Classical Et Cetera Why Read Roman Literature? Essential Works from Empire to Augustine
A lively tour of essential Roman-era works, from Virgil’s founding epic to Cicero’s speeches and Caesar’s histories. They survey Lucretius, Marcus Aurelius, Ovid and other poets, plus Plutarch’s moral lives. The conversation highlights early Christian writings and Augustine, and considers how Christianity transformed Roman culture.
43:43
Aeneid As Rome's Founding Myth
- Virgil's Aeneid serves as Rome's national myth that reframes Trojan origins into Roman virtues like duty and piety.
- The poem mirrors Homer (first half like Odyssey, second half like Iliad) and crowns Rome's imperial identity under Augustus.
Read Pro Archia To Defend The Arts
- Read Cicero's Pro Archia to understand why poetry and the liberal arts matter to a society.
- Cicero defends an honorary poet's Roman citizenship and argues culture needs poets even if legal records are missing.
Stoicism Shaped Roman Civic Ethos
- Stoicism became a dominant moral strain in Roman thought, valuing order, duty, and endurance over personal pleasure.
- Cicero and Marcus Aurelius embody Stoic ideals; Marcus looks back to earlier virtue amid imperial decadence.
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Intro
00:00 • 16sec
Hosts' recent reads and book chat
00:16 • 11min
Where to begin learning philosophy
11:08 • 1min
Start with the ancients
12:23 • 3min
Series: Best books by century overview
15:32 • 1min
Defining the Roman literature period
16:36 • 1min
Virgil's Aeneid as Rome's founding epic
18:00 • 4min
Cicero: oratory, politics, and defense of poetry
22:25 • 2min
Lucretius, Marcus Aurelius, and Stoicism
24:14 • 2min
Roman historians and Caesar's Gallic Wars
26:04 • 2min
Plutarch's Parallel Lives and retellings
28:30 • 3min
Curriculum approach: preparing students for originals
31:39 • 2min
Roman poetry and Ovid's myths
33:20 • 1min
Early Christian writings of the Roman era
34:31 • 3min
Augustine: Confessions and City of God
37:08 • 2min
Christianity's transformation of Roman culture
38:44 • 2min
Why studying ancients before Christianity matters
40:36 • 2min
Outro
43:00 • 43sec
#1086
• Mentioned in 37 episodes
Aeneid
Virgil
James Howard Mantinband
#45646
Pro Archia poeta
Cicero
Cicero's 'Pro Archia Poeta' is an oration delivered in defense of the poet Aulus Licinius Archias, arguing that literature and poetry merit civic honor and legal recognition.
Cicero appeals to cultural and moral reasons for valuing poets, asserting that poets contribute to a society's moral and intellectual life.
The speech is a classic defense of the liberal arts and has been used in educational traditions to argue for the importance of humanities.
Its rhetorical skill also serves as a model for Latin composition and persuasive argument.
The oration blends legal technicalities with broader reflections on culture and virtue.
#11610
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
The Gallic wars
Julius Caesar
The 'Commentarii de Bello Gallico' is Julius Caesar's personal narrative of the Gallic Wars, covering his military strategies and battles against the Celtic and Germanic tribes.
The work is renowned for its clear prose and historical significance, providing insights into Roman military tactics and the political landscape of ancient Gaul.
The eighth book was completed by Aulus Hirtius after Caesar's death.
#69305
The Little Colonel Stories
Annie Fellows Johnston
Annie Fellows Johnston's 'The Little Colonel' books are a sequence of children's novels set in the post-Reconstruction American South, focusing on the spirited Little Colonel and her family.
Combining domestic drama, moral lessons, and regional color, the series enjoyed wide popularity in the early twentieth century and inspired stage and film adaptations.
Johnston's work reflects period social norms and values, often emphasizing manners, family loyalty, and traditional virtues.
Some modern readers note dated attitudes, but the books remain of interest for historical study and nostalgia.
The series contributed to the era's children's literature and the cultural imagination of Southern childhood.
#3611
• Mentioned in 14 episodes
Parallel Lives
Plutarch
John Dryden
Plutarch's 'Parallel Lives' is a collection of 48 biographies of renowned men, divided into 23 pairs of one Greek and one Roman, along with four unpaired biographies.
Written at the beginning of the second century AD, the work aims to explore the influence of character on the lives and destinies of these historical figures.
Plutarch's focus is ethical, intending to illustrate which actions are noble and how character shapes the lives of individuals.
The biographies are structured to facilitate comparisons between the Greek and Roman subjects, highlighting their common moral virtues and failings.
#3702
• Mentioned in 14 episodes
Mary Poppins
P. L. Travers
Mary Poppins, written by P.L.
Travers, is the first book in a series of eight children's novels.
The story begins when Mary Poppins is blown by the East wind to the Banks household at Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, London, to care for the children Jane, Michael, and the infant twins John and Barbara.
Mary Poppins is a stern but magical nanny who takes the children on various fantastical adventures, including a tea party on the ceiling, a trip around the world, and visits to a zoo where animals walk free and humans are in cages.
Despite her strict demeanor, the children are fascinated by her magical abilities and are deeply attached to her.
When the wind changes direction, Mary Poppins leaves as mysteriously as she arrived, leaving behind a note promising to return one day.
The book is known for its unique blend of magic, adventure, and the enigmatic character of Mary Poppins.
#2480
• Mentioned in 19 episodes
The Didache
Kirsopp Lake
CrossReach Publications
The Didache, or "Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," is an early Christian text offering instructions on Christian life and practice.
