Ancient History Hound

Leptis Magna became a celebrated Roman city on the African shore and was the birthplace of the Emperor Septimius Severus. In this episode I chat with special guest Maria Lloyd all about how the city developed and grew. We then discuss Severus, how did he rise to power and what did he do?

Politics, intrigue, betrayal and even whether it's Leptis or Lepcis. We cover loads - so get listening!

Music by Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).

Classical Athens is famous for the introduction of theatre and Tragedy. But it didn't just appear out of nowhere.

In this episode I try and piece together how it developed and ended up as a main component of the City Dionysia at Athens. All this with rude puppets, wild processions, the odd phallus and politics.

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).

In this special episode I chat with LJ Trafford who has written books covering AD 69 and the four emperors. LJ Trafford has a new book out titled 'How to Survive in Ancient Rome' and we talk about what Rome would have been like for the average person as well as how the turmoil of AD 69 came about and what happened.

Join us as we discuss this as well as whose eels had makeovers, a truly goth banquet and why alcohol and sieges don't mix.

LJ Trafford's 'How to Survive in Ancient Rome' is out now!

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental).

It's Halloween so time for the third NOTLD episode.

In this episode I talk about hauntings and instances of ghosts in Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome. From festivals aiming to placate them through to reports of hauntings and even ways to counter a ghost. There's even a very dangerous trick with a walnut.

Episode notes at www.ancientblogger.com.

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)

In this Olympic length episode I discuss the origin of the games and how both they and the site developed over time. I'll also be picking up the wider aspects of it all from politics to nudity and even foul play.

Episode notes at www.ancientblogger.com

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)

In this episode I discuss four mountains which featured in ancient Greece. How did they feature in the local myths? What happened on them? I cover this as well as the more obscure mountain associations, from bizarre marital advice, singing competitions to very bad family cooking.

Notes to the episode can be found at www.ancientblogger.com

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)

Modified picture courtesy of https://theblogofdimi.com/

It's time to turn my attention to the references made to eclipses in antiquity. They appear in palace records, poems and historical writings and across the Mediterranean (including Mesopotamia).

How where they understood? What rituals were observed and how can they be used to date and locate an event? Join me to find out more.

Notes to the episode can also be found at ancientblogger.com

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)

It's time for the final King, Tarquinius Superbus. I chat about his reign, the expulsion and the emergence of the Republic. Tarquin was a King who did as much inside Rome as outside of it. Plenty to talk about.

(content includes reference to sexual assault).

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)

Reform, negligent chariot driving and mild pyrotechnics. It's the turn of Servius Tullis, Rome's 6th King to feature. Servius' rise, his fall, reforms and a few puns are all included so get listening.

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)

Rebranding, tyrants, clothes, racing, omens, hydraulic engineering, formal wear and possibly a very long held grudge. The story of Rome's 5th king is certainly entertaining and in this podcast I talk about some of the aspects of his reign.

Music by Brakhage (Le Vrai Instrumental)