Classical Wisdom Speaks

Mesopotamia and the Making of the Modern World | The Ancient Civilization That Still Shapes Your Life

Mesopotamia changed the world.

Many of the systems you use every day began thousands of years ago between the Tigris and Euphrates.

Assyriologist Selina Winsome explains why Mesopotamia was far more than the "cradle of civilization." Discover how cuneiform writing, libraries, mathematics, literature, timekeeping, and the Epic of Gilgamesh helped shape the modern world. 

If you're interested in ancient history, archaeology, ancient literature, or the origins of human civilization, this episode reveals why Mesopotamia remains one of history's most influential cultures.

🔑 KEY TOPICS COVERED
What Mesopotamia actually was
Why it deserves more attention than it receives
The invention of cuneiform writing
How Mesopotamian knowledge shaped the modern world
The Epic of Gilgamesh and its enduring lessons
Ancient libraries and the preservation of knowledge
Learning cuneiform today
The origins of timekeeping, mathematics, and record-keeping
How ideas survive across thousands of years
What modern society still owes to Mesopotamia

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introducing Mesopotamia & Selina Winsome
01:27 Beyond the "cradle of civilization"
04:50 Cuneiform and the invention of writing
09:10 Why Mesopotamian literature matters
14:17 Learning cuneiform today
15:09 The Epic of Gilgamesh explained
19:56 Mesopotamia's impact on modern life
22:53 The Library of Ashurbanipal
24:24 How knowledge survives catastrophe
27:20 Preserving information in the digital age
30:30 The Memory of Mankind project
31:59 Final reflections & closing

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like and subscribe for more deep dives into ancient history, archaeology, mythology, philosophy, and the civilizations that shaped our world.

Comment below: What contribution from Mesopotamia do you think has had the biggest impact on modern life?

🔗 LINKS

👉 Subscribe: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1
👉 Full podcast: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/before-greece-and-rome-the-civilization
👉 Buy Selena’s book, The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of the Modern World: https://www.amazon.com/Library-Ancient-Wisdom-Mesopotamia-Making/dp/0226849295/

ALSO: Some of the fantastic resources mentioned in the conversation are:

Selena’s Website: www.selenawisnom.com

Including a guide to learning cuneiform: https://www.selenawisnom.com/learning-cuneiform

🎙️ GUEST

Selena Winsom:  Assyriologist, lecturer in Ancient Middle Eastern History at the University of Leicester, and author of The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of the Modern World. Her research focuses on cuneiform literature, Mesopotamian culture, ancient libraries, and the intellectual legacy of the ancient Near East.

#Mesopotamia #AncientHistory #Cuneiform #EpicOfGilgamesh #Archaeology

Do we truly have free will, or are our choices shaped by biology, habits, and unconscious forces? 

This fascinating panel explores one of humanity's oldest and most important questions.

Join philosopher Tamar Gendler, psychologist Jeffrey Schaler, and classicist Michael Fontaine as they debate free will, consciousness, Aristotle, and what ancient wisdom can teach us about making better decisions today. 

Whether you're interested in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, ethics, or personal development, this conversation offers thought-provoking insights into how we become the people we choose to be.

KEY TOPICS COVERED
What free will actually means
Philosophy vs. psychology on human choice
Are our decisions determined by biology?
Consciousness and self-awareness
Addiction, habits, and responsibility
Aristotle, Plutarch, and ancient ideas of character
Can neuroscience explain behavior?
Moral responsibility and the justice system
Building better habits and exercising self-control
Ancient philosophy for modern life

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction & panel introductions
06:40 What is free will?
17:45 Ancient philosophy on choice
30:10 Habits, character & Aristotle
42:05 Neuroscience vs. free will
56:20 Addiction, agency & responsibility
01:10:35 Ozempic, habits & behavior change
01:12:32 Do we really choose our actions?
01:15:03 Audience Q&A begins
01:20:55 Consciousness & self-awareness
01:25:58 Plutarch on becoming better
01:27:08 Final reflections & closing

If you enjoyed this discussion, subscribe for more conversations exploring ancient wisdom, philosophy, psychology, and the ideas that continue to shape the modern world.

Comment below: Do you believe we truly have free will, or are our choices determined by factors beyond our control?

