Ancient Rome Refocused

Dramatic Narration: A look at a boy who visits a soothsayer and is foretold of his rise to the emperorship of Rome.

Rob reviews the cancelled NBC show KINGS, and a comparison of what it means to be part of the imperial family.

The listener then travels back in time (in Mr. Cain's time machine) to interview for the position of emperor.

This is the last episode of Season One.

Interview with Bryan Doerries, director for the THEATER OF WAR. This podcast follows a performance of AJAX translated by Bryan Dorries starring movie and TV stars who volunteered their time. 

Theater of War Productions works with leading film, theater, and television actors to present dramatic readings of seminal plays—from classical Greek tragedies to modern and contemporary works—followed by town hall-style discussions designed to confront social issues by drawing out raw and personal reactions to themes highlighted in the plays. The guided discussions underscore how the plays resonate with contemporary audiences and invite audience members to share their perspectives and experiences, and, helping to break down stigmas, foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of complex issues.

Were ancient Greek plays a form of healing for a city at war?

Doerries takes the performance to Bethesda Naval Hospital where the audience is composed of servicemembers that have experienced war first hand, and provide comparative insights to the suffering of AJAX to the suffering of our modern day warriors.

A study of the Roman Triumph, its purpose and modern equivalents.

Interview with Steven Saylor.  He is an American author of historical novels. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics. Saylor's best-known work is his Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series, set in ancient Rome.

Dramatic Narrative - Unchained slaves show up at a Roman Farm and start to cause trouble. Is Spartacus coming?

Rob rants on why the slave army turned back from the Alps. Why not escape, or was the promise of loot just too attractive?  Is Spartacus a hero or a brigand?  

Rob has a time machine. He can take you back to the ancient world.  However, he tries to talk you out of going.  Would you go?  Seriously?  Rob brings up some points for  you to consider.  You have to understand, the past is different there.

At the end of the podcast would you still go to 51 B.C.? 

Leave a comment below. 

First episode of Ancient Rome Refocused.  A podcast devoted to the comparison of modern society to the ancient world.  This series of podcasts present interviews with those that use the ancient world as their muse.  On the show are interviews with authors, musicians, professors and enthusiasts telling their story and those of ancients.  Included in the show are dramatic narrations - original stories told with storytelling brios!

How much are we different than those that lived before?   

An interview with UK Composer Daniel Denyer.  Rob visits Daniel at his apartment at the Kilburn stop off the Jubilee Line in London, England.  Through his window the overground can be heard to rattle by, and from his apartment that sound is transformed.  His works include composition and performances of THE BACCHAE and surreal sounds for a micro-opera about the ancient city of Troy.