The First Punic War
The First Punic War put Rome on the map as a major power in the Mediterranean. For 23 grueling years, the war between Rome and Carthage dragged on and on, causing immense destruction and tens of thous...
20 Mars 202541min
How and Why Rome and Carthage Went to War in 264 BC
There was no particularly pressing reason for Rome and Carthage to go to war in 264 BC over the small city of Messana, but one small incident nevertheless sparked a conflict that lasted for 23 years a...
13 Mars 202537min
Rebroadcast: Peasants' Rebellions and Resistance
The medieval world relied on peasants. They grew the food, maintained the buildings, produced the craft goods, and made up the vast bulk of the population. But they were never particularly happy with ...
6 Mars 202551min
Soldiers and Labor Markets in the Hellenistic World: Interview with Dr. Charlotte van Regenmortel
The decades after the death of Alexander the Great saw a massive increase in the scale and intensity of warfare over an area stretching from Italy to Afghanistan. Dr. Charlotte van Regenmortel joins m...
27 Feb 202544min
Interview: Professor Lyndal Roper on the German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War was the largest popular revolt in Europe before the French Revolution, but it's largely been forgotten. Why? Professor Lyndal Roper of the University of Oxford joins me to dis...
20 Feb 202553min
The Defeat of Pyrrhus and the Road to the Punic Wars
Pyrrhus of Epirus won costly but clear victories over the Romans in their first battlefield meetings, but couldn't win the war. Rome's dogged determination eventually won the war for them and placed t...
13 Feb 202540min
Duels, Violence, and Conflict in Early Modern Europe: Interview with Professor Stuart Carroll
Early modern Europe was a violent place, full of duels, bloody encounters, and decades-long feuds. In many ways, it was more fractious and dangerous than it had been during the Middle Ages. Professor ...
6 Feb 202555min
The Pyrrhic War
By 281 BC, Rome controlled much of Italy, but the city was still a minor player on the larger Mediterranean scene. That changed when King Pyrrhus of Epirus crossed the Adriatic with a powerful army of...
30 Jan 202540min
