Podcasts about Ancient Rome

Project-based social studies ideas students never forget — from 2026 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year Megan Philbrook, whose students secretly nominated her for the award. Megan Philbrook teaches social studies to grades 5 through 8 in rural New Hampshire, where her students wrote, directed, and filmed their own play on Ancient Rome, podcast about the American Revolution, and research WWII veterans buried fifteen miles from their school. In this conversation she shares how project-based learning and civic engagement make history unforgettable — and the classroom moves that made her students love her enough to nominate her for Teacher of the Year without telling her. In this episode, you'll learn: How to reuse last year's student projects to inspire this year's students A 30-second door-greeting ritual that starts every class with connection The "look through the window" rule for teaching controversial history without taking sides Where to find free state-level resources for America's 250th birthday Why "close your mouth but open your ears" is her best advice for new social studies teachers Full show notes and every resource mentioned: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e952 Share this one with a teacher friend who makes learning magical.

My guest this week is Phillip Barlag, author of "Evil Roman Emperors: The Shocking History of Ancient Rome's Most Wicked Rulers from Caligula to Nero and More." He shares stories about some of the worst rulers in Rome's history and the horrific deeds they committed, including Tarquin, Caligula, Nero, Caracalla and Elagabalus. He is also the creator/host of the podcast The "Greats" of History, available on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-greats-of-history/id1741228862. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mS1MVueNYjtkomqWEtkjG. Podbean: https://phillipbarlag.podbean.com/ and everywhere else great podcasts are heard. And he is available for questions related to his books, his podcast and anything Rome via email here: phillipbarlag@gmail.com and his book can be purchased on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Roman-Emperors-Shocking-Caligula/dp/1633886905 Free shipping and 365-day returns with Quince! Refresh your wardrobe here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.quince.com/notorious⁠

If you're enjoying the content, please like, subscribe, and comment! Rachel's Links:Website: www.wolfwomanrising.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfwomanrisingofficialYouTube: www.youtube.com/@wolfwomanrisingRachel is the author of 'Lupa. She-Wolf of Rome, Mother of Destiny', as well as 'Wolf. Embody your Inner Wolf', 'Pantheon. The Romans' and ‘Flora. Goddess of Flowers'. As well as a writer and historian, she is also a sacred dance teacher, and flower essence coach.Her desire has always been to create a bridge between history and spirituality, mythology and well-being and her work focuses on transmuting ancient mythology and symbology into embodied wisdom, so that the magic of the past becomes a modern tool of healing, empowerment and awakening for all.Rachel is the creatrix of Wolf Woman Rising, an international online wisdom school where she empowers you to embody wisdom, reclaim your wild, untamed Self and create a life lived on purpose._______________________Follow us!@worldxppodcast Instagram - https://bit.ly/3eoBwyr@worldxppodcast Twitter - https://bit.ly/2Oa7BzmSpotify - http://spoti.fi/3sZAUTGYouTube - http://bit.ly/3rxDvUL#AncientRome #RomanHistory #HumanNature

The West might be becoming less ‘religious', but according to many it's becoming a lot more 'spiritual'.In fact, “spiritual but not religious” is described as a “rapidly growing faith group” in America, with as many as 20 per cent of people falling into the category.And yet, there's nothing new about being spiritual but not religious; it's been Christianity's dancing partner – or maybe sparring partner - for thousands of years.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

High performers - athletes, business professionals, artists, and the like - inspire and motivate us. They give us benchmarks to strive for and show us what sort of life we might lead if we were the “greatest of all time” in a given field.But is striving to be the “greatest” actually good for us? Or does it do more harm than good?FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE'CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

For the final episode in our 26 part A-Z of mythical creatures we're slipping into some liminal spaces to talk about Fairies!Starting with the question of what even is "a fairy" and how did that word come to be?Should we think of them as handsome and seductive, like in the Romantasy genre, or as nature spirits that need feeding with human blood, via your sourdough starter?Do we still identify with the pagan idea of fairies shaping human destiny as they fancy, or the post-Reformation concept of the fairy as a form of beautiful ghost seeking to lead us to damnation?For most people today they're icons of cuteness and childish whimsy, but why did the Victorians shrink them down and give them wings?Also, why does nobody explain the rules of Fairyland in any Fairy Tales, and what makes marriage so important in so many tales about these poor, fallen, yet somehow powerful creatures?With examples from Ancient Rome to Medieval chronicles, Witch Trial transcripts to the case of the Cottingley Fairies, join us to explore how 'The Fairy' ultimately reflects the shape of human consciousness era-to-era.So feed your green child her broad beans, don't get off your horse until your fairy dog does, and toss your wishes into the river, as it's a topic befitting the end of this series - massive, but also tiny, and constantly transforming to mirror the strange shape of life in the real world...We also hope you increasingly pleased by our new Bestiary episode art, as drawn by our good friend Tom Peteuil of Creature Castle - check out brand new Fairy merch here and visit the Creature Castle shop for prints and other wonderful things here.Speak to you again on Thursday for this week's Lang Fairy Tale triple bill all before Saturday's Local Legends interview with author and Fairy Whisperer Karen Kay!Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, we take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?REGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOURVisit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lessons from a Lost Republic: What Ancient Rome Can Teach Us About This American Moment by Michelle Berenfeld https://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Lost-Republic-Ancient-American/dp/1966302215 Michelleberenfeld.com A lively pocket history of the Roman Republic's collapse—and its unsettling echoes in our own political moment. Americans are obsessed with Rome. Billionaires and manosphere pundits wax on about its military might, its gladiators, its emperors, its greatness. But we're telling ourselves the wrong story. In this sharp, eye-opening account, classics professor Michelle Berenfeld redirects our gaze. The Roman Empire isn't the lesson—the Roman Republic is. Nearly five centuries of representative government, undone by forces that should sound familiar: wealth and power concentrated in the hands of elites, rampant political violence, endless expansionist wars, and a Senate that normalized emergency measures until it had nothing left to protect. One by one, aspiring strongmen seized what the Senate had surrendered, stretching the limits of their legal power, using the military against their own people, undermining elections, and killing their enemies—until one of them, Augustus, gained total control and became an emperor. Berenfeld's argument is both clarifying and urgent: Rome's slide into autocracy was not inevitable—and neither is ours. Smart, spirited, and packed with revelatory detail, Lessons from a Lost Republic is a wake-up call two thousand years in the making, a reminder that the republic is ours to protect. About the author Michelle Berenfeld is the John A. McCarthy Professor of Classics at Pitzer College, one of the Claremont Colleges. An archaeologist and fellow of the American Academy in Rome, she has done research in Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, and Italy. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic and numerous scholarly publications. She lives in Los Angeles.

