Podcast episodes – The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP)

Oct 22 2024 197 ep. 43 mins 2.2k

Podcast episodes – The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast (SHWEP) artwork

Exploring the forgotten and rejected story of Western thought

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One Empire, Many Names: Reading “Byzantium” with Anthony Kaldellis

Oct 22 2024 82 mins

We are delighted to speak with Anthony Kaldellis about ‘Byzantium’, fabled empire full of Greek-speaking Romans which never fell until the fifteenth century, and which plays an outsize role in the history of western esotericism. Come for the historiographical debates about the term ‘Byzantine’, stay for the ‘Byzantine’ court astrology.

Contested Esotericisms at the End of Antiquity: Simplicius, Philoponus, and Olympiodorus

Oct 16 2024 60 mins

We discuss three of the most important thinkers from the final generations of philosophical teaching at Alexandria. One is an upstart Christian. Two are esoteric Platonists of the Golden Chain. One may or may not have been an alchemist.

The Last Platonists? Philosophic Teaching, Christianity, and Polytheism in Late-Antique Alexandria

Sep 18 2024 42 mins

We discuss how Platonist philosophical teaching played out at Alexandria before Justinian's edict of 529 and in its aftermath. Featuring cameo appearances from the fall of the western Roman empire and Horapollo's Hieroglyphika.

All from Nothing: Sara Rappe on Damascius

Sep 11 2024 51 mins

We discuss the great Damascius, final scholarch of the Athenian Academy, with Sara Rappe. Things become very apophatic.

Hagia Sophia and the Problem of ‘Esoteric Architecture’

Aug 28 2024 64 mins

We discuss Justinian's great church, Hagia Sophia, the gem of Constantinople and of Orthodox Christianity. We then look at a number of theories out there which read Hagia Sophia as encoding esoteric messages beneath her Orthodox exterior, and use this case-study as a springboard for discussing the thorny problems involved in interpreting architecture, especially esoteric architectu

Kevin van Bladel on the Ṣābians of Ḥarrān and the Fate of the Athenian Academy

Jul 30 2024 54 mins

We discuss the fascinating town of Ḥarrān (in present-day Türkiye), a place known from late antiquity until at least the eleventh century for its continued tradition of astral, polytheist worship. Kevin van Bladel tells us much to enthral us about this place, but also crushes the dream of a continued tradition of Athenian Late Platonism at Ḥarrān.

Edward Watts on the Age of Justinian and the Closing of the Athenian Academy

Jul 24 2024 69 mins

We discuss the life, times, and reign of Justinian, ‘probably the most consequential Roman emperor, at least since Constantine, and maybe since Augustus.’ He transformed the empire; nothing would be the same after his reign. Said reign also saw the closure of the Athenian academy and a number of crucial crises within Christianity, all of which are essential for the history of w

Danielle Layne on Proclus’ Religious Life and Thought

May 29 2024 51 mins

We are delighted to discuss what you might call Proclean spirituality with Danielle Layne. Platonic prayer as a way of living, the erotic quest for the Good, and the ever-elusive Platonic Dyad feature in a wide-ranging conversation combining proper philosophical-historical rigour with the true love of wisdom.

Graeme Miles on Proclus the Commentator

May 22 2024 43 mins

We discuss Proclus' titanic labours in the field of commentary – on many Platonic dialogues, but also on the Chaldæan Oracles, the Homeric poems, and a number of other texts – with Graeme Miles, an acute reader of Platonist philosophy and part of the team translating Proclus' Republic commentary into English. Come for Platonic commentary as spiritual practice, stay for the kos

The Esoteric Proclus, Part II: Esoteric Exegesis and the Occult Ontology of Language

May 14 2024 59 mins

We enter the interconnected webwork of a reality where signs are things, things are signs, and everything means everything, but appropriately. Come for the visionary semiotics, stay for the occult sigils.