logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
28m 17s

Cleopatra (Radio Edit)

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
Hypatia of Alexandria: mathematician, martyr and feminist icon
Greg Jenner is joined in late antique Egypt by Professor Edith Hall and comedian Olga Koch to learn about the life of mathematician Hypatia of Alexandria. An important mathematical and astronomical thinker, Hypatia is best known today for her brutal death at the hands of Christia ... Show More
55m 21s
Feb 27
Geoffrey Chaucer: the medieval father of English literature
Greg Jenner is joined in medieval England by Professor Marion Turner and comedian Mike Wozniak to learn all about Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales. Since the fifteenth century, Chaucer has been referred to as the father of English literature. He was one of the fir ... Show More
58m 50s
Feb 20
Lena Horne: racism and resilience in the Golden Age of Hollywood
Greg Jenner is joined in twentieth-century America by Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins and comedian Desiree Burch to learn all about singer and Hollywood actress Lena Horne. Born into a middle class Black family in New York, a young Lena Horne soon followed in the footsteps of her ... Show More
1 h
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
The Cleopatras: A Dynasty of Rule Breakers
<p>Cleopatra. It is one of the most recognisable names in ancient history, made famous by the exploits of Egypt’s controversial pharaoh queen. But did you know that the Cleopatra of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony fame was actually the seventh Cleopatra of her dynasty. From 180 BC, ... Show More
47m 9s
Nov 2025
Antony and Cleopatra
Rome. Egypt. Love. War. Over 2,000 years ago, the fates of two ancient worlds collided in one of history’s most legendary love stories: Antony and Cleopatra.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Daisy Dunn to uncover the truth behind the myth - from thei ... Show More
53m 27s
Nov 2025
Cleopatra (Part 1)
Cleopatra took over a kingdom, expanded it, captured the heart of the world's most powerful man, and lived one of the most iconic and controversial lives of all time. On this episode, we explore how she did it. 00:00 Caesar's Egyptian Dilemma 02:40 Introduction to Cleopatra 04:30 ... Show More
57m 52s
Oct 2024
Nefertiti: The Greatest Ancient Egyptian Queen?
<p>Ancient Egyptian rulers, incest, the Nazis and female empowerment, all in one episode! 'But how?' You say. 'What story could possibly bring all of these things together?'</p><br><p>This is the story of Queen Nefertiti and her bust. Kate is joined by Joyce Tyldesley and Monica ... Show More
1 h
Jun 2019
Cleopatra Interview
tail spinning
8m 34s
Aug 2025
Royal Sex: Cleopatra
Did Cleopatra have a bee-powered vibrator? Why did she marry both of her brothers? And how serious were her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony?Kate is joined by Egyptologist Sarah Parcak to find out where Cleopatra's seductress reputation came from, and whether she ... Show More
47m 28s
Aug 2024
The Real Cleopatra
<p>Cleopatra. One of the most famous people from history, and remembered for her beauty, power and scandalous love affairs. But how accurate is her legacy?</p><br><p>Did you know she married not one, but two of her brothers? Or that she could speak eight languages? Or that she li ... Show More
45m 34s
Aug 2024
Ptolemy XIII: The Forgotten Pharaoh
<p>Antony and Cleopatra. Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. These are household names thanks to Shakespeare’s plays, big budget TV shows and films, and histories written about them since antiquity. But Ptolemy XIII is an afterthought, if anyone bothers to think about him at all. ... Show More
46m 17s
Mar 2025
Rise of Julius Caesar
<p>Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous figures. But before his legendary conquests and romance with Cleopatra, how did he rise to power?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>The Ancients</em>, host Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Catherine Steel to explore Caesar’s ea ... Show More
51m 51s
Sep 2025
How Greece Shaped Rome with Mary Beard
Professor Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins join Tristan in this episode all about Greece and Rome - the two greatest civilisations of classical antiquity.How did the Romans borrow, adapt, and sometimes rival Greek culture? What did they admire and what did they reject? From templ ... Show More
53m 59s