Epic Greek History
Embark on an epic journey through ancient Greece with history enthusiast Scott Emmons as your guide. From the Mycenaean warrior kings to the flowering of the Greek city-state, from the astonishing victories over the Persian invaders to the catastrophic power struggle between Athens and Sparta, each episode brings the past to life with vivid detail and compelling narrative. Along the way, there will be side trips to explore fascinating aspects of Greek culture, from art and literature to everyday life. Whether you're a history buff or new to the world of classical antiquity, this podcast is your gateway to the life and legacy of ancient Greece. Publishes one full episode and one short episode per month. See images for each episode at epicgreekhistory.substack.com
Episodes
The 8th century BCE brought big changes to Greece, including an increase in population and a dramatic upswing in economic activity. Many of the defining features of Greek civilization began to take shape. Monumental temples appeared. The Olympic Games began, inspiring a sense of a common Greek identity. Perhaps most importantly, the Greeks adapted a Phoenician alphabet and produced the writing system through which we ...
Any student of Greek history will occasionally come across a Greek word or name that's hard to pronounce. In this episode, host Scott Emmons offers a few pointers — but only after exploring the more interesting question of how we know what classical Greek sounded like. We know a lot more about it than you might think!
For a few accompanying visuals, check out Episode 8 at epicgreekhistory.substack.com
Reading sugge...
The Early Iron Age in Greece has traditionally been called a dark age, both because of the economic decline after the fall of the Mycenaean palaces and because the archaeological evidence is less abundant for this period. The picture is still far from clear, but archaeology continues to turn up more information. In this episode, host Scott Emmons draws on ancient legends, archaeological evidence, and the Homeric epics...
If you were asked to name a book that was foundational to your nation’s literature and culture, what would it be? For the ancient Greeks, there would have been no question — Homer was the king. In this short episode, host Scott Emmons explores Homer's enormous and long-lasting influence on both Greek and Roman culture.
For accompanying photos, check out Episode 6 at epicgreekhistory.substack.com
The discoveries of Troy and Mycenaean Greece in the 19th century led to a shift in attitudes toward Ancient Greek legends. If archaeology showed that Troy had existed, was it possible that the Trojan War saga had its basis in historical fact? In this episode, Scott Emmons sifts through clues from the Homeric epics, excavations at Troy, and ancient Hittite documents to explore a question that has fascinated both schola...
The decipherment of the Linear B tablets from Knossos and Pylos revolutionized our understanding of the Mycenaean world. But how did a small group of dedicated Greek scholars arrive at the solution? This episode recounts the painstaking process that ultimately led to the paradigm-shifting conclusion that Linear B was an early form of Greek.
For samples of the writing system and a link to an interactive site where you c...
Centuries before the Parthenon, Greek drama, and the Olympic Games, a highly developed Bronze Age culture evolved in Greece. This was the Mycenaean civilization, where warrior kings ruled from great palaces that dominated the surrounding territories. But the Mycenaeans drew heavily from the early Minoan culture on the island of Crete. In this episode you'll learn about the legendary excavation of the Minoan palac...
Welcome to the first episode of Epic Greek History! In this introduction, amateur historian Scott Emmons lays out his vision for this podcast. Taking inspiration from two of his favorite history podcasts, he'll focus on the human experience in a way that he hopes will bring ancient Greece to life. His guiding principle will be a short quote by historian Neville Morley: "History is a kind of story."
See t...
Every now and then, the story of a discovery is as compelling as the thing discovered. One such story is the discovery of Bronze Age Troy and Mycenae by an eccentric German businessman turned archaeologist named Heinrich Schliemann. At a time when most scholars thought the Homeric epics were nothing more than myth and legend, Schliemann proved that they looked back on an age of great palaces and powerful warrior kings...
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