Disability in the ancient world: how were disabled people seen, treated and talked about in Greek and Roman society? What place did physically and mentally disabled people have in families, work and public life when there was no word for “disability” in our modern sense?

In this episode of Echo & Ink, I am joined by Professor Christian Laes to explore how the Greeks and Romans understood bodily and mental difference. We look at what ancient authors, inscriptions, legal texts, medical writing, art and archaeology reveal about people who could not see, could not walk easily, lived with chronic pain or illness, or were described as having limited understanding. We ask how far we can reconstruct their everyday lives and social roles from scattered sources.If you are interested in disability, history, classics, or the history of the body, this is a dense, source-driven conversation that stays close to the evidence.

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In this episode, we uncover the hidden mechanics of Spartan governance, how an elite military society engineered its institutions not for freedom, but to preserve absolute control.Sparta wasn’t a warrior camp disguised as a city, it was a fortress of political discipline. Four pillars structured its rule: the dual kingship, a council of elders (Gerousia), the ephors, and the citizen assembly (Apella). Each checked the other to restrain ambition, prevent rebellion, and maintain order over a helot-dominated society.This isn’t just ancient political theory, it’s a story of how stability became both Sparta’s strength and its downfall.📌 Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Sparta’s Hidden Power System 00:41 – The Four Institutions That Ruled Sparta 01:36 – Dual Kingship: Sacred Generals, Bound by Law 05:07 – Gerousia: The Council of Elders' Invisible Grip 07:04 – Ephors: Five Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Authority 08:50 – Apella: Assembly with a ‘Yes or No’ Mandate 11:10 – Why Sparta’s System Was so Stable 12:26 – Why Rigidity Led to Sparta’s Collapse 13:23 – Outro: Lessons from Spartan Governance 🎧 Listen & Subscribe:Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.☕ Support the Show:Buy Me a Coffee – https://buymeacoffee.com/echoandink📬 Questions or Feedback?Leave a comment below or email: echoandinkpodcast@gmail.com🔔 Like & SubscribeIf you enjoy history that goes beyond the headlines, please like, comment, and subscribe to support independent research and storytelling.

In the final episode of our trilogy on the fall and recovery of Athenian democracy, we examine the trial and death of Socrates — not just as a tragic mistake, but as a revealing response to influence, fear, and dissent.After civil war and tyranny, Athens restored democracy through amnesty. But one figure remained unresolved: the philosopher whose students helped destroy the city.Socrates never held power. But he shaped those who did.Critias. Charmides. Alcibiades.And in 399 BCE, Athens put him on trial — not for violence, but for ideas.📌 Timestamps00:00 – Recap: From Tyranny to Amnesty — and the Question Left Behind00:58 – Whose Story Is This? Sources, Silence, and the Politics of Memory02:29 – Socrates in the Agora: Questions Without Answers, Withdrawal Without Apology05:01 – Dangerous Company: Socrates’ Circle and the Collapse of Democracy06:46 – Athens After Terror: A City in No Mood for Gadflies08:17 – From Ideas to Indictment: A Philosopher on Trial09:18 – Defiance, Not Defense: Asking for Olympic Meals10:08 – The Verdict: Death by Vote, Not Sword11:13 – Aftermath: Plato’s Response and the Birth of Political Philosophy13:14 – Outro: Can Democracies Survive Their Own Dissenters?This isn’t just a story of philosophy vs democracy. It’s a story about what happens when truth feels like a threat and what societies do to those who won’t be silent.🏛️ This is Part 3 of our Athens trilogy:Part 1: Athens Under the Thirty Tyrants → https://youtu.be/RfB_BIMd2LYPart 2: Civil War, Amnesty & Restoration → https://youtu.be/zRbJZN4gz0k🎧 Listen & Subscribe:Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.☕ Support the Show:Buy Me a Coffee – https://buymeacoffee.com/echoandink📬 Questions or Feedback?Leave a comment below or email: echoandinkpodcast@gmail.com🔔 Like & SubscribeIf you enjoy history that goes beyond the headlines, please like, comment, and subscribe to support independent research and storytelling.