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Ancient History 101

Alexandra Sills

If you're the type of person who thinks about Rome once a day, this is the show for you.

Hosted by award-winning ancient historian Alexandra Sills, each week we invite an expert guest to give us a crash course in a topic related to ancient Greece, Rome, or their neighbours.

We'll have biographies of historical figures, introductions to ancient works of art and literature, blow-by-blow accounts of events that changed the world, and histories of some of the most special archaeological sites around the Mediterranean.

Whether you already know a little or a lot, our experts know their subjects like the backs of their hands - they will bust myths, explain key concepts, and ensure we have the absolute essential facts we need to understand each topic. Think of us as the university alternative, bringing the teaching straight to you: a comprehensive curriculum, just without the campus!

Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.org and see our socials at https://linktr.ee/ancienthistory101podcast

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

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23 episodes
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Avg 1 hr 13 min
English

Episodes 23

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S1 · E25
Wednesday · 1 hr 3 min
Aeschylus' Agamemnon
OK, forget Odysseus for a minute, because there was another Greek who found coming home from Troy to be a bit of a nightmare too... Shelby Judge drops into the pod to walk us through a play by Aeschylus that tells us exactly what happened when Agamemnon came home to his wife... Find links to recommended translations, performance recordings and a transcript on the episode webpage Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E24
August 19 · 1 hr 29 min
Vercingetorix
An enemy of Rome with a big reputation, but who made some very questionable decisions... Talking about Vercingetorix today is guest expert and archaeologist Zoé Elise Thomas, who knows Gaul like the back of her hand. For images, maps and a transcript, visit the episode page Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E23
August 12 · 1 hr 37 min
What is Late Antiquity?
Fancy dipping your toes into one of the murkier periods in history? Lots of people have Big Opinions on the decline and fall of Rome, but do they know what they're talking about? Here to answer this, as well as explain how and why Christianity became the Roman religion of choice, how the empire split in half, and to answer the question When Did Rome Fall is the wonderful historian of Late Antiquity: Jeroen Wijnendaele. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 5 · 59 min
Gladiators in the Greek World
Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E22
July 29 · 56 min
Greek Myth in Video Games
Alexandra is joined by Alexander Vandewalle to talk about Greek myths in a whole raft of video games, from the good, the bad to the downright weird. Episode transcript and images of interest Find Antiquity Games Night online here! Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E21
July 22 · 1 hr 44 min
Alexander the Great
Want a biography of Alexander the Great that doesn't just repeat the same old stories and peddle the same old narratives? Stephen Harrison joins Alexandra to add a hefty dose of nuance to the discussion about a man whose history is far less certain than we've been led to believe. For a transcript, head to the episode webpage. Follow Stephen on Youtube or Instagram for more Hellenistic history and more. Pick up a copy of Alexander the Great: Lives and Legacies here if you're in the UK, or here if you're in the States. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E20
July 15 · 1 hr 7 min
Disability in Ancient Egypt
It's Disability Pride Month! To mark the occasion, we welcome guest expert Alexandra Morris to talk about disabilities and disabled people in ancient Egypt, including Tutankhamun himself! Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! For a transcript and images, click here Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 8 · 1 hr 6 min
Fulvia - A Biography Part 2
Fulvia - a woman who (quite literally) set Rome on fire. Joining us today is Jane Draycott, author of Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome In Part 2, we talk about Fulvia's love for Mark Antony, and what happened when Octavian cornered her into starting a civil war. We'll be seeing Jane again in November to celebrate the release of her next book: Fatal Monsters: Cleopatra, Her Sister Queens and the Downfall of a Dynasty! For more information about Jane and to purchase her books, click here Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 8 · 58 min
Fulvia - A Biography Part 1
Fulvia - a woman who (quite literally) set Rome on fire. Joining us today is Jane Draycott, author of Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome In Part 1, we talk about Fulvia's marriages and life as a wife, and her 15 year long feud with Cicero... For more information about Jane and to purchase her books, click here Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E18
July 1 · 51 min
Gladiator Myths and Misconceptions: BUSTED
Alexandra has written a book, and it's launching this month! To celebrate, here is an episode all about Alexandra's area of expertise: gladiators! This is a quickfire list of more than a dozen gladiator 'facts' that you'll find on the internet, debunked and debated in less than an hour. Find a transcript of this episode and links to buy Gladiators of the Greek World: How a Roman Blood Sport Took Ancient Greece by Storm here Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E17
