Online: Classical Wisdom - Plato & Tyrant

ONLINE EVENT By Classical Wisdom

Power, Philosophy, and the Perils of Idealism: Plato’s Republic Reimagined Through Political Upheaval

Date and time: Wednesday, May 14 · 11am - 12:30pm PDT

Free, but you must register here to get the link

Can’t make it live? No worries! Register in advance, and we’ll send you the recording (so you can enjoy it from this side of existence).

Bridging the ancient and the urgent, historian James Romm and acclaimed author and translator Daniel Mendelsohn dive into the dramatic story behind Plato and the Tyrant.

This is not the Plato of abstract thought, but a man deeply entangled in the brutal politics of his time...a philosopher who sought to reshape power itself. Romm and Mendelsohn will explore how Plato’s real-world entanglements with tyrants and revolutionaries in Syracuse directly influenced his philosophical masterpiece, Republic, and how the ideal of the philosopher-king emerged from a world teetering on the edge of chaos.

With Mendelsohn’s signature insight and Romm’s vivid storytelling, this event promises a dynamic exploration of one of history’s greatest minds, revealing a Plato who was ambitious, politically engaged, and profoundly shaped by personal and political crisis.

Join us on May 14th at 2pm EST / 11am PST for a riveting conversation about Plato and the Tyrant.

Can’t make it live? Register in advance to receive the recording.

Whether you're a longtime admirer of classical philosophy or newly curious about the origins of Western thought, this is a rare opportunity to witness two brilliant minds in dialogue about ideas that still shape the way we think about power, truth, and the perilous dream of enlightened leadership. Don’t miss it.

About the Speakers:
James Romm is the James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics at Bard College and specializes in ancient Greek and Roman culture and civilization. His reviews and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, and the London Review of Books. Dr. Romm is author of several books including “Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero”, “Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great”, “The Sacred Band: Three Hundred Theban Lovers fighting to save Greek Freedom”, and most recently, “Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece.”

Daniel Adam Mendelsohn is the Charles Ranlett Flint Professor of Humanities at Bard College, the Editor at Large of the New York Review of Books, and the Director of the Robert B. Silvers Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting writers of nonfiction. Mendelsohn is author of several books including New York Times bestseller and international bestseller The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, and An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic. His new translation of Homer's The Odyssey was just published by the University of Chicago Press.

Hosted by Anya Leonard, Founder and Director of Classical Wisdom, a platform dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to Modern Minds. For more information about Classical Wisdom and Podcast Classical Wisdom Speaks, please check out our website at:
[classicalwisdom.com](https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/)

Frequently asked questions
Will there be a recording? Yes, if you register in advance you will automatically get the recording afterwards.