There is a concrete link between the works of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and Star Wars a new hope.

In between thus spoke Zarathustra and may the force be with you, is Joseph Campbell and his best-known book, The Hero with

A Thousand Faces.

Campbell formulated a theory of the monomyth, a journey of the archetypical hero shared

by mythologies across time and throughout the world.

This hero's journey seemed built into the human psyche, and Campbell's discussion of it

profoundly influenced psychologists, philosophers,

and young filmmakers in the 70s like George Lucas.

On today's Saturday matinee, we'll revisit the Heroes Journey with a podcast called

Anthology of Heroes.

This episode focuses on the siege of Constantinople, witnessing the final desperate days of the Byzantine Empire

through the eyes of our two heroes, the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine the 11th,

and his formidable rival, Sultan Mehmet II. As the walls of Constantinople trembled under the relentless

bombardment of Ottoman cannons, these two very different leaders prepared for the last battle of the Great Christian Empire,

and both sides knew it would be a fight to the death.

I hope you enjoy.

While you're listening, be sure to search for and follow Anthology of Heroes.

We put a link in the show notes to make it easy for you.

It's the night of May 29th, 1453.

Constantinople is under siege, and the roar of battle drowns out everything else.

The air is thick with ash and smoke, stinging the eyes and burning the lungs.

The bitter smell of blood and gunpowder fills the dilapidated streets.

...