Contrary to popular belief, parties in Ancient Rome were not all depraved wine-fuelled orgies. In fact, Roman get-togethers were relatively tame by the standards of today. They often consisted of noble families sharing elaborate food dishes and entertaining one another with theatrical hysterics. Parties among less wealthy citizens were simpler, yes, but no less raucous. Bashes of all kinds—whether to celebrate great military victories or mark important festivals such as Saturnalia—were beacons of status and huge networking opportunities, which explains why they became such a core feature of everyday Roman life. So, not all crazy sex parties after all! In this episode, Tristan is joined by Dr Ian Goh, Professor of Ancient History at Swansea University, to find out how to party like it’s 1 BC.

If you’re enjoying this podcast and looking for more fascinating Ancient content, then subscribe to our Ancient History Thursday newsletter here.