The WSJ Quotes Me on Starz Drama “Spartacus” — and Caesar

In Masters of Command by Barry Strauss

Starz is adding young Julius Caesar to the latest season of its show, “Spartacus.” The WSJ asked me to comment on the popular series. Here’s the link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323353204578126943467165794.html

The Classics Shed Light on the Role of Leadership

In General, Masters of Command by Barry Strauss

Leadership is on our minds in this presidential-election year. Many books, schools and seminars teach leadership, and often well. But there’s no manual like the classics. Continued at: The Classics Shed Light on the Role of Leadership, Real Clear History, October 3, 2012

Some Roads Lead to Rome

In Caesar's Ghost, Leadership, Masters of Command by Barry Strauss

Kathleen Parker’s op-ed in today’s Washington Post, “All Roads Lead to Rome,” woke up Caesar’s Ghost. “Hail, Professor!” “Hail, Dictator!” Kathleen Parker complains like Cicero, about the times and the mores. Today’s politicians, she says, are constrained “to say as little of substance as possible and to say it often.” The citizenry has become a distracted mob, unable to focus …

From Tacitus to Tebow

In Masters of Command by Barry Strauss

The philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) drew a distinction between the spirit of geometry and the spirit of finesse. With apologies to Pascal’s own infinite finesse, I will reduce the distinction to this: mathematical rigor versus good judgment. Mathematical rigor marshals the facts, subjects them to analysis, and comes up with the answer. Good judgment simply knows. Pascal tends to come …

Diamond in the Rough

In Caesar's Ghost, Masters of Command by Barry Strauss

On Tuesday, Bob Diamond, the Chief Executive of Barclays Bank, one of the world’s biggest banks, was forced out of his job. He held that position for only 18 months, but he had been at Barclays for 16 years. During those years, Diamond led a revolution. He turned a staid old institution into an investment banking giant, increasing its revenues …

Radio and Review Roundup

In Masters of Command by Barry Strauss

“absolutely first rate” — G. Gordon Liddy For the podcast of my interview, see http://www.blubrry.com/ggliddy/1382289/masters-of-command/   “In all, Strauss weaves a glorious tapestry with many vignettes featuring each of the three commanders….he compares the three in ways that are not all immediately obvious, drawing on a fully stocked supply of anecdotes and details.” — about.com http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/warfareconflictarmor/a/501123-Review-Strauss-Masters-of-Command.htm?r=et