The John Batchelor Show

A podcast by John Batchelor - Thursdays

9668 Episodes

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. After their defeat, Antony died in Cleopatra's arms. Cleopatra committed suicide to avoid Roman humiliation, ending the Ptolemaic dynasty. Octavian annexed Egypt, d
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Cleopatra seduced Mark Antony with a theatrical entrance as Aphrodite, securing a romantic and political partner. Antony relied on Egyptian wealth for his campaigns
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Cleopatra VII aligned with Julius Caesar to secure her throne, using her intellect and charisma to win his support. During Caesar's defense against Egyptian forces,
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. The Ptolemies practiced sibling marriage, creating complex family rivalries. Powerful queens like Cleopatra I and III emerged as capable rulers who navigated civil
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Egypt's wealth allowed the Ptolemies to hire mercenaries and engage in arms races involving African war elephants against Seleucid Indian elephants. Despite early m
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. The Ptolemies leveraged Egypt's grain and gold to build a prosperous economy. They constructed the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Museum, which attracted scholars
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Ptolemy I Soter, a scholar and general under Alexander, founded a dynasty by integrating Greek and Egyptian traditions. He appointed Egyptian advisors and created t
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Alexander the Great besieged Gaza, dragging its governor to death to mimic Achilles and signal his dominance. Seeking divine validation, he trekked to the Siwa Oasi
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep240: PREVIEW THE PTOLEMAIC ARMS RACE: WAR ELEPHANTS AS ANCIENT BATTLE TANKS Colleague Professor Toby Wilkinson. Professor Wilkinson details the military "arms race" between the Ptolemies and Sele
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep240: PREVIEW CLEOPATRA III: A FORCE OF NATURE WITHIN THE PTOLEMAIC DYNASTY Colleague Professor Toby Wilkinson, Cambridge University. Wilkinson identifies Cleopatra III as a "force of nature" with
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep240: PREVIEW PTOLEMY I: THE GENIUS WHO UNIFIED GREEK AND EGYPTIAN CULTURES Colleague Professor Toby Wilkinson. Wilkinson characterizes Ptolemy I as a genius who unified Greek and Egyptian culture
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep239: PREVIEW; In this interview, historian James Tabor discusses his research into the historical identity of Jesus's biological father, as explored in his book The Lost Mary. He examines the anc
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep238: PREVIEW: This audio excerpt features an interview with Professor Barry Strauss regarding his book, which chronicles the Jewish rebellion against Roman authority during the first century. Th
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep237: SHOW 12-23-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS F THE EU... EU STRUGGLES WITH RUSSIAN ASSETS AND AID Colleague Judy Dempsey. Judy Dempsey discusses the EU's difficulty in utilizing frozen Russian
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep236: THE ACCIDENTAL COLONIZATION OF AUSTRALIA Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell concludes, recounting the story of convict William Murray and the accidental selection of Au
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep236: BENEDICT ARNOLD AND PEGGY SHIPPEN Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell continues, discussing Peggy Shippen's influence on Benedict Arnold's defection and their subsequent
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep236: FRANCE'S GLOBAL STRATEGY IN THE REVOLUTION Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell continues, highlighting the role of Foreign Minister Vergennes and how French involvement
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep236: THE LEGEND OF THE HESSIANS Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell discusses the American fear of Hessian soldiers and Washington's strategic victory at Trenton. NUMBER 13
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep236: KING CHARLES III AND UK POLITICAL TURMOIL Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, analyzing the challenges King Charles III faces under the Keir Starmer government, which Copley
Published: 12/24/2025
S8 Ep235: THE DECLINE OF LITERACY AND CONTEXT Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, discussing the decline of literacy and context since the mid-20th century, comparing modern society to
Published: 12/24/2025

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9668 Episodes

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. After their defeat, Antony died in Cleopatra's arms. Cleopatra committed suicide to avoid Roman humiliation, ending the Ptolemaic dynasty. Octavian annexed Egypt, d

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Cleopatra seduced Mark Antony with a theatrical entrance as Aphrodite, securing a romantic and political partner. Antony relied on Egyptian wealth for his campaigns

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Cleopatra VII aligned with Julius Caesar to secure her throne, using her intellect and charisma to win his support. During Caesar's defense against Egyptian forces,

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. The Ptolemies practiced sibling marriage, creating complex family rivalries. Powerful queens like Cleopatra I and III emerged as capable rulers who navigated civil

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Egypt's wealth allowed the Ptolemies to hire mercenaries and engage in arms races involving African war elephants against Seleucid Indian elephants. Despite early m

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. The Ptolemies leveraged Egypt's grain and gold to build a prosperous economy. They constructed the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Museum, which attracted scholars

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Ptolemy I Soter, a scholar and general under Alexander, founded a dynasty by integrating Greek and Egyptian traditions. He appointed Egyptian advisors and created t

S8 Ep241: Professor Toby Wilkinson. Alexander the Great besieged Gaza, dragging its governor to death to mimic Achilles and signal his dominance. Seeking divine validation, he trekked to the Siwa Oasi

S8 Ep240: PREVIEW THE PTOLEMAIC ARMS RACE: WAR ELEPHANTS AS ANCIENT BATTLE TANKS Colleague Professor Toby Wilkinson. Professor Wilkinson details the military "arms race" between the Ptolemies and Sele

S8 Ep240: PREVIEW CLEOPATRA III: A FORCE OF NATURE WITHIN THE PTOLEMAIC DYNASTY Colleague Professor Toby Wilkinson, Cambridge University. Wilkinson identifies Cleopatra III as a "force of nature" with

S8 Ep240: PREVIEW PTOLEMY I: THE GENIUS WHO UNIFIED GREEK AND EGYPTIAN CULTURES Colleague Professor Toby Wilkinson. Wilkinson characterizes Ptolemy I as a genius who unified Greek and Egyptian culture

S8 Ep239: PREVIEW; In this interview, historian James Tabor discusses his research into the historical identity of Jesus's biological father, as explored in his book The Lost Mary. He examines the anc

S8 Ep238: PREVIEW: This audio excerpt features an interview with Professor Barry Strauss regarding his book, which chronicles the Jewish rebellion against Roman authority during the first century. Th

S8 Ep237: SHOW 12-23-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS F THE EU... EU STRUGGLES WITH RUSSIAN ASSETS AND AID Colleague Judy Dempsey. Judy Dempsey discusses the EU's difficulty in utilizing frozen Russian

S8 Ep236: THE ACCIDENTAL COLONIZATION OF AUSTRALIA Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell concludes, recounting the story of convict William Murray and the accidental selection of Au

S8 Ep236: BENEDICT ARNOLD AND PEGGY SHIPPEN Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell continues, discussing Peggy Shippen's influence on Benedict Arnold's defection and their subsequent

S8 Ep236: FRANCE'S GLOBAL STRATEGY IN THE REVOLUTION Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell continues, highlighting the role of Foreign Minister Vergennes and how French involvement

S8 Ep236: THE LEGEND OF THE HESSIANS Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell discusses the American fear of Hessian soldiers and Washington's strategic victory at Trenton. NUMBER 13

S8 Ep236: KING CHARLES III AND UK POLITICAL TURMOIL Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, analyzing the challenges King Charles III faces under the Keir Starmer government, which Copley

S8 Ep235: THE DECLINE OF LITERACY AND CONTEXT Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, discussing the decline of literacy and context since the mid-20th century, comparing modern society to