The Rise of the Praetorian Guard

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 Nov 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 Nov 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 Nov 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 Nov 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 Nov 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 Okt 202137min

Following two assassinations and two executions, the title of Roman Emperor fell to Alexander Severus. He was one of the youngest to ever hold this title, and he was to be the final emperor of the Severan Dynasty. But who was making the decisions? In this episode we hear about the thirteen year reign of this young emperor, and examine the intriguing figure of his mother and advisor, Julia Mamaea. Matilda Brown, PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, is back on the Ancients to take us through the final years of the Severan dynasty, busting myths along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Okt 202147min