Who Decides What’s “Classical”? Unpacking the Politics of the Past

Dear Classical Wisdom Member,

What does it mean to call something “classical”? Why do certain voices, texts, and traditions survive the centuries while others are silenced, erased, or deemed unworthy of preservation?

These are not idle questions for academics in ivory towers…they shape how we see ourselves, our history, and the stories that legitimize our world today.

In this month’s podcast with professors, I talk with Dan-el Padilla Peralta, Professor of Classics, at Princeton University. A historian of the Roman Republic and Empire and a man who isn’t shy of controversy, Dan-el has written several books, including his most recent, “Classicism and Other Phobias” of which we speak about today.

We dive into a conversation that is as urgent as it is timeless. Exploring the power of knowledge itself…how it is created, curated, and destroyed….and how that legacy continues to influence not only universities and scholarship, but our politics, our identities, and even the values we take for granted.

As you’ll notice, I don’t always agree with Dan-el. In fact, there are many points in which it’s clear we have very different opinions on the issue, but it was fantastic to have an open good faith conversation about what many would see as very difficult topics. From racial capitalism and the slave trade, to colonialism and the exercise of power, we confront harde questions head-on.

This is not simply about Greece and Rome. It is about who gets to define culture, whose past is remembered, and whose wisdom is lost to the fires of history.

If you have ever wondered why certain stories dominate while others are silenced…or how the ancient past continues to echo through today’s most heated debates…then this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss.

All the best,

Anya Leonard

Founder and Director

Classical Wisdom

P.S. Apologies for my gaf! Ahem… Petrarch never wrote an email…

Also, Classical Wisdom Members, you can enjoy the full transcript above as well as the audio only file below:

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*No suscribimos necesariamente las opiniones o artículos aquí compartidos. No todo es lo que parece.