Best Ancient Language Institute Podcasts (2025)

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Big Bad Leo Strauss, feat. Pavlos Papadopoulos | Episode CI 1:12:14

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2h ago1:12:14

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Send us a text What is liberal education? It's the prompt that has launched one thousand essays, and in a 1959 lecture at the University of Chicago, the (in)famous Leo Strauss gave his answer. Despite fleeing Nazi Germany and coming to the United States, Strauss wasn't afraid of criticizing the positivism, historicism, and relativism of the America…

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Marriage 56:48

3h ago56:48

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Why marry? Jane Austen began her novel Pride and Prejudice with the observation "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics show less than half the adult UK population are married or in a legal partnership and prediction…

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Rocks 56:52

3m ago56:52

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Rocks have shaped the fates of civilizations and the study of geology has transformed our intellectual landscape. In the 19th century developments in earth sciences led to the scientific rejection of Biblical timescales in favour of the far greater spans of geological time, which opened the way for Darwin's development of the theory of evolution by…

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Time Present, Time Past, Time Future | Episode C 2:00:51

8d ago2:00:51

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Send us a text In celebration of the 100th episode of New Humanists, we do an extended episode that is a retrospective, discussing the history of the Ancient Language Institute and the New Humanists podcast, has some updates on what we're up to at the moment, and a peek behind the curtain so listeners can find out what is upcoming at ALI and on the…

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Revenge and reconciliation 56:56

19m ago56:56

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What function do ceremonies like Armistice Day perform? How do we balance desires for reconciliation with feelings about revenge? How we remember wars and what commemoration means is much less settled than we might think. And that throws up questions, in times when conflicts are spreading close to us in western Europe, of how wars end and how we ba…

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The end of civilisations and societies 56:49

21d ago56:49

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"Doom-prepping" tech billionaires have been in the headlines recently and whether it’s ecological crisis or a breakdown in law and order, fear of societal collapse seems to lurk in the background of a lot of discussion in politics and wider society. But what does it mean? When has it happened in the past? Can we avoid it – or survive it – in the fu…

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Socrates Had It Coming | Episode XCIX 1:05:35

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Send us a text Socrates taught his students contempt for the gods, how to defraud creditors, and useless trivialities about flea-jumping. Or at least, that's how Socrates appears in the comedy Clouds. If you want to understand something of the Athenian hostility to the great philosopher which eventually reached its climax in sentencing Socrates to …

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Rational and Irrational decision making 57:02

1M ago57:02

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From economics to dreams: Anne McElvoy and guests consider the value of irrationality. How often is emotion, instinct and unsound thinking behind the decisions taken by governments, financial markets and citizens? And does it matter if long term strategic thinking relying on calm assessments of the trade offs, conventional wisdom and the lessons of…

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Traditions, roots and local pride 56:31

27d ago56:31

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From military ceremonies to folk customs - can traditions really provide an answer to nationalism and boost local pride? Former MP Penny Mordaunt is publishing a book called Pomp and Circumstance: Why Britain's Traditions Matter written with Chris Lewis. She's one of Matthew Sweet's guests in the Free Thinking studio alongsideSunder Katwala, author…

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Do "Christian" and "Classical" Go Together? feat. Calvin Goligher | Episode XCVIII 1:14:17

2M ago1:14:17

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Send us a text In the 4th century AD, two Christian friends - Basil and Gregory - travelled from Cappadocia to Athens to go study Greek literature with Libanius, the leading rhetorician of the time. While there, these two young and wealthy Cappadocians befriended a fellow student named Julian, the nephew of the Emperor Constantine. There in Athens,…

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The status of Science 58:00

2M ago58:00

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Science is one of the major sources of authority in society today. Scientists develop technologies to make our lives easier and more comfortable. They fight diseases, they have identified and are helping to combat climate change. Yet developments like AI, and some areas of genetic science, seem to raise ethical dilemmas that scientists on their own…

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The Good Life 56:58

2M ago56:58

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What does living a good life involve? Michael Rosen's new book is called Good Days and offers suggestions to brighten our daily lives. Dr Sophie Scott-Brown is a research fellow at St Andrews' Institute of Intellectual History. The Rev'd Fergus Butler-Gallie has spent time working in the Czech republic and South Africa and ministering in parishes i…

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Jocks Versus Nerds | Episode XCVII 1:13:17

2M ago1:13:17

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Send us a text We tend to think of the Athenians as philosophers, architects, and mathematicians. But their highest devotion was rather to sports and to music. These priorities are evident from their system of education, in which young Greek men were trained to compete in the Olympics as well as to sing and dance in the chorus. They were jocks. Thi…