What Did Roman Houses Reveal About the People Who Lived Inside Them? | Ancient Architecture & MoralityRoman houses were more than places to live—they were reflections of identity, values, status, and ideas about how to live a good life.In this fascinating conversation, Marden Nicholls explores what ancient Roman homes can teach us about architecture, morality, social values, and the relationship between our surroundings and ourselves. Discover how Roman writers viewed the house as a mirror of character, why design choices mattered, and what ancient ideas about sustainable building and meaningful spaces can teach us today.Perfect for anyone interested in Roman history, ancient architecture, archaeology, classical literature, philosophy, and the everyday lives of people in the Roman world, this episode reveals how the spaces we inhabit shape the way we think, act, and understand ourselves.KEY TOPICS COVEREDWhat Roman houses reveal about identity and valuesAncient Roman architecture and social lifeThe connection between homes and moralityHow Roman authors used houses as reflections of characterArchitecture, environment, and sustainabilityAncient ideas about living wellHow private spaces shaped public identityRoman construction methods and lasting materialsWhat ancient architecture can teach modern societyThe relationship between surroundings and personal improvementTIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction & Roman homes03:00 The meaning of the Roman house08:00 Architecture, identity & social values15:00 Ancient texts and household ideals22:00 How Romans viewed wealth and status30:00 Materials, sustainability & construction36:10 Architecture, environment & modern lessons38:00 The home as a reflection of morality40:00 Public spaces, private spaces & human behaviorIf you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe for more discussions on Ancient Rome, classical literature, archaeology, philosophy, and the lessons the ancient world still offers today.Comment below: Do you think the spaces we live in influence the people we become?

Dr. Garrett Ryan [AKA toldinstone] is back to answer your questions about Ancient Rome such as:What were poor people's funerals like in Ancient Rome?How gross were the public baths in Rome?Why were gladiators and actors both celebrities and second class citizens?Why were they gay and did they jerk off?

⁠⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! ⁠ The romance between Mark Antony and Cleopatra has beguiled us for centuries. What most people don't realize is that when Mark Antony met Cleopatra, he was already married—to someone just as epic. Her name was Fulvia. Cleopatra had glamour and divinity and lots of money. But Fulvia had the gangs. She was a populist firebrand, military leader, and for a while, the undisputed power in Rome: both in the Senate and in the streets. Sponsors and Advertising This podcast is a member of Airwave Media podcast network. Want to advertise on our show? Please direct advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. This episode is sponsored by Taskrabbit. Get $15 off your first task at Taskrabbit.com or the Taskrabbit app using promo code FANGIRL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, you're building a fantasy city: Plunk a castle in the middle, put some houses around it, make sure there are some inns and taverns, maybe a church or temple, slap it on a nice body of water, and call it a day, right? NAH. We can do better than that. In this episode, we explore ways that you can create cities that feel natural, lived-in, and unique. Cities are idiosyncratic creatures. So many factors contribute to the development of a city, whether intentionally planned or chaotically organic: the climate, the geography, natural disasters, wars, disease, social priorities, governmental and administrative needs -- They all mean that every city has its own personality. So how can you use those various factors to make sure that your fantasy cities don't all feel like they've been copy-pasted from one very basic mold? We've got thoughts, and we share some of our favorite resources about how cities come to be. Also: Hugo Award voting is open until August 8th! Learn more, register to vote if you haven't already, get the massive voter packet crammed full of goodies, and submit your ballot on the LA WorldCon website. Resources:  Collections: The Lonely City, Part I: The Ideal City – A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry, by Bret Devereaux Collections: The Lonely City, Part II: Real Cities Have Curves – A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry, by Bret Devereaux Great Courses: Cities of the Ancient World by Stephen L. Tuck Also on Audible Great Courses: London: A Short History of the Greatest City in the Western World by Robert Bucholz Also on Audible Cities that Shaped the Ancient World, John Julius Norwich The Great Cities in History, John Julius Norwich A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, Alberto Angela On the Map, Simon Garfield The Map of Early Modern London Boston garbage map Largest Cities in the World (3700 BCE - 2050 CE)

GET HEIRLOOM SEEDS & NON GMO SURVIVAL FOOD HERE: https://heavensharvest.com/wam USE Code WAM to save 25% plus free shipping! USE Code WAM50 for 50% off on select items like the #10 cans & MRE packs! Pledge here! Just a dollar a month can help keep us alive! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2652072&ty=h&u=2652072 EXCLUSIVE replays of hour plus long live shows are available here at $5 a month or more! BUY GOLD HERE: https://firstnationalbullion.com/schedule-consult/ Avoid CBDCs! GET 10% OFF ON SHILAJIT FROM DR. KAUFMAN WHEN YOU USE CODE WAM10 HERE: https://medauthentica.com/discount/WAM10?redirect=/products/authentica-shilajit%3Fsca_ref=10867124.wrNV3jkYSaMg9 HELP SUPPORT US AS WE DOCUMENT HISTORY HERE: https://gogetfunding.com/help-keep-wam-alive/# Josh Sigurdson reports on the America 250 state fair event on the National Mall in Washington, DC. As we've all seen, the event is not going well. Very few people are in the crowds, the displays look like they were ordered from Temu and the media is having a field day. While the mainstream media takes a victory lap, not everything they're reporting regarding crowd sizes are true. There is context to the situation, however it is still far worse than the Trump administration claims it is. With people getting baptized under an Israeli flag to arrests due to lude behavior at the event, this whole thing is going down like a historical joke. On the 200th anniversary of the United States, crowds were huge and people were proud of their country. On the 250th, (while we don't yet know how big crowds could be on the 4th of July) people are generally uninterested. This is extremely symbolic of the fall of an empire and both the left and right are heavily involved in this demoralization ritual. In this video, we explore the demoralization of the masses, the correlations with Ancient Rome and what people can do about it as we're Shanghaied into a new world order based in technocratic control. Stay tuned for more from WAM! GET YOUR WAV WATCH HERE: https://buy.wavwatch.com/WAM Use Code WAM to save $100 and purchase amazing healing frequency technology! Get Your SUPER-SUPPLIMENTS HERE: https://vni.life/wam Use Code WAM15 & Save 15%! Life changing formulas you can't find anywhere else! Get local, healthy, pasture raised meat delivered to your door here: https://wildpastures.com/promos/save-20-for-life/bonus15?oid=6&affid=321 USE THE LINK & get 20% off for life and $15 off your first box! DITCH YOUR DOCTOR! https://www.livelongerformula.com/wam Get a natural health practitioner and work with Christian Yordanov! Mention WAM and get a FREE masterclass! You will ALSO get a FREE metabolic function assessment! GET YOUR APRICOT SEEDS at the life-saving Richardson Nutritional Center HERE: https://rncstore.com/r?id=bg8qc1 Use code JOSH to save money! PayPal: ancientwonderstelevision@gmail.com FIND OUR CoinTree page here: https://cointr.ee/joshsigurdson PURCHASE MERECHANDISE HERE: https://world-alternative-media.creator-spring.com/ JOIN US on SubscribeStar here: https://www.subscribestar.com/world-alternative-media For subscriber only content! BITCOIN ADDRESS: 18d1WEnYYhBRgZVbeyLr6UfiJhrQygcgNU World Alternative Media 2026

