logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2021
49m 16s

The First Ladies of the Roman Empire, Pa...

Kate J. Armstrong, Carly A. Quinn
About this episode

Season 2, Episode 30. Last time, we saw Agrippina the Elder making some big power plays for her children, but ultimately she lost the imperial game. Her daughter Agrippina the Younger watched as half of her family was murdered, her remaining brother Gaius sent off to the island of Capri to hang out with Tiberius in what has to have been a very tense situation. But that's all over now. Tiberius has died, and brother Gaius has become emperor. In the years to come, Agrippina will face exile and heartbreak, power and prestige, threat and conspiracy. Ever resilient and ambitious, she will achieve feats that no imperial woman has before. Grab a golden cloak, a sharp tongue, and your best swimming stroke. Let's go traveling.

For a transcript of this episode, images, and more, check out my website. To become a patron, head over to my Patreon page. Hear more from Dr. Rad and Dr. G on the Partial Historians podcast. If you're looking for a good book about ancient Roman women, browse my new Bookshop.com curated bookshelf

 

Up next
Jan 2021
The First Ladies of the Roman Empire, Part 6: Empress Agrippina
Season 2, Episode 31. Last time, we saw Agrippina the Younger survive her exile AND a jealous young empress, only to marry her uncle Claudius and become empress herself. What a comeback! What will she do, now that she's finally achieved the kind of power she's always dreamed of? ... Show More
40m 17s
Mar 2021
Rebel Warrior Queens: Boudicca and Zenobia
<p>Season 2, Episode 33. Ancient Rome's military machine was legend, taking over lands far outside its capital. But there were always those who fought back against the Empire, giving everything they had for freedom. A few of them even happened to be women. We're about to go on an ... Show More
1h 5m
May 2021
The Wolf Den: Interview with Elodie Harper
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can order <em>The Wolf Den</em> in the U.K. and Australia wherever books are sold! For American listeners, Blackwell's in the U.K. is offering 100% FREE shipping to readers in the USA. All you need to do is create a free account with them wh ... Show More
42m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Alexander the Great Finds His Destiny
November 14, 332 BCE. Alexander the Great has conquered an unprecedented amount of territory in a relatively short amount of time. At just 24 years old, he's in control of Macedonia, much of Greece, and now, a huge part of Egypt. But Alexander doesn't want to just conquer each of ... Show More
32m 16s
Dec 2024
521. Warlords of the West: Killer Queens (Part 2)
Following the death of the legendary Frankish King Clovis, his son Clothar I divided the mighty realm his father had hacked out from the warring warlords of Europe between his four sons. But peace was not to reign…the most ambitious of his brood - Chilperic - seized Paris, his br ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2024
Pyrrhus: Warlord of Ancient Greece
<p>It’s 279 BC. On a large plain in Southern Italy near the town of Asculum, a famous Greek warlord likened to Alexander the Great faces down the legions of the Roman Republic. His name was Pyrrhus of Epirus. And the victory that he won at Asculum would come to define his legacy. ... Show More
1h 7m
Oct 16
Alexander the Great, with Mary Beard
No one was like him, terrible were his crimes… Where was Alexander the Great born, and who were his parents? What drove him to go beyond the Aegean empire he had already carved out for himself, and conquer lands beyond the limits of the Greek world? Why did Alexander eventually t ... Show More
10m 52s
Feb 2025
The Persian Wars: Darius, Athens and the Battle of Marathon
<p>490 BC. On the plains of Marathon, Athens faced down a mighty army of the Persian Empire - the superpower of the time It was an underdog clash that would echo throughout history. But how did it all begin?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, Tristan Hughes kicks ... Show More
58m 21s
Sep 2024
Women Leaders, part 3: Boudica (Literally) Burned London Down (Rerelease)
It's a rerelease of a classic Vulgar History episode, now with better editing! Boudica was Queen of the Iceni, a Celtic tribe during the Roman conquest of Britain. She led a rebellion of united tribes against their Roman invaders, leaving a path of death and bloodshed in her wake ... Show More
58m 22s
Sep 2024
Irene of Athens, Byzantine Empress
Queens of the World Series: Irene of Athens ruled as regent for her son, Easter Roman Emperor, Constantine VI. But when he rose up against her and threatened her religious conviction, she had his eyes gouged out. Thus she became the first Roman Empress to rule in her own right. B ... Show More
23m 21s
Sep 2024
Love, Betrayal, and the Battle for Rome (Replay)
HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. September 2, 31 BCE. Two camps prepare for battle off the coast of Greece. On one side is Octavian, Julius Caesar’s heir apparent. On the other, ... Show More
40m 48s
Apr 2025
Alexander the Great
Though he ruled for just 13 years, Alexander the Great is as famed for his hedonistic lifestyle as his military genius. But how did he become one of the best known military leaders in history? What inspired such loyalty among his troops? And what drove this young man in his endle ... Show More
47m 59s