Mare Nostrum

The political and military reforms implemented by Servius Tullius, Rome's sixth king, were profound and would endure for centuries. In this episode, we will take a look at the complexities of the so-called "Servian Reforms" and the birth of Roman citizenship as a legal status.

The reign of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king of Rome, inaugurated the city's so-called "Etruscan Phase." In this episode, we will see how Rome - seemingly under the influence of its northern neighbours - came to establish itself as a much more centralised and dominant city-state.

Rome's fourth king, Ancus Marcius, is a much more rounded character in the traditional Roman narrative. During his reign, he took on the characteristics of his predecessors and combined them to good effect. In this episode, we will follow the life of Ancus and look at the ways in which he transformed Rome into a pious regional power.

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The reign of Tullus Hostilius, Rome's third king, was characterised by war, war, and war. The clue really was in the name 'Hostilius'! In this episode, we'll take a closer look at the campaigns of Tullus and some of the dilemmas he faced, including an heroic showdown between two sets of triplets and a not-so-heroic return for the victor.

In this episode, we will look more closely at the reign of Rome's second king, Numa Pompilius, who was said to have established most of Rome's religious institutions and traditions almost single-handedly. We'll consider Numa's role in the more prolonged foundation narrative of Rome, and see how his work is still relevant to the world in which we live today.

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Do the archaeological finds on the site of Rome support the legendary tale of Romulus and the traditional Roman foundation narrative? In this episode, we will consider the earliest days of Rome by searching for evidence in the ground, and by looking in more detail at the supposed hut and tomb of the founding king himself.

Supplementary map available on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarePodcast/status/1200675541734440962

Rome's first king Romulus did more than simply lend his name to the city. In this episode, we take a closer look at the reign of Romulus. We'll see him establish some of the most important features, practices, and traditions of the city. But not all of his achievements were without controversy.

Romulus may have been the founder of Rome, but the Romans spoke of another equally prominent figure in their mythical foundation story. In this episode, we will follow the westward journey of Aeneas from Troy to central Italy.

Two thousand years ago, Rome was a superpower. Its vast empire spanned three continents and encircled the entire Mediterranean Sea, which had aptly been dubbed "Our Sea", or "Mare Nostrum". But how did it all begin? In this episode, we will kick-start the series by delving straight into Rome's mythical foundation story.