Rome survived for 2,000 years. Edward Watts explores the long history of the Roman state and the lessons it offers for the modern world. From its beginnings as a small Italian city-state to its transformation into a Christian empire centered in Constantinople, Rome maintained a remarkable sense of political continuity across centuries of cultural and religious change. Watts examines how Roman institutions adapted over time and how the Fourth Crusade and capture of Constantinople ultimately destroyed the foundations that sustained the state for generations. Watts highlights the importance of resilient institutions and the dangers of disrupting the systems that preserve political stability and continuity. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 41602]

Rome survived for 2,000 years. Edward Watts explores the long history of the Roman state and the lessons it offers for the modern world. From its beginnings as a small Italian city-state to its transformation into a Christian empire centered in Constantinople, Rome maintained a remarkable sense of political continuity across centuries of cultural and religious change. Watts examines how Roman institutions adapted over time and how the Fourth Crusade and capture of Constantinople ultimately destroyed the foundations that sustained the state for generations. Watts highlights the importance of resilient institutions and the dangers of disrupting the systems that preserve political stability and continuity. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 41602]

Rome survived for 2,000 years. Edward Watts explores the long history of the Roman state and the lessons it offers for the modern world. From its beginnings as a small Italian city-state to its transformation into a Christian empire centered in Constantinople, Rome maintained a remarkable sense of political continuity across centuries of cultural and religious change. Watts examines how Roman institutions adapted over time and how the Fourth Crusade and capture of Constantinople ultimately destroyed the foundations that sustained the state for generations. Watts highlights the importance of resilient institutions and the dangers of disrupting the systems that preserve political stability and continuity. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 41602]

Should Andy Burnham appoint an entirely new Cabinet or resist the temptation for a full reshuffle? Ed Balls and George Osborne discuss whether constant ministerial churn is a hindrance to effective government, and who the new Prime Minister should keep in post to provide stability.They also revisit one of the biggest political "what ifs" of the year. Was Keir Starmer wrong to stop Burnham returning to Westminster earlier? Looking back, could allowing him to fight Gorton and Denton have changed the course of events, or was Starmer's fate already sealed?A listener's memories of school evacuation drills before the Iraq War prompt a wider conversation about how governments prepare the public for crises. From terrorist attacks and pandemics to extreme weather, Ed and George reflect on the challenge of planning for events that may never happen.Elsewhere, they discuss why Classical Civilisation remains out of reach for many pupils, whether today's political infighting has more in common with Ancient Rome than we might like to admit, and reveal the surprisingly practical advice they'd give to an ambitious young Conservative hoping to enter Parliament, including where politicians really go to get suited and booted. We love hearing from you, so please don't forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency and make sure to include a voice note of your question or send a question to our social media handles:

Africa is home to over 1.5 billion people and some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, but it still faces vast challenges.Thousands of missionaries have moved to Africa and made it their life's work to help bring about change.John speaks with one of them.CREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

Ancient Rome is often thought of as an ideal society where toga-clad men debated democracy while eating grapes. But in fact, the Roman Empire and Republic couldn't have existed without slavery. What were these enslaved people's lives like? Pretty awful, actually! Historian Emma Southon joins us to talk about slavery in Ancient Rome: what it was like, why people like to pretend it wasn't so bad, and what did Spartacus have to do with it all? Buy a copy of Emma's new book Not Built In A Day (affiliate link) — Listen to our new podcast NeferTV, where we are discussing the TV show Spartacus: Blood and Sand! — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a copy of Ann's book Rebel of the Regency⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠commonera.com/vulgar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠commonera.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code VULGAR at checkout — Get Vulgar History merch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vulgarhistory.com/store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (best for US shipping) and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vulgarhistory.redbubble.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (better for international shipping) — Vulgar History is an affiliate of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

War is a horror – so how has Christianity, in its classical tradition, approached the human reality of war? Can it ever be justified on spiritual grounds?We looked at these questions in episode 55, ‘Just War', back in 2021 - and given recent events, we thought now was a good time to revisit that episode.

In this episode I get speculative and try to piece together what happened at the Consualia and an infamous event in Rome's early history. Alongside that there's Roman women saving the day, the strange disappearance of Romulus and more. You can find me here. If you can review or recommend that would be great, feel free to use those links (or email me at ancientblogger@hotmail.com) to say hi!

Ancient Romans looked to birds, storms, eggs, and countless other signs for guidance – which divination methods still hold up today? 

Stonehenge is a place that has always mystified scholars, travelers, and storytellers, inspiring legends that it was built by giants, or conjured by Merlin using ancient magic to move the massive stones. And while its true construction remains a mystery, theories persist of lost civilizations and even extraterrestrial involvement. Some even think the site could be a portal to another world.   For a full list of sources, please visit: sosupernaturalpodcast.com/the-unknown-stonehenge   Did you know you can listen to So Supernatural ad-free? Join the Crime Junkie Fan Club! Visit https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/fanclub/ to view the current membership options and policies. So Supernatural is an Audiochuck and Crime House production. Find us on social! Instagram: @sosupernaturalpod Twitter: @_sosupernatural Facebook: /sosupernaturalpod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author of Behind Caesar's Back, Caillan Davenport joins Susana Lei'ataua.

