The Classical Society is a fraternal network of accomplished and ambitious men who believe in Western civilization and its highest ideals. Peer advisory groups, private events, private media, guidance in the pursuit of power and virtue, borrowing from the examples of classical figures.
Your world treats the study of enduring excellence like a niche hobby. We don’t.
We challenge you to become the highest form of yourself.
There is more excellence within you. But you need peers who believe in it too.
Values-aligned peer groups, intensive online and in-person events, and formation in the arts of statesmanship: oratory, narrative, adversarial argument, moral and political philosophy.
A clear statement of our values, what we think is happening in the world, and what we intend to do about it.
Founder
Host of the Cost of Glory podcast, which examines the great founders, statesmen, generals, and orators of antiquity. Dr. Petkas achieved a PhD in Classics from Princeton University. Currently writing a book on the ancient power of Zeal.
Founder
Founder of Takeover Media and host of How to Take Over the World, with more than 1 million downloads. Seven years examining and analyzing how ambitious men actually operated and won eternal fame and glory.
Sound interesting to you? Here’s what we look for in our applicants.
A successful professional, executive, or entrepreneur
You value excellence and the achievements of Western civilization
Your peer advisory groups 10x per year, ideally in person
You can commit several thousand dollars per year
Peer advisory groups of accomplished men who love the greats and will challenge you to do your best. Retreats and experiences that turn colleagues into true friends.
Projects that put our ideals into the world. Institutions, businesses, and works of art that will last for generations.
Study in order to discover whom you’d most like to emulate. Form yourself into a Classical Man. Flourish in all dimensions.
Founder · Galiath · Dallas
“I showed up as an autodidact with a reading list, but I found accelerated growth, both personally and professionally, and a genuine fraternity of classical men.”
Entrepreneur · Philadelphia
“There is a critical distinction between working in your life and working on your life. The Society is a group that enables you to ask the questions that can help you improve your life.”
Consultant · Dubai
“I joined out of conviction, not for networking. What I found here: driven, principled men who treat carrying our civilization forward as a duty.”
“The Classical Society brings together ambitious, like-minded men who admire the great figures of history and want to apply their wisdom to the challenges of today. It’s a place where ambition needs no apology, and the past is treated less like a museum and more like a playbook. In nearly a year as a member, I’ve made excellent friendships and found the curriculum rich in practical wisdom. Studying men like Caesar and Napoleon is about sharpening our judgment and learning how to lead, decide and act in our own lives.”
Sidney PowellMiami, FL · CEO & Co-Founder of Maple Finance“This is what the Classical Society is to me — ambitious men engaged in free and open debate; intelligent discussion; a commitment to the ancient virtues applied to the present; the pursuit of what makes flawed people great — from Churchill to Washington, from Caesar to Alexander.”
Dr. Tzevan PoonSeattle, WA · Director of the University of Washington Medical Center’s Surgical Intensive Care UnitWe dedicate a lot of time and attention to reading each application and thoroughly vetting all prospective members. If you submit an application, here’s what the process will look like.
Complete our application. This is where we learn a little about you, your accomplishment, background, and values.
Our team reads each and every application, and uses the information you provide to determine where you would be a good fit for an initial call.
We will reach out to you if we think there might be a fit for an initial conversation. This is the time to add context to your application responses. You may ask us some questions if there’s something you’re not clear about. Show us who you are!
We will set you up with at least one if not a handful more members of our team to get to know you a bit better. Once this conversation wraps, we’ll contact you if we think there’s a good fit.
Assuming our past interactions went well, we will offer you placement within the Society, expecting a one-time, non-refundable deposit in order to get you started.
The Classical Society is a fraternal network of accomplished and ambitious men dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. We host private events, curate a classical curriculum for all members, and regularly connect fellow members to launch and develop their own initiatives in the domains of business, the arts, politics, and more.
No! Many of our members have only just discovered their appreciation of history. We do hope you at least come to have a familiarity with them over time. Part of our job is to make these works accessible and highly engaging.
Our membership is many thousands of dollars per year, with an upfront, non-refundable deposit required to activate your account in your first year of membership.
We expect you to attend at least 8 of your 10 cohort meetings, whether in person or virtual, if you happen to live in a market that does not have the critical mass for in-person meetings. We understand there are always extenuating circumstances, so if this is something you’re unsure of, please mention it in your call.
We will do our best to accommodate you virtually to begin with, with the hope of eventually having the critical mass for you to meet your cohort in person.
We select for values-aligned men. We cultivate a culture of open, candid, direct speech (parrhesia, παρρησία) and expect our members to exercise discretion and honor in dealing with one another. We also believe being true friends with your cohort members is of the utmost importance.
Many of the most high-value, productive conversations happen in casual environments outside of strictly professional settings. As such, we view the ‘after-hours’ and recreational times to be just as important as, if not more important than, the formally scheduled times.
We will get back to you within 1-2 weeks. If there is a fit on paper, we will reach out with next steps.
Anywhere from 5 to 10 people. We are especially sensitive to the group getting too large.
“Classical” comes from the Latin classicus: of the best class. The Greeks simply called them “the ancients.” The way we understand it is captured by what Pasquale Paoli told the young Napoleon: “There is nothing modern about you. You come from the age of Plutarch.” The classical spirit is embodied by Nietzsche’s monumental man of history: the man who wants to lead or contribute to great deeds that will last far into the future, and does so by drawing energy from the deeper past. Adventure and bold magnanimity, combined with a rootedness that stretches his time horizon far ahead. Members also receive training in the perennial arts of statesmanship: oratory, narrative formation, adversarial argument, and moral and political philosophy.
Read by the founders. You hear back within one to two weeks.
