Episodes

  • Arminius: The Man Who Defeated Rome

    Arminius: The Man Who Defeated Rome
    Aug 22 2025
    For centuries, Rome grew unchecked, until one man was able to reverse their fortunes, and free his country. On this episode, we take a look at the story of Arminius, and what it teaches us about how to overcome an unstoppable force. 00:00 Battle of the Teutoburg Forest 03:00 Introduction to Arminius 05:40 Understanding the Germanic Tribes 13:00 Arminius' Early Life and Roman Service 21:00 The Rebellion Begins 25:00 Varus's Leadership in Germany 27:23 The Battle of Teutoburg Forest Revisited 31:30 Aftermath and Roman Reaction 34:20 Arminius' Legacy and Influence 46:20 Lessons from Arminius' Life ---- Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠ ---- Stay In Touch - Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠⁠takeoverpod.com⁠⁠ - Twitter/X - ⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠ - Instagram - ⁠⁠@HTTOTW
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    50 mins
  • Roger Federer

    Roger Federer
    Aug 11 2025
    Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time? Despite not being the winningest player, many people make exactly that argument. What is it about Federer that inspires such admiration, and why can he rightly be called the greatest of all time? 00:00 Introduction: The Enigma of Roger Federer 01:00 Federer's Unique Playfulness 03:45 Early Life and Childhood 05:00 Adolescence and Early Tennis Career 07:30 Struggles and Triumphs in Junior Tennis 22:00 The Turning Point: Peter Carter's Influence 33:00 The Federer Era 40:00 The Rise of Rafael Nadal 50:00 Federer's Late Career Resurgence 56:00 The 2017 Australian Open Comeback 01:06:40 Federer's Final Years and Retirement 01:08:30 Reflections on Federer's Career and Legacy ---- Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠Founders Podcast⁠ ---- Stay In Touch - Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠takeoverpod.com⁠ - Twitter/X - ⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠ - Instagram - ⁠@HTTOTW
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Lord of the Rings

    Lord of the Rings
    Jul 28 2025
    This is an episode of Becoming the Main Character, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts. ---- Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠The Classical Society.com⁠ - ⁠⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠ ---- Stay In Touch - Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠⁠takeoverpod.com⁠⁠ - Twitter/X - ⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠ - Instagram - ⁠⁠@HTTOTW⁠
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    4 hrs and 22 mins
  • Scipio Africanus (with Alex Petkas)

    Scipio Africanus (with Alex Petkas)
    Jul 15 2025
    Alex Petkas joins to discuss the great Roman general Scipio Africanus, his relationship with Hannibal, his strategic military victories, and his legacy. 00:00 Introduction and Special Announcement 03:00 Scipio's Background 12:30 The Capture of New Carthage 19:30 Political Maneuvering and the Road to Consul 26:30 The North African Campaign 37:30 The Meeting of Hannibal and Scipio 43:00 Scipio's Political Career and Rivalry with Cato 50:00 Scipio's Legacy 56:50 Introduction to the Classical Society ---- Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠ - The Classical Society.com - ⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠Founders Podcast⁠ ---- Stay In Touch - Sign up for our newsletter at ⁠takeoverpod.com⁠ - Twitter/X - ⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠ - Instagram - ⁠@HTTOTW⁠
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Joan of Arc

    Joan of Arc
    Jul 10 2025
    How Joan of Arc went from a small peasant girl to determining the fate of nations, and what it tells us about the power of belief. 0:00 Was Joan a visionary of a schizophrenic? 03:00 Setting the Stage: France in Turmoil 07:00 The English Invasion and the Battle of Agincourt 21: The Siege of Orleans 28:16 Joan's Audacious Letter to the King of England 33:51 Joan's First Victory 40:00 The Turning Point 42:15 March to Reims and the Anointing of Charles 47:00 The Siege of Paris and Joan's Capture 53:20 Joan's Trial and Conviction 01:03:30 Joan's Legacy and Strategy ---- Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠ - TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠⁠⁠- GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠⁠⁠- Founders Podcast ---- Stay In Touch - Sign up for our newsletter at takeoverpod.com - Twitter/X - @BenWilsonTweets - Instagram - @HTTOTW
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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Thomas Jefferson (Part 2)

    Thomas Jefferson (Part 2)
    Jul 4 2025
    Jefferson rebounds from his disastrous and governorship and personal loss to create a political legacy that would define a nation. 00:00 Introduction and Recap 02:30 Jefferson's Role as Ambassador to France 08:00 Jefferson's Return and Political Feuds 15:50 The Formation of Political Parties 23:55 Jefferson's Vice Presidency and Media Strategy 27:45 Jefferson's Election and Hamilton's Influence 30:00 The Evolution of the Democratic-Republican Party 32:30 Jefferson's Inauguration and Early Presidency 38:00 The Louisiana Purchase 42:00 Jefferson's Second Term Troubles 47:15 Post-Presidency and Founding the University of Virginia 50:00 Jefferson's Final Days 52:25 Legacy and Lessons from Jefferson's Life
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    56 mins
  • Thomas Jefferson (Part 1)

    Thomas Jefferson (Part 1)
    Jul 3 2025
    How did Thomas Jefferson overcome failure after failure to become the most significant politician of the early American Republic? On this episode we examine his habits, tactics, approach, and life up until his service in the Washington administration. 00:00 The Misunderstood President: Thomas Jefferson's Early Failures 02:15 Introduction 04:45 Jefferson's Early Life and Education 09:35 Jefferson's Personal Habits and Philosophies 12:30 Jefferson's Political Beginnings and the Fight Against Slavery 15:55 The Road to Independence: Jefferson's Writing and Influence 20:00 Jefferson's Rise in the Continental Congress 27:45 Drafting the Declaration of Independence 30:15 The Eloquence of Jefferson's Writing 37:00 The Final Edits and Adoption of the Declaration 42:00 Jefferson's Post-Declaration Achievements 47:20 Jefferson's Governorship and Personal Tragedy ---- Sponsors: ⁠⁠⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more ⁠⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast
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    53 mins
  • Rome's Revenge: Hannibal Part 2

    Rome's Revenge: Hannibal Part 2
    Jun 27 2025
    Hannibal Barca was Rome's greatest enemy. What was it about his strategies and leadership style that allowed him to haunt Romans' nightmares for centuries? 00:00 Introduction to Hannibal's Legendary Campaign 01:40 Sponsor Message: Gains in Bulk 02:20 Setting the Stage: Hannibal's Underdog Strategy 03:15 Hannibal's Arrival in Italy and Initial Tactics 09:30 The Trebia River Battle: A Crushing Roman Defeat 17:30 Hannibal's Second Great March 22:08 The Battle of Lake Trasimene: Hannibal's Perfect Ambush 30:50 Prelude to Cannae: Motivational Speeches and Strategies 39:30 Hannibal's Tactical Mastery at Cannae 41:00 The Aftermath and Roman Resilience 43:00 Hannibal's Missed Opportunity and Roman Defiance 46:00 Rome's Relentless Spirit and Selective Irrationality 48:30 Hannibal's Strategic Retreat and the Long War 56:30 The Final Confrontation: Battle of Zama 01:00:00 Hannibal's Legacy and Final Years 01:09:30 Main Takeaway: The Power of Relentlessness ---- Sponsors: ⁠⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month ⁠⁠AustinLab.AI⁠⁠ - Provides advanced AI tools for businesses of any size ⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more ⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium ⁠⁠Founders Podcast
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    1 hr and 12 mins