How to Take Over the World - Ben Wilson

Latest Episodes:

Arminius: The Man Who Defeated Rome Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

For centuries, Rome grew unchecked, until one man was able to reverse their fortunes, and free his country. On this episode, we take a look at the story of Arminius, and what it teaches us about how to overcome an unstoppable force.

00:00 Battle of the Teutoburg Forest

03:00 Introduction to Arminius

05:40 Understanding the Germanic Tribes

13:00 Arminius' Early Life and Roman Service

21:00 The Rebellion Begins

25:00 Varus's Leadership in Germany

27:23 The Battle of Teutoburg Forest Revisited

31:30 Aftermath and Roman Reaction

34:20 Arminius' Legacy and Influence

46:20 Lessons from Arminius' Life

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Roger Federer Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time? Despite not being the winningest player, many people make exactly that argument. What is it about Federer that inspires such admiration, and why can he rightly be called the greatest of all time?

00:00 Introduction: The Enigma of Roger Federer

01:00 Federer's Unique Playfulness

03:45 Early Life and Childhood

05:00 Adolescence and Early Tennis Career

07:30 Struggles and Triumphs in Junior Tennis

22:00 The Turning Point: Peter Carter's Influence

33:00 The Federer Era

40:00 The Rise of Rafael Nadal

50:00 Federer's Late Career Resurgence

56:00 The 2017 Australian Open Comeback

01:06:40 Federer's Final Years and Retirement

01:08:30 Reflections on Federer's Career and Legacy

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Lord of the Rings Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

This is an episode of Becoming the Main Character, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.

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Stay In Touch

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- Instagram - ⁠⁠@HTTOTW⁠

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Scipio Africanus (with Alex Petkas) Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

Alex Petkas joins to discuss the great Roman general Scipio Africanus, his relationship with Hannibal, his strategic military victories, and his legacy.

00:00 Introduction and Special Announcement

03:00 Scipio's Background

12:30 The Capture of New Carthage

19:30 Political Maneuvering and the Road to Consul

26:30 The North African Campaign

37:30 The Meeting of Hannibal and Scipio

43:00 Scipio's Political Career and Rivalry with Cato

50:00 Scipio's Legacy

56:50 Introduction to the Classical Society

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Stay In Touch

- Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠takeoverpod.com⁠

- Twitter/X - ⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠

- Instagram - ⁠@HTTOTW⁠

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Joan of Arc Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

How Joan of Arc went from a small peasant girl to determining the fate of nations, and what it tells us about the power of belief.

0:00 Was Joan a visionary of a schizophrenic?

03:00 Setting the Stage: France in Turmoil

07:00 The English Invasion and the Battle of Agincourt

21: The Siege of Orleans

28:16 Joan's Audacious Letter to the King of England

33:51 Joan's First Victory

40:00 The Turning Point

42:15 March to Reims and the Anointing of Charles

47:00 The Siege of Paris and Joan's Capture

53:20 Joan's Trial and Conviction

01:03:30 Joan's Legacy and Strategy

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Stay In Touch

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- Twitter/X - @BenWilsonTweets

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* This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep. Go to HelixSleep.com/TakeOverPod for 20% off your purchase.

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Thomas Jefferson (Part 2) Jul 04, 2025

Show notes

Jefferson rebounds from his disastrous and governorship and personal loss to create a political legacy that would define a nation.

00:00 Introduction and Recap

02:30 Jefferson's Role as Ambassador to France

08:00 Jefferson's Return and Political Feuds

15:50 The Formation of Political Parties

23:55 Jefferson's Vice Presidency and Media Strategy

27:45 Jefferson's Election and Hamilton's Influence

30:00 The Evolution of the Democratic-Republican Party

32:30 Jefferson's Inauguration and Early Presidency

38:00 The Louisiana Purchase

42:00 Jefferson's Second Term Troubles

47:15 Post-Presidency and Founding the University of Virginia

50:00 Jefferson's Final Days

52:25 Legacy and Lessons from Jefferson's Life

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Thomas Jefferson (Part 1) Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

How did Thomas Jefferson overcome failure after failure to become the most significant politician of the early American Republic? On this episode we examine his habits, tactics, approach, and life up until his service in the Washington administration.

