Episode Overview: Did people in antiquity ever go on vacation? The short answer is yes—and the long answer is a fascinating journey through Roman villas, Greek festivals, Byzantine retreats, Tang dynasty poetry, and sacred pilgrimages. In this Flashcard Friday episode, Gabrielle Birchak uncovers how the privileged, the pious, and the poetic found ways to take breaks, explore new places, and seek leisure across 1,400 years of ancient history. From Pliny the Younger’s coastal villa to early travel writing in Baghdad, we’ll explore how the idea of “getting away” is as old as civilization itself.

Three Things Listeners Will Learn:

1. How ancient Romans and Greeks viewed leisure and travel.

2. How pilgrimage functioned as early tourism across Christian and Islamic worlds.

3. What writings from antiquity reveal about humanity’s timeless desire to escape daily routines.

 

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Until next time, carpe diem!