It's believed to have been written in the 1st or 2nd century AD. The Didache provides guidance on baptism, Eucharist, and moral conduct.
It emphasizes ethical behavior, including instructions on fasting and prayer.
Its significance lies in its glimpse into the early church's practices and beliefs.
#19242
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
The wonder book
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
#7662
• Mentioned in 7 episodes
84 Charing Cross Road
Helene Hanff
#35528
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Educational wastelands
Arthur Bestor
#12954
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The Sea Hawk
Manohar Malgonkar
#267
• Mentioned in 100 episodes
City of God
Augustine of Hippo
Written between 413-426 CE, 'The City of God' is a response to pagan claims that the sack of Rome by barbarians was a consequence of the abolition of pagan worship by Christian emperors.
Augustine argues that Christianity saved the city from complete destruction and that Rome’s fall was due to internal moral decay.
The book divides humanity into two metaphorical cities: the City of God, characterized by devotion to God, and the City of Man, characterized by self-love.
It also outlines Augustine’s theological interpretation of human history, from the Creation to the Second Coming of Christ, and critiques paganism and pagan philosophy while presenting the true history of the City of God.
#1318
• Mentioned in 32 episodes
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
A Confederacy of Dunces is a picaresque novel that tells the story of Ignatius J. Reilly, an overweight, unemployed, and intellectually arrogant man living with his mother in New Orleans.
The novel is a rich satire that critiques modern society through Ignatius's interactions with a diverse cast of characters, including his mother Irene, his girlfriend Myrna Minkoff, and various eccentric figures from New Orleans.
Written in the early 1960s while Toole was in the army, the book was published posthumously in 1980 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981.
It is celebrated for its witty and absurd portrayal of life in New Orleans and its memorable protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly.
#2600
• Mentioned in 19 episodes
De Rerum Natura
On the Nature of Things
Titus Lucretius Carus
De Rerum Natura is a six-book poem written in Latin hexameters by Lucretius.
It sets forth the physical theory of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, explaining the principles of atomism, the mortality of the soul, and the natural explanations for various phenomena.
The poem is divided into six books, each addressing different aspects of Epicurean philosophy, including the atomic structure of the universe, the nature of mind and soul, the mechanics of sense perception, and the origins of the world and human society.
Lucretius argues that the universe operates according to natural laws without divine intervention, and he aims to eliminate fear of death and the supernatural by demonstrating that all phenomena can be explained by natural causes.
#136
• Mentioned in 151 episodes
The Republic
Plato
#3
• Mentioned in 1,107 episodes
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius
Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe.
Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature.
Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.
#104
• Mentioned in 178 episodes
Confessions
Augustine
Written in Latin between AD 397 and 400, 'Confessions' is a blend of autobiography, philosophy, theology, and critical exegesis of the Christian Bible.
The first nine books are autobiographical, tracing Augustine's life from his birth to his conversion to Catholicism.
He recounts his sinful youth, his involvement with Manicheism and Neoplatonism, and his eventual conversion in a Milanese garden.
The last four books focus on philosophical and theological issues, including memory, time, eternity, and the interpretation of the Book of Genesis.
The work is structured as a series of prayers to God, reflecting Augustine's journey of redemption and his understanding of God's grace and providence.
#8680
• Mentioned in 6 episodes
The last superstition
Edward Feser
#23058
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Socrates' children
An Introduction to Philosophy from the 100 Greatest Philosophers
Peter Kreeft
#10328
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
On Duties
Cicero
Cicero's On Duties is a philosophical treatise exploring moral obligations and ethical conduct, covering topics such as justice, honesty, and the proper role of citizens in society.
In this episode of Classical Et Cetera we continue our series on the best books of each era by turning from ancient Greece to ancient Rome. From Virgil’s Aeneid and Cicero’s orations to Roman historians, poets, philosophers, and early Christian writers, we consider the works that reveal Rome’s ideals of order, duty, virtue, and piety—and the world-changing arrival of Christianity.
Whether you’re new to Roman literature or looking to revisit the classics, this conversation offers guidance on what to read, why it matters, and how these books help us understand the foundations of Western civilization. Join us as we explore the essential works of ancient Rome, from empire to Augustine, and consider where to begin your reading.
*What We're Reading* from This Episode:
"Mary Poppins" Pamela Lyndon Travers (Paul)
"The Confederacy of Dunces" John Kennedy Toole (Paul)
"84, Charing Cross Road" Helene Hanff (Jessica)
"The Sea Hawk" Rafael Sabatini (Tanya)
"The Little Colonel Stories" Annie Fellows Johnston (Tanya)
"Educational Wastelands" Arthur E. Bestor (Martin)
*Reading List for Ancient Rome*
Virgil
- Aeneid
- Other poetry
Cicero
- Catilinarian Orations
- The Republic
- The Laws
- On Duties / On Obligations
- Pro Archia Poeta_ / _For Archias the Poet
Lucretius
- De rerum natura_ / _On the Nature of Things
Marcus Aurelius
- Meditations
Julius Caesar
- Gallic Wars
Roman Historians
- Works by Livy
- Works by Tacitus
- Works by Suetonius
- Plutarch - _Parallel Lives
Roman Poetry
- Works by Ovid
- Works by Horace
- Other poetry by Virgil
Early Christian Writings of the Roman Era
- Didache
- Writings by Clement of Rome
- Writings by Ignatius of Antioch
- Writings by Polycarp
- Writings by Justin Martyr
- Writings by Irenaeus
- Writings by Tertullian
- Writings by Origen
- Writings by Eusebius
Augustine
- Confessions
- On Catechizing the Uninstructed
- City of God