Podcasts · History

Emperors of Rome

Nightlight Productions

276 episodes

“Great empires are not maintained by timidity.” - Tacitus. A Roman history podcast with Rhiannon Evans and Matt Smith.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. The Triple Triumph

    · 43 min

    It is the summer of 29 BCE. The civil wars are over. Antony and Cleopatra are dead. Egypt has fallen. The victorious Octavian returns to Rome. What follows is three days of spectacle unlike anything the city had seen.…

  2. The War of the Words (Live at the Melbourne Museum)

    · 54 min

    In this special live episode recorded at the Melbourne Museum we set aside the military narrative to look at something just as fierce: the propaganda war waged between Octavian and Antony in the years before Actium.…

  3. The Young Warlord

    · 49 min

    The decade after Caesar's murder is make or break for Octavian. He is very young and inexperienced, he is often between Mark Antony and the senate, and he needs to avenge Caesar and become his acknowledged heir.…

  4. The Rise of Octavian

    · 33 min

    How did Octavius become Octavian? We trace what we know of Octavius’ early life in Rome during a tumultuous era of violence and civil conflict, through to Julius Caesar's unexpected adoption of a perennially sickly…

  5. Octavian Before Octavian

    · 43 min

    Before Augustus reached his great heights as Emperor, before he was even Octavian, he was Giaus Octavius, born to a relatively humble family and giving no indication of the greatness he would achieve. While his father…

  6. Germania

    · 35 min

    Tacitus's Germania is one of the most fascinating, strange, and surprisingly modern texts to survive from the ancient world. Part ethnographic survey, part moral provocation, part geopolitical warning, it describes the…

  7. Augusti Retirement

    · 31 min

    In 305 CE, a carefully staged transition took place: the emperors Diocletian and Maximian retired, handing power to a new generation of rulers. Exactly how it happened is still debated, but the act itself was…

  8. The Tetrarchic Persecution of Christians

    · 43 min

    In the early fourth century the emperors of the Tetrarchy initiated what later Christians would call the “Great Persecution.” Under Diocletian and his colleagues, churches were demolished, sacred texts seized, and…

  9. How the Tetrarchy Won the East

    · 35 min

    With the tetrarch system still taking shape, Diocletian and his Caesar Galerius come under growing pressure in the East, facing rebellion from Egypt and invasion from the Persian King Naresh. A series of hard…

  10. Reclaiming Britannia

    · 28 min

    Constantius was elevated to Caesar with one primary mission - retake Britannia for the Roman empire. In the later half of the fourth century the province and parts of western Gaul had retained a stubborn sort of…

  11. Tetrarchy

    · 40 min

    Diocletian and Maximian have established themselves as co-Emperors, working together to amicably administrate a sprawling Roman Empire. But with Persians to the east, Britons to the west, and discontent all around……

  12. Support Emperors of Rome on Patreon!

    · 8:58

    Emperors of Rome is now on Patreon! To find out about perks and give your support head to patreon.com/romepodcast

  13. Anthology of Interest IV

    · 52 min

    Rhiannon Evans, Caillan Davenport, Matt Smith and special guest William Dalrymple share items of Roman interest! You will hear: - A phoenix in the forum - The unknown Queens of Rome - The Roman perception of elephants…

  14. Viriathus

    · 36 min

    Viriathus was a Lusitanian leader who rose from humble beginnings to become one of Rome’s most formidable enemies. A skilled tactician and master of guerrilla warfare, he led his people in resistance against Roman…

  15. Paetus, It Does Not Hurt

    · 45 min

    Arria, and her daughter of the same name, were celebrated in Roman literature for their virtues, piety, and devotion to family. Remembered above all for their willingness to embrace self-sacrifice, their lives and…

  16. Porcia

    · 40 min

    Being the daughter of Cato and wife of Brutus came with certain expectations from the ancient world. Embody her father’s principles, be a fine, upstanding Roman lady, and put Rome first above all other things. Porcia…

  17. Laudatio Turiae

    · 41 min

    In times of antiquity, alongside the Via Appia, stood the Laudatio Turiae, a funerary inscription praising the life of an exceptional Roman woman. While we aren’t sure of her actual identity her husband was clearly…

  18. False Nero

    · 25 min

    When Nero took his own life in 68CE it was the end of an era for Rome. The Julio-Claudians had ruled for close to 100 years, and with the end of the dynasty there was confusion, civil war, and an outpouring of grief.…

