The stories of ancient Rome are littered with despicable women, and those of the Julio-Claudian dynasty are especially infamous. But where do these stories come from? And why have they endured for centuries? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Joan Smith explores how Roman misogyny, mistranslations, and modern historians have shaped a distorted narrative – casting inf ... Show More
Aug 9
How Christianity conquered the Roman empire
The Roman empire was home to a multitude of religious cults in the first century AD. However, only one – Christianity – rose to global domination. But why? That's a question that Tim Whitmarsh sets out to answer in his latest book, Rome's Age of Revolution. In this episode, Tim t ... Show More
32m 52s
Jul 2024
Domina: Women Who Shaped Rome
<p>The crisis of the Roman Republic is a period littered with iconic male power players. Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Pompey, Brutus and the Gracchi brothers. But less famous, and often overlooked are the women that shaped these famous Roman states<em>men</em>.</p><br><p>In today' ... Show More
51m 42s
May 2025
Conversations: Fulvia, the Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome w/ Dr Jane Draycott
Liv speaks with historian Dr Jane Draycott about Fulvia of ancient Rome, a woman at the centre of the fall of the Roman Republic... Unsurprisingly the conversation became something wider, looking at ancient women more broadly. Plus, we rant about the patriarchy, because it deserv ... Show More
1h 39m
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