“I love people as I meet them one by one. People are just wonderful as individuals. You see the whole universe in their eyes if you look carefully. But as soon as they begin to group, as soon as they begin to clot, when there are five of them or ten or even groups of smallest two, they begin to...
2025-11-17 06:50:09 +0000 UTC View Post
Mark Lee Gardner is a wonderful writer. His books about the Old West are masterpieces. He was my guest on the second mini-episode when we discussed his volume about the Little Bighorn. Today, he’s ...
2025-11-10 20:09:59 +0000 UTC View Post
It’s late into the night—usually the time when I do my best work. I love the silence and stillness of it all. No distractions. No phone ringing. Where I live, the only sound to ever break ...
2025-11-09 18:58:10 +0000 UTC View Post
“Take me back to the quarries.” Philoxenus
“Pelopidas died as he’d lived, a freedom fighter who rushed fearlessly into the fray.” James Romm
“As one approaches Chaeronea, there is a tomb of the Thebans who died in the battle with Philip. No inscription adorns it, but a mon...
2025-11-03 17:56:24 +0000 UTC View Post
“There was no uproar, and no silence either, but that certain type of noise that results from anger and battle. Clashing shield on shield, they were shoving, fighting, killing, dying.” Xenophon
“Pelopidas, after receiving seven wounds in front, sank down upon a great heap of friends a...
2025-10-20 17:32:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Anyone who fought Rome in its heyday had to deal with one major psychological hurdle. Ancient Rome didn’t play by the same rules everyone else did. All people try to win in war, but if they lose too many men in battle, or if their population suffers too greatly because of the conflict, they loo...
2025-10-09 23:18:56 +0000 UTC View Post
I always love to share with you about TV shows, movies and video games focusing on history. Today, I’ll tell you about Jason Momoa’s Chief of War, a series about Native Hawaiians at the turn between the 1700s and 1800s. And while I’m at it, I’ll briefly discuss my first impressio...
2025-10-06 17:32:50 +0000 UTC View Post
In 1796, George Washington, the first president of the United States, decided to retire from public life at the age of 64. He’d serve out his second term until its completion the following year, and being his political life to a close. But before he did that, he chose to pen a farewell address,...
2025-09-28 23:32:34 +0000 UTC View PostThe tour of Japan I participated in last year was one of the best travel experiences I've ever had. I had never liked organized tours, but Teras Cassidy is a master at his craft. We saw a whole bunch of places we would have never found on our own. So, I'm beyond excited that he wants me to join o...
2025-09-18 23:54:19 +0000 UTC View Post
EDIT: APOLOGIES. THE VERSION I UPLOADED A FEW HOURS AGO WAS PLAGUED WITH TECHNICAL ISSUES. I JUST UPLOADED A NEW ONE. I THINK (AND HOPE) THIS ONE IS GOOD. APOLOGIES FOR THE CONFUSION.
“With P2, we had Italy in our hands. The Army, the Guardia di Finanzia, the police… they were all rule...
2025-09-14 23:39:35 +0000 UTC View Post
The historical conditions in Italy during my childhood probably go a long way to explain why I’m as weird as I am. Or, at the very least, they provide an excellent justification for my weirdness. 2025-09-09 15:37:05 +0000 UTC View Post
“Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever? If I offered you twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stopped, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money, or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare?” from the movie The ...
2025-09-07 18:41:39 +0000 UTC View PostIf you'd like to hop on for an informal zoom meeting, it will start at 10 am Pacific time (in a little over half hour). The link is below:
Join Zoom Meeting https://csulb.zoom.us/j/89133153830 ...
2025-08-23 16:24:16 +0000 UTC View Post
“For many of those for whom there is no light at the end of the tunnel, the story of Sertorius should be an example and an inspiration.” Philip Matyszak
Here’s the tale of one of Rome’s greatest and least known generals. A master of guerrilla warfare, he defeated many legion...
2025-08-18 16:41:12 +0000 UTC View PostJust FYI, I'll have a zoom meeting next week on Saturday at 10 am PST. Nothing specific. Just to chat about history, life and everything else. I hope you can join. I'll post the link here a few minutes prior.
