We feel extremely fortunate to sit down and talk to Jess Venner and her debut book, The Lost Voices of Pompeii. This book takes you through the final twenty-four hours in the lives of several of the residents of the city, from slaves to politicians to business women.

Dr Jess Venner

Dr Jess Venner earned her PhD in Classics, Ancient History, and Archaeology from the University of Birmingham in 2018. She currently holds the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship at the University of Oxford. Jess is well known for her popular outreach via her channel ‘Life in the Past Lane’, and you can check this out on TikTok, YouTube, Substack and Instagram. You can also find out more about her various achievements at her website.

Thing to Look Out For:

·        The importance of material culture in understanding past lives

·        The role of critical fabulation in constructing history

·        The life of Aulus Umbricius Scaurus – The Ketchup King of Pompeii

·        The cult of Isis – we feel a serious case of Egyptomania coming on! Get a doctor, quick!

·        The fate of the survivors of the eruption – an oft-overlooked group

·        Exciting new projects in the works for Dr Venner – keep your eyes peeled!

We are certain that you will want to grab your own copy of The Lost Voices of Pompeii after hearing all about Dr Venner’s extensive research and huge passion for her subjects. This book manages to combine a compelling story with the lates archaeological evidence from the site. Find it where all good books are sold from April 23!

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Our music is by Bettina Joy de Guzman.

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire

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Welcome back to Rome’s rebuilding era! It’s a year of reasserting dominance, crafting fancy hewn stones for building works, and getting the citizen body back in order.

Camillus in Triumph

After seemingly managing to defeat three of Rome’s enemies at once, Camillus was back in Rome, basking in his glory. Unfortunately, his success seems to have meant a life in slavery for many of the conquered people. Camillus auctioned these prisoners off, using the proceeds to pay back the Roman matrons and buy the city some gold bowls, engraved with his name.

Citizens of Rome

The Romans were trying to get back to business as usual after the Gallic sack. This involved granting citizenship to any people who had switched sides during the conflicts of the past decade or so. Welcome to the cleerrrb. There were also some reluctant Roman citizens still hanging out in Veii, and that just would not do. The senate issued a decree ordering them back to Rome – OR ELSE.

Renovating Rome

The Romans had to do some rebuilding after the Gallic sack, as we know, but why not make some improvements whilst they were at it? Livy records that the Capitol was given a substructure of hewn stone, which he thought was still impressive in his own time.

Spiteful Skirmishes

Never a city that revels in peace, the Romans decided to attack some of the people who had tried to take advantage of their moment of weakness in 390 BCE. The Aequians and some Etruscan towns found themselves the victims of sudden assaults. Payback is a bitch!

Our Players - 388 BCE

Military Tribunes with Consular Power

T. Quinctius (T. f. L. n.) Cincinnatus Capitolinus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c.p. 385?, 384

Q. Servilius Q. f. P. n. Fidenas (Pat) Mil. Tr. c.p. 402, 398, 395, 390, 386

L. Iulius -f. -n. Iullus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c.p. 379

L. Aquilius -f. -n. Corvus

L. Lucretius -f. -n. Flavus Tricipitinus (Pat) Cos. Suff. 393, Mil. Tr. c.p. 391, 383, 381

Ser. Sulpicius – f. -n. Rufus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c.p. 384, 383, 377?

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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We are thrilled to welcome Assistant Professor Jeremy Swist back to the show to discuss all things emperor Julian! Julian’s rule as Roman emperor was short, but it also created quite a stir because Julian was keen to turn Rome away from Christianity and to bring back the paganism. How did he do it? Why did he do it? And what’s the legacy that he left behind? We consider the details.

Jeremy Swist has a PhD in Classics from the University of Iowa, and his research interests include imperial Greek and Roman historiography and rhetoric, late antiquity, classical reception in heavy metal music. He is currently Assistant Professor of Classical Studies at Michigan State University. Jeremy has published and presented extensively, and he has a particular interest in the intersection of heavy metal music and the classical world - we suggest you check out his blog, Heavy Metal Classicist, or our previous episode with him to find out more. In 2024, he translated and produced a dramatic reading of the Emperor Julian's Symposium of the Caesars, which starred some of the finest podcasters and actors in the WORLD! (Maybe us)

The Emperor Julian, who ruled Rome between 361 and 363 CE, is one of Jeremy’s great passions, and we are thrilled to talk to him about his new volume on this unusual ruler. The book is published by Oxford University Press and is entitled Julian Augustus: Platonism, Myth, and the Refounding of Rome.

