109
109 - Civil War 1: Breakdown
Episode Length:
109:20
Part 1 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. The die is cast—Caesar crosses the Rubicon and plunges Rome into civil war. In this episode:
- The political crisis of 51-50 BCE as Caesar's enemies demand his recall from Gaul
- Curio's shocking defection and proposal that both Caesar and Pompey lay down arms
- The breakdown of negotiations and Pompey's fateful acceptance of command against Caesar
- His lightning campaign through Italy as cities surrender without a fight
- The siege of Corfinium and Caesar's revolutionary policy of clemency toward enemies
- Pompey's strategic retreat to Greece, abandoning Rome and splitting the Republic
- The brilliant Spanish campaign at Ilerda, showcasing Caesar's military genius
- The brutal siege of Marseille and Caesar's appointment as Dictator
Caesar's own account reveals a man driven not by revolutionary ambition, but by wounded dignity and the desperate need to defend his honor against enemies who would destroy him through partisan prosecution.
As Lucan wrote of this cosmic struggle: "Of civil wars and worse waged on Thessalian fields / Of crime made law we sing, how a powerful people / Turned on its own heart its conquering hand."
The war that would transform Rome forever begins not with grand ideology, but with Caesar's refusal to submit to humiliation—and his enemies' fatal miscalculation of the man they sought to crush.
Works Cited
Kurt Raaflaub (ed.), The Landmark Julius Caesar
Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman
Erich Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic
As Lucan wrote of this cosmic struggle: "Of civil wars and worse waged on Thessalian fields / Of crime made law we sing, how a powerful people / Turned on its own heart its conquering hand."
The war that would transform Rome forever begins not with grand ideology, but with Caesar's refusal to submit to humiliation—and his enemies' fatal miscalculation of the man they sought to crush.
Works Cited
Kurt Raaflaub (ed.), The Landmark Julius Caesar
Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman
Erich Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic
Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks.
Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!
Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!
The Cost Of Glory Episodes
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109
Episode Length:
109:20
June 4, 2025
109 - Civil War 1: Breakdown
Part 1 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. The die is cast—Caesar crosses the Rubicon and plunges Rome into civil war. In this episode:The political crisis of 51-50 BCE as Caesar's enemies demand his recall from GaulCurio's shocking defection and proposal that both Caesar and Pompey lay down armsThe breakdown of negotiations and Pompey's fateful acceptance of command against CaesarHis lightning campaign through Italy as cities surrender without a fightThe siege of Corfinium and Caesar's revolutionary policy of clemency toward enemiesPompey's strategic retreat to Greece, abandoning Rome and splitting the RepublicThe brilliant Spanish campaign at Ilerda, showcasing Caesar's military geniusThe brutal siege of Marseille and Caesar's appointment as DictatorCaesar's own account reveals a man driven not by revolutionary ambition, but by wounded dignity and the desperate need to defend his honor against enemies who would destroy him through partisan prosecution. As Lucan wrote of this cosmic struggle: "Of civil wars and worse waged on Thessalian fields / Of crime made law we sing, how a powerful people / Turned on its own heart its conquering hand." The war that would transform Rome forever begins not with grand ideology, but with Caesar's refusal to submit to humiliation—and his enemies' fatal miscalculation of the man they sought to crush.Works CitedKurt Raaflaub (ed.), The Landmark Julius CaesarMatthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and StatesmanErich Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic
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108
Episode Length:
130:03
May 10, 2025
108 - Caesar 2: Law & Nature
Part 2 of 3 of the Life of Julius Caesar. In this episode:Caesar forms the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus, uniting Rome's most powerful menHis revolutionary consulship of 59 BCE bypasses Senate opposition through popular assembliesThe brilliant staging of the Gallic conquest, using allies and tribal conflicts as pretexts for expansionHis management of Rome through letters while commanding armies across GaulThe death of Julia and Crassus fractures the political alliance holding Rome togetherVercingetorix's rebellion culminates in the decisive siege of Alesia, securing Gaul for RomeCaesar transforms both Rome and Gaul forever through calculated strategy, personal magnetism, and relentless ambition—all while his enemies in Rome, led by Cato, plot his downfall and convince Pompey to turn against him, setting the stage for civil war.
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107
Episode Length:
113:52
April 8, 2025
107 - Caesar 1: Man of Destiny
The much awaited series on Julius Caesar begins, with the inaugural episode: "Man of Destiny".
A tale of charm, audacity, and calculated risk as a young aristocrat from a modest branch of an ancient family navigates the treacherous waters of late Republican politics. Caesar—stylish, charismatic, deeply in debt, and dangerously ambitious—sets himself against the legacy of Sulla while methodically building a coalition that would eventually transform Rome forever.
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History Contains Power
My name is Alex Petkas, and in The Cost of Glory, I present you with the best stories, analyses and takeaways, from the greatest and most influential figures from Greco-Roman antiquity.
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