Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World

Mainstream histories of the ancient world too often focus on its greatest men, like the Roman dictator Julius Caesar or the acclaimed Greek philosopher Aristotle. But what about antiquity’s more obscure heroes and antiheroes? The men and the women who defied expectations and fundamentally shaped ancient politics, culture, and society without achieving the same kind of fame and the victors, villains, and vigilantes who operated outside of the limelight. What are we to make of their extraordinary lives—their triumphs, their failures, and everything in-between?

The 24 revealing lectures of Unsung Heroes of the Ancient World reconstruct over a dozen biographies from the classical world—most of them little-known, some of them quite unlikely heroes. With Professor Emeritus Gregory Aldrete as your expert guide, you will meet the ambitious travel writers, dedicated engineers, careful cartographers, diligent farmers, woman philosophers, devoted wives, skilled military generals, African rebels, Persian kings, and impressive athletes who stood out among their peers centuries ago. Become acquainted with Jugurtha, a prince who ascended to power in Numidia and agitated against Rome; with the Diagoras of Rhodes sports dynasty, a family of Olympic champions; and with Mousa, a slave-turned-queen. Survey the battles waged by military leaders like Cimon, Agrippa, and Sextus Pompey, as well as the intellectual exploits of naturalist Pliny the Elder and Alexandrian philosopher Hypatia. Unpack antiquity’s criminal underworld, from the false prophet Alexander Abonoteichus to maritime insurance fraudsters Zenothemis and Hegestratus. And study the contributions of working people both free and unfree, learning about the slaves and farmers who shaped ancient society from the bottom up.

Throughout these lectures, you will carefully parse private letters, statue inscriptions, travel manuals, lectures notes, oratory textbooks, and myths for narrative details. You’ll have the opportunity to piece together the social backgrounds, early lives, professional careers, motivations, and occasional hardships of some of the most consequential yet underrated figures of antiquity. In the end, you’ll emerge with a sharper and broader understanding of politics, culture, gender, social norms, sport, violence, and war in the ancient world.