Ancient Rome Refocused

Bonus, Episode 30, (S6) Intro Narration by David Denyer.WikipediaThe Seikilos epitaph is the oldest surviving complete musical composition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_composition), including musical notation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_notation), from anywhere in the world. The epitaph (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitaph) has been variously dated, but seems to be either from the 1st or the 2nd century CE. The song, the melody of which is recorded, alongside its lyrics, in the ancient Greek musical notation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_notation#Ancient_Greece), was found engraved on a tombstone (a stele (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stele)) from the Hellenistic town of Tralles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tralles_(diocese)) near present-day Aydın (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayd%C4%B1n), Turkey, not far from Ephesus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus). It is a Hellenistic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_period) Ionic (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionia) song in either the Phrygian (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_(music)#Greek_scales) octave species (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octave_species) or Iastian tonos (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_system_of_ancient_Greece#Ionian_(Iastian)). While older music with notation exists (for example the Hurrian songs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurrian_songs)), all of it is in fragments; the Seikilos epitaph is unique in that it is a complete, though short, composition.[1]

BONUS, EPISODE 30 (S6) A mix of music provided by London composer David Denyer.Agave was performed and sung by Charlotte Holtum ("Give me Strength")Dionysus was performed and sung by Pavlos Christodoulou Singing Bacchae were Alisha Iyer, Faidra Faitaki, Polyanna Cohen ("The Divine Will", "What is Wisdom?").

Episode 30 (S6) Rob interviews David Denyer, composer and musician out of London.Included on the show is a mini-lecture by Matthew Leigh Embleton on the History of Latin, Part 1. Today's podcast is titled: Unsettling Music on the Jubilee. I was fortunate to interview the composer and musician David Denyer. I focused in on him due to his composition of music for a production of the Bacchae by the Athenian playwright Euripides. He also composed for a mini-opera about Ancient Troy in coordination of Collide Theater out of London. The dates of the production was a few years ago, but being that music is timeless, I could not resist focusing in on his antiquity compositions (a title I just came up with considering the ancient world is my interest). David is a multi-award winning composer and a graduate of the Royal College of music. He is prolific in the experimental and fringe theater scenes in London. He is the co-founder of the newly established Quiet Tyrant Record Label. David's has worked in theater and film, providing scores to enhance the action.  Episode 30 explores his process for composing, and how the violin, his primary instrument affects his pieces – consider most composers use the piano.From his apartment in the Kilburn area of London, David takes us through the differences of composing for film and theater – each with their own special needs and requirements. Check out David's BONUS MATERIAL.

Episode 29 (S5) - Rob Cain interviews Anna Kouremenos from Quinnipiac University. The primary discussion is on her paper

PΩΜΑΙΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ≠ ROMAN OCCUPATION: (MIS)PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROMAN PERIOD IN GREECE*

The paper is available on Academia.edu

A line from the paper sums up the direction of her research: "…very little has been written about modern perceptions of this period."

This is a fun and interesting discussion with an outstanding educator.

What do modern Greeks think of the history after Actium?

As a Greek speaker Ms. Kouremenos provides and Ancient Greek and Modern Greek comparison.

Did the Europeans demonize the Romans in 18th Century writings?

Do our modern perspectives color the way we see history itself?

Episode 29 (S%) The primary discussion is on her paper: PΩΜΑΙΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ≠ ROMAN OCCUPATION: (MIS)PERCEPTIONS OF THE ROMAN PERIOD IN GREECE. A line from the paper sums up the direction of her research: "…very little has been written about modern perceptions of this period."This paper is available on Academia.edu.This is a fun and interesting discussion with an outstanding educator. The podcast includes the following topics:* What do modern Greeks think of their history after Actium?* Was it really that bad to live under the Romans?* As a Greek speaker Ms.Kouremenos provides an Ancient Greek and Modern Greek comparison.* Did the Europeans demonize the Romans in 18th Century writings?* Do our modern perspectives color the way we see history itself?

BONUS, Episode 29, S5) Anna Kouremenos (lecturer at Quinnipiac University) and Rob Cain discuss a debate between Boris Johnson, Mayor of London (at the time), and Mary Beard, noted Classicist, when they took on each other in a debate forum to decide what culture was better: the Romans or the Greeks? Ms. Kouremenos as a Greek Historical academic provides a courtside analysis.Listeners are recommended to see the full debate which is offered on YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k448JqQyj8&t=640sThe full debate is titled: Greece vs Rome, with Boris Johnson and Mary BeardAnna said, "I watched it twice."

Episode 28 (S5) On the show Rob Cain interviews Simon Elliot the author of Roman Britain's Missing Legion: What really happened to the IX Hispana?Subjects covered in the podcast:* Evidence.* Citations in the records.* Possible solutions to the mystery.* The origins of the name Caesar.* What is the dream find for an archeologist to settle the IX Hispanamystery?* Decapitated heads discovered in Britain. What's up with that?* A favorite hypothesis of the fate of the IX Hispania.Do not miss the show, and be sure to pick up his book on Amazon.

Episode 27(S5) This podcast reviews the book: THE ROMAN GUIDE TO SLAVE MANAGMENT. Rob interviews the author and reads excerpts from the book. The Roman Guide to Slave Management, is a sly, subversive guide to the realities of servitude in ancient Rome. Cambridge scholar Jerry Toner uses Falx, his fictional but true-to-life creation, to describe where and how to Romans bought slaves, how they could tell an obedient worker from a troublemaker, and even how the ruling class reacted to the inevitable slave revolts. Toner also adds commentary throughout, analyzing the callous words and casual brutality of Falx and his compatriots and putting it all in context for the modern reader. A new book is planned for his protagonist that may include a grand tour of the Roman Empire.

BONUS, Episode 26 (S5) Hayley Russell, producer of Helicon Theatrical Productions, discusses the ancient concept of KLEOS.Kleos is the Greek word often translated to "renown", or "glory". It is related to the English word "loud" and carries the implied meaning of "what others hear about you". According to Wikipedia, a Greek hero earns kleos through accomplishing great deeds.

Bonus Material Episode 26 (S5)

Bonus Material 1, Episode 26 (S5)

Andrew Hulse, producer of Helicon Theatrical Productions, discusses the scholar of epic poetry, Milman Perry, and his associate Albert Lord. Hulse promotes Lord's book The Singer of Tales as a "wacky and mind bending…" experience.

Albert Bates Lord was a professor of Slavic and comparative literature at Harvard University who, after the death of Milman Parry, carried on that scholar's research into epic literature. Wikipedia

The Singer of Tales is a book by Albert Lord that discusses the oral tradition as a theory of literary composition and its applications to Homeric and medieval epic. It was published in 1960. Wikipedia