Stay ConnectedI’m all about ancient history so why not join me as I explore Greece, Rome and other cultures from antiquity. I cover a range of topics which are suitable for all levels of understanding. Have a scroll through and start listening.
Find me on Instagram, TikTok, X and Bluesky as @ancientblogger. There’s also the @ancientblogger YouTube channel and the Ancient History Hound subreddit. Come say hi!
The Sicilian Expedition is famous for being an utter disaster for ancient Athens during the Peloponnesian War. Over the course of several episodes I will get into what happened, how and why. I begin by considering an earlier expedition Athens undertook against Syracuse as well as how Thucydides presents it. I also talk about Syracuse and much more to set the scene for it all.
If you can review or recommend that would be great, feel free to use those links (or email me at ancientblogger@hotmail.com) to say hi!
Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
Reading List and modern sources used:
Kagan, D. The Peloponnesian War
Kagan, D. Thucydides
Smith, DG. Thucydides' ignorant Athenians and the drama of the Sicilian Expedition.
Four months of ancient Roman festivals in one episode? What great value, well, perhaps not entirely but I explain why this is the case. The ancient Roman festival series ends with aplomb and includes an all out brawl, scandal, secret drinking and how a public performance at a party can be highly consequential
In case you notice my voice started going towards the end but hopefully won't notice it much. But in case you do that's what it is (as opposed to just bad audio).
If you can review or recommend that would be great, feel free to use those links (or email me at ancientblogger@hotmail.com) to say hi!
Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
Reading list and modern sources used:
Arnhold, M. Male worshippers and the Cult of Bona Dea
Bennet Pascal, C. October Horse
Brouwer, HH. Bona Dea, the sources and description of the cult
Dolansky, F. Celebrating the Saturnalia
Green, MA. Dying for the Gods
Mastrocinque, A. October Equus
Michaels, A. Roman Festivals
Versnel, HS. Festival for Bona Dea and the Thesmophoria
Warde-Fowler, W. Roman Festivals
The Odyssey is trending so I though I would pick out some elements from the poem and discuss them. From trying to advocate for the suitors through to a theme I think is often missed, there is a lot to chat about.
I also include a promo for something you might be interested in, Alexandria: A Hellenistic World podcast.
Find me across social media and the like here and don't forget to check out the Ancient History Hound subreddit
Reading / sources used
The Odyssey (translated by Emily Wilson), this has a great introduction which covers a couple of the points raised.
Gazing at Helen with Stesichorus, Kampakoglu & A. Novokatko
Odyssey 5.234-53 and Homeric Ship Construction: A Reappraisal. Samuel E Mark.
Bronze and iron in Homer. Andrew Lang
Megarons and ΜΕΓΑΡΑ: Homer and Archaeology. Mary O Knox.
Artemidorus at the dream gates: Myth, theory, and the restoration of liminality. Vered Lev Kenaan
Hades, Homer and the Hittites. Gunnel Ekroth.
(for a great piece on katabasis and how it wasn't undertaken by Odysseus by Dr Ellie Mackin Roberts click here)
Priam's Katabasis: Traces of the Epic Journey to Hades in Iliad 24. Miguel Herrero de Jauregui
In this episode I get speculative and try to piece together what happened at the Consualia and an infamous event in Rome's early history. Alongside that there's Roman women saving the day, the strange disappearance of Romulus and more.
If you can review or recommend that would be great, feel free to use those links (or email me at ancientblogger@hotmail.com) to say hi!
In the final part of the miniseries I look at Spartan marriage, money and mothers as well as a range of other topics. I hope you've enjoyed these Sparta episodes, why not let me know?
Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
Reading list and modern sources used:
Bershadsky, N. The Argive Women, Beards and Democracy
Dwight, Z. Maidens and the Spartan Marriage Practice.
Hodkinson, S. 'Blind Ploutos'?: Contemporary images of the role of wealth in classical Sparta
Kennell, NM. Gymnasium of Virtue: education & culture in ancient Sparta
Millender, EG. Spartan Literacy revisited
Pomeroy, S. Spartan Women
Scott, AG. Plural Marriage and the Spartan State
In this episode I get into a famous event and a famous non-event. Did Hannibal really take Rome by surprise by crossing the Alps and why didn't he attack Rome directly after Cannae? I tackle both of these questions whilst throwing in the Celts and army attrition for good measure.