  19. Ludi Apollinares

    · 23 min

    Plague getting your people down? Suffering from a mysterious ailment? Perhaps a festival of Apollo is what you need. A simple festival with games, plays and feastings could be enough to sway Apollo in your favour. Or…

  20. The House That Crassus and Pompey Built

    · 30 min

    After the death of Crassus his powerful name, his fortune, and his family’s honour survived. In this episode we’ll trace the life of the Crassi yet to come, and how the family comes together with an old rival. Episode…

  21. Glory and Gold

    · 34 min

    Crassus had power, he had money, but he still felt something was missing. With an army and a province in the east, he sets off to win the glory he had always been denied Perhaps it lay in Parthia. Episode CCXLII (242)…

  22. Crassus and the Triumvirate

    · 35 min

    As Crassus gathered more power and wealth his success was aided by two allies. One, Julius Caesar, had received financial aid from Crassus for many years. The other, Pompeius Magnus, was at the best of times a bitter…

  23. Crassus vs Spartacus

    · 33 min

    In the tales of Hollywood Crassus will always be the antagonist to the slave hero Spartacus, but is that how would he see himself? A war against slaves is something that no self respecting Roman would like to be pushed…

  24. Crassus and the Social Wars

    · 31 min

    Marcus Licinius Crassus was an influential politician in the late Roman republic, famous for the wealth he accrued and the power that he held. An ally of Caesar and a rival of Pompey, he rose to prominence during the…

  25. Excavating Pompeii

    · 39 min

    Pompeii has been excavated for hundreds of years, and in that time techniques, practices and philosophies have changed. We’re now finding out a lot more about the city and the people who lived there, and there’s still…

  26. Imperial Dining (with Mary Beard)

    · 40 min

    The simple act of dinner took on a new dimension for the Emperors. In an place where every meal could be a performance, an Emperor used the chance to reward and impress, intimidate and strike fear, and sometimes all at…

  27. Roman Dining

    · 26 min

    For the Romans the simple act of dinner was so much more than a meal. It was an opportunity to socialise and do business, to see and be seen, and in some cases just to show off. Like everything it is steeped in…

  28. Episode CCXXXVI - The Madness of Commodus (Live in Melbourne)

    · 27 min

    To celebrate the 10th year of the Emperors of Rome podcast, Rhiannon Evans and Matt Smith convened a screening of the epic movie Gladiator starring Russell Crowe, preceded by a live podcast recording the history and…

  29. Episode CCXXXV - Faunalia Rustica

    · 19 min

    The Roman festival of Faunalia Rustica was celebrated in rural areas in honour of the god Faunus, a god who according to epic poetry was the King of the Latins, but to many needed appeasement for country living.…

  30. Episode CCXXXIV - Dyarchy Plus One (Diocletian II)

    · 31 min

    Diocletian and Maximian must be doing something right - keeping the borders of Rome safe, and ruling the Empire in harmony. They even have a catch-up in Milan, worthy of a panegyric. Things would be perfect, if it…

  31. Episode CCXXXIII - The Rise of Diocles (Diocletian I)

    · 32 min

    The man who would be the Emperor Diocletian was of unremarkable origins. Quick to recognise the challenges of Rome, he moved to set it up as a franchise opportunity. This worked when nothing else did, and to many he…

  32. Episode CCXXXII - Carus and Sons

    · 26 min

    As the wild and crazy experiment of the 3rd century winds to a conclusion, a man named Carus steps into the purple, with an imperial dynasty ready to go. But Rome has grown unwieldy. Challenged by enemies from beyond…

  33. Episode CCXXXI - Probus

    · 30 min

    Probus had a fairly long reign for this time in the history of the Empire. Keeping the barbarians in check is one thing, seeing off usurpers is another, but just don’t ask too much of the military - they don’t like…

  34. Episode CCXXX - Emperor Tacitus

    · 28 min

    We now return to the late third century, where the Emperor Aurelian has finally reunited the Roman empire and been murdered for the trouble, and the senate in Rome, waning in its influence, makes a final flex of power.…

  35. Episode CCXXIX - Clodius Pulcher and the Bona Dea

    · 28 min

    The Bona Dea was a goddess of Rome, whose celebrations were the secret domain of elite women. To our male Roman sources they were mysterious and magical, that is until Clodius Pulcher decided he would gate crash.…

