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.

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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 wasn’t for the revolt of Carausius in Gaul and Britain, who doesn’t want to rule Rome, he just wants to be included in the party.

Part II of Diocletian

Guest:

Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University)

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 was the most successful Roman emperor in an age. Just don’t ask the Christians…

Part I of Diocletian

Guest:

Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University)

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 and within, it will take quite a leader to hold the empire together.

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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 getting their hands dirty.

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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.

Tickets are now on sale for our special 10th anniversary live screening of the movie Gladiator! 19th October at the Thornbury Picture House in Melbourne.

Guest:

Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University)

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.

Tickets are now on sale for our special 10th anniversary live screening of the movie Gladiator! 19th October at the Thornbury Picture House in Melbourne.

Guest:

Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

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 barbarian Vercingetorix taking the centre stage.

Recorded live in Albury at the Albury LibraryMuseum on 24th June, 2024.

Guests:

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 Catiline Conspiracy

Guests:

Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Professor Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University)

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, standing up for the little guy.

Part VII of The Catiline Conspiracy

Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).