The Ancients

Latest Episodes:

The Symposium: How To Party Like An Ancient Greek Apr 03, 2022

Show notes

In Ancient Greece, the symposium was no ordinary after-dinner drinking party, but one in which the Hellenic men of society got together to wine, recline and philosophise. They took various forms depending on the whim of the leader of the symposium - the symposiarch - but were exclusively male affairs (aside from the occasional courtesan or two).

In this episode Tristan is joined by Michael Scott, Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick, to find out more about the soirée of booze, babes and slaves that was the Ancient Greek symposium.

We mention a few different vessel types. Here are some visuals of the different vessels we mention:

You might also like: How to Party Like a Roman

Warning: a couple of cases of mild language.

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Dogs in Ancient Greece Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

Man's best friend has been at our side for thousands of years. Ancient Greece was no exception, and although some of the types of dog that were popular back then might seem unfamiliar to us today, tales of their loyalty, dependability and downright cuteness certainly are not.

From dog names, to their function in Greek religion, to their usefulness–including their possible deployment on the battlefield–what do we know about dogs in Ancient Greece? In this episode Tristan is joined by Dr Owen Rees of Manchester Metropolitan University to find out just that.

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The Legacy of Julius Caesar's Assassination Mar 27, 2022

Show notes

The legacies of the Ides of March stretch from that very afternoon on March 14th 44BC to the modern day. From Roman times to the Medieval period, from Dante to Shakespeare, and from Brutus to the other infamous assassin he inspired in John Wilkes Booth, the echoes of Julius Caesar's assassination have continued to reverberate through time over the last two thousand years.

In this episode, the last of our special four-part miniseries on the Ides of March, Tristan sits down with Professor Maria Wyke of University College London to find out more about the political, social and cultural legacies of the fateful day that led to the birth of the Roman Empire and so much more.

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The Rise of the Dinosaurs Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

Dinosaurs! Spectacular resilient beings who were able to adapt and survive the most terrifying of events. Evolving from a group of mostly humble-sized creatures, into the most enormous beasts that ever existed on land. But how did the first true dinosaurs emerge? In this episode, Tristan is joined by Professor Stephen L. Brusatte. Stephen is a Palaeontologist and evolutionary biologist who specialises in the anatomy and evolution of dinosaurs. He takes us through not just the evolution of dinosaurs, but the development of the new world and ecosystems that allowed them to thrive. What can we learn from the magnificent creatures who ruled the earth before us?

Stephen L. Brusatte is the author of 'The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World', published by Picador.

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Young Caesar vs Marc Antony Mar 20, 2022

Show notes

What happened after the Ides of March? How did the Romans go from co-ordinated assassinations to the Pax Romana? From Tyranny to prosperity? In this third episode of our Ides of March series, Tristan is joined by Dr Hannah Cornwell to discuss the turbulent relations that erupted between Marc Antony and Octavian (Young Caesar), following Julius Caesar's assassination. Secluded meetings, arranged marriages, reconciliations, dissensions, and a love affair for the ages - what really happened between the Young Caesar and Marc Antony?

If you'd like to learn more about this really interesting period, you might like to listen to one of our following episodes:

Death of the Roman Republic: The Battles of Philippi, with Steele Brand - Octavian and Marc Antony vs Marcus Brutus and Cassius

Cicero's Fight for the Roman Republic, with Steele Brand - Octavian vs Marc Antony in northern Italy at Mutina

Agrippa: Rome's Forgotten Hero, with Lindsay Powell - Agrippa and Octavian in the 30s BC.

The Birth of the Roman Empire, with Dr Hannah Cornwell - Augustus and peace at the dawn of the Imperial Period post Marc Antony.

Augustus and Agrippa: The Golden Age, with Lindsay Powell - What followed Marc Antony's defeat at Actium.

As for Actium itself, and the demise of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, we aim to cover all in detail in a future podcast episode.

A quick note from Hannah, Caligula was assassinated in 41 AD / CE.

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Saint Patrick Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

Man, myth or legend... who was the real Saint Patrick? Did he really banish all the snakes from Ireland? Where does the shamrock tradition come from? And was he even Irish?

In this episode, Tristan is joined by Professor Lisa Bitel of USC Dornsife to find out more about the true identity of the mysterious figure who became Patron Saint of Ireland and gave his hallowed name to St Paddy's Day.

Order Tristan's book, Alexander's Successors at War, today 📖➡️ https://ed.gr/dylvo

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The Rise and Fall of Brutus Mar 13, 2022

Show notes

Marcus Junius Brutus is best known as one of the conspirators against Julius Caesar, but there's so much more to his complex story. In today's episode, we continue our mini-series, all about the events of March 15th 44BC. Tristan is joined by Dr. Steele Brand to talk through the rise and downfall of Caesar's most notorious assassin; Marcus Brutus.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

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Steele's previous podcast episodes:

The Battle of Mutina: Cicero's Fight for the Roman Republic - https://podfollow.com/the-ancients/episode/053ead730f990b45898047470c9ec94fcaf5f3f0/view

The Battle of Philippi: Death of the Roman Republic - https://podfollow.com/the-ancients/episode/0e0f02003858440d6407475519af2acbc2df4936/view

Killing for the Roman Republic - https://podfollow.com/the-ancients/episode/8a0032d0eede01855dc70296700444d00d983d6e/view

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Helen of Troy Mar 10, 2022

Show notes

Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships - but is there more to her than a beautiful face? To mark Women's History Month, Tristan is joined by author and broadcaster Natalie Haynes to discuss Helen's place in mythology and history. Often viewed through the male gaze, Natalie helps set the record straight about who Helen really was. With discussions of her conception, abductions, and grief after the Trojan War - we learn about why she was so noteworthy in mythology.

This episode contains references to rape and self harm.

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The Assassination of Julius Caesar: Explained Mar 06, 2022

Show notes

March 15th 44BC is perhaps the most notorious date in all of ancient history. On that fateful day, the Ides of March, 55-year-old Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of disaffected senators.

In this episode – the first of our special Ides of March miniseries this month – Tristan (with a little help from Dr Emma Southon and Dr Steele Brand) untangles fact from fiction, truth from myth, to take you back to that very afternoon in the heart of Rome's doomed republic.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

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The Origins of Ukraine Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

It's not often we cover current affairs on The Ancients (the clue is in the name), but in light of Putin’s claims that Ukraine was “entirely created by Russia”, we wanted to highlight Ukraine’s extraordinary ancient history. From the Palaeolithic to the Iron Age.

To provide an overview of the country’s ancient history, Grand Valley State University’s Dr Alexey Nikitin joins us on the podcast and explains why he believes that the origins of Ukraine can be traced back to the Bronze Age.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

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