111
Caesar's Civil War III: Came Saw Conquered
Episode Length:
93:53
Cost of Glory Greece Retreat: https://costofglory.com/retreat
Part 3 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. From triumph to near-disaster. Caesar's Egyptian entanglement transforms him from a glorious victor to a desperate challenger. In this episode:
- Pompey's assassination in Egypt and Caesar's unexpected grief over his former ally's death
- Cleopatra's legendary entrance in a bed-sack and her political seduction of Caesar
- The brutal urban warfare trapping Caesar in the palace quarter for six months
- The burning of the Great Library during the harbor battles—400,000 volumes lost
- Caesar's desperate swim to safety while clutching precious documents above water
- Young King Ptolemy XIII's tragic fate and the consolidation of Cleopatra's power
- The lightning campaign against Pharnaces in Asia—"Veni, Vidi, Vici"
- The veterans' mutiny outside Rome and Caesar's masterful psychological manipulation
- Cato's final stand in Africa and his defiant suicide
- The decisive Battle of Thapsus and the strategic genius of fighting on narrow ground
- The massacre of surrendering enemies as Caesar's clemency finally fails
As Caesar recounts, the Republic's future dictator came very close to destruction in the palaces and canals of Alexandria. While Rome descended into chaos under Mark Antony's drunken rule, Caesar fought for his life against war elephants and Numidian cavalry, transformed by his liaison with the living goddess Cleopatra. The man who emerged from Egypt was no longer merely a Roman general, he had consorted with divinity and fathered the son of a pharaoh.
As Cicero wrote in frantic letters to Atticus: "Where am I to look for solace?" The final campaign that would cement Caesar's supremacy began with the most dangerous gamble of his career.
Works Cited: (Affiliate links - support the show!)
As Cicero wrote in frantic letters to Atticus: "Where am I to look for solace?" The final campaign that would cement Caesar's supremacy began with the most dangerous gamble of his career.
Works Cited: (Affiliate links - support the show!)
- Gareth Sampson, The Battle of Pharsalus
- Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman
- James Froude, Caesar: A Sketch,
- Raaflaub (ed.) Landmark Caesar
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.
108
Episode Length:
130:03
May 10, 2025
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.
Listen Now
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
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...