Future steak bordelaise sauce !

Loving this Canadiens vs “Nordiques” matchup! #GoHabsGo

That was a nasty goal by Caufield! ❤️⚜️#GoHabsGo

Excited to share that this May I will become Fort Ticonderoga’s Senior Director of Education. It’s an amazing opportunity to help share the history of an important site in a beautiful part of the country!

Sadly, not going all the way to the end of the road, but there might be a great new job where I am stopping !

Going to be in Pasadena and Glendale in a few weeks for a research trip. Any suggestions for restaurants or things to do in the evening ?

So… Lethality (TM) is not a strategy ??

Thucydides did not write the Melian Dialogue for people to forget Athens lost the Peloponnesian War.

Defense Scheme No. 1 was kind of awesome: Canada would strike preemptively into the U.S. to facilitate defense in depth. Literally to push out to old 7 Years War and Revolutionary War sites like Saratoga and Fort Ticonderoga because the terrain hadn’t changed. Most elaborate America 250 plan yet!

In my latest post, I explore Machiavelli's _The Art of War_ and _Discourses of Livy_ to take a look at what the 16th century Florentine had to say about state power, strategy, and battle, and how his insights are still highly relevant.

Do I know any Disneyland people, as opposed to Disney World folks? Taking a suprise last minute trip to Los Angeles in early February with the family and looking for advice.

Rereading Clausewitz for the first time in a while and this line hits so different now than it did either in undergrad or grad school. The Old Prussian has so many bangers, eh, @deadcarl.bsky.social ?!

My research day: 1835 Congress - "'A well regulated Militia' is the backbone of our national defense strategy! War Dept, show us your militia records since 1790." War Dep - "Oh, we haven't actually, like, worked on that. Here is a 221 page excuse and a request for a larger standing army."

One of my favorite parts with the @neworleanspelicans.bsky.social stream is that they include the halftime shows, which are way better than the rest of the NBA thanks to the deep musical talent in NOLA!

The Trump administration seemingly embraces a Machiavellian approach to governance, but what does Machiavelli actually say about how government should run, and how would Machiavelli grade the first year of Trump's second term based on his seminal work, _The Prince_?

"General Clausewitz, whose logic is frequently defective..." -- Jomini, The Art of War Damn, bro, keep it civil!

Thoughts as I read Jomini: 1) This guy LOVES lists… 2) For a book that supposedly influenced ol’ Robert Lee, he didn’t follow Jomini very often. Second in his USMA class….🙄🙄🙄

It’s like the Melian Dialogue sustained a head injury.

In my latest piece, I explore Tacitus' _Annals_ and how the Roman empire began to fade the moment the Republic died.

First (only?) New England winter.

Not a bad office to telework from today…

Do you have a moody ailing Dear Leader who distracts himself with petty activities because he doesn’t want to be bothered with the burdens of governance? So did the Romans! Check out the final part of my reading of Tacitus’ _Annals_ to see how they dealt with theirs!

My listening age acording to Spotify… Hahahahaha! *wheeze* Hahahahaha!

In Part II of my investigation of Tacitus’ _Annals_, I explore the reign of the Emperor Claudius, his efforts to compensate for his lack of military experience, and how the Roman Empire tried to keep its borders’ stable.

In Part II of my investigation of Tacitus’ _Annals_, I explore the reign of the Emperor Claudius, his efforts to compensate for his lack of military experience, and how the Roman Empire tried to keep its borders’ stable.

“The Grim Monotony of Disaster”, boy if that’s not a great documentary title for our time, I don’t know what is.

In my latest post, I start a three-part investigation of Tacitus' _Annals_, starting with the reign of the emperor Tiberius. It's a fascinating exploration of an empire that has to begin looking towards stability rather than constant expansion.

In my latest post, I start a three-part investigation of Tacitus' _Annals_, starting with the reign of the emperor Tiberius. It's a fascinating exploration of an empire that has to begin looking towards stability rather than constant expansion.

In my latest piece, I explore Plutarch's _Parallel Lives_ and what it has to offer to an America going the way of the Romans.

I hope the Saints become at least mediocre before they play in Paris next year. At this point, they need a “strategic partnership” more with the Sewer Museum than with the Musketeers.

So we’re doing the Melian Dialogue 2025 Edition?! 🙄🙄 “the fact that you are … weaker than others rendering it all the more important that you should not succeed in baffling the masters of the sea” — Athens to Melos 416 BCE

I have a brilliant idea on how to counter Russia and China. We could focus on building up our partners in Asia and the ongoing conventional fucking war in Europe instead of a pointless war in South America. Someone make me a senior fellow. This shit's easy as hell.

Why you do Saints?! Why oh why?

Post a movie where you are from

Today I finished all five volumes of Plutarch’s _Lives_ and read 130 pages about Roman fortifications and siege weapons. You’ll excuse me if I focus on hockey and beer the rest of the night…..🫩

In my latest Substack post, I explore Xenophon’s _Anabasis_, adaptation in Greek military tactics, and the importance of innovation.

In my latest Substack post, I explore Xenophon’s _Anabasis_, adaptation in Greek military tactics, and the importance of innovation.

Demosthenes and Cicero both wanted what was best for their cities and believed strongly in principled governance. Both were also, unfortunately, born at times when morals and values were increasingly set by the wayside as raw power outweighed principles.

Demosthenes and Cicero both wanted what was best for their cities and believed strongly in principled governance. Both were also, unfortunately, born at times when morals and values were increasingly set by the wayside as raw power outweighed principles.

Agis, Cleomenes, and the Gracchi all tried to use the inspiration of an idealized past to make Sparta and Rome great again. It didn't work out so well for them or their respective countries.

Agis, Cleomenes, and the Gracchi all tried to use the inspiration of an idealized past to make Sparta and Rome great again. It didn't work out so well for them or their respective countries.

Moules à la crème - mussels in a crème sauce

Is it more important to be right or more important to win? In the case of Phocion and Cato, they preferred unimpeachable attention to their moral frameworks, even if that meant the countries they led collapsed around them. josephstoltz.com/2025/11/18/p...

Coquilles Saint-Jacques poêlées Seared Scallops with Leek and Cider Velouté

Got my friend a friend!

I finally had to write about the two "big boys" in Plutarch's LIVES, Alexander and Caesar. Check out my take on Plutarch's take and why I think you can, arguably, sum up most of Ancient Greek and Roman military theory with those two, for better or for worse. josephstoltz.com/2025/11/14/a...

Too much internal discord and civil war are a waste of resources that often lead to unexpected outcomes. Just ask Agesilaus and Pompey, in my latest examination of Plutarch's LIVES.

Were Alexander and Caesar really good or did they just have resource advantages? Eumenes and Sertorius had nothing. They provide interesting early examples of asymmetric strategies that weaker forces used to successfully prosecute military campaigns against larger more powerful opponents.

Were Alexander and Caesar really good or did they just have resource advantages? Eumenes and Sertorius had nothing. They provide interesting early examples of asymmetric strategies that weaker forces used to successfully prosecute military campaigns against larger more powerful opponents.

Check out the latest WETA @pbs.org documentary, where I discuss living history public programing and what many groups are doing to get ready for the United States' 250th.