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
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
107
Episode Length:
113:52
April 8, 2025
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.
Listen Now
106
Episode Length:
51:17
March 23, 2025
The New Indiana Jones - w/ Dr. Brent Seales
A conversation with Dr. Brent Seales, professor of computer science at the University of Kentucky and a modern day Indiana Jones who has been using advanced technology to restore and redeem cultural and historical artifacts from the ravages of time.
Listen Now
105
Episode Length:
106:31
February 26, 2025
Breeding Future Statesmen: Interview w/ Kevin Dolan on the EXIT podcast
A conversation w/ Kevin Dolan on Kings of Sparta, Anti-Natalist Roman Aristocrats, and whether Christianity destroyed or saved Rome. Join me at the Natal Conference, March 28-29, 2025, in Austin, TX! https://natalism.org
Listen Now
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.
Listener Feedback
We’re all thinking about the Roman Empire...