Links below but you can find me on most social media platforms as 'ancientblogger' and can email me at ancientblogger@hotmail.com
Feel free to find me and say hi! If you can rate or review please do but more importantly thanks for listening.
Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
In this episode I look at how the Spartan soldier fared in battle. What advantages had they been given through the agoge and syssitia? What was hoplite battle like and how good were the Spartans? I also look at a couple of Plutarch's sayings about the Spartans in the context of war and weigh up whether they were just a later invention or if there was something more to them.
Find me on X, Instagram, Bluesky and TikTok as ancientblogger (see links below). There's my AncientBlogger YouTube channel and the Ancient History Hound subreddit. Come say hello (you can even go full old school and email me on ancientblogger@hotmail.com).
Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
Reading list and sources used
Bardunias, P. Storm of spears & press of shields
Bardunias, P & Eugene Ray Jnr, F. Hoplites at War
Cartledge, P. The Spartans
Cole, M. The Bronze Lie
Echeverrrai, F. Hoplite and Phalanx in archaic and Classical Greece a reassessment
Taktike Techne – the neglected element in classical 'hoplite battles'
Rusch, SM. Sparta at War
Special shoutout to the excellent BadAncient website,the In Our Time Sparta episode and the Sparta episodes on The Ancients podcast.
Sparta, what do we know about it exactly and what's been exaggerated, or just made up? In the first of three episodes I look at the education system (agoge), communal mess (syssitia) and get into the Krypteia (not literally though). What do the sources say about these and how do they differ from ways they are sometimes depicted?
In addition to all of this I have a quick overview of the sources which have their part to play and get into a few anecdotes.
Find me on X, Instagram, Bluesky and TikTok as ancientblogger (see links below). There's my AncientBlogger YouTube channel and the Ancient History Hound subreddit. Come say hello (you can even go full old school and email me on ancientblogger@hotmail.com).
Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).
Reading list and sources used
Berry, PE & Knotterus JD. Spartan Society: Structural ritualization in an ancient social system
Cartledge, P. The Spartans
Davidson, J. The Greeks and Greek Love
Figueira, T. Mess contributions and subsistence at Sparta
Kennell, NM. Gymnasium of Virtue: education & culture in ancient Sparta
Luraghi & Alcock. Helots and their masters in Laconia and Messenia
Matyszak, P. Sparta, rise of a warrior nation
Miller, S.G. Ancient Greek Athletics.
Special shoutout to the excellent BadAncient website,the In Our Time Sparta episode and the Life in Sparta and the truth about Sparta episode on The Ancients podcast.
Time for a quick update about what to expect in 2026 and when the next episode will drop.
Let me know what you think, I'm @ancientblogger on Instagram, X, Bluesky and TikTok. There's also the Ancient History Hound subreddit and AncientBlogger YouTube channel. Or just good old email ancientblogger@hotmail.com
Thanks for listening and here's to a 2026 with more ancient history content.
Cheers,
Neil (and Bodhi).
This is the second of two episodes where I was a guest back in 2024 on the Partial Historians, a fantastic podcast which I suggest you check out. Over two epsiodes we discuss the places in ancient Rome linked to the Regal period, or at least tied to it by the later sources.
In the second episode I get into a fruit controversy at the Tullianum, what I think is the most important structure in early Rome, Ostia and more.
Thanks again to the Partial Historians for letting me share these episodes. You can find their podcast via the link and also read their books, 'Rex: The Seven Kings of Rome' and 'Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire', both well worth a read.
Feedback is always welcome (as are reviews). Feel free to contact me on social media (@ancientblogger on TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky, and X). There's also the Ancient History Hound subreddit and my Ancient Blogger YouTube channel. If you are really old school there's ancientblogger@hotmail.com
I hope you enjoy the second episode and thanks for taking the time to listen.
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