Is the new Iran deal a historic mistake, and is modern America repeating the fatal errors of Ancient Rome? Ben Domenech breaks down current foreign policy shifts with legendary historian Victor Davis Hanson. In this edition of The Big Ben Show, Ben unpacks his major reservations regarding the proposed Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) and what it reveals about American strength. Joined by Victor Davis Hanson, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, they dive deep into the administration's foreign policy strategy, the reality of regional military threats, and whether modern America is tracking the cultural, fiscal, and border-related collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Later in the episode, culinary icon Christopher Kimball joins the show to celebrate America's 250th anniversary through our unique food traditions. Kimball shares budget-friendly cooking strategies to combat inflation, grilling secrets for your summer celebrations, and explores how GLP-1 lifestyle shifts are fundamentally altering American palates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We explore the rich and often overlooked history of gender diversity in Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe, uncovering stories of people who lived beyond traditional gender roles. Through historical texts, laws, and cultural narratives, we reveal how these identities were understood, challenged, and remembered across time.And then we get updates from historian Jean-Paul Benowitz's latest work on civil rights leader W. Miller Barbour, including his new documentary and companion book exploring Barbour's human rights legacy. We discuss upcoming film screenings, recent recognition in major film festivals, and how Barbour's story continues to shape conversations on race, dignity, and social justice today.

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Mysteries Beneath: An Adventurous Quest in Ancient Rome Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2026-06-15-22-34-01-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De zon stond hoog aan de blauwe hemel, haar stralen dansten over de oude stenen van het Romeinse amfitheater.En: The sun stood high in the blue sky, its rays dancing over the old stones of the Romeinse amphitheater.Nl: Het was een plek doordrenkt van geschiedenis.En: It was a place steeped in history.Nl: Jasper keek verwonderd naar de imposante structuur.En: Jasper gazed in awe at the imposing structure.Nl: Hij had altijd al gedroomd om zulke ruïnes te verkennen.En: He had always dreamed of exploring such ruins.Nl: Zijn nieuwsgierigheid dreef hem verder, terwijl Femke en Leonie hem volgden.En: His curiosity drove him further, while Femke and Leonie followed him.Nl: “Kom op, Jasper,” lachte Femke.En: "Come on, Jasper," laughed Femke.Nl: “Het is allemaal een groot avontuur, nietwaar?En: "It's all one big adventure, isn't it?"Nl: ” Ze was altijd te porren voor iets spannends.En: She was always up for something exciting.Nl: Leonie daarentegen, bleef iets achter, haar ogen scanden de verweerde booggangen voor inspiratie.En: Leonie, on the other hand, lagged a bit behind, her eyes scanning the weathered arches for inspiration.Nl: “Ik heb gehoord dat er een verborgen deel is,” fluisterde Jasper, terwijl ze door de mensenmassa liepen.En: "I heard there's a hidden part," Jasper whispered as they walked through the crowd.Nl: Hij had gelezen over een afgesloten sectie in het amfitheater, waar nog nooit ontdekte artefacten konden liggen.En: He had read about a closed-off section in the amphitheater, where undiscovered artifacts might lie.Nl: “Maar het is verboden terrein, toch?En: "But it's forbidden territory, right?"Nl: ” vroeg Leonie bezorgd.En: asked Leonie worriedly.Nl: “Ach, regels zijn er om gebroken te worden,” zei Femke, met een knipoog.En: "Oh, rules are meant to be broken," said Femke, with a wink.Nl: Jasper grijnsde, zijn nieuwsgierigheid won het van zijn voorzichtigheid.En: Jasper grinned, his curiosity overcoming his caution.Nl: Samen kropen ze langs de afgezet lijnen, het avontuur tegemoet.En: Together, they crept past the barrier lines, heading towards the adventure.Nl: Binnen mum van tijd stonden ze in een stiller deel van het amfitheater, weg van de drukte.En: In no time, they found themselves in a quieter part of the amphitheater, away from the hustle and bustle.Nl: Het voelde alsof ze waren teruggestapt in de tijd.En: It felt as though they had stepped back in time.Nl: Oude pilaren rezen als wachters uit de grond.En: Old pillars rose like guardians from the ground.Nl: “Kijk daar!En: "Look there!"Nl: ” riep Jasper plotseling, zijn ogen gericht op iets glinsterends tussen de stenen.En: Jasper suddenly shouted, his eyes fixed on something glimmering between the stones.Nl: Voordat ze het goed en wel konden onderzoeken, klonken er snelle voetstappen.En: Before they could properly investigate, quick footsteps sounded.Nl: Een site official verscheen, woedend en waarschuwend.En: A site official appeared, angry and warning.Nl: "Jullie kunnen hier niet zijn!En: "You can't be here!"Nl: " riep hij boos, maar zijn stem verzachtte toen hij zag wat Jasper had ontdekt.En: he shouted angrily, but his voice softened when he saw what Jasper had discovered.Nl: Het leek een klein standbeeld van een gladiator te zijn, verstopt onder lagen stof en puin.En: It seemed to be a small statue of a gladiator, hidden under layers of dust and rubble.Nl: De official bestudeerde het met een groeiende belangstelling.En: The official studied it with growing interest.Nl: “Dit is bijzonder,” zei hij, nog steeds serieus, maar met een begripvolle glinstering in zijn ogen.En: "This is special," he said, still serious but with an understanding glimmer in his eyes.Nl: “Ik deel jullie liefde voor geschiedenis.En: "I share your love for history."Nl: ”De official bood Jasper en zijn vrienden kort de tijd om te kijken, onder toezicht weliswaar.En: The official offered Jasper and his friends a brief moment to look, under supervision, of course.Nl: Terwijl ze het standbeeld bekeken, voelde Jasper een golf van verwondering en respect.En: As they viewed the statue, Jasper felt a wave of wonder and respect.Nl: Hij besefte dat de geschiedenis voorzichtig en geduldig geëerd moest worden.En: He realized that history should be honored carefully and patiently.Nl: Toen ze onder begeleiding het terrein verlieten, voelde Jasper zich tevreden.En: As they left the site under supervision, Jasper felt satisfied.Nl: Er was veel meer te ontdekken, maar dat zou hij op een andere dag doen, op een geduldiger manier.En: There was much more to discover, but that would be for another day, in a more patient manner.Nl: Hij keek naar Femke en Leonie en wist dat het avontuur pas net begonnen was, maar dat het ontdekken van geschiedenis niet altijd betekent dat je regels moet breken.En: He looked at Femke and Leonie and knew that the adventure had only just begun, but that discovering history doesn't always mean you have to break the rules. Vocabulary Words:steeped: doordrenktimposing: imposantegazed: keekawe: verwonderdcuriosity: nieuwsgierigheidlagged: bleefweathered: verweerdeinspiration: inspiratiewhispered: fluisterdeundiscovered: nog nooit ontdekteartifacts: artefactenterritory: terreinworryingly: bezorgdbarrier: afgezethustle and bustle: drukteguardians: wachtersglimmering: glinsterendsproperly: goed en welsite official: site officiallayers: lagenrubble: puingrowing interest: groeiende belangstellingsupervision: toezichtwonder: verwonderingrespect: respecthonored: geëerdsatisfied: tevredenpatient: geduldigadventure: avontuurrules: regels

