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Every book Brett Devereaux recommended on podcasts
Brett Devereaux appeared on EconTalk to discuss ancient Greece and Rome, military history, and classical antiquity. During the interview, Devereaux recommended reading Lucius Apuleius's The Golden Ass, highlighting it as the world's oldest complete surviving novel written by an upper-class Roman citizen and author. He described the work as a dark comedy that is genuinely funny, pointing to it as evidence of the diverse literary origins found within the Roman world. Additionally, Devereaux mentioned epic poetry such as Homer's Iliad and The Works of Virgil to explain the broader socio-cultural dynamics of the ancient Mediterranean. He argued that Greek and Latin literary culture served as a powerful unifying force for elites, bringing together the very wealthy and educated across society so that distant populations were reading Homer and Virgil just like their Roman overlords. Through these literary references, Devereaux illustrated the complexities of ancient Mediterranean societies, shedding light on elite education, shared cultural touchstones, and the surviving texts that continue to inform our modern understanding of the classical world.
Books recommended by Brett Devereaux
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The golden asse of Lucius Apuleius
The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius is widely celebrated as the only completely preserved ancient Roman novel in Latin, offering a vivid and satirical look into antiquity through the fantastical misadventures of a man transformed into a donkey.
Recommended“you know i talk about um uh you know appalachianists uh who as a roman author writes in latin roman citizen upperclass um writes the world's oldest complete surviving novel um the golden ass you can go read it it's hilarious it's a comedy um dark comedy but a comedy not g-rated but it's funny”
Where to get it
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Homer: Iliad Book XVIII
Discussed“and here i think the big advantage is that the greek and latin literary culture comes to unite elites the very wealthy the educated across society over the whole mediterranean so all those folks are reading homer they're all reading virgil the same as their roman overlords are”
Where to get it
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The Works of Virgil
Discussed“and here i think the big advantage is that the greek and latin literary culture comes to unite elites the very wealthy the educated across society over the whole mediterranean so all those folks are reading homer they're all reading virgil the same as their roman overlords are”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bret Devereaux on Ancient Greece and Rome | EconTalk | 2021-08-30 | 3 |