Hispala Faecena was instrumental in bringing the cult of Bacchus to the attention of Roman authorities, ending a conspiracy that was threatening lives and the rule of law.

Guest: 

Dr Emma Southon (Author of 'A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women') 

Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

Episode CCXIX - Hispala Faecena and the Bacchanalia Conspiracy

Martial was a Roman poet primarily writing during the reign of Domitian, and while primarily known for his commentary on Roman life, his takedowns, his insults and vulgarity, in this episode we look at how he toes the careful line of praising the Emperor. 

Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

Episode CCXVIII - Martial on the Emperors

Yes, it’s that festive time of year again, when you gather all ye merry people with sore throats, stand around a statue with its mouth covered, and keep the sacred name of Rome safe.

Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

Episode CCXVII - Angeronalia

A dire warning from the spirit of Africa! A Haunting in Athens! And someone cuts the hair of Pliny's freedman.

Pliny the Younger presents a Roman Haunting in Three Parts.

Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

Episode CCXVI - A Roman Haunting in Three Parts

Aurelian has seen off vandals, goths, and conquered the forces of Zenobia to reclaim the east. But to the west lies the Gallic Empire, once firm territory of Rome, awaiting his attention.

Part III of 'Aurelian'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCXIV - Aurelian, Restorer of the Age

Aurelian is known as a conqueror, a general and a restorer, and his reputation is based on those achievements. But in his short rule of five years, he was also an Emperor, and made efforts to leave his mark on Rome.

Part IV of 'Aurelian'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCXV - The Unconquered Sun

The weakness of Rome was the strength of Palmyra, and the east came to be be ruled by the Queen Zenobia. Cultured and ambitious, her empire stretched from Egypt to Turkey, which made her a formidable challenge for Aurelian.

Part II of 'Aurelian'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCXIII - Zenobia

Aurelian became Emperor of a fractured empire. To the west the Gallic Empire had been established ten years earlier, the eastern provinces were now controlled by Zenobia, and there were threats from the vandals in the North. To unite an empire, this will be his first priority.

Part I of ‘Aurelian’

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCXII - Aurelian, the Restorer of the World

The treacherous death of Gallienus saw the rise of a man of war. Claudius Gothicus definitely earned his title, but with a reign of only two years perhaps he made the right kind of impact without the time to leave a bad impression. For an emperor in the third century that was more than enough, and he left an example for all who followed after.

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCXI - Claudius Gothicus

What Latin words and concepts for time are still with us today?

Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

Episode CCX - A Lesson in Latin III

While much of the Roman Empire was lost during the rule of Gallienus, We don't really know how much of that is his fault, or really get a sense of his reign. Was he responsible for the loss of territory, or was he just a victim of the time?

Part IV of 'Gallienus'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Support production of a new series of the When in Rome podcast on Kickstarter.

Episode CCIX - A Diminished Rome

As the Roman empire lost the western provinces something very different was happening in the east. Odaenathus remained on the side of Rome, but assumed the title of King, building his influence throughout the region, to the point where it became a problem for Gallienus. 

Part III of 'Gallienus'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Support production of a new series of the When in Rome podcast on Kickstarter.

Episode CCVIII - Odaenathus, King of Kings

A challenge to the imperial authority was hardly unusual in the third century, but for whatever reason, Postumus decides to do things differently. 

Rather than marching an army on Rome he shaves off the western provinces, declaring Gaul, Germania, Hispania and Britannia the independent, but still very Roman, Gallic Empire.

Part II of 'Gallienus'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCVII - The Gallic Empire

When the Emperor Valerian was captured by the enemy what the empire needed was a trusted, capable, firm set of hands to take on the imperial mantle. In retrospect, that probably wasn’t his son Gallienus. 

For the next eight years Gallienus would rule as sole emperor and proceed to lose two thirds of the empire, leaving Rome at its weakest position in centuries.

Part I of 'Gallienus'

Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Episode CCVI - Rome Crumbles

Cleopatra Selene was the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, and was destined for greatness. Following the death of her parents she became a prisoner of Rome, survived into adulthood, and became a queen of the ancient world.

Dr Draycott is the author of ''Cleopatra’s Daughter: Egyptian Princess, Roman Prisoner, African Queen'.

Guest: Dr Jane Draycott (Classics, University of Glascow)

Episode CCV - Cleopatra Selene

Egypt was a valuable province to Rome, with natural wealth and successful agriculture. Thanks to an arid climate there’s also a number of preserved papyri from that era, providing modern scholarship with an invaluable paper-trail on the administration at the time.

One papyri has led to the belief that Augustus confiscated lands of the Egyptian temples, and ultimately the decline of Egypt’s religions. 

Andrew Connor is the author of Confiscation or Coexistence: Egyptian Temples in the Age of Augustus published by University of Michigan Press.

Guest: Dr Andrew Connor (Lecturer, Centre for Ancient Cultures, Monash University)

Episode CCIII - Augustan Egypt

Part of the making of Octavian was the victories he had early in his career. He defeated his rivals, conquered territory, and united the senate behind him whether they liked it or not.

One of those territories was Illyria, in which he conducted campaigns during the quiet years before his final battles against Egypt and Antony. It’s perhaps in Illyria that we see Octavian display his greatest acts of bravery, if not ability. 

Guest: Dr Christopher Gribbin (Adjunct Lecturer, La Trobe University)

Episode CCIV - Octavian's Illyrian War

With Octavian triumphant at the Battle of Actium the scene is finally set for a dramatic showdown in Alexandria. Cleopatra and Antony, a couple famous for their strategy and volatility will pay the ultimate price for resisting Rome, leaving Octavian free to assume a role of undisputed power.

Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans (Associate Professor in Classics and Ancient History at La Trobe University).

Episode CCII - The Death of Cleopatra and Antony

In 31 BCE one of the largest naval battles in the ancient world took place—more than 600 ships, almost 200,000 men, and one woman. The forces of Octavian, Antony and Cleopatra would square off for control of the mediterranean, and ultimately the Roman empire.

Guest: Barry Strauss (Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies at Cornell University, author of The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium).

Episode CCI - Actium

When Cleopatra and Antony stood side by side they were at the pinnacle of power. Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator was the queen of an ancient civilisation, and heir to the unmatched cultural achievements of Greece. Marcus Antonius of Rome contended for control of the empire.

Together they fought against Octavian and would bring about the end of the republic, and the start of a new age for Rome.

Recorded live at ACMI studios in Melbourne on 4th October, 2022.

Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans (Associate Professor in Classics and Ancient History at La Trobe University).

Get Started

Download the App