Origins of Water

It is one of the most remote ancient sites in the world. Situated on the isolated Micronesian island of Kosrae are the ruins of an ancient religious centre called Menka, also known as the Village of the Breadfruit Goddess. From temples to monumental statues to 'the painted cave,' Menka was an incredibly important site for Kosrae's ancient communities. Many mysteries, however, still abound.To talk through what we know about Menka and its archaeology, we're joined once again by Dr. Felicia Beardsley, a Professor at the University of La Verne. Felicia is an expert on the archaeology of Micronesia and featured on a previous Ancients podcast all about Nan Madol, 'Venice of the Pacific': https://podfollow.com/the-ancients/episode/bcae15d73136dac4ace88c48db17dcf43c16cfb5/view Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Marras 20211h 2min

Alexander the Great and Caracalla. One often considered among the most successful military commanders of all time, the other, one of the worst emperors of Ancient Rome. So is it possible that the latter modelled himself and his army on the former. In this second episode with Dr Alex Imrie, we return to the story of Caracalla to explore the evidence for his Macedonian Phalanx, a formation of men purportedly used in his invasion of the Parthian Empire. Dr Alex Imrie, from the University of Edinburgh, is an expert on the Severan Dynasty and the author of The Antonine Constitution: An Edict for the Caracallan Empire.Alex's Twitter: @AlexImrie23Tristan's Twitter/Instagram: @ancientstristan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

21 Marras 202126min

Minoan Crete has kept people captivated for millennia, appearing in countless modern cultural practices till this very day. But who are the Minoans? In this episode, Tristan travels down to Oxford to talk to Professor Nico Momigliano, a leading expert in the history and legacy of the Minoans. Join us as we explore the lives, civilisation, and influence of the Minoan past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Marras 20211h 3min

From Gladiator to Rome Total War to I, Claudius, today the Cohortēs praetōriae are one of the most distinctive military units of Imperial Rome. It was their job to protect the Roman Emperor and his household, a task for which they hold a somewhat ‘chequered’ record (especially when we focus in on the Praetorian Prefects). But what do we know about this unit’s origins? How did this powerful force become protectors of the Emperor and his household? What other functions did they serve? And how did they differ from the standard Roman legions in their structure?To talk through the rise of the Praetorian Guard, with a specific focus on the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, Tristan caught up with historian Lindsay Powell at Fishbourne Roman Palace in West Sussex. Lindsay is the author of several books about the Early Roman Imperial Period. His latest book, Bar Kokhba: The Jew Who Defied Hadrian and Challenged the Might of Rome, is out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Marras 20211h 3min

For decades the discovery of Ai Khanum, ‘the City of Lady Moon’, in Eastern Afghanistan has fascinated archaeologists and historians alike: from its ‘Greek’ theatre and gymnasium to the literary fragments preserved in the palatial complex to the everyday houses of the site. But there is also much more to this Greco-Bactrian metropolis, which reached its height in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC.In this second part of Tristan’s chat with Dr Milinda Hoo, Milinda talks us through the religious and burial structures that have been uncovered at Ai Khanum. We also look at the diverse construction methods used in the building of Ai Khanum and why we should not label this settlement a Greek city in Afghanistan. Milinda is an assistant professor at the University of Freiburg and an associate member of the BaSaR work group.Part 1: https://play.acast.com/s/the-ancients/ai-khanoum-agreekcityinafghanistan--acast035f0852 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Marras 202130min

For thousands of years indigenous Australians, the longest living culture on Earth, have been fascinated by the stars. In this episode, Gamilaraay man and ANU astrophysics graduate Peter Swanton shines a light on Australian Indigenous Astronomy and the great depth of knowledge surrounding it: from the multi-layered story about the Southern Cross to the unique study of the 'Dark Emu' constellation to how Torres Strait islanders used the phases of the Moon for weather predictions and seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Marras 202147min

To align with the COP26 conference in Glasgow, this episode features legendary Roman Britain archaeologist Dr David Breeze talking about his many years excavating the Roman site of Bearsden near Glasgow. We also chat about his long, star studded career working on the wider Antonine Wall and the iconic landmark that is Hadrian's Wall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Marras 202125min

Was Ancient Rome truly as sexually liberated as we think? How did the Greeks feel about nude statues? And how did these ideas vary across the Ancient Mediterranean? In this episode, Alastair Blanshard is back on The Ancients to compare our misconceptions of ancient sexual fantasies with the truth. Having taught at the universities of Oxford and Reading, Alastair is currently Paul Eliadis Chair of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Queensland, Australia.His book on this topic is ‘Sex: Vice and Love from Antiquity to Modernity’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 Loka 202137min