2025-08-16 17:09:50 +0000 UTC View Post
1809, New Zealand. This story has it all. British sailors. Maori warriors. A major cultural misunderstanding. Revenge. And cannibalism.
1809, New Zealand. This story has it all. British sailors. Maori warriors. A major cultural misunderstanding. Revenge. And cannibalism.
2025-08-11 16:30:31 +0000 UTC View PostI'll make an exception to the rule of only posting things that are directly tied to History on Fire, in case some of you are into Jiujitsu. I just published this instructional with BJJ Fanatics. I had a great time creating this.
2025-08-07 14:04:25 +0000 UTC View Post
Here's an essay for you:
“Together, gloriously drunk, we no longer know the meaning of unhappiness” Zen master Ryokan
“I am a disciple of the philosopher Dionysus. I would rather be a...
2025-07-25 14:51:54 +0000 UTC View Post
“Lucky will not be pleased to hear that you have not been helpful.” Joe Adonis
“The outcome of the war appeared extremely grave. In addition, there was the most serious concern over possible sabotage in the ports. It was necessary to use every possible means to prevent and fores...
2025-07-21 10:13:01 +0000 UTC View Post
I recently had a chance to watch a historical TV series entitled A Thousand Blows. It’s set in the East London of the 1880s, in a gritty environment populated by bareknuckle boxers, Jamaican immigrants, and an all-female criminal gang. In today’s episode, I cover the show itself and ...
2025-07-13 08:47:41 +0000 UTC View Post
“The thought of him now and always has been a sense of comfort. I could breathe, I could sleep, when he had me in his arms. My father—he got me breath, he got me lungs, strength—life… The best I ever knew. He combined strength and courage with gentleness, tenderness and great unselfishnes...
2025-06-16 17:20:45 +0000 UTC View PostHere's the link for today's zoom meeting. Starting in a few minutes:
Join Zoom Meeting https://csulb.zoom.us/j/87210673539 Meeting ID: 872 1067 3539
2025-06-14 17:29:40 +0000 UTC View Post
Sebastian Major is one of the nicest people in podcasting and the host of the excellent Our Fake History. In this episode, we chat about his research on the mythology and real history of ancient Spartans.
2025-06-09 01:29:27 +0000 UTC View PostI'd love to hop on a zoom with you fine folks. Assuming nothing changes, 10.30 am Pacific Time on Saturday, June 14. I'll post a zoom link here a few minutes prior to the meeting.
2025-06-05 16:38:42 +0000 UTC View Post
It was only a few generations ago when large numbers of people in United States saw nothing wrong with the notion of buying, selling and owning human beings. Weirder yet, some slave owners were masters in the mental gymnastics required to feel morally justified in enslaving members of their own f...
2025-06-02 18:15:22 +0000 UTC View Post
It is said that, back in ancient Greece, people from all city-states looked up to the Oracle at Delphi as one of the most important religious sites in the entire country. Ancient Greeks put so much stock in it that the fate of kingdoms often rested on the prophecies uttered by the Oracle. ...
2025-05-26 16:05:15 +0000 UTC View Post
“It is our belief that Saddam wishes to return Islam to blasphemy and polytheism...if America becomes victorious...and grants victory to Saddam, Islam will receive such a blow that it will not be able to raise its head for a long time...The issue is one of Islam versus blasphemy, and not of Ira...
2025-05-18 16:40:32 +0000 UTC View Post
In response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government passed Executive Order 9066. This executive order combined with war-time hysteria and racism led to Japanese-Americans living on the West Coast, from toddlers to elders, to be rounded up and sent to internment camps. In this awful co...
2025-05-10 17:29:02 +0000 UTC View Post
This series is dedicated to Franco Bolelli.
“I am beyond Right and Left, just as I am beyond good and evil… I am a man devoted to life, not to formulas.” Gabriele D’Annunzio
“We are the only Italians worthy of being called Italians.” Gabriele D’Annunzio
This is the...
2025-04-21 17:26:01 +0000 UTC View Post
In today’s episode, I’d like to tell you about one of my favorite historical films and one of the very few set during the French and Indian War. Released during a golden age of Native American-themed movies, The Last of the Mohicans features one of the greatest soundtracks ever recor...
2025-04-14 06:27:21 +0000 UTC View Post