Julian's rule was short but it left quite an impact. We chat with Jeremy about some of the ideas Julian put forward about Rome, the foundation stories that underpinned its self-definition, and what might have been if weren't for an unfortunate spear that wounded Julian and ended his life just two years into his reign.

Our music is by the superb Bettina Joy de Guzman.

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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We return to 389 BCE to see just how Rome recovered from the Gallic Sack.

Camillus is dictator in Rome and Ahala is his trusty master of the horse. It’s time for Rome to make things right in their immediate area. There are a bunch of neighbours to deal with, including the Etruscans, the Volscians, and the Aequians.

We’re in a hazy period where our sources appear out of sync with each other. Livy offers the most fulsome narrative that has survived for this period whereas sources like Diodorus Siculus and Dionysius of Halicarnassus are fragmentary or have their focus elsewhere.

By this time, Camillus’ reputation is so cemented in the region that his mere presence at the head of a military is enough to leave their enemies shaken if not stirred. The Volscians are certainly not happy when Camillus and crew turn up on their doorstep. When Camillus turns up at the city of Bolae of the Aequians, will they also fall at his feet?

• Burning ramparts!
• Booty and payment of soldiers?
• Seventy years of conflict with the Volscians?
• Deditio - total and unconditional surrender
• Central Italy as the site of a zombie apocalypse
• A very fast back and forth of city taking - hello, Sutrium!
• The survival of the scared hut to Mars on the Palatine
• The Tyrant of Syracuse is back for our ‘Meanwhile in Sicily’ segment
• Philoxenus, the dithyrambic poet
• Plato’s sojourn to Sicily

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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We were very fortunate to be joined by the delightful Dr Simon Elliot in this special episode about his latest book, The African Emperor: The Life of Septimius Severus.

Dr Elliott (now forever known as Dr E) is a historian, archaeologist and broadcaster. His PhD is in Classics and Archaeology from the University of Kent. Dr E is the author of nineteen books (yes, nineteen!) on the ancient world, including Early Imperial Romans, Pertinax: The Son of a Slave Who Became Roman Emperor, and Roman Britain’s Missing Legion. To find a full list of his many endeavours, check out his website.

However, it is Septimius Severus, ruler of the Roman Empire from 193 to 211 CE, who we want to focus on today. You may not be particularly familiar with this emperor, but if you have seen Gladiator 2, you have met his children. Severus was the father of Caracalla and Geta who do not have the best reputation. But there is much more to his story than his disappointing children.

Dr Elliott takes us through the remarkable rise of this man: from Leptis Magna to the imperial purple. In this interview, we tackle the following questions: 

·        How did Severus emerge victorious from the chaos of The Year of Five Emperors?

·        What made him the most successful Severan emperor? (Aside from not being murdered with his mum) 

·        Was Septimius Severus responsible for a genocide during his campaign in Britain?

·        Is there a case to be made that Septimius Severus deserves to rank alongside the likes of Augustus and Trajan?

·        When is Netflix going to make I, Julia – a series revolving around all of the Julias from the Severan dynasty? (Copyright, The Partial Historians, 2026)

Join us for the fascinating life story of the founder of the last dynasty before the near collapse of the Empire in the third century CE. And don’t forget to grab yourself a copy of the book, currently a Sunday Times bestseller.

Please note: at around 39:11, when Dr E is discussing the women in the Severan dynasty, he makes reference to Julia Domna's sister as Julia Soaemias. A slip of the tongue, as Julia Domna's sister was Julia Maesa, and her daughters were Julia Soaemias (mother of Elagabalus) and Julia Mamaea (mother of Severus Alexander).

Sound Credits

Our music is by Bettina Joy de Guzman

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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Welcome to the Partial Recap for the 390s BCE!

I’m Dr G 

And I’m Dr Rad

This is our highlights edition of the 390s in Rome. We’ll take you through from 399 to 390 in an epitome of our normal episodes. 

Perfect for those mornings when you don’t want some lengthy rhetoric with your coffee - but please be warned - the Roman world is a violent one.  

Get ready for a recappuccino. 

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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As we emerge, bleary-eyed and slightly peckish from the Gallic Sack of Rome, we find ourselves in a new era – a new Republic, one might say! It is 389 BCE and Rome is in its rebuilding era.

A Turning Point?

