Podcast Episodes

Episode LXX - The Marcomannic Wars

With the Parthians once again defeated and the Antonine plague sweeping through the empire, Marcus Aurelius must defend Rome from yet another opportu…

8 years, 10 months ago

Episode LXIX - Galen and the Antonine Plague

As the Parthian War comes to end the troops are dispersed throughout the corners of the Empire, and with them goes the Antonine plague. The effects o…

8 years, 11 months ago

Episode LXVIII - Never Underestimate the Parthians

The reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus quickly erupts into war, a state which will continue for the rest of their lives. The first threat the …

8 years, 11 months ago

Episode LXVII - Heir and a Spare

Introducing Marcus Aurelius: scholar, warrior, philosopher,leader, lover. And his younger brother, Lucius Verus.

Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans (Senior Lec…

9 years ago

Episode LXVI - Fronto

When Marcus Aurelius was a young man he was important enough to be given the best education sestertius could buy, in the form of a number of prominen…

9 years ago

Episode LXV - Antoninus Pius

Antoninus became emperor in 138CE as part of a solid succession plan, keeping the empire safe until Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus came of age. No …

9 years, 1 month ago

Episode LXIV - Q and A III

Listeners provide questions and Rhiannon and Matt answer! In this episode:
- What did the Romans know about China and India?
- At what point does s…

9 years, 1 month ago

Episode LXIII - Women Poets

All our talk of Roman writing has focused on men, for the simple reason that, for the most part, that is all we have. This makes the fragments of wor…

9 years, 1 month ago

Episode LXII - Juvenal

Juvenal was a poet from the second century CE, and was one of the last and greatest satirical poets of the Roman empire. His five books, collectively…

9 years, 2 months ago

Interlude - The Bronze Head of Augustus

One of the treasures of the British Museum collection is a bronze head of Augustus. Matt Smith is introduced by Dr Lily Withycombe, a curator from th…

9 years, 3 months ago