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Unlocking Rome's Secrets: A Student's Unexpected Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2026-06-15-22-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: Il sole di tarda primavera illuminava il Foro Romano.En: The late spring sun illuminated the Foro Romano.It: Le antiche colonne proiettavano ombre lunghe sui ciottoli caldi.En: The ancient columns cast long shadows over the warm cobblestones.It: Luca si sedette su un gradino di marmo con il suo libro di storia in mano.En: Luca sat on a marble step with his history book in hand.It: Era un ragazzo diligente, appassionato di storia, e voleva superare l'esame per partecipare a un programma archeologico estivo.En: He was a diligent boy, passionate about history, and he wanted to pass the exam to participate in a summer archaeological program.It: Ma il luogo era pieno di turisti.En: But the place was full of tourists.It: Le guide turistiche parlavano ad alta voce, descrivendo la grandezza dell'antica Roma.En: The tour guides spoke loudly, describing the grandeur of ancient Rome.It: Luca faceva fatica a concentrarsi.En: Luca struggled to concentrate.It: “Forse devo trovare un posto più tranquillo,” pensò.En: “Maybe I need to find a quieter place,” he thought.It: Ma l'atmosfera era irresistibile.En: But the atmosphere was irresistible.It: Sentiva che studiare lì, dove la storia aveva vissuto, gli avrebbe dato un vantaggio.En: He felt that studying there, where history had lived, would give him an advantage.It: Luca provò a leggere, ma i rumori erano molti.En: Luca tried to read, but there were many noises.It: Allora chiuse gli occhi e ascoltò.En: So he closed his eyes and listened.It: All'improvviso, un'idea gli venne in mente.En: Suddenly, an idea came to him.It: Pensò a come il Senato romano influenzava la politica moderna.En: He thought about how the Roman Senato influenced modern politics.It: La connessione era chiara.En: The connection was clear.It: Roma, con le sue repubbliche e imperi, aveva lasciato un segno indelebile.En: Rome, with its republics and empires, had left an indelible mark.It: Con un sorriso soddisfatto, Luca si rialzò.En: With a satisfied smile, Luca stood up.It: Era pieno di fiducia.En: He was full of confidence.It: Aveva capito qualcosa di profondo.En: He had understood something profound.It: Decise allora di parlare con i suoi amici, Giovanni e Sofia.En: He decided then to talk to his friends, Giovanni and Sofia.It: Loro avrebbero voluto sapere di più.En: They would want to know more.It: “Perché non facciamo un gruppo di studio?” propose a loro più tardi.En: “Why don't we form a study group?” he proposed to them later.It: Giovanni, sempre entusiasta, accettò subito.En: Giovanni, always enthusiastic, agreed immediately.It: “Sì, sarebbe grandioso!” esclamò.En: “Yes, that would be great!” he exclaimed.It: Anche Sofia, che amava le discussioni, era d'accordo.En: Sofia, who loved discussions, agreed as well.It: “Insieme possiamo imparare di più,” disse.En: “Together we can learn more,” she said.It: Luca si sentì felice.En: Luca felt happy.It: Aveva trovato non solo la chiarezza per il suo esame, ma anche una nuova voglia di condividere.En: He had found not only clarity for his exam but also a new desire to share.It: Capì che la storia vista di persona aveva un valore speciale.En: He understood that history seen in person had a special value.It: Quel giorno al Foro, sotto il sole di primavera, Luca non solo si preparò per un esame.En: That day at the Foro, under the spring sun, Luca not only prepared for an exam.It: Scoprì la passione per la conoscenza condivisa.En: He discovered a passion for shared knowledge.It: La settimana seguente, il gruppo di studio si riunì al Parco degli Acquedotti, un altro angolo storico di Roma.En: The following week, the study group met at the Parco degli Acquedotti, another historic corner of Rome.It: Luca era pronto, armato di nuove idee e un amore rinnovato per la storia.En: Luca was ready, armed with new ideas and a renewed love for history.It: E così, il suo viaggio nella conoscenza continuava.En: And so, his journey into knowledge continued. Vocabulary Words:late: tardospring: primaverailluminated: illuminavathe cobblestones: i ciottolidiligent: diligentepassionate: appassionatoto participate: partecipareexam: esamesummer: estivotourists: turistitour guides: guide turistichegrandeur: grandezzaquieter: più tranquilloirresistible: irresistibileadvantage: vantaggiothe noises: i rumorito concentrate: concentrarsiclear: chiaraindelible: indelebilesatisfied: soddisfattoconfidence: fiduciadeep: profondoto propose: proporreenthusiastic: entusiastadiscussions: discussioniclarity: chiarezzaspecial: specialeprepared: preparòshared knowledge: conoscenza condivisahistoric corner: angolo storico

