Lex Fridman Podcast
#443 – Gregory Aldrete: The Roman Empire – Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome
Thu, 12 Sep 2024
Gregory Aldrete is a historian specializing in ancient Rome and military history. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep443-sc See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/gregory-aldrete-transcript CONTACT LEX: Feedback - give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey AMA - submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama Hiring - join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring Other - other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact EPISODE LINKS: Gregory's Website: https://gregorysaldrete.com/ Gregory's Books: https://amzn.to/3z6NiKC Gregory's Great Courses Plus: https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/gregory-s-aldrete Gregory's Audible: https://adbl.co/4e72oP0 SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drinks. Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling. Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex ExpressVPN: Fast & secure VPN. Go to https://expressvpn.com/lexpod OUTLINE: (00:00) - Introduction (08:38) - Ancient world (22:34) - Three phases of Roman history (25:24) - Rome's expansion (37:04) - Punic wars (45:36) - Conquering Greece (47:14) - Scipio vs Hannibal (50:21) - Heavy infantry vs Cavalry (53:57) - Armor (1:06:48) - Alexander the Great (1:12:49) - Roman law (1:22:29) - Slavery (1:30:09) - Fall of the Roman Republic (1:33:54) - Julius Caesar (1:38:33) - Octavian's rise (1:48:25) - Cleopatra (1:56:47) - Augustus (2:24:57) - Religion in Rome (2:49:03) - Emperors (2:56:10) - Marcus Aurelius (3:02:21) - Taxes (3:05:29) - Fall of the Roman Empire (3:22:41) - Decisive battles (3:46:51) - Hope PODCAST LINKS: - Podcast Website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast - Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 - RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ - Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 - Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/lexclips
Full Episode
The following is a conversation with Gregory Aldrete, a historian specializing in ancient Rome and military history. And now a quick few second mention of each sponsor. Check them out in the description. It is, in fact, the best way to support this podcast. We got Element for electrolytes, Shopify for selling stuff online, AG1 for a super awesome daily multivitamin,
Better help for mental health and ExpressVPN for protecting yourself on the interwebs. Choose wisely, my friends. Also, if you want to get in touch with me for whatever reason, submit questions for an AMA, all that kind of stuff, go to lexfreeman.com slash contact. And now, on to the full ad reads. As always, no ads in the middle.
I try to make this interesting, but if you skip them, please still check out the sponsors. It is, in fact, the best way to support this podcast. There's nice links in the description. Just click them. First up, this episode is brought to you by Element, my daily zero sugar, delicious electrolyte mix that I mix into cold water and it's delicious.
I'm no longer even paying attention to what they're telling me I should be advertising. I should mention that sponsors have zero influence on what I say in podcasts. And in this ad read, in fact, the only thing they ask me very politely is that I give out a call to action at the end, like a link. All right. I technically can talk about whatever the hell I want.
which is great, and I'm drinking an element now, and I'm not paying attention about any of the new flavors. There might be new flavors. I've just fallen in love with watermelon salt, and I am that kind of guy. I just find a thing that I like, and I stick to it. In theoretical computer science, let's say that's called greedy search. You find a thing you like, and you stick it that local minima.
Maxima, whatever. Anyway, as I sip Element in speaking these very words, I recommend that you get a sample pack for free with any purchase. Try it at drinkelement.com. This episode is also brought to you by Shopify. or how everybody on X seems to call Spotify. It's kind of hilarious to watch people confuse Shopify and Spotify.
And they give props to the CEOs of both companies for creating and running the other company. The mistake often becomes viral and making fun of the mistake often becomes viral and it's fun to watch. Anyway, both companies are amazing. Really, really revolutionized a specific thing that humans do on the internet. But this particular ad read is about Shopify.
which is a platform designed for anyone to sell anywhere with a great looking online store. I always seem to want to mention capitalism when I'm talking about Shopify, and this is an opportunity to plug a conversation coming up on communism.
I'm doing a very, very long conversation on communism, the history specifically of communism, of Marxism, of its various implementations throughout the 20th century. Oftentimes when people talk about the Roman Empire or communism, a bit of their modern day political ideology seeps in. I really try not to do that.
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