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7. Virgil's Aeneid
01:25:20||Season 1, Ep. 7The Aeneid - often mocked as a cheap Latin knock-off of Homer - is revealed in this episode to be a cleverly composed homage with its own purpose which, for a time, eclipsed Homer in popularity. Aven McMaster joins Alexandra to talk about the creation of the Aeneid, its content, and the crucial context of Virgil's understanding of Augustan Rome, which colours every line he wrote. If you've been hesitant to dive into the Aeneid, this is the perfect introduction you need before cracking open that book!Aven recommends the following translations:Scott McGill and Susannah Wright - available here in the UK and here in the USSarah Ruden - available here in the UK and here in the USShadi Bartsch - available here in the UKRobert Fagles - available here in the UK and here in the USAllen Mandelbaum - available here in the US(the podcast receives a commission from every purchase made via these links, as well as supporting independent bookshops.)Find out more about Aven's own podcast here.A transcript and relevant images for this episode can be found here.Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective
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6. The Thirty Tyrants
01:47:22||Season 1, Ep. 6In today's episode, Alexandra is distracted by modern politics as Roel Konijnendijk talks us through the brutal regime of oligarchs installed in Athens by Sparta, known as the Thirty Tyrants, who murdered citizens in cold blood and looted their wealth. Stick around for the happy ending, as Roel explains how the world's first democracy was successfully reinstated because of the brave men who fought to restore it. Democracy is fragile, but it can be defended, as the Athenians proved.For links to all of the texts Roel mentions in this episode, head to the episode page on our website where you can read every one for free!Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective
4. Gods in Epic Poetry
01:22:45||Season 1, Ep. 4In this episode of Ancient History 101, we're joined by Laura Jenkinson-Brown, the award-winning educator, illustrator and author, to talk about just how central the gods were in the narratives of epic poetry. Would the Trojan War even have happened were it not for the actions of the gods? And how did they drive and mould the narrative of the lives of countless mortals?For a transcript of this episode, plus recommendations for translations and further reading, head to the episode webpage.To learn more about Laura's excellent infographics about the Iliad, Odyssey and more, head to GreekMythComix.To buy a copy of Laura's innovative, interactive book "You Are Odysseus", click here to buy in the UK, click here to buy in the United States, or here to buy elsewhere.To listen to "You Are Odysseus" as the fabulous ebook/podcast, subscribe now here, or wherever you get your podcasts.Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective
3.5. Augustus - An Introduction (Part 2)
58:31||Season 1, Ep. 3.5Dr Mike Beer returns to carry on his conversation with Alexandra about all things Augustus. In this second half of the discussion, we tackle Augustus' private life, his creation of his own image, his later career as First Citizen, and his enduring impact on history.You can find a list of suggested further reading, images, a family tree and a transcript on the episode's official webpage.Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.org or follow our socials.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective.
3. Augustus - An Introduction (Part 1)
01:08:22||Season 1, Ep. 3Before we tackle the emperors of Rome who were mad, bad, and dangerous to know, we need to first get to grips with the man who created the concept of Rome even having emperors: Augustus. The first in a two part discussion, this episode talks about Augustus when he was a young man known as Octavian, his steep climb to power, and his fatal rivalry with Antony and Cleopatra.Our special guest expert this week is Dr Mike Beer, who will explain why Octavian wasn't always the obvious choice for Rome's First Emperor...You can find a list of suggested further reading, images, a family tree and a transcript on the episode's official webpage.Find us online and follow our socials.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective.
2. Xenophon - A Biography
01:30:46||Season 1, Ep. 2Forget Herodotus, forget Thucydides - Xenophon is a historian worth getting to know, and he did so much more than simply write histories... Join Owen Rees and I as we chat about a Greek man who turned his hand at just about anything, and whose biography reads like an adventure novel.Owen Rees is the author of 'The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past' and is the founder of www.BadAncient.com, where ancient historians tackle some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about ancient history. You can find him on Bluesky or read his work on Substack.For further reading and supplementary learning materials, click here.Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.org or follow our socials.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective.
1. "What is 'Classics' Anyway?"
54:48||Season 1, Ep. 1What does Classics mean to you? Cadillacs? Mozart? Dickens novels? or Ancient Greece and Rome? And why does the word CLASSIC seem to be used as a synonym for 'best', 'valuable' or 'timeless'?In this, our first interview episode, your host wrestles with her love-hate relationship with her favourite topic and the way it is taught, and invites Dr Dan Stewart of the University of Leicester to explain why 'Classics' got its name in the first place.What is 'Classics', anyway?Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective