EP2 Rome Through Duncan's Eyes

Henry Sledge, son of Eugene Sledge, writer of the classic war memoir “With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa” has released a book that includes tons of material left out of his dad's memoir along with details about growing up as the son of “Sledgehammer” 

Dan has an extended and completely unplanned conversation with TV and podcast host Mike Rowe about jobs, history, media, politics and the current zeitgeist. 

Dan talks with writer, broadcaster and journalist Zeinab Badawi about the ancient African kingdom of Kush and her book on African history. 

16 January 27 BC is a date sometimes associated with the beginning of the Roman Empire. It was on that day that Octavian received the name Augustus, effectively becoming the first emperor of Rome. Augustus ordered the gates of Janus to be closed, marking an end to the period of C ... Show More

Rome has attracted aspiring conquerors and leaders for millennia, not just as a great metropolis, but as an idea. It has long been a symbol of military might and universal power, defined by political and religious authority as well as great feats of engineering that would leave i ... Show More

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? D ... Show More

The popes of Rome emerged from the humblest of beginnings. The first was a fisherman, charged with spreading the word of God under the watchful eye of a pagan Roman Empire. But just a few centuries later, the papacy had flourished into one of the wealthiest, most powerful institu ... Show More

Known as the Eternal City, ancient Rome was one of the greatest civilisations in human history, but how did it come about? With a turbulent history of Kings, civil wars and imperial desires - Rome has an incredible history. But who founded it? Were Romulus and Remus real brothers ... Show More

In July 64AD, the Great Fire of Rome tore across the city, and ultimately burnt two thirds of Rome to ashes before it could be bought under control. A devastating event that can still be seen in the archaeology today, it ultimately led to the first persecution against the early R ... Show More

What happens at a Roman emperor's dinner party? Why would you be lucky to get out alive? And how are emperors even chosen? Joining Kate today is the one, the only Mary Beard, to take us back to Ancient Rome and help separate the facts from the myths. Mary's latest book, Emperor o ... Show More

A brief look at the history and the future of the History of the World podcast. 

Welcome to The History of Rome, a weekly series tracing the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Today we will hear the mythical origin story of Rome and compare it with modern historical and archaeological evidence. How much truth is wrapped up in the legend? We end this week with ... Show More

For centuries, the Roman Empire commanded unparalleled control over the world around it. It expanded its borders through trade and conquest, sucking resources from the periphery into its thriving centre - Rome. And then, suddenly, everything changed. The Empire entered a state of ... Show More