Cost of Glory - Alex Petkas

Latest Episodes:

33 - How to Learn Free Speech Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

How do we translate the advice Plutarch gives on free speaking, with the example of Pericles, into the world of modern media?

32 - The Sovereign Mind Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

What combination of habits produces both strength and peace? How do we become more sovereign over our lives, over ourselves? With some references from a famous, classic text from Plutarch's works.

31 - Aristotle's Quadrivium; Season 2 ANNOUNCEMENT! Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

Why do we work? How should we spend our leisure? Also, announcing the next biography subjects!

30 - Comparison - Pyrrhus and Marius Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

What did Pyrrhus and Marius had in common, what lessons can be drawn for leaders?

29 - The Joy of a Humorless Stoic - Publius Rutilius Rufus Mar 08, 2022

Show notes

A transcript of an article from Antigone Journal. Read the article here:
https://antigonejournal.com/2022/03/publius-rutilius-rufus/

Rutilius was a side character in the Life of Marius, but deserves his own treatment here. See also his treatment in the book Lives of the Stoics by Holiday and Hanselman, which inspired this essay.

28 - Marius Aftermath and Takeaways Mar 01, 2022

Show notes

3 Lessons for Leaders from the Life of Marius. Also, what happened after Marius died?

27 - Marius 3: The Ruin of Cities Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

This is the story of how Gaius Marius went from being the Greatest Man in Rome to Public Enemy #1.

But Marius, usually master of the political narrative, ended up having his story written by his political rivals. What was the true character of this surprisingly elusive figure?

What is worth imitating? What is worth avoiding?

Before fully answering these questions, we must understand the details of his story, one of the most dramatic and memorable sequences in all of Plutarch’s lives.

On today’s podcast:

One way to respond when you’re being undermined
The problem with putting off legitimate political complaints
Marius, Drusus, and the beginning of the Social War
Sulla, Marius, and the beginning of the Civil War
Marius’ harrowing escape
The prophecy about Marius’ 7 consulships
The Bloody Return of Marius

Links:

Thanks to our sponsor - ideamarket.io - @ideamarket_io on twitter!
Thanks to our guest narrator, Justin Murphy! visit otherlife.co, indiethinkers.org, or @jmrphy on twittter

26 - Marius 2: Third Founder of Rome Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, Gaius Marius goes from upstart commander to Third Founder of Rome.

Roman writer and historian Sallust said Marius possessed Virtus (“manliness, prowess, virtue” - but, was Marius ultimately a “good man”?

In part two of The Life of Gaius Marius, Marius captures Jugurtha, he enlists the help of a prophetess to annihilate an army of Teutones, and triumphs over the Cimbri at the Battle of Vercellae. And how he became six times Roman consul.

But in order to reach the top, Marius had to dispatch political enemies, and make alliances with some dubious characters. Was it worth it?

Thanks to sponsor ideamarket.io! (@ideamarket_io)

On today’s podcast:

The power of narrative
How to commandeer a war from a decorated general
Marius the Military Reformer and Strategist
The battles of Arausio, Aquae Sextiae, Vercellae
Third Founder of Rome
How to engineer the downfall of a rival

Links:

ideamarket.io

25 - Marius 1: Ambition Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

Hated by many contemporaries, admired by even more - and later Romans, such as the emperor Augustus.

“Seven times Consul, Praetor, Tribune of the Plebs, Quaestor, Augur, Military Tribune, Marius waged war against Jugurtha, the King of Numidia and captured him. He annihilated an army of Teutones. He triumphed over the Cimbri…”

Gaius Marius, an outsider, an Italian… A story of rising from obscurity to the apex of the Roman hierarchy. How did he do it?

And does he deserve the blame for starting the Roman Civil War?

Nobody becomes the greatest Roman alive in times of peace.

Marius was a young man of incredible ambition and razor sharp perception. He not only noticed the rare opportunities, but he seized them with dogged determination. Even more remarkably, Marius’ achievements didn’t happen until he was an older man.

In fact, Marius’ story was practically just beginning when he was age 50. Perhaps yours will too.

In this first installment of The Life of Gaius Marius, we learn about the foundations Marius laid in his early life as he positioned himself for greatness.

Thanks to sponsor ideamarket.io! (@ideamarket_io)

On today’s podcast: