 2. Lucretia and the Birth of the Republic (3) Southon explains that while most women can be removed from Roman history without much change, Lucretia is essential to the story of the Republic. During a "best wife" competition, Lucretia was found weaving wo

S8 Ep581: 1. The Founding Mothers and Augustan Propaganda(1) Guest author Emma Southon notes that historians like Livy wrote during the reign of Augustus to reshape early Roman history to justify the return to monarchy. These writers aimed to portray Rome as the mo