Despite all their recent family scandals, Beatrice and Eugenie attended a high profile royal wedding last week. And Prince William made sure the press could see his friendly feelings toward them both.So is it right that these two young royals should - or could - be back into the fold, and what value could they bring to a rather under-staffed royal family? Or should they be made to stand outside the inner circle as a consequence of their own alleged mistakes, and the sins of their parents?Phil is then joined by Emma Southon, an expert on Ancient Rome who spoke on the podcast two year ago about Roman women. Now she has turned her attention to Rome's millions of slaves and - in this very entertaining and enlightening conversation - she has a LOT to say about their lives and how historians have tended to romanticise them in the past. Her new book SERVUS can be bought here - in our very own bookshop!...https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/servus-the-moving-enthralling-true-story-of-slavery-in-the-roman-empire-by-acclaimed-ancient-historian-emma-southon-emma-southon/9691558e7e5e9245?ean=9781399741255&next=t&aid=12054Also, Information and extracts from Phil's own new book here...https://sites.google.com/view/1945thereckoning/homeYou can order his book on Amazon UK and Amazon Australia, India and NZ - and it is available all around the world as an e-book and an audio book...https://www.amazon.co.uk/1945-Reckoning-Empire-Struggle-World/dp/139971449X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#***We now have a Thank You button (next to the 'three dots') for small donations that help support our work***Looking for the perfect gift for a special scandalous someone - or someone you'd like to get scandalous with? We're here to help...https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScandalMongers*** If you enjoy our work please consider clicking the YouTube subscribe button, even if you listen to us on an audio app. It will help our brand to grow and our content to reach new ears.THE SCANDAL MONGERS PODCAST is also available to watch on Youtube...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0YHtSsmAgIPlease follow the Podcast and Phil below...The Scandal Mongers...https://x.com/mongerspodcastPhil Craig...https://x.com/philmcraigYou can get in touch with the show via...team@podcastworld.org(place 'Scandal Mongers' in the heading)Show Produced By The Team at Podcast World Soho, London W1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uma das figuras mais marcantes da história romana possui uma origem bem diferente do que as pessoas pensam! Fora que morrer lutando no Coliseu era bem mais raro do que os filmes nos ensinaram. Separe trinta minutos do seu dia e aprenda com o professor Vítor Soares (@profvitorsoares) sobre a história dos Gladiadores. -Se você quiser ter acesso a episódios exclusivos e quiser ajudar o História em Meia Hora a continuar de pé, clique no link: www.apoia.se/historiaemmeiahoraConheça o meu canal!https://www.youtube.com/@profvitorsoaresConheça meu outro canal: História e Cinema!https://www.youtube.com/@canalhistoriaecinemaViaje comigo, com o Vogalizando a História e com o Operação Barbarussa pra Grécia e Roma!https://partiu.vip/historiaecinema2026Ouça "Reinaldo Jaqueline", meu podcast de humor sobre cinema e TV:https://open.spotify.com/show/2MsTGRXkgN5k0gBBRDV4okAssista meu outro podcast, o História pros brother!https://open.spotify.com/show/04a8C8gXTLj68lmZiQD8vmCompre o livro "História em Meia Hora - Grandes Civilizações"!https://a.co/d/47ogz6QCompre meu primeiro livro-jogo de história do Brasil "O Porão":https://amzn.to/4a4HCO8Compre a camisa do História em Meia Hora: https://www.blablalogia.com/blablalojinha/akiralampiaoh30PIX e contato: historiaemmeiahora@gmail.comApresentação: Prof. Vítor Soares.Roteiro: Prof. Vítor Soares e Prof. Victor Alexandre (@profvictoralexandre)REFERÊNCIAS USADAS:- HOPKINS, Keith; BEARD, Mary. O Coliseu. Tradução de Clóvis Marques. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 2011.- WIEDEMANN, Thomas. Emperors and Gladiators. London: Routledge, 1992.- KYLE, Donald G. Spectacles of Death in Ancient Rome. London: Routledge, 1998.- GOLDSWORTHY, Adrian. César: A Vida de um Coloso. Tradução de Clóvis Marques. Rio de Janeiro: Record, 2007.- BEARD, Mary. SPQR: Uma História de Roma Antiga. Tradução de Rogério Bettoni. São Paulo: Crítica, 2017.- FUTRELL, Alison. Blood in the Arena: The Spectacle of Roman Power. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997.- JUNKELMANN, Marcus. Das Spiel mit dem Tod: So kämpften Roms Gladiatoren. Mainz: Von Zabern, 2000.

Dr. Emma Southon is the acclaimed author of A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which we covered in a recent episode. This week, we're discussing her new book (out June 30): Not Built In A Day - a groundbreaking history of Ancient Rome that explores how the empire was built, fueled, and shaped by its enslaved people. With humor, wit, and expertise, Emma Southon invites us into the absurdity of Roman life and completely upends our idea of the Roman empire. https://www.emmasouthon.com/ 

Guest: Frederic Auth, Doctoral Researcher at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt

In part 2 of our Roman Lore mini series we're catapulting in time from Ancient Rome into the present day! 

