Rather than writing tales of gods and heroes or flattering court panegyrics, the poet Theocritus of Syracuse (early second century B.C.) chose to focus on the simple life. As the founder of "Bucolic" or pastoral poetry, Theocritus cast the humble shepherd as the main subject, using idyllic scenes from the ancient countryside to illuminate his poems in a fashion that would be emulated by later artists such as Virgil. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/12/10/081-hellenistic-literature-theocritus-and-bucolic-poetry/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/081-hellenistic-literature-theocritus-and-bucolic-poetry.pdf) So You Think You Can Rule Persia?: Website (https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.wordpress.com/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/RankingPersia) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)