With the first bricks laid for its foundations in the year 70 A.D., the Roman Colosseum was always fated to be the home of extravagance and excessive bloodletting. Its savage and brutal history has scarred the ground upon which it stands, and even to this day, people can still hear the screams of those who died for sport.
Parcasters - Is there any truth behi ... Show More
Sep 2021
Introducing: Wild Wild West
In this special collection of Parcast episodes, we’re revisiting the lore and tackling the tallest of tales from an era that’s endlessly mythologized in American pop culture — the Wild West. From bloody feuds to gunslinging bandits, unsolved murders to centuries-old mysteries, sa ... Show More
15m 54s
Sep 2023
369. The Colosseum: Rome's Arena of Death
“Are you not entertained?!”
The emblem of Rome, the Colosseum was the unsettling but glamorous home of Roman violence, used for gladiatorial bouts, naval reenactments, and by the emperors to re-stage popular myths. Built by the Flavian dynasty in the first century AD, it is both ... Show More
53m 53s
Oct 2025
Gladiators: A Day in the Life
The Colosseum packed with roaring crowds, the sand stained with sweat and blood. But today, you’re not watching - you’re fighting. Welcome to a day in the life of a Roman gladiator.In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by historian and author Dr Harry Sidebott ... Show More
59m 56s
Jul 2022
The Colosseum Becomes a Wonder
July 7, 2007. In a dramatic ceremony featuring pop stars, fireworks, and smoke canons, the Colosseum is named one of the seven new wonders of the world. It’s an appropriately over-the-top blowout for an arena which, centuries before, was home to its own lavish events. How did spe ... Show More
32m 7s
Dec 2024
Roman Gladiators
The Roman gladiators have fascinatingly complex history, from paintings on cave walls to the Colosseum and the silver screen. These warriors, both celebrated and condemned, left behind a legacy of bravery, brutality, and spectacle. Who were they, and what did their lives truly en ... Show More
54m 17s