Rome's decline sounds uncomfortably familiar as Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian compare the empire's political chaos, devalued currency, and hunger for centralized power to warning signs in America today. The guys discuss why Christianity has always threatened governments that want ultimate control, since believers answer to God before the state. Al connects Diocletian's leadership reforms to the biblical wisdom Jethro gave Moses, and they wrestle with the difficult duty to pray for leaders even when Christians strongly disagree with them. Need a refresher on Ancient Christianity? Check out the previous episode on this topic at https://youtu.be/vP3u0pQP74c?si=cnpxf7EFOI2nMmnQ Today's conversation is about Lesson 8 of Ancient Christianity taught by visiting Hillsdale Professor of History Kenneth Calvert. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about Ancient Christianity: Christ entered the world during the reign of Caesar Augustus. The tensions between Christianity and the Roman Empire shaped the daily practice of the Christian faith and led many Romans to distrust and persecute the early Christians. But Christianity also benefitted from the Roman world. And when Rome collapsed in the West, Christianity provided the hope for preserving civilization. In this free, eleven-lecture course, Professor Kenneth Calvert will explore: How the Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures all contributed to preparing the world to hear the Gospel. Why many Romans distrusted and persecuted the early Christians. The inspiring stories of Christ, His apostles, and faithful ones throughout the first four centuries of Christianity. The arguments of key early Christian apologists—Ignatius, Irenaeus, Justin, Athanasius, and more—who defended and defined the Christian faith amidst the animosity of the Roman world. The conversion of Constantine and how he brought stability to Rome, and how the rivalry between his sons almost returned Rome to paganism. How Augustine's writings helped preserve the message of Christianity during the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. You will discover the uncertainties, trials, and triumphs of the earliest Christians as they confronted controversies within the faith and persecutions from outside it. Join us today to discover the improbable and miraculous story of Christianity. Sign up at ⁠http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters 00:00 Al's Awkward Haircut Dilemma 05:30 Old-School Barbers & “Bughead” Trauma 11:04 Rome's Money Problems Sound Familiar 16:01 Why Rome Saw Christianity as a Threat 19:08 Freedom Without God Starts to Devour Itself 24:28 The Wisdom of Shared Power 30:03 Galerius Brings Peace, Heresy Follows 36:18 Wrapping Your Brain Around the Trinity 40:16 The Church's Role in the Secular World — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with bestselling author and creative legend Steven Pressfield in Santa Monica for a wide-ranging conversation centered on Pressfield's new historical fiction novel, The Arcadian. The two explore the novel's ancient mercenary protagonist Telamon, the philosophy of resistance, the role of vulnerability in transformation, and what it means to keep doing the work — even after losing everything in a wildfire. Episode Highlights: 9:55 — The Magical Horse and the Hope of ReleasePressfield unpacks the inciting incident of The Arcadian — Telamon spotting a horse he recognizes from the year 70 AD bearing the brand of the 10th Roman Legion. The horse, appearing 1,400 years later, becomes a symbol of potential redemption and drives the entire story forward. 10:35 — Westerns, Vulnerable Characters, and Human TransformationPressfield reveals that The Arcadian is structurally a Western — like Unforgiven or Shane — and explains why the genre's conventions (a man of violence, a lawless landscape, a vulnerable character) are the perfect vehicle for stories about overcoming emotional isolation and finding humanity. 28:38 — Resistance, the LA Fires, and the Work That Saves You Pressfield opens up about losing his home in the 2025 LA wildfires, including a 40-year-old handwritten copy of the Empedocles quote. He reflects on how devotion to the work — and an acorn from Thermopylae returned by a Special Forces friend — helped hold him together. Steven Pressfield is one of the most influential American authors of the past three decades. Best known for The War of Art, Gates of Fire, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, Pressfield has built a body of work that spans historical fiction, nonfiction on creativity, and screenwriting. A former Marine and advertising copywriter, he spent years living in a Chevy van before finally breaking through as a writer. His concept of "Resistance" — the internal force that blocks creative work — has become a touchstone for artists, entrepreneurs, and warriors worldwide. His newest novel, The Arcadian, was released May 26, 2025. He publishes a weekly blog, Writing Wednesdays, at StevenPressfield.com. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's pledge drive edition of A Public Affair, host Ali Muldrow is in conversation with scholar Tara Mulder about her new book, A Womb of One’s Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome. Mulder tells the story of birth from pre-conception to post-partum based around women's stories of trying to get pregnant, of being pregnant, of terminating pregnancies, and beyond. Her book is an alternative history of Rome–which is typically centered around war, death, and sex–through childbirth. Mulder combed through primary texts for pieces of birthing stories and investigated funerary inscriptions, medical tools, and magical amulets to form a composite story of birth in ancient Rome. She found that abortion isn't a modern phenomena but a part of the reproductive experience common in the ancient world. Yet it was during this period that the narrative that women are wicked or vain for having an abortion emerged, and the same language that is deployed today. Prior to this point, pregnancy was seen as healthful and the domain of women, and afterward pregnancy was medicalized under the purview of men.  Though at the population level, birth has gotten better since ancient times, it would be wrong to attribute that progress to tools. Instead, improvements in medical care non-specific to childbirth have revolutionized healthcare broadly, from germ theory to the regular use of antiseptics. And still, Milwaukee has one of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in the world. They also talk about the role of capitalism and private equity in determining how hospitals treat pregnancies and the safety of homebirths and midwifery. Note: This pledge drive interview was edited to remove parts of the show dedicated to station fundraising. We thank our listeners for their generous support. Tara Mulder is Assistant Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies with affiliation in Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As the daughter of a homebirth midwife, she has assisted in more than two dozen births. Featured image of the cover of Tara Mulder's book, A Womb of One’s Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post The Story of the Roman Empire through Childbirth appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

In 73 BC, a gladiator escaped slavery and launched a rebellion that shook the Roman Republic to its core. His name was Spartacus, and his uprising became one of the greatest threats Rome had ever faced from within.Tristan Hughes is joined by Ben Kane to explore the dramatic story of Spartacus and his slave revolt that swept across Italy. Together, they cover the breakout at Capua to the battles against Roman armies and discover how Spartacus transformed a small band of fugitives into a force capable of humiliating Rome. Was he fighting for freedom, revenge, or something more?MOREThe Roman CenturionListen on AppleListen on Spotify How to Survive in Ancient RomeListen on AppleListen on Spotify The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the penultimate episode of our series on Giovanni Battista Piranesi, we discussed his Ichnographia Campii Martii, one of his stranged and most inventive projects, a vast reconstruction of Ancient Rome, which blends together a little bit of archaeology with a massive injection of fantasy, plastering much of the open countryside around the city with endless, fractal Beaux Arts geometries. At around 30 minutes George can't remember the name of a large multi-vaulted commercial/light industrial antique building, it is in fact the Porticus Aemilia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porticus_Aemilia Follow along with the images by watching this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zqTH3-GPyzQ Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts. Mixing by Lewis Todd. Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show. Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us! Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook We're on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Today we're delving back to an early episode of After Dark, where Anthony and Maddy explore the goriest murders of Ancient Rome.From flesh-eating fish and humiliating deaths inside sacks, to a deadly re-enactment of the Icarus myth. For a culture that is seen as an emblem of civilisation (whatever that means), the Romans expended a lot of creative energy on inventing new ways to kill people. And our guest today knows them all!Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling are joined by the one and only Emma Southon author of A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Her new book is A History of Rome in 21 Women.Mixed by Tom Delargy. Producer is Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early nineteenth century, engineers discovered that steam power and iron rails could be combined to move people and goods faster than any horse or ox could. Within a few decades, railways had spread across every continent. Cities were reorganised around stations, clocks were synchronised, leisure and luxury were redefined, and entire economies began to run according to railway timetables. This was the Golden Age of the railways — a period when steam and steel transformed landscapes and fundamentally altered the way the world worked.  But how did a strange experimental machine become the backbone of modern life? How did railways reshape everything from holidays, to warfare, to time itself? And why, long after the steam age ended, does so much of modern life still run on railway logic? This is a Short History Of the Golden Age of Railways. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Christian Wolmar, a writer and broadcaster specialising in transport, and author of several books on the history of the railways. Written by Sean Coleman | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Dorry Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw Unlock the next two episodes of Short History Of… right now by subscribing to Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network, including Real Survival Stories and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed, or head to www.noiser.com/subscriptions to get started. ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Willie Jackerson Experiment marches straight into the heart of Ancient Rome this week as we uncover the rise, power, betrayal, and legacy of the legendary conqueror Julius Caesar. From the brutal Gallic Wars to the crossing of the Rubicon, we explore the moments that transformed one man into one of the most feared and respected leaders in world history.This episode features an original Julius Caesar inspired metal track created by Willie Jackerson through Suno, bringing the chaos and glory of Rome to life with crushing riffs and epic atmosphere. We also unleash the powerful Sabaton track “Crossing the Rubicon” as we dive into the moment Caesar changed history forever and ignited a civil war that reshaped the Roman world.Was Caesar a hero, a tyrant, or the architect of the Roman Empire itself? Join us as history, metal, leadership, and human nature collide in another unforgettable journey through The Willie Jackerson Experiment.“Alea iacta est” — The die is cast. Links posted below for source materialhttps://youtu.be/Yey5MtACi3g?si=fdJsCe784xkWYwyqhttps://youtu.be/oEtvIFNLfVE?si=KaPOJTai5AL38bCthttps://youtu.be/Z1NimVSJ8XI?si=qBZ7uS6xMXN_9oNDhttps://youtu.be/wgPymD-NBQU?si=-i3gaLGQx6TwCyhYhttps://youtube.com/shorts/_TbygtuEcII?si=D7C6wwbDXdFQa57g