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Finding my tribe 56:44

2M ago56:44

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In party conference season, we look at what bonds party members and what it means to create a new network with its own shared beliefs and rituals. What light can the big thinkers from the worlds of anthropology and sociology shed? From political tribes to criminal gangs, from social media to social class - how do shared beliefs, rituals, rules and …

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That Other Dorothy Sayers Lecture | Episode XCVI 1:35:13

3M ago1:35:13

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Send us a text Everyone knows "The Lost Tools of Learning." But did you know Dorothy Sayers delivered another, longer, and even more interesting lecture on education, all about learning Latin? Sayers recalls beginning Latin lessons with her father at the tender age of 6, but laments that after 20 years of study, she was left barely able to read a l…

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Ahh, the Greeks! | Episode XCV 59:12

3M ago59:12

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Send us a text "Παιδεία found its realization in παιδεραστία." This is how Henri-Irénée Marrou characterizes the relationship between paideia and pederasty. The latter fulfilles the former. Indeed, few things were so distinctively Greek as their love for boys. Thus a close relationship between an older man and an adolescent was, for centuries, the …

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Is Christianity Kitsch? | Episode XCIV 58:22

4M ago58:22

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Send us a text What if we find Norse myth or Greco-Roman myth more aesthetically pleasing than Christianity? Should we believe in the pagan gods instead? Is the Bible actually good art? Is Christian theology beautiful? Do Christians find their religion beautiful just because they believe it is true? In a 1944 lecture before Oxford's Socratic Club, …

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Sparta: Appalling and Enthralling | Episode XCIII 57:43

4M ago57:43

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Send us a text THIS IS SPARTA. Xenophon said that, even in his day, the rest of the Greeks thought Sparta's laws wholly strange: "all men praise such institutions, but no state chooses to imitate them." Foremost among these strange laws, of course, were the ones concerned with the rearing and education of children. And these laws, he said, were in …

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Sparta Before the Reactionary Turn | Episode XCII 53:34

5M ago53:34

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Send us a text We think of Sparta as a grim place, more of a military barracks with some civilians attached than an actual city. Its inhumane marriage laws, nauseating eugenics program, brutal educational system, obsession with military training, and paranoid suspicion of non-Spartans all led French historian Henri-Irénée Marrou to label Classical …

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Friendship 56:58

5M ago56:58

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The French philosopher Michel Foucault though friendship could be one of the most subversive relationships around. Our friends can be the most important people in our lives. But managing friendships can be hard work too. Matthew Sweet is joined by a psychotherapist, a historian, a philosopher, a literary historian, and a film critic to discuss the …

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Censorship, editing and self-censorship 57:07

5M ago57:07

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Shahidha Bari looks at censorship, editing and self-censorship with guests including historian of China, Rana Mitter, Jemimah Steinfeld of Index on Censorship and Nigel Warburton, host of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Amelia Fairney discusses her research on sensitivity readers and the conversations that take place in publishing houses. And, Nicola…

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How to Raise an Achilles | Episode XCI 1:22:19

5M ago1:22:19

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Send us a text Plato called Homer "the educator of all Greece." But what is a Homeric education? What were the Greeks learning from their supreme bard? Furthermore, the phrase "Homeric education" contains within it a second meaning as well. What kind of education were Homer's heroes getting? In other words, how did Achilles become Achilles? In this…

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Unlocking Quantum Wellness: How Energy Shifts Your Health 14:13

5M ago14:13

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What if you could charge your water, your clothes—even your phone—with quantum energy that actually supports your body and mind? That’s exactly what Philipp von Holtzendorff-Fehling set out to do with Lila Quantum Tech. Philipp is a former T-Mobile exec turned energy healer, Kundalini yoga teacher, and biohacker. He’s now helping people reconnect t…

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How Vibrational Energy Healed My Gut Issues 15:57

5M ago15:57

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What if healing wasn’t just physical—but energetic? Jason Young Stiles, a retired USAF Pararescueman and Founder of iPyramids, shares how frequency, intention, and ancient tech are changing the way we approach wellness. Jason explains how every organ in your body has a measurable vibration—and why low frequency might be the root of disease. He also…

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Christian faith, politics and culture 56:21

5M ago56:21

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Anne McElvoy and guests explore the intersections between Christian faith and political decision-making and look at some recent dramas which explore the impact of belief. Chine McDonald is director of the Christian Think Tank Theos, Mark Lawson is a writer, broadcaster and theatre critic of Catholic journal The Tablet, Prof Anna Rowlands is St Hild…

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How EMFs Are Frying Your Brain and What to Do About It 32:36