  36. Episode CCXXVIII - Caesar vs Vercingetorix (Live in Albury)

    · 35 min

    Caesar was a man who was careful of his image, and in his accounts of the Gallic Wars he records his skill and competence on the battle field. He also made a point of giving himself a credible nemesis, with the…

  37. Episode CCXXVII - The Catiline Comparison (The Catiline Conspiracy VIII)

    · 46 min

    Throughout our examination of the Catiline conspiracy we have avoided the urge to make comparisons between the events in Ancient Rome and modern day politics. In this episode we resist no more. Part VIII of The…

  38. Episode CCXXVI - The Reputation of Catiline (The Catiline Conspiracy VII)

    · 40 min

    Catiline’s name is often used as a byword for villainy, and over the years has been told and retold by different authors with different agendas. To some he is a villain, a traitor to the state. To others he’s a hero,…

  39. Episode CCXXV - The Exile of Cicero (The Catiline Conspiracy VI)

    · 36 min

    Cicero may have won the battle against Catiline but he wouldn’t win the war. With too many enemies in the senate he makes a tactical retreat, leaving his beloved Rome for the safety of the coast of Greece. Part VI of…

  40. Episode CCXXIV - Indomitable Spirit (The Catiline Conspiracy V)

    · 36 min

    Catiline and Cicero now wage very different wars. Cicero on the floor of the senate, arguing for the protection of the legacy of Rome. Catiline on the battlefield, fighting with a bravery that would make any hero…

  41. Episode CCXXIII - The Championship of the Oppressed (The Catiline Conspiracy IV)

    · 37 min

    Catiline and Cicero draw their lines of battle in the senate, with Catiline claiming to represent the will of the wretched and destitute. But his attacks on Cicero, directly or indirectly, earn him many enemies, and he…

  42. Episode CCXXII - A Stolen Election (The Catiline Conspiracy III)

    · 35 min

    Catiline attempted to become consul of Rome more than once, and its a position he believes he deserves. When he fails in his efforts and Cicero is elected he attempts to force the issue, conspiring with all those who…

  43. Episode CCXXI - An Entire Farrago (The Catiline Conspiracy II)

    · 32 min

    Catiline doesn't have the best reputation in Rome, and in the years after his failed conspiracy he has been implicated in every failed plot of that time. Was he involved in them? Possibly. Part II of The Catiline…

  44. Episode CCXX - A Disordered Mind (The Catiline Conspiracy I)

    · 43 min

    Catiline is a notorious figure of the Roman republic, a longtime rival of Cicero who, after repeated attempts at the consulship decided to push the matter by force. In this episode we look at his character, his role in…

  45. Episode CCXIX - Hispala Faecena and the Bacchanalia Conspiracy

    · 29 min

    Hispala Faecena was instrumental in bringing the cult of Bacchus to the attention of Roman authorities, ending a conspiracy that was threatening lives and the rule of law. Guest: Dr Emma Southon (Author of 'A History…

  46. Episode CCXVIII - Martial on the Emperors

    · 36 min

    Martial was a Roman poet primarily writing during the reign of Domitian, and while primarily known for his commentary on Roman life, his takedowns, his insults and vulgarity, in this episode we look at how he toes the…

  47. Episode CCXVII - Angeronalia

    · 22 min

    Yes, it’s that festive time of year again, when you gather all ye merry people with sore throats, stand around a statue with its mouth covered, and keep the sacred name of Rome safe. Guest: Associate Professor…

  48. Episode CCXVI - A Roman Haunting in Three Parts

    · 28 min

    A dire warning from the spirit of Africa! A Haunting in Athens! And someone cuts the hair of Pliny's freedman. Pliny the Younger presents a Roman Haunting in Three Parts. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans…

  49. Episode CCXV - The Unconquered Sun

    · 23 min

    Aurelian is known as a conqueror, a general and a restorer, and his reputation is based on those achievements. But in his short rule of five years, he was also an Emperor, and made efforts to leave his mark on Rome.…

  50. Episode CCXIV - Aurelian, Restorer of the Age

    · 23 min

    Aurelian has seen off vandals, goths, and conquered the forces of Zenobia to reclaim the east. But to the west lies the Gallic Empire, once firm territory of Rome, awaiting his attention. Part III of 'Aurelian'…

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