Episode #226- What is the Spartan Mirage? (Part II)
Did you know that the most famous Spartan poet may not have been from Sparta? He also may not have written many of the poems that bear his name. This is yet another example of the weird collection of misconceptions known as the “Spartan Mirage” that have shaped the popular understanding of the ancient Greek city. According to some ancient sources the Spartans were incorruptible, never took bribes, and equally divided their land among the elite Spartiates. Is any of that true? What about the Spartan’s famed educational system? Should we believe tales of Spartan youths fighting through an oppressively brutal childhood warrior training? (more…)
Episode #225 – What is the Spartan Mirage? (Part I)
The ancient Spartans are one of the most idealized cultures from classical Greece. They have been remembered as unbeatable super-soldiers whose entire society was geared towards war. Groups from across the modern political spectrum have looked to the Peloponnesian city-state as an inspiration and historical example. However, starting in the 1930’s historians started to question much of the received wisdom about the Spartans. Some even argued that the popular understanding of the city was deeply influenced by a so-called “Spartan Mirage.” Is everything we know about the Spartans little more than a collection of historical myths? (more…)
Episode #224 – What’s True About Al Capone? (Part III)
Who brought down Al Capone? Was it Eliot Ness and his storied “Untouchables” or is their story the result of distorted memoire written by washed-up glory-hound? If Eliot Ness didn’t secure a conviction against Al Capone then who did? The pinnacle of Capone’s career in Chicago came after years of bloody gang wars, but his most devastating move against his enemies may have brought on more heat than he could handle. Should Capone be blamed for his own undoing? (more…)
Episode #223- What’s True About Al Capone? (Part II)
If you get your history from watching gangster movies, then you might be under the impression that Al Capone singlehandedly started Chicago’s Beer Wars. That is certainly what is suggested by the 1932 gangster classic Scarface. The truth is considerably more complicated. Chicago’s gang wars were messy multi-factional conflicts that can remind you of Japan’s Warring States period. Al Capone was right in the middle of this wave of violence, but should he be blamed for it? (more…)
Episode #222 – What’s True About Al Capone? (Part I)
The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for countless, books and biopics, not to mention inspiring a rogues gallery of fictional crime bosses. As you might expect his life is filled with elaborate legends and colorful myths. Capone was also a savvy manipulator of the news media, who did his best to put his own public relations spin on his life outside the law. How much should we believe about America’s best known criminal? (more…)
Episode #221 – Did India’s Thugs Really Exist? (Part II)
In the early 19th century central India was one of the most dangerous places a person could travel. Murders and robberies were incredibly common. Every year dozens, sometimes hundreds, of bodies were found in shallow graves near the highways. These unfortunate travelers were often the victims of gangs of murderous bandits. But who were these killers? The British authorities came to believe that these highway murders were the work of an India-wide network of cultists known as Thugs. But were the Thugs actually a coherent criminal sub-culture? Were they truly devoted to a religion based on human sacrifice? Or were real bandits being transformed into bloodthirsty fanatics by colonial propaganda? (more…)
Episode #220 – Did India’s Thugs Really Exist? (Part I)
In 1830 an anonymous letter was published in the Calcutta Literary Gazette warning that India was being threatened by a horrifying cult of murderers. These stranglers were known as Thugs and according to the letter they represented the single greatest threat to law and order in the country. These Thugs apparently worshipped the Hindu goddess Kali and performed their crimes in her name. This letter motivated the British authorities to take immediate action against this group. However, many scholar think that the anonymous author, a British administrator named William Sleeman, may have exaggerated the Thug threat. Some have even argued that the Thugs never truly existed. (more…)