5M ago32:36

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We’re seeing lower testosterone in men, higher autism rates in kids, and now even microplastics in our bloodstreams. But what if one of the biggest culprits is something we can’t see—EMF radiation from our phones, Wi-Fi, and tech-filled lives? Dror Levy is the Founder and Chief Scientist at BodyWell® USA. He’s on a mission to reveal how our constan…

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Illegal Immigrant to $300m Empire with Adriana Gallardo | Ep79 22:38

5M ago22:38

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Adriana Gallardo went from flipping burgers at Burger King to building a $300M business empire—and she did it as an undocumented immigrant with nothing but grit and her mom’s belief in her. She’s now a powerhouse Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Founder of AGI Business Group, the largest insurance agency in Southern California. In this episode, Adriana s…

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Language 56:44

5M ago56:44

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Journalists Peter Hitchens and Oliver Kamm, radio presenter and comedian Ellis James, languages expert Ross Perlin, Diana Sutton director of The Bell Foundation and podcaster and academic Reetika Revathy Subramanian join Matthew Sweet for a conversation about how language unites and divides us. Ross Perlin's book Language City: The Fight to Preserv…

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Gamble, Marrou, and the Uses of History | Episode XC 1:00:39

6M ago1:00:39

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Send us a text Why study history? To understand ourselves? To pass on the tradition of our ancestors to our progeny? To build something new? Jonathan and Ryan compare Richard M. Gamble's and Henri-Irénée Marrou's attempts to answer these questions. They look at Gamble's introduction to his anthology The Great Tradition, and then at Marrou's introdu…

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Failure 56:56

5M ago56:56

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"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." The words of Samuel Beckett from a 1983 short story Worstward Ho inspire a Free Thinking conversation about failure chaired by Matthew Sweet. His guests are:Cath Bishop rowed for Britain in the Olympics, winning a silver medal and worked as a diplomat and business coach. She …

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Podcasting difficult histories 56:59

6M ago56:59

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Personal Identity is at the heart of contemporary culture. Political philosophies are built around it and family history is a hobby undertaken by hundreds of thousands. Understanding where you came from is seen as central to understanding who you are. But what if the things that are uncovered are uncomfortable, upsetting or even life-changing? Matt…

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Common Sense 56:51

6M ago56:51

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What do we mean by 'common sense'?In 1925 the philosopher GE Moore wrote a Defence of Common Sense which argued against philosophical idealism, on the grounds that it seemed to deny a set of propositions that he claimed were indisputably true. His colleague Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote a detailed response to Moore's paper, and its influence extended i…

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Power: A User's Guide 57:00

6M ago57:00

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Political power can take many forms, from the top-down model of the Roman Empire, to operating in the democratic politics of today, to the possibilities offered by new technologies for more horizontal power structures in the future. Matthew Sweet is joined on a stage at the Hay Festival by historian Tom Holland, whose new translation of Suetonius’ …

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Philosophy Versus the Liberal Arts | Episode LXXXIX 56:44

6M ago56:44

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Send us a text The wise man, like Abraham, does not spurn Hagar. For she is merely preparatory to Sarah. This is the analogy that the great Jewish Platonist, Philo of Alexandria, makes when discussing an education in the liberal arts versus the life of philosophy. While the liberal arts have the dignity only of the concubine, Philo says, education …

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WOLVES 56:41

6M ago56:41

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Wolves were once hunted and persecuted to the point of near extinction but are now enjoying a come back across Europe, if not the UK. What can explain the way they've been targeted, and even demonised, given the low risk they pose to human beings? Shahidha Bari talks to Adam Weymouth, author of Lone Wolf, which describes his journey tracking a wolf…

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Political Visions 56:51

6M ago56:51

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What is the role of vision in politics? Must politicians have a vision of what kind of society they’re working towards, ultimately? What kind of role does this vision play in the day-to-day practice of working politicians? Or is this a misunderstanding of the nature of politics?We mark the anniversary of the landmark text of modern libertarianism, …

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Christian Gnosticism? | Episode LXXXVIII 55:59

7M ago55:59

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Send us a text Clement of Alexandria was one of the many luminaries of the Catechectical School of Alexandria, one of the early church's most distinguished centers of learning and theology. His argument that all truth, whether found in the Bible or in Greek philosophy, issues from a single source, namely Christ, potentially marks him as one of the …

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[Interview] The Creator's Edge: How Sahil Bloom Built a Media Empire | Ep78 39:04

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What does it really take to build a powerful online presence across platforms—without burning out or selling your soul? Sahil Bloom made the leap from private equity to full-time content creator, and now reaches millions with his writing and ideas. Sahil is a Bestselling Author and the Creator of The Curiosity Chronicle, a weekly newsletter with 80…

