Ancient History Fangirl

Latest Episodes:

The Ancient-World Stark Family, Part 3: Agrippina and the Wolf Girl Jan 03, 2019

Show notes

With their brother Caligula dead, the two remaining Germanicus children--Julia Livilla and Agrippina--are called home from exile. The new emperor, their uncle Claudius, welcomes them with open arms. Life is good. Life...is perfect.

But in ancient Rome, the knives in the dark are still sharp. The sisters find themselves facing threats from all sides. Chief among those threats is the most powerful woman in Roman society--an enemy known as the Wolf Girl.

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Saturnalia: So Much More than Roman Christmas Dec 20, 2018

Show notes

Wish you had a holiday all about feasting, drinking, the upending of the social order, blood sacrifices, the harvest, pranks, novelty gifts, honouring a god who devoured his kids, and the returning sun? Don’t we all??? Welcome to Saturnalia.

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The Ancient-World Stark Family, Part 2: The Rise and Fall of Little Boots Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

With their parents and older brothers dead, the four remaining Germanicus children (Agrippina, Julia Drusilla, Julia Livilla, and Caligula) face an uncertain future.

Caligula falls into the clutches of his creepy uncle Tiberius. The sisters are married off in their teens to men more than twice their age—some with violent reputations.

But a family’s fortune can change in a heartbeat. Suddenly Caligula is thrust into power, and the sisters finally have a chance at determining their own lives.

Now the family of Germanicus is in charge. They're the sharks. And the sharks have to keep swimming.

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The Ancient-World Stark Family, Part 1: Germanicus the Manicus Nov 22, 2018

Show notes

Close your eyes and imagine a loving family. Devoted parents and six children: three happy brothers and three happy sisters. The father, Germanicus, is a war hero—beloved by the people, and next in line for the throne. Life is good. Life is perfect.

But nothing good can ever stay. It begins with a cough—a funny turn—and suddenly the family of Germanicus is torn apart, caught in the political riptides of Imperial Rome.

This dynasty would give rise to two of Rome’s most infamous emperors and some of its most legendary women—before it ends in tragedy.

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Locusta the Poisoner: Rome's Deadliest Assassin Nov 08, 2018

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Ancient Rome was full of rich, ambitious social climbers in a cutthroat political environment—people who had enemies to get rid of, and deep pockets to pay for the service.

Poison assassins were in high demand—and one of the most notorious was a woman named Locusta the Poisoner. Learn her story--and get a crash course on poison and poisonings in the ancient world.

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Ancient Vampires: They Only Knock Once Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

Communities all over the ancient world had a problem: their dead wouldn't stay in the ground. They rose up as shambolic corpses, gusts of wind and evil spirits, draining human life force and devouring flesh and blood.

The vampire myth is an ancient one, found on every continent. Join us as we explore the oldest vampire myths we could find from Sumeria, Greece, Rome, and Germania--and discover the clues they leave us about those cultures.

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Amazons: Warrior Queens and Generals Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

It's easy to get the impression that no women were allowed in the war games of the ancient world, but nothing could be further from the truth. Female generals and warrior queens were everywhere—leading armies into battle by land and sea.

In this episode, we cover five female military commanders—powerful allies and enemies of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

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Amazons: Warrior Women of the Ancient Steppe Sep 27, 2018

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Think the Amazons of Greek myth were mythical? Think again. The Greeks based their Amazons on the real-life warrior women next door.

Centuries ago, ancient writers claimed that Scythian women of the Eurasian Steppe fought in battle alongside their men. Now, with modern bioarchaeology, the bones of real female warriors have emerged from their grave mounds and begun to speak to us. This is their story.

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Amazons: Warrior Women of Greek Mythology Sep 13, 2018

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Hippolyte and her golden belt. Penthesilea and the fall of Troy. The Daughters of Ares. Atalanta and the golden apples. They're everywhere in Greek mythology: fierce, deadly women warriors.

But in a society as male-dominated as ancient Greece, what did this obsession with strong warrior women mean? We take a look at some of the more well-known Amazon myths of ancient Greece--and the mystery of their meaning in context.

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End of Season 1 Announcement Aug 16, 2018

Show notes

We've got a little announcement for all of you. We're taking a break. We'll be back September 13, and have we got some stories to tell you then. Also, to Patreon or not to Patreon? Listen in for the full scoop--and tell us what you think!

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