Cost of Glory - Alex Petkas

Latest Episodes:

63 - Xenophon, Anabasis VI May 16, 2023

Show notes

Highlights from Book 6 of Xenophon's Anabasis

In this episode:
-Drinking parties, War Dances
-Why every modern gentleman should sacrifice to the gods
-How to gracefully decline a promotion
-Hercules in Hell
-On keeping the Fellowship together
-Isolated sheep rustling incident threatens to start an international war
-The value of a cool head

62 - Xenophon, Anabasis V May 02, 2023

Show notes

Xenophon, Anabasis 5. #1 Highlights for Life Success. In this episode:

-Fending off chaos in all its forms
-Dealing with a power vacuum
-The Source of the Golden Fleece
-The BEST way to spend Sacred Funds (Hint: Real Estate)
-Artemis and her 7 wonders Temple at Ephesus (cult statue here)
-Sampling Local Delicacies (as always)
-Pale white children as wide as they are tall
-Dreams of city founding
-The metaphysical basis of international law
-Xenophon, hubris, and soldier punching

Don't forget to follow @costofglory on Twitter for updates and additional takeaways

Also - Leave a review if you like this!

61 - Agesilaus: Takeaways & Next Actions Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Top 4 takeaways from the life of Agesilaus.

Also, further reading:

Plutarch, "On Sparta":
https://amzn.to/3Ni3RaO

-Cornelius Nepos, Lives of the Great Commanders (trans. Quintus Curtius):
https://amzn.to/3AtrqpO

-Xenophon, Hellenica:
https://amzn.to/41YXmOx
-Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire (historical novel):
https://amzn.to/3V0gCsH

-Paul Cartledge, Agesilaos and the Crisis of Sparta:
https://amzn.to/3L3Wj9d

-John Buckler, Theban Hegemony:
https://amzn.to/3Lonc98

-James Romm, The Sacred Band:
https://amzn.to/3L1WoKA

-Charles Hamilton, Agesilaus and the Failure of Spartan Hegemony: https://amzn.to/3oDn38P

How to Take Over the World Podcast: Philip of Macedon

60 - Agesilaus III: The Fire Breathers Apr 14, 2023

Show notes

Agesilaus, old King of Sparta, faces his final enemy, and greatest foe of all: the Theban commander Epaminondas.

Map

Key People:
Agesilaus, king of Sparta
Demaratus, king of Sparta
Artaxerxes, King of Persia
Epaminondas, Theban Statesman
Pelopidas, Theban Statesman
Antalcidas
Xenophon, the Philosopher-warrior
Gryllus, son of Xenophon
Nectanebo, Pharaoh of Egypt
Menelaus, king of Sparta

Key Places:
Sparta
Thebes
Leuctra
Athens
Corinth
Arcadia
Mantinea
Tegea
Elis
Achaea
Mt. Taygetos
Eurotas River
Messenia
Kalamata
Messene
Mt. Ithome
Pamisos River / Valley
Megalopolis
Olympia
Egypt

59 - Agesilaus II: The Spartan Supremacy Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Sparta's greatest king, from his grandest moments, to his most challenging setbacks. 394-371 BC.

In this episode:
-Isolating your enemies
-Working through intermediaries
-The power of culture
-Democracy vs. Oligarchy
-personal integrity vs state integrity

Thanks to our Sponsor, Ancient Language Institute:
https://ancientlanguage.com/register-greek/

Here's a nice map of ancient Greece

Places:

Thebes

Corinth

Athens (in Attica)

Argos

Sparta/Lacedaemon (in Laconia)
Acrocorinth

Peloponnese

Cadmeia

Olynthus

Piraeus (Port city of Athens)
Elis
Arcadia

Mantinea

Olympia

Thespiae (in Boeotia)

Plataea (in Boeotia)

Leuctra (in Boeotia)

People:

Agesilaus

Xenophon

Antalcidas (of Sparta)

Cynisca (of Sparta)

Leontiades (of Thebes)

Ismenias (of Thebes)

Phoebidas - Spartan Commander

Agesipolis - King of Sparta

Pelopidas (of Thebes)

Epaminondas (of Thebes)

Sphodrias - Spartan Commander

Cleonymus - son of Sphodrias

Archidamus - son of Agesilaus

Cleombrotus - King of Sparta

58 - Agesilaus I: Persian Expedition Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

The story of Sparta's greatest king.