🔗 LINKS

👉 Subscribe: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1
👉 Buy Michael Fontaine's book 'How to Have Will Power': https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691220345/how-to-have-willpower
👉 Buy Jeffrey Schaler's book 'Addiction is a Choice': https://www.amazon.com/Addiction-Choice-Ph-D-Jeffrey-Schaler/dp/081269404X
👉 Buy Tamar Gendler's book 'Thought Experiment: On the Powers and Limits of Imaginary Cases': https://www.amazon.com/Thought-Experiment-Powers-Limits-Imaginary/dp/1138990337

🎙️ GUESTS

Michael Fontaine: Classicist and professor whose work connects ancient philosophy with contemporary questions about ethics, choice, and human behavior.

Tamar Gendler: Philosopher and cognitive scientist whose work explores belief, reasoning, habits, and the philosophy of mind.

Jeffrey Schaler: Psychologist, author, and leading voice on addiction, personal responsibility, and human agency.

#FreeWill #Philosophy #Psychology #Consciousness #Neuroscience

The Amarna Letters: Love, War & Diplomacy in the Bronze Age World | Eric Cline

What can 3,400-year-old diplomatic letters teach us about international politics, trade, misinformation, and human nature?

Archaeologist and historian Eric Cline reveals the extraordinary story of the Amarna Letters: hundreds of clay tablets that uncovered a thriving, interconnected Bronze Age world. From royal marriages and diplomatic rivalries to trade networks, proxy wars, and political intrigue, these ancient letters offer a rare window into life before the collapse of the Late Bronze Age.

If you're fascinated by ancient history, Egypt, the Bronze Age, archaeology, diplomacy, or the origins of globalization, this episode will transform how you think about the ancient world, and its surprising similarities to our own.

KEY TOPICS COVERED
What the Amarna Letters are and why they matter
The discovery of the tablets in Egypt
Akhenaten, Amenhotep III, and Bronze Age diplomacy
International trade and globalization in the ancient world
Royal marriages, gifts, and political alliances
How historians deciphered the Amarna archive
The Late Bronze Age international system
Proxy wars, misinformation, and political intrigue
Why the Bronze Age feels surprisingly modern
What the letters reveal about human nature
The world before the Bronze Age Collapse

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction & the discovery of the Amarna Letters
01:48 Why Eric Cline wrote this book
03:00 How the tablets were found in Egypt
05:06 The archive of Akhenaten & Amenhotep III
09:07 Why the letters changed ancient history
11:15 Akhenaten and the Bronze Age world
12:39 The Late Bronze Age international network
14:24 A prosperous world before collapse
16:28 Deciphering the tablets
18:18 Surprising insights from the letters
20:54 Proxy wars & Bronze Age politics
23:24 The reality behind royal correspondence
28:00 Diplomacy, trade & international relations
33:03 Why the Bronze Age still matters today
35:08 Human nature across 3,000 years
37:22 Final thoughts & closing

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe for more deep dives into ancient history, archaeology, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the civilizations that shaped our world.

Comment below: What surprised you most about the Amarna Letters? Do you think the Bronze Age world was more connected than most people realize?

LINKS

👉 Subscribe: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1
👉 FULL podcast: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/when-the-world-was-already-global
👉 Buy Eric Cline's book on the Amarna Letters: https://www.amazon.com/Love-War-Diplomacy-Discovery-Revealed/dp/0691274088

GUEST

Eric Cline: Professor of Classics and Anthropology at George Washington University, archaeologist, and bestselling author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, After 1177 B.C., and Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Reveal. His research focuses on the Late Bronze Age, ancient Egypt, archaeology, and the interconnected civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean.

#AmarnaLetters #BronzeAge #AncientEgypt #Archaeology #AncientHistory

What can Homer's Odyssey teach us about resilience, trauma, grief, purpose, and living a meaningful life in the modern world?

Clinical psychologist Dr. Sam Akbar joins Classical Wisdom Speaks to explore why The Odyssey remains one of the most powerful guides to human psychology ever written. Drawing on her work with trauma survivors and refugees, she reveals how Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus offer timeless lessons on resilience, emotional growth, identity, belonging, and finding your way home, both literally and psychologically.

Whether you're interested in Greek mythology, psychology, mental health, personal growth, Stoicism, or Homer's epic poetry, this conversation will change how you read The Odyssey.

