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    History

    The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind

    Welcome to The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind, a podcast that tells the story of the prophets, philosophers, and poets who created the West.

    In this podcast, Rabbi Dr. Mitchell Rocklin guides listeners through more than 3,000 years of Western history, offering a coherent, civilizational story of how the West came to be—along with a deepened understanding of the challenges it now faces. While many of the texts discussed will be familiar to students of the humanities, Rabbi Rocklin offers a new framework for understanding them—a framework in which the teachings of the Jewish religious tradition play a central role. For, as Rabbi Rocklin explains, Western civilization can only be understood as the product of a transformative and ongoing collision between the great traditions of Jerusalem and Athens—between the religious spirit of the Jews and the philosophical spirit of the Greeks.

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    Latest Episodes:
    The Pax Romana: Rome Under Augustus Feb 06, 2025
    Show notes

    Creating the Roman Empire was no easy task, and Octavian Augustus was the man for the job. On today's episode, we'll explore the following questions:

    1. How did Augustus manage to successfully change Rome from a republic to an empire?
    2. Why was Rome's trade system important towards Augustus consolidating his power?
    3. How did Augustus successfully appeal to the common people to gain their support?

    Cicero: Roman Oratory Feb 04, 2025
    Show notes

    In the tumult of the late Roman Republic, Cicero rose to greatness and glory. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

    1. Why is Cicero considered so important among the great Roman orators?
    2. How does Cicero frame the liberal arts to make them appeal to the Roman concerned with valor?
    3. According to Cicero, why should we do the right thing?

    Recommended Reading: Cicero. Cicero's Political Speeches. Translated with Introductions and Notes by D.H. Berry. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

    Cicero. Selected Works. Translated by Michael Grant. New York: Penguin Classics, 1960.


    The Late Roman Republic: Its Troubles and Tribulations Feb 02, 2025
    Show notes

    The great Roman Republic eventually came crashing down in a series of civil wars and revolts. As we learn about its final gasps, we'll address the following questions:

    1. How did the Gracchi brothers' land reforms lay the groundwork for change within the Republic?
    2. What set off the first civil war?
    3. How did Julius Caesar and his two fellow generals gain enough power to bring down the Republic?"

    Myth and Memory: Livy's Stories of Rome Jan 28, 2025
    Show notes

    The Rome that lives on in memory owes its legacy to one of its greatest historians: Livy. As we read some of his writings, we'll discuss the following questions:

    1. What made Livy unique among historians in his time?
    2. Why does the story of the Sabine women hold such a prominent place in Roman memory?
    3. How does Livy narrate the Roman sense of honor?

    Recommended Reading: Livy. Stories of Rome. Translated by Roger Nichols. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1982. Livy. The History of Rome, Books 1-5. Translated by Valerie M. Warrior. Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company, 2006.


    Across the Ionian Sea: The Rise of Rome and the Punic Wars Jan 23, 2025
    Show notes

    The next great power in western civilization will rise as Rome takes its place on the world's stage. As we learn about Rome's rise to power, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions:

    1. How are Rome's founding legends indicative of Rome's character as a whole?
    2. What led to the Punic Wars and how did Rome win?
    3. Why does Greece's culture live on if Rome conquered it?

    The Dawn of the West: Hellenism and the Jews Jan 21, 2025
    Show notes

    The Hellenistic era will open the door for Greek and Jewish thought to finally meet and begin to wrestle with each other. On today's episode, we'll explore the following questions:

    1. How did Jewish life shift following the conquest of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture?
    2. How did the translating of the Torah into Greek pave the way for the development of western civilization?
    3. What were the different schools of thought that were established in the Hellenistic era, and why did they develop?

    Greece and the Fine Arts: The Legacy of Greek Art and Architecture Jan 16, 2025
    Show notes

    No discussion of Ancient Greece is complete without talking about its influence in the worlds of art and architecture. Today, we'll address the following questions:

    1. How does Greek sculpture try to depict human nature?
    2. Why are Greek columns so compelling that they have been consistent in the world of architecture for thousands of years?
    3. Why did Jews accept and adopt Greek architecture?

    Aristotle: On Politics Jan 14, 2025
    Show notes

    To Aristotle, moderation is the key to happiness, both for the individual and in the political arena. As we explore Aristotle's Politics, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions:

    1. What was Aristotle's goal in studying different forms of government?
    2. To Aristotle, what was the mutual need that grounded the relationship between master and slave?
    3. How does Aristotle explain the gods of the Greek myths?

    Recommended Reading: Aristotle. Politics. Translated by T.A. Sinclair and T.J. Saunders. New York: Penguin, 1992.


    Aristotle 101: A Counter-View to Plato Jan 09, 2025
    Show notes

    The next great thinker in the world of philosophy was Plato's greatest student, Aristotle. On today's episode, we'll explore the following questions:

    1. What are the differences between Plato's and Aristotle's philosophical schools of thought, and why are both important to western philosophy?
    2. If Aristotle's scientific discoveries have been overturned by modern science, why is he still important to that field?
    3. How did Aristotelian philosophy become the barometer for religion in later periods?

    Xenophon: The One that Got Away Jan 07, 2025
    Show notes

    Socrates had another student who, unlike Plato, has been relegated to the dusty shelves. As we learn about Xenophon, we'll explore the following questions:

    1. Who was Xenophon, and why did he fall out of favor such that he is far less known than Plato?
    2. How does Xenophon define excellence, and how is his view unique?
    3. To Xenophon, what is justice? How similar is that Plato's understanding of justice?

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