The Myth-Making Genius of Julius Caesar

What this episode covers

Professor Jiang Xueqin examines the life and times of Julius Caesar. What motivated him? What made him so successful? Why was he assassinated? In 100 BCE, Julius Caesar was born into the "Imperial Republic" of Rome, a contradiction that led to inequality, corruption, and division. He came to believe he was a man of destiny who would restore the unity, stability, and prosperity of the Roman Republic. To do so, he became a myth-maker, and cast himself as the hero of the epic journey that he was spinning for the enraptured Roman audience. His enemies considered him a libertine and a demagogue, and were determined to destroy him.After winning the civil war against Pompey and the Optimates, Julius Caesar enacted a series of legislative reforms that were necessary but which challenged the traditional Roman worldview. In response, some of Julius Caesar's closest friends and associates assassinated him.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Cosmic Queries: Weighty Matters, Stellar Ages & Moonless Earth Scenarios

Jun 22, 2026 ·30m

Cosmic Connections: Mapping Magnetic Fields, Dark Matter Mysteries & SpaceX's IPO Success

Jun 18, 2026 ·33m

Stellar Q&A: Rusty Moons, Space Stations & What If Earth Disappeared?

Jun 15, 2026 ·31m

Space Chronicles: Blue Origin's Boom, The Case for Primordial Black Holes

Jun 12, 2026 ·38m

Milk Proteins without the Dairy - Adam Tarshis and Dr. Cory Tobin

Jun 9, 2026 ·50m

Interstellar Inquiries: Hot Jupiters, Rocket Fuel Solutions & Debunking the Artemis Conspiracy

Jun 8, 2026 ·44m

Similar Podcasts

WW2 - the Key Questions, answered by Laurence Rees. Laurence Rees A former Head of BBC TV History programmes, Laurence has specialized in writing books and making television documentaries about World War Two, the Nazis and Stalinism for thirty years. He won a BAFTA and a Peabody for his TV series 'The Nazis: A Warning from History' and a British Book Award for his book on Auschwitz, which is also the world's best selling book on this notorious camp. His book 'the Holocaust: A New History' was described by the Times as 'exemplary' and by the Daily Telegraph as 'the best single volume account of the atrocity ever written'. Educated at Oxford University, for several years he was a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics, London University. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sheffield and the Open University. Professor Robert Service, of Oxford University, described Rees as 'one of the world's experts on the Second World War'. Sir Max Hastings wrote in the Sunday Times, in a review of Laurence Rees' 'World War Two: Behi Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta Colabra Talking Biotech is a weekly podcast that uncovers the stories, ideas and research of people at the frontier of biology and engineering.Each episode explores how science and technology will transform agriculture, protect the environment, and feed 10 billion people by 2050.Interviews are led by Dr. Kevin Folta, a professor of molecular biology and genomics. Rania Awaad Muslim Central Dr. Rania Awaad M.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine where she is the Director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab as well as Stanford University’s Affiliate Chaplain. In the community, she serves as the Executive Director of Maristan.org, a holistic mental health nonprofit serving Muslim communities, and the Director of The Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslim women and girls. In addition, she is faculty of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College and The Islamic Seminary of America.She is also a Senior Fellow for Yaqeen Institute and the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding. Prior to studying medicine, she pursued classical Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria, and holds certifications (ijaza) in the Qur’an, Islamic Law, and other branches of the Islamic Sciences. Wild Olive Jeanne Petrolle and Jennifer Bird The Wild Olive Podcast brings you game-changing conversations about literature, culture, and the Bible. With co-hosts Jeanne Petrolle and Jennifer Bird, Wild Olive serves up idea-feasts: tasty insights about biblical texts and contemporary (or classic!) literature, with generous side-portions of cultural commentary and hearty laughter. One literature professor + one biblical studies professor = uncontrolled, out-of-bounds, untamed conversation: ideal listening for the post-evangelical, the spiritual-but-not-religious, the Bible-curious secularist, the free-thinking religionist, and the literary-but-not-stodgy! New episodes every other Friday!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Professor Jiang?

This episode is 1 hour and 6 minutes long.

When was this Professor Jiang episode published?

This episode was published on May 25, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Professor Jiang Xueqin examines the life and times of Julius Caesar. What motivated him? What made him so successful? Why was he assassinated? In 100 BCE, Julius Caesar was born into the "Imperial Republic" of Rome, a contradiction that led to...

Can I download this Professor Jiang episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.