KEY TOPICS COVERED
The psychology of Homer's Odyssey
Why Odysseus still resonates with modern readers
Resilience, trauma, and post-traumatic growth
What refugees can teach us about the meaning of home
Why flawed heroes are more inspiring than perfect ones
Penelope's hidden psychological strength
Telemachus and the journey to adulthood
Grief, loss, and personal transformation
Ancient wisdom for modern mental health
Community, loneliness, and the Greek concept of xenia
Finding purpose and defining your own Ithaca

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introducing Dr. Sam Akbar & The Odyssey Mindset
01:40 Psychology meets Classics
05:06 What Homer understood about human nature
07:42 Why Odysseus still resonates today
12:18 Trauma, refugees & reading Homer differently
16:10 The Odyssey as a post-war story
20:00 Resilience, acceptance & psychological growth
22:07 Penelope and quiet resistance
24:00 What does “home” really mean?
30:00 Telemachus, mentorship & growing up
34:50 Grief, loss & personal odysseys
41:20 Community, loneliness & modern life
45:00 Catharsis, collective healing & ancient wisdom
50:10 Final reflections

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe for more discussions on Ancient Greece, philosophy, psychology, mythology, and the timeless lessons hidden in classical texts.

Comment below: What is your personal “Ithaca”? What lesson from The Odyssey has stayed with you the most?

🔗 LINKS

👉 Subscribe: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1
👉 Buy The Odyssey Mindset by Dr. Sam Akbar: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/dr-sam-akbar/the-odyssey-mindset/9781035090549

GUEST

Dr. Sam Akbar is a clinical psychologist, a Classics graduate from University of Oxford, and author of The Odyssey Mindset: Seven Timeless Lessons on Resilience, Strength, and Purpose. Her work combines psychology, trauma research, resilience, and classical literature to uncover practical lessons from the ancient world.

#TheOdyssey #GreekMythology #Psychology #AncientWisdom #PersonalGrowth

Intellectual Slaves in Ancient Rome: The Hidden Minds Behind Roman Literature & Power

What is an intellectual slave, and why did some of the most educated people in ancient Rome live in bondage?

In this fascinating conversation, Princeton classics professor Harriet Flower reveals the overlooked world of learned slaves and educated freedmen in Republican Rome. Discover how enslaved scholars, poets, editors, teachers, and philosophers helped shape Roman culture, literature, politics, and intellectual life, and why some were worth fortunes to Rome’s elite.

If you're interested in Roman history, slavery in the ancient world, classical literature, or the hidden figures behind great civilizations, this episode offers a completely new perspective on how knowledge, power, and status worked in ancient Rome.

KEY TOPICS COVERED
What an “intellectual slave” was in ancient Rome
How educated slaves differed from common perceptions of slavery
Why Roman elites invested heavily in slave education
The connection between slavery, literature, and cultural prestige
How scholars, poets, editors, and philosophers lived within elite households
Famous intellectual slaves and freedmen of the Roman Republic
The economics of highly educated slaves
Why some learned slaves were worth enormous fortunes
How freedmen influenced Roman politics and publishing
The role of education, authorship, and intellectual labor in Roman society
What these forgotten lives reveal about power and culture in the ancient world

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 What is an intellectual slave?
00:55 Educated slaves & freedmen in Rome
02:50 How intellectuals became enslaved
06:43 Why Romans educated slaves
08:58 Philosophy, literature & elite culture
10:12 Educated slaves as luxury assets
13:07 Roman attitudes toward slavery
15:16 Jobs performed by intellectual slaves
18:35 The most expensive slave in Rome
21:18 Intellectuals as status symbols
22:23 Atticus and his scholarly household
25:13 Captured scholars as war prizes
27:00 Archimedes and the value of genius
30:05 Rome's intellectual ecosystem
33:22 Speechwriters, advisers & hidden influence
37:03 Which intellectual slave deserves a movie?
39:26 Final thoughts & closing

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe for more deep dives into ancient history, classical philosophy, and the hidden stories that shaped civilization.

Comment below: Which aspect of Roman slavery surprised you most? Were intellectual slaves collaborators, status symbols, victims of circumstance... or all three?

LINKS

👉 FULL EPISODE: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/the-price-of-knowledge-in-ancient 

👉 Subscribe: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1 

👉 Buy Harriet Flower's Book on Educated Slaves: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691266169/intellectual-property?srsltid=AfmBOor5mD_3-q-hH28k8MpgzGhPMS3qVKSFtkJwak5seb7ryczBzu8x

🎙️ GUEST

Harriet Flower
Andrew Fleming West Professor of Classics at Princeton University and author of Intellectual Property: Learned Slaves and Educated Freemen in Republican Rome. Her research explores Roman history, slavery, political culture, and the intellectual networks that shaped the ancient world.

#AncientRome #RomanHistory #Classics #AncientHistory #SlaveryInRome