Herodotus: The Greek Invention of History
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Release Date: 12/03/2024
Cicero: Roman Oratory
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
In the tumult of the late Roman Republic, Cicero rose to greatness and glory. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why is Cicero considered so important among the great Roman orators? How does Cicero frame the liberal arts to make them appeal to the Roman concerned with valor? According to Cicero, why should we do the right thing? Recommended Reading: Cicero. . Translated with Introductions and Notes by D.H. Berry. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Cicero. . Translated by Michael Grant. New York: Penguin Classics, 1960.
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The Late Roman Republic: Its Troubles and Tribulations
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: How did the Gracchi brothers’ land reforms lay the groundwork for change within the Republic? What set off the first civil war? How did Julius Caesar and his two fellow generals gain enough power to bring down the Republic?"
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Myth and Memory: Livy's Stories of Rome
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: What made Livy unique among historians in his time? Why does the story of the Sabine women hold such a prominent place in Roman memory? How does Livy narrate the Roman sense of honor? Recommended Reading: Livy. . Translated by Roger Nichols. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1982. Livy. . Translated by Valerie M. Warrior. Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company, 2006.
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Across the Ionian Sea: The Rise of Rome and the Punic Wars
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: How are Rome’s founding legends indicative of Rome’s character as a whole? What led to the Punic Wars and how did Rome win? Why does Greece’s culture live on if Rome conquered it?
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The Dawn of the West: Hellenism and the Jews
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: How did Jewish life shift following the conquest of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture? How did the translating of the Torah into Greek pave the way for the development of western civilization? What were the different schools of thought that were established in the Hellenistic era, and why did they develop?
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Greece and the Fine Arts: The Legacy of Greek Art and Architecture
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: How does Greek sculpture try to depict human nature? Why are Greek columns so compelling that they have been consistent in the world of architecture for thousands of years? Why did Jews accept and adopt Greek architecture?
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Aristotle: On Politics
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: What was Aristotle’s goal in studying different forms of government? To Aristotle, what was the mutual need that grounded the relationship between master and slave? How does Aristotle explain the gods of the Greek myths? Recommended Reading: Aristotle. . Translated by T.A. Sinclair and T.J. Saunders. New York: Penguin, 1992.
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Aristotle 101: A Counter-View to Plato
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: What are the differences between Plato’s and Aristotle’s philosophical schools of thought, and why are both important to western philosophy? If Aristotle’s scientific discoveries have been overturned by modern science, why is he still important to that field? How did Aristotelian philosophy become the barometer for religion in later periods?
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Xenophon: The One that Got Away
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
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: Who was Xenophon, and why did he fall out of favor such that he is far less known than Plato? How does Xenophon define excellence, and how is his view unique? To Xenophon, what is justice? How similar is that Plato’s understanding of justice?
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Plato's Dialogues: Crito, Phaedo, Euthyphro, Symposium, and the Laws
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The questions that animate the spirit of the west can be found in Plato’s dialogues. As we discuss five of them, Rabbi Rocklin will walk us through the following questions: How is Socrates’ refusal to escape an act of justice? According to Socrates, how does the philosophic life prepare someone for death What is the difference between the Greek and Jewish notions of love?
info_outlineHerodotus is sometimes called the “father of history,” because he fundamentally changed the way humanity viewed its own story. As we read Herodotus, we’ll uncover answers to the following questions:
- Why did Herodotus decide to write history? What made it different than other stories that had been written until then?
- How does Herodotus’ including the Persian perspective reflect a particularly Greek way of thinking?
- What does it mean when we say that the Greek culture is concerned with culture?
Recommended Reading: Herodotus. The Histories. Trans. Aubrey de Sélincourt. New York: Penguin Classics, 2003.