Subjects

Greece

Tales about the cradle of Western civilisation, from Socrates and the first democracies to the fall of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman yoke, and Britain’s part in the fight for independence.

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43

Kipling and ‘Agamemnon’

Both Rudyard Kipling and the Royal Navy saw Greek sovereignty as a universal symbol of freedom.

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Picture: © Sailko, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.. Source.

44

‘Hail, Liberty!’

Kipling borrowed from the Greek Independence movement to give thanks for the end of the Great War.

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Picture: Photo supplied by Imperial War Museums, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

45

Alcibiades

In the populist democracy of 5th-century BC Athens, heroes fell as quickly as they rose.

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Picture: © Marie-Lan Nguyen, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

46

Pericles and the Fickle Public of Athens

The leader of 5th-century BC Athens lavished public money on the city and its adoring citizens, and wherever he led they followed.

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Picture: © Thermos, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.5.. Source.

47

The Battle of Marathon

Remembered as the inspiration of the famous Olympic road race, but much more important than that.

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Picture: © Phokion, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0.. Source.

48

The Last Days of Socrates

Socrates was placed on death row while Athens celebrated a religious festival.

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Picture: © Olaf Tausch, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0.. Source.