00:00 The Misunderstood President: Thomas Jefferson's Early Failures

02:15 Introduction

04:45 Jefferson's Early Life and Education

09:35 Jefferson's Personal Habits and Philosophies

12:30 Jefferson's Political Beginnings and the Fight Against Slavery

15:55 The Road to Independence: Jefferson's Writing and Influence

20:00 Jefferson's Rise in the Continental Congress

27:45 Drafting the Declaration of Independence

30:15 The Eloquence of Jefferson's Writing

37:00 The Final Edits and Adoption of the Declaration

42:00 Jefferson's Post-Declaration Achievements

47:20 Jefferson's Governorship and Personal Tragedy ----

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Rome's Revenge: Hannibal Part 2 Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

Hannibal Barca was Rome's greatest enemy. What was it about his strategies and leadership style that allowed him to haunt Romans' nightmares for centuries? 00:00 Introduction to Hannibal's Legendary Campaign 01:40 Sponsor Message: Gains in Bulk 02:20 Setting the Stage: Hannibal's Underdog Strategy 03:15 Hannibal's Arrival in Italy and Initial Tactics 09:30 The Trebia River Battle: A Crushing Roman Defeat 17:30 Hannibal's Second Great March 22:08 The Battle of Lake Trasimene: Hannibal's Perfect Ambush 30:50 Prelude to Cannae: Motivational Speeches and Strategies 39:30 Hannibal's Tactical Mastery at Cannae 41:00 The Aftermath and Roman Resilience 43:00 Hannibal's Missed Opportunity and Roman Defiance 46:00 Rome's Relentless Spirit and Selective Irrationality 48:30 Hannibal's Strategic Retreat and the Long War 56:30 The Final Confrontation: Battle of Zama 01:00:00 Hannibal's Legacy and Final Years 01:09:30 Main Takeaway: The Power of Relentlessness ----

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The Rise of Hannibal (Part 1) May 27, 2025

Show notes

Hannibal Barca was Rome's greatest enemy. What was it about his strategies and leadership style that allowed him to haunt Romans' nightmares for centuries? 00:00 Hannibal's Blood Oath 02:00 Why Hannibal? 05:45 Carthage - A Brief History 17:30 The Making of Hannibal 28:35 The Rise of Hannibal as a Military Leader 31:45 Hannibal's Early Conquests in Spain 32:15 The Battle of the Tagus River 34:52 Consolidating Power in Spain 40:20 The Siege of Saguntum 41:20 Rome Declares War 47:30 Hannibal's Bold Strategy 49:30 Crossing the Alps 59:30 Hannibal's Arrival in Italy 01:00:30 Key Takeaways from Hannibal's Campaign ----

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JS Bach May 19, 2025

Show notes

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the great composers of all time. What stands out is not only how great his music is, but how much of it he wrote. On this episode we look at his story as well as his habits, strategies, and tactics to see how he left such a lasting impact.

00:00 The Impact of Bach's Music

01:30 Introduction to Johann Sebastian Bach

03:30 Bach's Universal Appeal and Religious Devotion

07:45 Bach's Early Life and Musical Dynasty

09:30 Bach's Mischievous Youth and Early Career

18:00 Bach's Passion for Music and Conflict with Authority

35:45 Bach's Move and Pursuit of Greatness

41:00 Bach's Idyllic Time in Weimar

49:115 Bach's Final Years in Leipzig

55:20 The Famous Encounter with Frederick the Great

01:09:00 Bach's Death and Enduring Legacy

01:10:00 Key Takeaways from Bach's Life