Sponsors:
-The Excellent How To Take Over The World Podcast;
-Ancient Life Coach Rome Retreat

In This Episode:
-Inspiration from a rough childhood
-The Spartan youth training system
-The Spartan art of consensus building
-The Iliadic vision of a Panhellenic King
-Getting enemies to finance your war effort
-War and Friendship among Greeks and Persians

People:
Agesilaus
Pompey
King Archidamus (of Sparta)
King Agis (of Sparta)
King Leonidas (of Sparta)
Lysander
Alcibiades
Prince Cyrus
King Artaxerxes (of Persia)
Xenophon of Athens
Tissaphernes

Places:
Sparta
Peloponnese (Peloponnesus)
Athens
Mt Taygetos
Mantineia
Thebes (in Boeotia)
Aulis (in Boeotia)
Boeotia
Asia (Minor)
Ephesus
Lydia
Sardis
Phrygia
Corinth
Argos
Haliartus (in Boeotia)
Hellespont
Thermopylae
Orchomenus (in Boeotia)
Cnidus (Knidos)
Coroneia (in Boeotia)

57 - Xenophon: Anabasis IV Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

Xenophon's Anabasis 4: The best parts of all, with analysis for action.

In this Episode:
-How to cross a guarded river
-The mindset of people who push through massive stress and pain
-Distinguishing yourself as middle management
-The Sea, The Sea
-Lawrence of Arabia, Xenophon admirer
-Psychedelic Bees

56 - CoG in Conversation - w/ Ben Wilson of How to Take Over the World Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

Apply for the Rome Retreat: https://ancientlifecoach.com/retreat

Announcing a new partnership!
Alex gets interviewed by Ben Wilson of How to Take Over the World
In this episode:

-What's in store
-What Alex is listening to
-Why Cost of Glory exists
-Why biography is energizing
-What the greats, ancient and modern, have in common
-The true meaning of Zeal

55 - Xenophon, Anabasis III Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

Xenophon's Anabasis Book 3 - The best highlights, the Power Highlights. For Power Listeners.

In this Episode:
-The power of public speaking
-What Socrates told Xenophon before he left
-Xenophon's inner monologue in GREEK
-Motivating your managers
-Finding resources you didn't know you had
-Lost cities of Mesopotamia
-Goat and donkey balloons
-The Original Kurds?

Amazon links (Click, Buy -> Support this show!)

David Allen, Getting Things Done
https://amzn.to/3kIRpoH

Jocko's Extreme Ownership:
https://amzn.to/3SCmnLX

Landmark Xenophon's Anabasis
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Old Penguin Anabasis:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Loeb Edition:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Key Characters
Xenophon
Proxenus (+)
Cheirisophus
Mithradates
Some Hater from Boeotia
A Rhodian Balloon smith
The Carduchians

Places:
Nimrud
Nineveh (Mosul)
Tigris River

54 - Xenophon, Anabasis II Feb 14, 2023

Show notes

Best highlights, power quotes, and notes from a leadership and adventure classic, Xenophon's Anabasis 2.
Featuring:

-Deciding who won a battle
-How to deceive the wise
-The noble and the base among Greek leaders
-The hazards of date palm wine

Amazon links (Click, Buy -> Support this show!)

Landmark Xenophon's Anabasis
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Old Penguin Anabasis:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Loeb Edition:
https://amzn.to/3HLGAeg

Characters
Cyrus The Younger (RIP)
Ariaeus
Phalinus of Persia
Ctesias of Cnidos
Clearchus of Laconia/Sparta
Xenophon of Athens
Proxenus of Thebes/Boeotia
Menon of Thessaly
Tissaphernes
Ataxerxes, King of Kings

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Cost of Glory – Alex Petkas

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected