Against the Lore Podcast

Against the Lore is a new myth-busting ancient history podcast, looking at how Near Eastern, Greek and Roman history interacts with modern day news and events, and exploring common misconceptions about the past 🤔📚😮(1/)

At one of the ACE sessions with the prison inmates, professor Phil Hawkey asked the question : “Is there any point trying to be good?” and now we turn the question to YOU ?

The myth was made famous by a play written by Sophocles. First performed in 409 BCE, it dramatizes the moment when the Greeks realize they need Philoctetes and his bow to win the war. Odysseus and Neoptolemus (the son of Achilles) are sent to retrieve him

Philoctetes was a skilled archer and a participant in the Trojan War who was most famous for possessing Heracles’ bow.However, his story is marked by suffering and betrayal when, after being injured en route to Troy , he was abandoned on the island of Lemnos.

Specific to the UK,Research by the UK Parliament found that individuals who participated in prison education were 7.5 percentage points less likely to reoffend within 12 months of release.  publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmse…

Prison education, particularly higher education, significantly reduces recidivism rates, with estimates suggesting a reduction of 20-40%

Prison education programmes significantly reduce rates of recidivism. This means fewer victims, better outcomes for offenders, and less cost to the taxpayer.

Located in the house of El Djem, in Roman Africa, the Mosaic presents a visual to the morbidly fascinating form of justice in Ancient Rome.

#mosaicmonday a 2nd / 3rd century ce Mosaic depicting the Roman punishment : ‘damnatio ad bestias’ ( capital punishment in the form of death by wild animal often in an amphitheater).

make sure to check out the episode with the link below if you haven’t already ! open.spotify.com/episode/6OSGyx…

We all firmly believe in the democratisation of the classics, and we are so grateful to Arlene, Edith & Sarah for bringing us onboard to put this tenet into action. Hopefully listeners will find this episode as inspiring and informative as we did making it.(4)

whilst not able to make the visit himself , Barney , one our hosts had this to say in the project and episode : It was a honour to be able to edit Against the Lore's prison episode.

Taking values such as critical thinking, understanding different perspectives and stoicism from these courses can help reduce rates of recidivism after terms are served.(5)

While some may question the benefit of a Classics course in a prison setting, we’ve seen first hand the positive impact it has had on the inmates and staff alike.(4)

Flo, one of our wonderful hosts had this to say on the episode and project : I never imagined when we started Against the Lore that one day we'd end up behind bars.(1)

Fancy adding some ancient Greek into your life? State-school pupils in Y9-13 can attend FREE classes on Saturdays in Liverpool from September. We're running taster sessions in June. Sign up below to find out more!

A couple of key features of Stoicism: - Virtue as the sole cause of goodness -Emphasis on living in accordance to nature. -Accepting what is beyond our control -The importance of reason -The focus on the development of emotional resistance and mental fortitude.

Despite its Greek origins, It is now mostly known through the emperor Marcus Aurelius who wrote about stoicism in his Meditations.

Stoicism; A quick guide