The Maritime History Podcast

Welcome, crew. This is a temporarily unlocked member episode, open to everyone for the remainder of March since I was unable to record a regular episode this month. It will revert to subscriber-only access on April 1.

Today we depart slightly from a focused look at ships, and branch out to consider mythology that has some loose ties to ships. The Greek mythological king and hero Theseus of course slew the Minotaur, but today we explore the ties of that story, and others, to Athenian naval ambition. Later politicians like Pisistratus and Cimon used the myths of Theseus to help promote the spread of the Delian League, and today we consider this evolution. We also consider the myths, and ties they might have to sacred ships in Athenian history. We also discuss a philosophical question that is known as 'The Ship of Theseus,' although we really don't find any answers. But it's fun to think about.

Direct download: crew_015.mp3
Category:history -- posted at: 10:41am CDT

Today we continue following the evolution and exploits of the Delian League. In the 450s BCE, they become embroiled in two theaters of conflict. The first saw them begin to more squarely meet Sparta and many other allied cities of the Peloponnesian League in what is called the First Peloponnesian War. At the same time, Athens and the Delian League answered the call of a rebel leader in Egypt and there the League got tangled up fighting Persia yet again. A siege at the White Castle (no, not that one) ensues, and in the end the Delian League suffers some pretty heavy losses in a foreign land.

Direct download: 043_-_The_Delian_League-_High_and_Dry_in_Egypt.mp3
Category:history -- posted at: 9:37pm CDT

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