June 24 · 1 hr 19 min
Thebes
It's about time Ancient History 101 covered the history of a place, and for our first one we've chosen Thebes! Here to talk us through the mythology and history of this underdog city is Boeotia expert Michael Furman. As always, for maps, book recommendations and a transcript, you can head to the episode page on our website. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E16
June 17 · 52 min
Ovid - A Biography
We have a really fascinating biography episode today of a Roman poet with a complicated career - Ovid. Alicia Matz joins Alexandra to discuss this most controversial author, in a discussion that made us laugh, cringe, and sympathise, all in under an hour. NOTE: This episode is a little more adult than our typical episodes, listener discretion is advised. For recommended translations of Ovid's work, book recommendations including those mentioned in the episode, a transcript and more, click here for the episode webpage. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E15
June 10 · 59 min
Disability in Ancient Greece
This week, Alexandra invites Debby Sneed onto the pod to chat about a topic far too often overlooked in documentaries and paperback histories - the lives of disabled people in the Greek world. We cover some common misconceptions, archaeological evidence, and ancient attitudes. Can the ancient Greek world give our modern societies some pointers on how to make our world more disability friendly? The answer may surprise you... Transcript Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E14
June 3 · 1 hr 22 min
Domitian
For this biography episode, Alexandra is joined by author L.J Trafford to piece together the life of Roman emperor Domitian - was he truly one of the worse emperors of Rome? This episode has it's own page on our website, so if you want relevant images, a transcript, to read the poems mentioned in the episode or to find L.J's excellent books, head straight there! Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Sick of being interrupted by adverts? We have an ad-free subscription here. Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E13
May 27 · 1 hr 20 min
How Do Museums Work?
Ben Paites, curator extraordinaire, is here to tell us exactly what happens behind the scenes to make museums work. How do museums acquire exhibits, who decides what gets displayed, and are museums always benignly ethical? Ben gives Alexandra answers to all these questions and more. For Ben's book 50 LGBTQ+ Finds, click here to go to our UK bookshop, and here for the United States. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E12
May 20 · 1 hr 20 min
Themistocles
This week we have battles, oracles, and a towering pile of ostraka - it can only be a life of Themistocles - the man who owed democracy his career, but was convicted of treason and condemned to die by the very democrats he'd saved in battle. Michael Scott, author of the sterling new biography of Themistocles, steps aboard to tell us about the man credited with making Athens the greatest Greek naval power. Buy Michael's book, find supplementary materials and a transcript, all in this one handy link. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E11
May 13 · 51 min
What is the Spartan Mirage?
Owen Rees of Xenophon fame returns to the show to explain why everything we think we know about ancient Sparta is an illusion. So what is the Spartan Mirage, and how in earth are we supposed to reveal the real picture of Spartan life hiding behind it? For recommended reading, images, maps, and more information about Owen and his work, click here to go to the episode webpage. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E10
May 6 · 49 min
Euripides' Trojan Women
Alexandra strikes out on her on for a bonus episode this week, to celebrate 10,000 downloads! So as an extra treat, Alexandra chats about her favourite Greek tragedy, Euripides' Trojan Women. Often misunderstood, this play remains painfully relevant to our modern world, even as the author's intentions have become difficult to see clearly through the mists of time. Alexandra puts her case forward, and invites you to make your own conclusions. For a transcript of this episode as well as recommended further reading, click here. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E9
May 6 · 1 hr 13 min
The Year of the Four Emperors
This week we have one of the messiest, bloodiest years of the early Roman empire, in which becoming emperor was pretty much a death sentence... Our special guest of the week is Nathaniel Katz, here to find the meaning in the mess and help us understand how this one year changed the Roman empire forever. Find recommended reading, images, and other supplementary materials here. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 · E8
April 29 · 1 hr 19 min
Slavery in Roman Society
This week we're tackling a heavy subject - slavery in the Roman world. Thank goodness we have such a lovely expert to guide us through it; Chance Bonar explains why the realities of Roman slavery are a little different to what we might expect, and why we certainly can't say it wasn't so bad, after all. Make sure to click ‘subscribe’ so that you never miss an episode; we have a new topic every Wednesday! Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website, where you can learn more about our expert guests. We have merch available at our RedBubble shop, or you can help support the podcast by buying history books and translations we’ve hand-chosen for you at our online bookshop in the USA or UK. Or you can buy us a ko-fi! However you choose to support the show, we appreciate it! Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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