Titus Flamininus

The Plutarch Podcast

Full Show Notes - https://plutarch.life/titus-flamininus/
Greek Parallel - Philopoemen

Important People

Philip V - The second-to-last Macedonian king because the Romans play fair in this generation and allow Philip to remain on the throne even after soundly defeating him in battle twice. Philip also has to give up over-lordship of Greece which allows Titus to declare them free.

Antiochus III - Antiochus swoops in when he sees an opportunity and tries to market himself as a liberator for the Greeks. The way Plutarch paints it, no one buys what Antiochus is selling and the Romans defeat him too, though Titus Flamininus isn't involved in that victory.

Hannibal - The Romans expand into Asia Minor with their influence and power. In so doing, Hannibal, exiled from Carthage

Important Places

Battle of Aous -

Battle of Cynoscephalae -

Key Vices and Virtues

• Ambitious - φιλοτιμότατος δὲ καὶ φιλοδοξότατος - the first implies a love of honor while the second implies a love of glory. This brings with it the question: how does honor differ from glory? Is the latter longer-lasting and the former more present-focused. If I only care about what my peers think, am I obsessed then with honor. That may be one. Another could be that honor has physical aspects to it whereas glory is entirely intangible. I think this because τιμή is also the Greek word for price. Most of us can (and do) judge price by the look or feel of the thing, some of its tangible attributes.
• τήν ὄψιν φιλανθρώπῳ (cf. Section 5) - humane in look - Can one look like a philanthropist? Plutarch thinks so.
• φωνήν τε καὶ διάλεκτον Ἕλληνι - Greek in voice and language - This is a compliment. A Greek calls a Roman Greek!
• τιμῆς ἀληθοῦς ἐραστῇ - lover of true honor - Back to honor. Not only is there honor vs. glory, but not all honor is worthy of pursuit!

Section 17 -

• bitterness (πικρός)
• hastiness (ὀξὺς)
• levity (κοῦφος)

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Chapters

1. Titus Flamininus (00:00:00)

2. Family Name and Fame (00:03:02)

3. Early Character Sketch (00:05:08)

4. Leaping the Cursus Honorum (00:07:33)

5. Flamininus in Macedon (00:10:20)

6. The Battle of Aous (00:21:41)

7. Battle of Cynoscephalae (00:27:57)

8. The Return of Hannibal?! (00:30:29)

9. The Isthmian Games and Greek Freedom (00:32:40)

10. Censorious Censors! (00:35:46)

11. Back to Hannibal (00:37:51)