Hello, welcome to another episode of the Ancient Warfare magazine podcast.

In this episode, we're going to be thinking about military celebrity in the ancient world

and how important was celebrity and perhaps was there any pitfalls to celebrity status.

Joining me tonight is Regulars Yesbredaage, Mary Dam, Lindsay Powell, Mike Cole, Mark McCaffrey and Mark

DeSantis.

And also joining us as we record are patrons of the podcast.

I send out a link just before we record so they can watch live and chip in any comments and questions as we go.

If you're interested in becoming a patron, you can find out more at patreon.com slash ancient warfare podcast.

So, Mike, you put forward the idea.

Why do you think ancient societies need military celebrities?

So I start with Homer.

And I think, I'm hoping Murray will back me up here, is that I start with Homer.

And I start with a line from Homer, always be the bravest, my boy, always be the best.

And that the base, the bedrock of the conception of a great warrior in archaic Greek culture is likened unto the gods, right?

Who is personally touched the gods.

Odysseus is, you know, a beloved of Athena.

You know, there is interaction between Aries and these demigods.

Heracles himself is, in the archaic conception, kind of a god, right?

And that bestows upon the avatar of military virtue in the ancient mind a singular status

that appends to the individual.

Most people are not like this person.

And this person, through their greatness,

...