Agrippina the Younger
The Ancients26 Jul 2020

Agrippina the Younger

Agrippina the Younger (AD 15 - 59) was one of the most prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Born during a time of radical political change in the Roman Empire, she had a very powerful pedigree. Great granddaughter of Augustus. Niece of Tiberius. Daughter of Germanicus. Sister of Caligula. She was also a wife of the Emperor Claudius and the mother of the infamous Nero. Today she is remembered as one of the most notorious women of ancient Roman history, thanks largely to her negative portrayal in the works of Cassius Dio, Suetonius and Tacitus. But how much of what they say is true? Joining me to help sort the fact from the fiction is Carey Fleiner, Senior lecturer in Classical Roman History at the University of Winchester. A brilliant communicator, Carey convincingly explains how the material record reveals a very different Agrippina to the infamous power-hungry murderess depicted by Roman writers. This was a fantastic chat and it was great to have her on the show to chat all things Agrippina.


A couple of clarifications from parts of the interview:


Agrippina was 22 when she gave birth to Nero.

Suetonius included the remark 'I have swords as well as islands'

Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus was the name of Agrippina's second husband. He had been prominent during the reign of Tiberius (not Julius Caesar)

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

Episoder(607)

Anubis and the Underworld

Anubis and the Underworld

Tristan Hughes and his guest Dr. Joyce Tyldesley OBE are heading to the Underworld for the final installation of The Ancients exploration of the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. They encounter the...

10 Okt 202447min

Darius the Great, Persian King of Kings

Darius the Great, Persian King of Kings

One of the most famous and recognisable Persian kings of antiquity, Darius the Great was an Achaemenid superstar, ruling the Achaemenid Persian Empire some 2,500 years ago. His tale is preserved in th...

6 Okt 202450min

The Legend of Osiris, King of the Dead

The Legend of Osiris, King of the Dead

The story of Osiris and how he became King of the Dead is a gruesome tale and one of the most famous legends from Egyptian mythology.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Campbell Price to explore the myth w...

3 Okt 202446min

The Fall of Carthage

The Fall of Carthage

It’s 146 BC. Fire rises high over the North African coast. The once-thriving port city of Carthage is burning. Thousands of Roman soldiers have breached the defences and swarmed into the city, intent ...

29 Sep 20241h

Isis and the Goddesses of Egypt

Isis and the Goddesses of Egypt

Isis, Hathor, Sekhmet and Bastet were adored and honoured in Ancient Egypt, with their stories passed between thousands of followers and down through the generations through spoken word and painted hi...

26 Sep 202446min

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Tyrannosaurus Rex

67 million years ago the most famous meat-eating dinosaur prowled the earth - the Tyrannosaurus Rex. At it's full size, this prehistoric apex predator was taller than a double decker bus and weighed m...

22 Sep 202435min

Ra and the Sun Gods

Ra and the Sun Gods

Of all the Egyptian Gods it is Ra, the God of the Sun, who is perhaps most well known in the popular imagination. He is said to have voyaged across the sky on his solar barge and then come nightfall d...

19 Sep 202446min

The Fall of Roman Britain

The Fall of Roman Britain

In the early 5th century AD, after almost four centuries of iron-fisted Roman rule, the empire in Britain was beginning to fade. Franks, Saxons and Roman usurpers were running rampant. Britannia was o...

15 Sep 20241h 22min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
rss-katastrofe
henrettelsespodden
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-benadet
historier-som-endret-verden
aftenposten-historie
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
historiepodden
med-egne-oyne
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
sektledere
rss-historiske-romanser-svik-drap-og-kjarlighet
liberal-halvtime
rss-gamle-greier
taakeprat
vare-historier
rss-politisk-preik
virkelig-grusomt