logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2019
1h 12m

Cleopatra x Marc Antony: Lovers in a Dan...

JENNY WILLIAMSON AND GENN MCMENEMY
About this episode
Shakespeare wrote about them. Hollywood glamorized them. For thousands of years, they've come down to us as the ultimate star-crossed lovers: the Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra, and the Roman commander Marc Antony. In the wake of Caesar's death, Cleopatra fled to Egypt--and began picking up the pieces. Meanwhile, Marc Antony defeated Caesar's assassins in battle, ... Show More
Up next
Jul 3
How an Empire Ends: Gothic Paganism
⁠⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! In our last episode about Amalasuintha and the end of the Ostrogothic Kingdom, we said we were next going to turn to the Visigothic Kingdom. But the story of the Visigothic Kingdom can’t be told without knowing a littl ... Show More
1h 27m
Jun 26
RE-RELEASE: Buzzballs and Buboes: The Plague of Justinian (a Drunk Deep Dive)
Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! ⁠ This is an episode about a plague that killed up to 100 million people by the time it was done—as many as 60% of its victims. It’s the first documented occurrence of a pandemic that we have, and it’s the first document ... Show More
1h 47m
Jun 19
How an Empire Ends: Life of Amalasuintha
⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! In our last episode, we told you all about the rise of Theodoric the Great and the founding of the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy. Now, we’re going to tell you all about the women in his family—and the effect they had on ... Show More
1h 11m
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
134. Cleopatra: The Would-Be Empress of Rome
With Julius Caesar dead, Cleopatra turned to another of Rome’s dominant figures. She became entwined with Mark Antony, the ruler of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, but even with their enormous combined power the destructive tendrils of Roman politics were inescapable. Just ... Show More
41m 53s
Jun 2020
E203: Cleopatra Pt. 2
In 31 BCE, Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s torrid union is tested when Roman leader Octavian declares war against Cleopatra. As Roman troops storm the shores of Egypt, Cleopatra fights against forces that will ultimately lead to her mysterious death. Learn more about your ad choices. ... Show More
56m 41s
Jun 2024
The Fall of Mark Antony: From Caesar to Cleopatra
After the death of his patron Julius Caesar, the Roman world was Mark Antony’s for the taking. His triumph over Caesar’s assassins at Phillipi in 42 BC only served to cement his legendary status as Rome’s most feared commander. But then came Octavian and Cleopatra… In this episod ... Show More
45m 31s
Mar 2024
Cleopatra ❤️ Caesar
Julius Caesar intervened to put his lover and ally Cleopatra on the Egyptian throne on 27th March, 47 BC - cementing their position as the world’s premier Power Couple. But Cleo's ascent to power was not just a power play. Rather, it was a desperate bid for survival - as she had ... Show More
12m 47s
Jul 2022
The Rise of Cleopatra
Famed across the ages and around the world - everyone knows the name Cleopatra. But how did she become one of the most infamous women in history? Born in 69BCE, a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Hellenistic Egypt, Cleopatra VII lived a tumultuous life. Within two turbulent dec ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2010
Cleopatra
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Cleopatra. The last pharaoh to rule Egypt, Cleopatra was a woman of intelligence and charisma, later celebrated as a great beauty. During an eventful life she was ousted from her throne and later restored to it with the help of her lover Julius ... Show More
42m 6s
Jun 2020
E202: Cleopatra Pt. 1
She became the queen of Egypt in 51 BCE, and ignited a worldwide scandal when her fling with Roman leader Julius Caesar produced a child. But Cleopatra’s next great love affair with Caesar’s successor Mark Antony was actually the most meaningful relationship in her life—and led t ... Show More
53m 35s
Feb 2023
Cleopatra's Daughter
Cleopatra XII is one of the most famous individuals from the ancient world. The final Queen of Ancient Egypt, and a woman who used her position to directly influence Roman politics and society, there's more to her than Shakespeare plays would suggest. And while Cleopatra's story ... Show More
36m 16s
Aug 2022
Love, Betrayal, and the Battle for Rome
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, Marc Antony and his lover, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. This battle won’t just determine the leader of Rome, but the fate of global ci ... Show More
40m 34s
Mar 2024
133. Cleopatra: Queen of the Nile
Born in the romantic splendour of Ptolemaic Egypt, not far from the Library of Alexandria, Cleopatra was destined for greatness. She ascended to the throne at 18 and very quickly asserted her authority across Egypt as her extraordinary mind and legendary charisma captivated all. ... Show More
47m 1s