117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson

2026-02-21 · 52 min · episode 117 · 12 entities

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→ references costofglory.substack.com website

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Link in episode "117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson": https://costofglory.substack.com/
→ appeared on Cost of Glory podcast

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evidence rules-v5
117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson
→ hosted by Alex Petkas | Julius Caesar's Final 24 Hours person

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Feed author/publisher: Alex Petkas
→ discusses Education concept

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Feed category: Education
→ discusses History website

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Feed category: History
→ discusses Self-Improvement concept

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Feed category: Self-Improvement

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mentioned costofglory.substack.com website

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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson": https://costofglory.substack.com/
references costofglory.substack.com website

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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson": https://costofglory.substack.com/
mentioned History website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: History
discusses History website

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: History

concepts 4

mentioned Education concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Education
mentioned Self-Improvement concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Self-Improvement
discusses Education concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Education
discusses Self-Improvement concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Self-Improvement

persons 3

mentioned Victor Da person

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evidence rules-v5
117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson
mentioned Alex Petkas | Julius Caesar's Final 24 Hours person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Alex Petkas
hosted by Alex Petkas | Julius Caesar's Final 24 Hours person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Alex Petkas

podcasts 1

appeared on Cost of Glory podcast

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evidence rules-v5
117 - Alexander's Sack of Thebes, w/ Victor Davis Hanson

Episode description as stored

A conversation with American classicist, military historian, and conservative political commentator Victor Davis Hanson. We discuss: Why Epaminondas remains one of the most underrated commanders in Greek history, and how the loss of Plutarch's Life of Epaminondas has obscured his legacy The pivotal liberation of Thebes in 378 BC: how a small band of conspirators overthrew the Spartan-backed oligarchy and sparked a democratic revolution Epaminondas's strategic masterstroke at Leuctra — the deep oblique phalanx on the left — and how it shattered 200 years of Spartan military supremacy How freeing the Messenian Helots and building Megalopolis, Mantinea, and Messene permanently encircled and emasculated Sparta as a great power The fatal miscalculation of 335 BC: why Thebes revolted against Alexander on the basis of a false rumor, and how every potential ally abandoned them The recurring pattern of doomed civilizations — from Thebes to Carthage to Constantinople — that share delusions about allies, enemies, and their own decline What ancient history reveals about America's current strengths and vulnerabilities, from demographic pressures to the China threat Subscribe to the Cost of Glory newsletter for detailed maps, images, and analysis of this pivotal moment in ancient history: https://costofglory.substack.com/ Get in touch at: Website: https://costofglory.com X: https://x.com/costofglory