S8 Ep251: Guests: Captain James Fanell (USN Ret.) and Bradley Thayer. To counter China's conventional superiority, the authors recommend "war fighting proliferation," supporting nuclear capabilities for allies like Japan and South Korea. They advocate for "politic

S8 Ep251: Guests: Captain James Fanell (USN Ret.) and Bradley Thayer. Fanell argues the U.S. must "admit failure" regarding China, likening the situation to a patient acknowledging cancer to begin treatment. To combat "threat deflation" and institutional bias in in

S8 Ep251: Guests: Captain James Fanell (USN Ret.) and Bradley Thayer. The authors draw parallels between current U.S. policy and the British Empire's 1919 "10-year rule," which underfunded defense and ignored rising threats. They criticize the U.S. response to the

S8 Ep251: Guests: Captain James Fanell (USN Ret.) and Bradley Thayer. Fanell and Thayer discuss the PLA's "Joint Sword 2024 Alpha" exercises, describing them as an "Anaconda strategy" designed to suffocate Taiwan following President Lai's inauguration. They argue t

S8 Ep250: PREVIEW Guest: Emma Southon. Southon profiles Julia Felix, a Pompeian business owner who defied Roman gender norms by independently running a sophisticated entertainment complex. Featuring "bougie" baths, bars, and apartments, her establishment catered to

S8 Ep249: PREVIEW Guest: Emma Southon. Southon details the execution of Opia, a Vestal Virgin sacrificed in 483 BCE to appease the gods after disastrous omens. To avoid the stigma of direct human sacrifice, Romans conducted a funeral procession before walling her a

S8 Ep238: SHOW 12-25-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE MODERN STORY OF MARY AND HER FAMILY. SEPPHORIS AND THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF MARY'S LIFE Colleague James Tabor. Tabor identifies Sepphoris, a Roman capital near Nazareth, as Mary's birthplace. He reimag

S8 Ep248: THE LEGACY OF THE GREAT COMMUNICATOR Colleague Max Boot. Boot reflects on Reagan's legacy, noting his "genial and aloof" personality rooted in childhood trauma. He discusses the superficial nature of Reagan's diaries, his economic record aided by Paul Vol

S8 Ep248: COLD WAR DIPLOMACY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCANDALS Colleague Max Boot. Focusing on foreign policy, Boot details Reagan's shift from "Evil Empire" rhetoric to a constructive partnership with Gorbachev to end the Cold War. He also addresses the administration's

S8 Ep248: ASSASSINATION SURVIVAL AND THE FIRST TERM AGENDA Colleague Max Boot. Boot describes Reagan's survival of the 1981 assassination attempt as his "finest hour," boosting his popularity and legislative agenda. He explains the power dynamics of the White House

S8 Ep248: THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE: CAMPAIGNS OF 1976 AND 1980 Colleague Max Boot. Discussing the path to the presidency, Boot analyzes Reagan's close 1976 loss to Gerald Ford and his victorious 1980 campaign. He highlights the firing of campaign manager John Se

S8 Ep248: THE SHIFT TO CONSERVATISM AND THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION Colleague Max Boot. Boot traces Reagan's political evolution from New Deal Democrat to conservative icon while hosting General Electric Theater. He covers Reagan's breakout 1964 speech for Goldwater, hi

S8 Ep248: HOLLYWOOD POLITICS, DIVORCE, AND MEETING NANCY Colleague Max Boot. Boot examines the collapse of Reagan's marriage to Jane Wyman as her career outpaced his post-WWII. He discusses Reagan's navigation of the "Red Scare" as SAG president—publicly liberal bu

S8 Ep248: FROM IOWA RADIO TO WARNER BROTHERS STARDOM Colleague Max Boot. Boot details Reagan's college romance with Margaret Cleaver and his early career shift from sportscasting in Iowa to acting in Hollywood. He explains Reagan's initial success in B-movies at Wa

S8 Ep248: A MIDWESTERN CHILDHOOD: ROOTS OF OPTIMISM AND DETACHMENT Colleague Max Boot. Biographer Max Boot discusses Ronald Reagan's difficult childhood in Illinois during the Great Depression. He details how Reagan's alcoholic father, Jack, created family instabil

S8 Ep247: THE DEATH OF CLODIUS AND THE REPUBLIC'S END Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin recounts the violent death of Clodius by rival gangs, marking a turning point toward the Republic's collapse. He views Clodia's subsequent disappearance from history as a symbol of t

S8 Ep247: THE TRIAL OF RUFUS AND CICERO'S MISOGYNY Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin describes a trial where Clodia accused her ex-lover Rufus of poisoning. Cicero defended Rufus by launching misogynistic attacks on Clodia, calling her "cow-eyed" and alleging incest. Bo

S8 Ep247: THE POLITICS OF TRIBUNES AND REFORM Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin details the divide between the Optimates and Populares. He explains how Clodia and her brother Clodius used the office of Tribune—the "people's protector" with veto power—to enact reforms. T

S8 Ep247: CLODIA'S PRIVILEGE AND CICERO'S AMBITION Colleague Douglas Boin. Boin introduces Clodia, a privileged woman from an ancient Roman family on Palatine Hill. He contrasts her aristocratic, independent nature—manifested in her name spelling—with the rise of C

S8 Ep247: ROMAN EXCEPTIONALISM VS. HUMAN TRAGEDY Colleagues Scott McGill and Susanna Wright. They discuss whether the Aeneid justifies Roman empire or tells a human story. McGill argues the poem survives because it creates sympathy for antagonists like Dido and Tur