Livy would like us to see 389 BCE as a turning point. He has more sources, better sources than ever before, just you wait! Historians are less confident than he is about how reliable his material is, but there is no doubt that this century is going to see Rome enter a new phase in its history. In spite of the many battles we covered so far on the pod, it is really in this century that Rome’s territorial control will start to expand in a meaningful way. This journey will lead to other exciting political, social and military developments along the way, and we might find Rome starting to look more recognisable by the end of the 300s BCE.

The Clash of Historians

It depends on whether you believe Diodorus or Livy as to what unfolded in 389 BCE. The dating is still shaky, in spite of Livy’s grand promises. However, we certainly get a sense that Rome suffered a crushing blow at around this time, and their neighbours, including their allies, tried to take advantage of that. It would the logical move. Thank God Camillus is still around to make sure that Rome hangs in there!

Things to look out for:

·        Horrific behaviour from Dionysius ‘They-don’t-call-me-a-tyrant-for-nothing’ of Syracuse against the Rhegians

·        The launch of our bizarro world podcast – The Objective Historians

·        The suspicious death of one of the Foolish Fabians  

·        The publication of some Roman laws – but only some!

·        Some calendar redesign – partly due to some dodgy sacrificing by Quintus Sulpicius Longus

·        Evil Etruscan plotting at the Shrine of Voltumna

·        An interregnum

·        Slick thinking from a lower-class lady named Tutula 

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, one of our lovely Patreons requested that we talk about archaic Roman religion. Religion is Dr G’s favourite topic, so we decided it was well and truly time for us to chat about what the Romans were up to in their early days.

As with all aspects of the archaic period, it can be difficult to find reliable and detailed source material for certain aspects of religious life. However, the gods were hugely important to the Romans, so there are a variety of sources that we can use to piece together an accurate picture. This includes:

·        shrines, temples and tombs

·        inscriptions

·        votive offerings

·        the religious calendar

·        artwork, such as frescoes and sculptures

·        coinage

·        the priestly colleges

·        details of rituals

·        Records, including from groups like the Arval Brethren, a group of 12 priests who worshipped Dea Dia, an agricultural goddess  

·        Roman law

·        Extra special sources like the Iguvine Tablets from the mid to late Republic, which were written in Umbrian

·        as well as literary sources  

Where did religion sit in ancient Rome?

We discuss the nature and role of Roman religion in society, whilst trying to mythbust the belief that the Romans just stole everything from the Greeks.

Archaic Roman religion is fascinating, with deities like Quirinus and Robigo (goddess of grain mildew) seeming to date back a long way. As Rome progressed, the state cults became more formalised and ritualised, and new gods were incorporated. You may recall that when the Romans conquered Veii in 396 BCE, they went to great lengths to coax the resident goddess, Juno Regina, to their city. Roman expansion allowed them to come into contact with a greater variety of deities.   

There were several important priestly positions in Rome that we refer to in this episode, so here’s your cheat sheet:

·        Rex sacrorum/ Rex sacrificulus – The rex sacrorum was a patrician and seems to have assumed the priestly duties of the kings in the Republic.

·        Flamen Dialis (Jupiter)

·        Flamen Martialis (Mars)

·        Flamens Quirinalis (Quirinus – eventually associated with Romulus)

·        Pontifex Maximus (chief pontiff or priest)

·        And then there were minor flamens, who served gods such as Vulcan, Ceres and Flora  

·        And, of course, we also talk about the Vestals! Dr G would never leave these ladies out

Getting Personal

On a more personal level, the Romans were also surrounded by the lares, guardian spirits who were seemingly connected to place, such as the hearth, streets, neighbourhoods and boundaries. If you have been to Pompeii or Herculaneum, you may have seen a lararium, or one of the shrines that people could have in their houses for these deities. Their origin is debated, but no one can deny their presence in the Roman world.

Thinks to Look Out For:

·        Augury – and our musings on how the Romans would have responded to kookaburras

·        The importance of nature  

·        The invention of a new dessert: Flamines banana

·        The sacred tree house where only patricians are allowed  

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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We have finally reached the LAST part of our coverage of the Gallic Sack of Rome.

Once again, whilst there are similar elements in our sources, it is astonishing to see the different way the authors weave the details together.

Another Amazing Camillus Montage  

It is not often that Diodorus Sicilus is praised for his accuracy, but this is one of those rare moments. Savour it, everyone! Dr G takes us through the details of his account, in which Camillus is on a military rampage. Forget the Rocky training montage that Livy includes. This is a Rambo montage, with Camillus kicking ass all over Italy. He’s taking down the Volscians, the Aequians, the Etruscans…. where does he find the time?

