
Episode 15: Enlightenment to Empire – The Grand Tour and Rome’s Ruins
Why did Europe’s elite travel to Rome—not to witness power, but to contemplate its remains? In this episode, we enter the eighteenth century, where ruins replaced relics and reflection replaced revere...
19 Maj 7min

Episode 14: Baroque Rome – Art, Ecstasy, and Absolutism
In this episode, I will guide you into the heart of Baroque Rome—a city transformed into a theatre of faith. From Bernini’s sweeping embrace at St Peter’s Square to the ecstatic vision of Saint Teresa...
10 Mars 8min

Episode 13: Renaissance Rebirth – From Ruins to Raphael
How does a city rise again—not from fire or conquest, but from memory? In this episode of Foundations of Rome, we trace the Renaissance transformation of Rome from a city of ruins and relics into a ca...
17 Feb 9min

Episode 12 - The Popes, the Borgo, and the Building of Papal Rome
In this episode, we trace the rise of the Vatican from a modest medieval suburb to the spiritual and political heart of Catholicism. Journey through the Borgo—home to Saint Peter’s tomb, fortified by ...
8 Feb 9min

Episode 11: From Pagan Statues to Papal Thrones – Sacred Space Reclaimed
How does a pagan capital become the spiritual centre of Christendom—without tearing itself apart? In this episode, we explore the Christianisation of Rome through its buildings, images, and sacred spa...
24 Dec 20257min

Episode 10: Fire, Frenzy, and the Domus Aurea – Nero’s Rome
Rome burned—and an emperor’s legend was forged in the flames. In this episode, we step into the reign of Nero: artist, autocrat, and Rome’s most infamous ruler. From the Great Fire of 64 CE to the gol...
19 Dec 20257min

Episode 8: Augustus – The First Emperor and the Art of Power
How did a sickly teenager become Rome’s first emperor and redefine power for centuries? In this episode of Foundations of Rome, we explore the rise of Augustus—from his calculated moves after Caesar’s...
11 Nov 20257min


















