Published in History’s Trainwrecks·PinnedThe Most Dangerous Man In America, Part I: ImpeachmentThe governor of Louisiana was in serious trouble, but he didn’t really know how bad it was. As had been the case throughout his career, he figured that, no matter what, the people would always save him. *** Huey Long was far more than just a guy who told the…History9 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·PinnedThe Open HighwayI’ve been listening to The Open Highway Podcast with Eric Erickson. He’s got an incredible talent for interviewing people, and he needed every bit of it today. Because he interviewed me. Some highlights: 1. That time I told him patriotism should be more like Tylenol and less like heroin. 2…History1 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·PinnedThe Most Dangerous Man in AmericaFranklin Roosevelt called him “one of the most dangerous men in America.” Huey Long, governor and then senator from Louisiana, was a champion of the poor at precisely the right time. The Great Depression had most of the country out of work and hungry. He advocated a massive redistribution of…20th Century2 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·PinnedStubborn Nags of Ancient Rome, Part ISometimes a Republic on its way to becoming an empire could really use an intractable stick-in-the-mud to run things. (If you’d rather listen then read, check out this episode at The History’s Trainwrecks Podcast): 004 - Stubborn Nags of Ancient Rome, Part I | History's Trainwrecks Listen to 004 - Stubborn Nags of Ancient Rome, Part I from History's Trainwrecks. Meet Cato the Elder, a stick in the…shows.acast.comHistory4 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·Mar 11What Good Is a Lawyer In An Army Camp?“Not bad for a lawyer.” Marcus Tullius Cicero, former Roman consul, famed orator, Senator, and jurist, had been sent to govern the province of Cilicia, near modern-day Turkey. He had vanquished some roving bands of thieves, sent a Parthian reconnaissance force scurrying back to their…Rome9 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·Mar 4Pompey the Gr — Sort of Okay, Kind OfIt was every man for himself. The First Triumvirate was collapsing. Julia, the beloved daughter of Julius Caesar and adored wife of Pompey the Great, died in childbirth in 54 BC. Her daughter lived only a few days. Pompey fell into deep mourning, which was unusual. This was…Ancient12 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·Feb 18Cato vs. The Dancing Girls of Ancient RomeThe dancing girls would take their clothes off, but not while Cato the Younger was in the audience. It was 55 BC, and the Floral Games were in full…um…bloom. The Games were the culmination of a week-long festival celebrating fertility, with the usual accompanying shenanigans: outrageous dress, lots of drinking…10 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·Feb 11Exiled By A Lovelorn CrossdresserCato the Younger’s exile from Rome began with a cross-dressing aristocrat who had a crush on Julius Caesar’s wife. In 62 BC, Publius Clodius figured that the best way to get close to Pompeia — Mrs. Caesar — was to dress as a female lute player and worm his way…Rome12 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·Feb 2The Rise of CaesarIt’s almost like Cato the Younger had no idea he was putting his head in the lion’s mouth. In the space of two years he had managed to get on the wrong side of Julius Caesar, Rome’s up and coming populist leader, Pompey the Great, Rome’s greatest living general, Marcus…Ancient Rome13 min read
Published in History’s Trainwrecks·Jan 27The Republic vs The Empire BuildersThe battle for the fate of the Roman Republic was on. On one side were the empire-builders: Julius Caesar and his right-hand man Marc Antony (and sickly little Octavian in the next tent), Pompey the Great, and Marcus Crassus, who wanted to be great himself but never quite got there. …History10 min read