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Peace 56:45

7M ago56:45

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On the 8th May 1945, the Allies declared victory over Nazi Germany. How has war and the threat of war shaped society in the intervening years? Do 'war' and 'peace' mean the same things, 80 years on?Matthew Sweet is joined by political scientist David Runciman, peace negotiator Gabrielle Rifkind, historian Ashleigh Percival-Borley Producer: Luke Mul…

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Who's That Girl? | Fireside Chat with Eve on Creativity, Identity, and the Future | Ep 77 36:32

7M ago36:32

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She changed the game in hip-hop, built a Hollywood career—and then had to figure out who she really was. Eve shares how she reclaimed her name, found peace through motherhood and spirituality, and what it took to stop performing and start becoming. Eve is a Grammy-winning Artist, Actress, and Author of Who’s That Girl?—a memoir about identity, heal…

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Community 56:20

7M ago56:20

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Post local elections and pre VE day anniversary events across the UK, Shahidha Bari explores ideas about community. Mike Savage, Professor of Sociology at the LSE, explains how social capital enables networks and bonds among people. Selina Todd, Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford, discusses the fracturing of working class commu…

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Replacing Machiavelli with Francesco Patrizi, feat. James Hankins | Episode LXXXVII 1:21:12

7M ago1:21:12

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Send us a text Niccolo Machiavelli is often held up as the paradigmatic political philosopher of the Italian Renaissance. But as James Hankins argued in an earlier book, Virtue Politics, Machiavelli in fact repudiates the framework common to many of the humanists of the Renaissance. Machiavelli is an outlier. Who then can replace him as the Renaiss…

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Decadence 56:51

7M ago56:51

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Some people think we live in an age of decline. Matthew Sweet investigates, with guests including political journalist Tim Stanley, art critic Louisa Buck, Professor Jane Desmarais who is head of the decadence research centre at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Neville Morley, Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exet…

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Using Paganism to Christianize the Pagans | Episode LXXXVI 52:28

8M ago52:28

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Send us a text In his lifetime, John Chrysostom witnessed the true beginning of Christendom: the Emperor Theodosius confirmed the public standing of Christianity over that of paganism and delivered a final knockout blow to Arian heresy in favor of Nicene orthodoxy. But a religion on the upswing can attract opportunistic and ill-informed converts. J…

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The Hieronymus Option | Episode LXXXV 1:00:07

8M ago1:00:07

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Send us a text Can Christians read and appreciate pagan literature? The vexed relationship between the Church and a world that hates it has generated many different responses. The most popular recent proposal is Rod Dreher's "Benedict option" - Dreher counsels Christian retrenchment and quasi-monastic self-sufficiency. But the great saint of late a…

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The Female Biohacker's Guide to Living to 150 | Ep76 1:01:45

8M ago1:01:45

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What if you could slow down aging and stay energized for decades longer? Kayla Barnes-Lentz—Top Biohacker, Longevity Expert, and Founder of LYV The Wellness Space—has done exactly that. Her biological age is 10 years younger than her real age, and she’s here to share how you can do it too. Kayla gets into simple but powerful biohacks—how sleep, foo…

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The Middle Classes 56:27

8M ago56:27

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Matthew Sweet and guests discuss the impact of the shifting geo political and economic trends on the British class system with specialist guests.Muriel Zagha is a writer and critic and Author of Finding Monsieur Right and co-host of the podcast Garlic and Pearls.Lisa Holdsworth is a Leeds based TV script writer who has worked on amongst others Emme…

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Shut the F Up & Manifest: The Power of Mindful Talk | Ep75 22:46

8M ago22:46

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The way we talk about our lives shapes what we experience—but most of us don’t realize how much our words hold us back. Jorge Perez, a Bestselling Author and Personal Development Expert, has spent decades studying how language impacts success. His “Shut the F Up” approach challenges everything we think we know about communication and manifestation.…

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Isolation 56:52

8M ago56:52

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As Radio 4 marks the 5th anniversary of the first COVID lockdown, Free Thinking investigates one of the defining experiences of that period for many people: isolation. It's a word that entered the English language in the 18th century, and arguably its emergence as a concept marked a change in the way people saw their relationships with other people…

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Clear Your Blocks: Energy Healing for a Limitless Life | Ep74 21:06

9M ago21:06

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Some emotions stick with us for years—sometimes, they’re not even ours to begin with. Four-time Emmy-winning Journalist turned Energy Healer, Frank Elaridi, reveals how trapped emotions and inherited trauma shape our lives in ways we don’t even realize. In this conversation, Frank explains the Emotion Code, works with a live guest to clear energeti…