Catullus: Rome's Most Erotic Poet
The Ancients1 Marras 2020

Catullus: Rome's Most Erotic Poet

If you're looking for a raunchy Roman poet, look no further than Catullus. Born into one of the most exciting periods in Roman history, in the early 1st century BC as the Roman Republic started to sing its swansong, Catullus was an aristocrat who moved in powerful circles. He was known to Cicero; he dined with Julius Caesar even after he’d mocked the great leader in verse. Catullus was well-connected, but it was his abiding love for a woman he called Lesbia (probably Clodia Metelli, a powerful woman herself) that inspired much of his poetry, which survived in a single manuscript of 116 verses.


Catullus was revolutionary, bringing a new type of poetry to the fore in ancient Rome. Often his poems were deeply personal, filled to the brim with emotion. Rarely did the young man hold back when pouring his heart out into his verses. Friends and enemies were targeted in sexy and scurrilous poems that continue to shock readers to this day. Nevertheless Catullus' legacy was far-reaching. From Ovid to Byron, Catullus has inspired many of those famous romantic poets that followed him.


To talk through the life of Ancient Rome's 'bad boy poet' (to quote our current Prime Minister Boris Johnson), it was an honour to interview Daisy Dunn, a leading classicist and Catullus' 21st century biographer. In this podcast Daisy brilliantly talks through the life of Catullus and his remarkable legacy. This was a brilliant chat and I hope you enjoy as much as Daisy and I did recording it.


Daisy is the author of Catullus: Rome's Most Erotic Poet.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(605)

Oppian’s Halieutica: Creatures of the Ancient Deep

Oppian’s Halieutica: Creatures of the Ancient Deep

The deep blue sea is the subject of speculation to this day but, in this episode, we have access to the mysteries, myths and misgivings that were associated with the ocean in the 2nd century AD. The H...

10 Tammi 202146min

Hannibal: Battle by the Trebia

Hannibal: Battle by the Trebia

It’s 218 BC, and Hannibal has made the mammoth journey across the Alps en route to Italy, accompanied by his army, their horses, and their elephants. But the real battle is yet to come, and in this fa...

7 Tammi 202145min

How Ancient Egypt Stayed Egyptian

How Ancient Egypt Stayed Egyptian

The length of time between the rule of Cleopatra and the erection of the Pyramids is the same as that between now and the birth of Jesus Christ. With that in mind, it is perhaps no surprise that some ...

3 Tammi 202155min

El Kurru: Egypt's Nubian Pharaohs

El Kurru: Egypt's Nubian Pharaohs

In the 8th and 7th centuries BC, Ancient Egypt was ruled by an extraordinary dynasty. This was the 25th Dynasty, also known as the Nubian Dynasty because of their Kushite roots. They maintained their ...

31 Joulu 202056min

Hatshepsut: Egypt's Hidden Pharaoh

Hatshepsut: Egypt's Hidden Pharaoh

Hatshepsut – whose name means “foremost of noblewomen” – was an exceptional figure in the history of Ancient Egypt. Only the second woman in history to assume the title of pharaoh, during her reign sh...

27 Joulu 20201h 4min

The Mystery of Mithras: A Pagan Christmas?

The Mystery of Mithras: A Pagan Christmas?

The clichéd Christmas: white snow, hot fires, mulled wine and a feast. This might not be the case were the holiday not to fall on 25 December and, although many things have been missed in 2020, the us...

24 Joulu 202054min

Saturnalia: Bonus Episode!

Saturnalia: Bonus Episode!

In this episode from the History Hit archive, Dan talks to Kevin Butcher about the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Held between the 17 and 23 December, Saturnalia invloved plenty of drinking, gift-givin...

22 Joulu 202026min

Hannibal: Crossing the Alps

Hannibal: Crossing the Alps

In 218 BCE, Hannibal Barca's Carthaginian army, accompanied by horses and elephants, completed one of the most audacious military marches of ancient Mediterranean history. Setting off from southeast S...

20 Joulu 202028min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
rss-ikiuni
totuus-vai-salaliitto
tsunami
konginkangas
rouva-diktaattori
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
rss-kalmakabinetti
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-peter-peter
historiaa-suomeksi
rss-iltanuotiolla
maailmanpuu