Featuring ancient sourdough, hippos, ritual instruments, obelisks in Rome, Hadrian’s lover Antinous, and Louise's favourite ancient god!

Time stamps for this episode:

11 mins: what hieroglyphics sounded like

12 mins: if we didn’t have the Rosetta stone...

14:10: the Egyptian money system

15:50: Egyptian crops and diet

18:30: funeral practices

21:20: ancient embalmers

22:21: marriage and mummification

23:52: Neithhotep

26:08 which famous figure you’d like to meet

27:30: life under Roman rule

Join us now to listen to Louise's online lecture on 16 September!

Louise recently completed her PhD in Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, having gained her MA Egyptology and BA(hons) in Egyptology & Classical Studies from the same institution.

Her thesis ‘Portraits of Hybridity’ focused on mummy portrait panels from Roman Egypt, and investigated how cultural hybridity and identity was displayed through artistic culture in the Roman Fayum.

Coming from a working-class background, she also has a passion for outreach and widening participation, and is particularly interested in getting more state school students involved in ancient history and inspiring younger people to study subjects they may not have been aware they could. Follow Louise on ⁠Instagram⁠.

Introducing Dr Louise O'Brien, our new Expert in Residence!

Ask Louise a question for our next episode

Time stamps for this episode:

9.53 Intro to Roman Egypt 

11.05 Mummy portraits

14.22 Commissioning these portraits 

18.15 What would you add to the curriculum?

19.55 The most shocking thing about the ancient Egyptians 

21:40 Louise’ work in museums 

26.13 Day in the life of a PhD student 

28.30 Why is Classics important?

Louise recently completed her PhD in Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, having gained her MA Egyptology and BA(hons) in Egyptology & Classical Studies from the same institution.

Her thesis ‘Portraits of Hybridity’ focused on mummy portrait panels from Roman Egypt, and investigated how cultural hybridity and identity was displayed through artistic culture in the Roman Fayum.

Coming from a working-class background, she also has a passion for outreach and widening participation, and is particularly interested in getting more state school students involved in ancient history and inspiring younger people to study subjects they may not have been aware they could. Follow Louise on Instagram.

Follow our Celebrating Classics Campaign and become a CA member, using your exclusive discount from this episode

We have a bonus episode for you... what better way to close out Season 2 than with an interview with one of the most fascinating people we've ever met - Baroness Black. Sue, as she prefers, is a trailblazing scientist and a champion for education and, indeed classical subjects.

After graduating from the University of Aberdeen in human anatomy and forensic anthropology, Sue has had a varied and distinguished academic career, lecturing in Anatomy at St Thomas’ Hospital London and working as a consultant in forensic anthropology for both the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, undertaking forensic investigations in Iraq, Sierra Leone and Grenada.

She was the lead forensic anthropologist during the international war crimes investigations in Kosovo and in 2024, she was appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest honour in Scotland.

Sue is currently the President of St John's College, Oxford and a crossbencher peer in the House of Lords, where she is a part of the Classics All Party Parliamentary Group.

In this episode, she explains to Katrina what a Day in the Life is like for a Peer and President of an Oxbridge college, talks about the careers classicists go into, her own experiences with forensic archaeology, her love for Roman roads, and using her Latin in everyday life!

Find out more about the APPG here

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Before her Expert in Residence Special Lecture on Thursday 15th May, Jessica joins us to answer your questions: featuring discussion on layered cakes, Cestius' pyramid, the Appian Way, Roman London, ancient archaeologists and of course Pompey's Theatre, with a sneak preview of her lecture!

To watch Jessica's lecture and participate in the Q&A,

become a CA member

Jessica is a historian and archaeologist, specialising in ancient Roman theatre and entertainment. She grew up on the Isle of Wight and moved to London to study at University College London in 2019, where she received her BA, MA, and PhD. She currently works as an Archaeologist for the Museum of London Archaeology. Her first academic book, entitled A New History of Ancient Roman Theatre, is being published by Liverpool University Press, and her first trade book, entitled Julius Caesar: Murder at the Theatre, is being published through Nurnberg Literary Agents. As well as academic publications, Jessica’s writing has appeared most recently in the BBC History Magazine, History Today, La Repubblica, The Ancient History Magazine, and The History News Network. You can find her on X (formerly known as Twitter) @⁠drjessicaclarke⁠

Please note: the views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker, and do not necessarily reflect those of the CA.

