logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
47m 49s

What Made You Ugly In Ancient Rome?

History Hit
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
How Many Penises Are There On The Bayeux Tapestry?
The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most famous works of medieval art in the world, but what do we actually know about it? Who made it? Where? Why? And are those actually human genitals?Kate is joined by Dave Musgrove, content director at History Extra and co-author of 'The Story o ... Show More
53m 50s
Sep 1
Slavery in the Roman Empire
Behind the impressive relics the Romans left behind lurks a much darker story: that most of Rome was built on the back of enslaved people.It's shocking to know that up to 30% of Roman society was made up of enslaved people. So how was this represented in every day life? What was ... Show More
48m 13s
Aug 28
History's Deadliest Women: The Blood Countess
Elizabeth Bathory was a fabulously wealthy Noblewoman accused of torturing and killing some 600 women in the 16th century.Her story is popularly spoken about as one of history's deadliest women... but is it true? And if it isn't, why has it stuck?Helping us get to the bottom of t ... Show More
53m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
Medieval Beauty Standards with Kate Lister
How did the 14th-century Black Death influenced fashion trends? And were medieval bald men considered 'hot' because their hair burned off due to their masculinity?From clear skin and youthful appearance to the controversial make-up practices of the period Dr. Eleanor Janega and D ... Show More
43m 58s
Sep 2024
491. History's Greatest Beards: From Egyptian Queens to Medieval Conquerors (Part 1)
What did Marcus Aurelius, Jesus, and Ragnar Lothbrok all have in common? Apart from their notorious and symbolic deaths, all three men boasted luscious beards. Throughout history, beards have posed quite the conundrum for all those able to grow them. While some Roman emperors cho ... Show More
46m 2s
Jan 2024
How to Survive in Ancient Rome
<p><em>This episode contains a reference to animal cruelty</em></p><br><p>Would you be able to survive in ancient Rome?</p><br><p>Today, Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to discusses the realities of daily life in the Roman Empire. Together, they discuss everything from stree ... Show More
47m 58s
Aug 2023
Renaissance beauty regimes
Appearance was everything in the Renaissance – a way to make a good marriage and gain power and influence. But what if you fell short of the era’s exacting beauty ideals? Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Professor Jill Burke ventures into the realm of Renaissance beauty culture, ... Show More
31m 42s
Feb 2021
The Roman emperors: everything you wanted to know
Shushma Malik discusses some of the most admired and reviled Roman emperors, and considers whether the legends surrounding them stand up to scrutiny   In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Shushma Malik responds to your quest ... Show More
1h 8m
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
Sep 2023
How to live like a Roman emperor
What did Roman emperors actually do all day? Were they really as bloodthirsty as legend would suggest? And why was food so important? Speaking to Matt Elton, popular historian, author and broadcaster Mary Beard tackles some of the big questions about life as a Roman emperor, prof ... Show More
45m 22s
Apr 2023
The History of the City of Rome
Coming up on this episode of Talking History: we're exploring entertainment, culture, religion and society in Ancient Rome, with Dr Jonathan Coulston, Senior Lecturer at the School of Classics at The University of St Andrews; Dr Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Anti ... Show More
52m 25s
Sep 2023
Roman Emperors with Mary Beard
<p>What did it take to become a Roman emperor? Pliny the Elder wrote that a ruler should be generous, victorious in battle and a father to his people. But how many emperors were able to live up to these expectations? And were these really traits that the typical Roman cared about ... Show More
33m 38s
Sep 2021
Sex in Ancient Rome
We’ve covered bloody battles, we’ve covered stunning cities, we’ve covered civilisations far away from the ancient Mediterranean. But in some 120 episodes of The Ancients we hadn’t covered one of the most popular topics in the world: sex. That is, until now. In today’s episode, s ... Show More
56m 18s