It is during his escapades that Camillus recovers the ransomed gold, not the rather more dramatic intervention included in Livy’s history. However, Diodorus and Livy are not the only sources to have different explanations for the return of the gold! Some sources claim it was the people of Caere who retrieve the ransom after defeating the Gauls in a battle, and others claim it was one of the Emperor Tiberius’ ancestors who won it back in a battle with a Gallic chieftain.

We will let you guess which version Dr Rad prefers…

There’s No Place like Rome

Unlike Diodorus, Livy is content to keep the focus on affairs inside Rome. Camillus gets a triumph and then keeps his dictatorship because things are not yet as they should be. Camillus needs to make sure that Rome remains on the good side of the gods. Purification and restoration of the temples was the name of the game.

However, most of the remainder of Livy’s account for this year is dedicated to Camillus giving the MOTHER of all speeches. The tribunes of the plebs were stirring up trouble by pushing for Rome to be moved to Veii. Urgh, the tribunes. They were the only people Camillus did not miss whilst he was in exile.  

Why go to the effort of rebuilding the city when there’s a perfectly good abandoned one right over there?

Well, Camillus can tell you exactly why and in a painful level of detail. To cut a long story short:

·        Rome is far too amazeballs to leave

·        It seems incredibly DUMB to have defended it fiercely against the Gauls if they just planned to up sticks

·        Um, the location?! The views?  

·        You can’t just relocate your religion – we JUST patched things up with the gods, guys

·        This is just lazy behaviour and he doesn’t like it. In fact, it is UN-ROMAN

Camillus’ rhetoric was incredibly powerful, but a sign sent straight from the gods helped to seal the deal. The Romans were staying put! Time to get Bob the Builder on the phone.

Whichever historian you prefer, we both end up in roughly similar places by the end of 390 BCE (or thereabouts): the gods have been taken care of, the city has been rebuilt, the gold is back in Roman hands, and Camillus is the most awesome general… well, ever!

And THAT brings the Gallic Sack of Rome to a close.

Things to Look Out For:

·        The famously preserved head that was allegedly discovered on the Capitoline

·        The possible founding of the Capitoline Games for Jupiter Optimus Maximus

·        The building of a temple to Aius Locutius who TRIED to warn them about the Gauls. Schwoops!

·        Matrons! Yes, finally some women briefly grace our podcast once more

·        A mention of the Social War (91-87 BCE) between Rome and its Italian allies over their rights. Some of Camillus’ speech may have been shaped by pro-Roman propaganda that originated during this conflict.

·        Ancient building programs – state-funded, no less

·        Very sweaty historians by the end of this show

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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There wasn’t room to have the social media links in there as well so I’ve prioritised the books for now and our patreon.

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You know that the Partial Historians can’t resist talking about Ancient Rome on film, so we were thrilled to chat to Dr Jeremiah McCall about his book, Swords and Cinema.

Who is our special guest?

Dr Jeremiah McCall (or DMac as his students call him) is a teacher at Cincinnati Country Day School in Ohio with a PhD in Ancient History. 

Along with an interest in Roman military and political systems in the Republic, he has done a lot of work on pedagogy of using video games to learn about history, publishing Gaming the Past: Using Video Games to Teach Secondary History in 2022. 

He divides his research time between historical game studies and Roman history. Dr McCall’s other publications include The Cavalry of the Roman Republic (2002); the Sword of Rome (2012), Clan Fabius: Defenders of Rome (2018) and Rivalries that Destroyed the Roman Republic (2022). 

Manly Men

We will touch on the battle scenes and depiction of the Roman military in all your favourite Roman movies and TV shows.

Things to look out for:

·        The defeat of Spartacus - Spartacus vs. Rome: The Last Battle

·        The battle of Alessia (52 BCE) in HBO’s Rome - Rome Fighting with Gauls HD

·        The battle of Philippi in HBO’s Rome - HBO Rome - Battle of Philippi (Battle only)

·        The opening battle sequence in Gladiator (2000) - Gladiator 2000 Opening Battle

·        And a bit on Centurion (2010) and The Eagle (2011) to finish!

·        The Eagle | Channing Tatum Fends Off A Midnight Sneak Attack

·        The Eagle | Channing Tatum Leads Roman Centurions Into Battle

·        Centurion 2010 Best movie Scene HD

·        Plus some things that get set on fire!

You will need your popcorn for this special episode!

Our music is by Bettina Joy de Guzman. 

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

Support the show

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.