Find out more about our ⁠Expert in Residence scheme

In the third and final episode of this mini series, ⁠⁠Dr Abigail Graham⁠⁠ (Institute of Classical Studies) explores the Emperor Claudius' use of epigraphy, focusing on four key monuments across the empire - from Greece to Egypt. Look out for these key timestamps:

09:16 - Claudius' letter to the Alexandrians in AD 41

13:00 - Claudius' extension of the pomerium

Huge thanks to Abigail, James and all of our contributors for sharing their wonderful expertise.

Click here for the ⁠⁠Inscriptions Booklet⁠⁠ designed to support teachers and students of OCR A Level Ancient History.

Click here for other episodes in our ⁠⁠Roman History series⁠⁠.

Follow the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Classics Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram and to access more classical resources, including our online lecture series, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠join the Classical Association⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In the second episode of this mini series, ⁠Dr Abigail Graham⁠ (Institute of Classical Studies) moves on from Augustus to explore how Tiberius presented himself and his imperial inheritance, via the two following inscriptions:

1. Gythium inscription from AD 15, including discussion about the imperial cult and the role of Livia

2. from 09:18, the genius of Tiberius' worship at Rome in AD 27

Click here for the ⁠Inscriptions Booklet⁠ designed to support teachers and students of the OCR A Level Ancient History.

Click here for other episodes in our ⁠Roman History series⁠.

Follow the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Classics Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram and to access exclusive classical benefits, including our online lecture series, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠join the Classical Association⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In the final episode of Season 2, Katrina chats to Mary-Ann Ochota, author of Hidden Histories and Secret Britain, anthropologist, broadcaster and President of the Countryside Charity. You might recognise Mary-Ann from Time Team or as a documentary maker and presenter for the BBC World Service.

They discuss early adventures, her university experience, her favourite archaeological sites, and how she got into the world of broadcasting, from work experience to the freelance hustle.

Mary-Ann's website

Listen to Ancient Greek Music being performed

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Follow the CA on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram (podcast), ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

And lots more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠classicalassociation.org⁠⁠

The views and opinions in expressed are those of the interviewee and not necessarily of the Classical Association

After an introduction to Roman epigraphy (what do we mean by inscriptions and how can we go about reading them?), Dr Abigail Graham (Institute of Classical Studies) explores how we should analyse these types of sources and consider their limitations as well as the information they shed on the ancient past.

She then hones in on the Augustan inscriptions that are part of the A Level Roman Period Study syllabus, considering both victory monuments and smaller religious inscriptions.

08:10: Actium Triumphal Arch and Nicopolis Victory Monument

25:00: intro to religious inscriptions

27:09: Augustan Lares at Tiber Island

34:00: Altar to the Numen at Narbo (Gaul)

Click here for the Inscriptions Booklet designed to support teachers and students of the OCR A Level Ancient History.

Click here for other episodes in our Roman History series.

Follow the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Classics Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram and to access exclusive classical benefits, including our online lecture series, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠join the Classical Association⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Tom Davey, RADA trained actor, talks to Katrina about his favourite roles, playing in an adaptation of Antigone at the Edinburgh Fringe, his company Bright Torches inspiring young people and the power of storytelling to build resilience.

Find out more about Bright Torches and on our blog

Find more episodes of ⁠Classics and Careers ⁠

Follow the Classics Podcast on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Classical Association⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to access discounts, events and more

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And lots more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠classicalassociation.org⁠

The views and opinions in expressed are those of the interviewee and not necessarily of the Classical Association

Katrina welcomes back Dr Clare Rowan from the University of Warwick to find out what brilliant ideas entrants had in her Tokens Competition - from gladiators to feasts, gambling to securing safe passage to the Underworld, these fascinating objects have a rich and still uncertain history so there were lots of creative responses!

Listen to Episode 1 on Tokens here

Enter our Mythology Competition before 9 May 2025