Why the Anabasis is the Second-Most Influential Greek Epic (After Homer’s Works)

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Imagine being stranded thousands of miles deep in enemy territory with 10,000 soldiers, no allies, no clear way home, and the only means of escape was by foot. This was the predicament faced by Xenophon and the Greek mercenaries in Anabasis, one of the most gripping survival stories of the ancient world. In this episode, we delve into the incredible journey of these soldiers, their battles against the elements, rival armies, and even their own internal strife. Xenophon’s firsthand account is not just a tale of military strategy—it’s a timeless story of leadership, perseverance, and what it means to face impossible odds (it’s been referenced by Napoleon, Lawrence of Arabia, and the director of the 1979 movie “The Warriors”). Why has this 2,400-year-old narrative inspired everyone from ancient generals to modern filmmakers?

To unpack the enduring power of Anabasis, we’re joined by Alex Petkas, host of The Cost of Glory podcast, who brings a fresh perspective to Xenophon’s masterwork. Alex shares his insights into Xenophon’s leadership style, his philosophical roots as a student of Socrates, and the universal lessons we can draw from the march of the 10,000.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Noble gold investments is the official gold sponsor of History Unplug, a company that specializes in gold IRAs and physical delivery of precious metals.
0:07.8	Learn how you can protect your wealth with noble gold investments.
0:11.3	Noble gold investments.com.
0:19.2	It's got here with another episode of the History and Plug podcast.
0:22.3	The two most popular enduring Greek ethics are The Odyssey and the Iliad by Homer.
0:27.0	Practically every work of the ancient world references them until they were supplanted by the Bible a thousand years later.
0:32.4	But if there is a runner-up, there's a strong argument to be made that it was the Anabasus by Xenophon. This was written in 400
0:39.1	BC, and it's a story of 10,000 Greek mercenaries who fight for Cyrus the Younger, deep in Persian
0:43.9	territory, but after he dies, they find themselves stranded there and have to undertake a massive
0:48.6	overland journey back through hostile territory, getting attacked by mountain tribes in modern
0:53.2	day Armenia, and then when they finally make it back to Greek territory, find that the Spartans have
0:57.2	taken over the Hellenistic world, and this group, or mostly Athenian, have constant troubles
1:01.5	to deal with.
1:02.4	But the themes of leadership, camaraderie, and perseverance have made it a timeless classic,
1:06.6	and it remained one of the most cited works after its publication.
1:09.8	Arian, a historian of Alexander the Great, modeled his work after Zinophon's antibasist,
1:13.9	and so did Plutarch, and his lives of the emperors.
1:16.8	Renaissance scholars and military strategists rediscovered the analysis.
1:20.3	As a practical guide to leadership and strategy, Napoleon looked at it for tips on how
1:23.8	to manage troops and overcome logistical challenges.
1:26.8	Lawrence of Arabia referenced it for ideas on how to navigate difficult terrain
1:30.2	and managed diverse forces and hostile lands.
	...

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