The first and only successful uprising of enslaved people to establish a nation-state, the Haitian Revolution began in the French colony of Saint-Domingue in 1791. Inspired, in part, by the ideals of liberty and equality of the French Revolution, what began as scattered uprisings among the plantations quickly grew into a full-scale insurrection. But how did the Haitian Revolution begin? Who were the brave men and women who risked everything for freedom? And why has the world never stopped punishing Haiti for daring to claim its liberty? This is a Short History Of the Haitian Revolution. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Marlene Daut, Professor of French and African Diaspora Studies at Yale University, and author of The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe. Written by Nicola Rayner | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by The Soundhouse Studios | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact Check: Sean Coleman Unlock the next two episodes of Short History Of… right now by subscribing to Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network, including Real Survival Stories and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed, or head to www.noiser.com/subscriptions to get started. ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the well-trod history of the Roman Empire, a pivotal moment has long gone unnoticed: It was in ancient Rome that medical men first set their sights on childbirth, the traditional domain of female midwives.Taking us to the dawn of Western obstetrics, A Womb of One's Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome (U California Press, 2026) by Dr. Tara Mulder offers a feminist account of how, against a long tradition of midwifery, male doctors began claiming authority in reproductive matters, with an emphasis on theoretical rather than practical knowledge. Their intrusion paved the way for the later criminalization of midwives and the cloaking of childbirth in secrecy and shame.Yet communities of Roman women continued to help each other through the journey from preconception to postpartum, guided by their own experience and the expertise of midwives. Tara Mulder recovers stories of ancient women living and resisting as they sought autonomy over their bodies and their health. Recounting their experiences in vivid, intimate detail, she reveals how old our modern conflicts about birth truly are. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In the well-trod history of the Roman Empire, a pivotal moment has long gone unnoticed: It was in ancient Rome that medical men first set their sights on childbirth, the traditional domain of female midwives.Taking us to the dawn of Western obstetrics, A Womb of One's Own: Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome (U California Press, 2026) by Dr. Tara Mulder offers a feminist account of how, against a long tradition of midwifery, male doctors began claiming authority in reproductive matters, with an emphasis on theoretical rather than practical knowledge. Their intrusion paved the way for the later criminalization of midwives and the cloaking of childbirth in secrecy and shame.Yet communities of Roman women continued to help each other through the journey from preconception to postpartum, guided by their own experience and the expertise of midwives. Tara Mulder recovers stories of ancient women living and resisting as they sought autonomy over their bodies and their health. Recounting their experiences in vivid, intimate detail, she reveals how old our modern conflicts about birth truly are. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

In the early years of the twentieth century, long before James Bond stepped onto the page, one man was at work as a new kind of spy. He crossed borders as easily as he changed names, slipped between governments and criminal networks, and dealt in secrets that could mobilise armies and shake empires. To some, he was a genius. To others, a liability waiting to be exposed. That man's name, or so we're told, was Sidney Reilly. He is often described as the real James Bond – the man whose nerve, charm, and audacity helped shape the modern image of the spy. But was Sidney Reilly truly the world's first modern super-spy? How much of his legend was built on real intelligence work, and how much on stories he told about himself? And in the end, did Reilly master the world of espionage… or did it finally turn his own methods against him? This is a Short History Of the Real James Bond. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Andrew Cook, author of Ace of Spies: The True Story of Sidney Reilly. Written by Sean Coleman | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders and George Tapp | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw Unlock the next two episodes of Short History Of… right now by subscribing to Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network, including Real Survival Stories and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed, or head to www.noiser.com/subscriptions to get started. ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The story of Franco's rise to power and the painful, repressive regime he oversaw is fundamentally interlinked with that of the Spanish Civil War. A brutal three-year conflict that laid bare the ideological divisions of interwar Europe, it drew support from fascist governments across the continent. But it also inspired socialists from around the world to fight for the democratic, republican government, and to oppose the rising tide of fascism wherever and however they could.    What caused Spain's military to turn against the country's civilian government in 1936? Why did a national civil war attract such international attention? And what ramifications does the conflict still have in modern Spain? This is a Short History Of the Spanish Civil War. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Peter Anderson, Professor of Twentieth-Century Spanish History at the University of Leeds. Written by Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact Check: Sean Coleman Unlock the next two episodes of Short History Of… right now by subscribing to Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network, including Real Survival Stories and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed, or head to www.noiser.com/subscriptions to get started. ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Saudi Arabia will withdraw its multi-billion dollar backing of LIV Golf at the end of the season, plunging the future of the series into further doubt. LIV was formed as a breakaway from the longstanding PGA tour, offering large sums to lure away some of golf's top players. The move was always seen as controversial - human rights groups accused Saudi Arabia of using sports sponsorship to distract from its poor human rights record. LIV says it hopes to attract new sponsors, though it's not clear who might be able to match the billions which Saudi Arabia's oil wealth had made available. Also: Relations between the US and Germany are tested over the war in Iran as President Trump and Chancellor Merz criticise one another; pro-Palestinian activists say at least 22 boats from a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza have been intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near the Greek island of Crete; China introduces new restrictions on the use of drones, which include a near- total ban on flying them in Beijing; and a DNA study offers new clues on the fall of Ancient Rome. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Sir Francis Drake is most famous for his role in defeating the Armada of 1588 and saving England from a Spanish invasion. By that point in his life, he was already a wealthy and famous seafarer: the first Englishman to sail around the world, knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in recognition of this astounding feat. But though he is remembered in England as a naval hero, Drake spent most of his maritime career as a pirate, feared by the Spanish whose colonies and ships he terrorised. To them, he was ‘El Draque' – the dragon – with a bounty placed on his head by King Philip II of Spain himself.   So who was the real Francis Drake – avaricious pirate, or patriotic naval commander? How did a boy from an agricultural Devonshire family discover fame and fortune on the high seas? And to what extent is his heroic reputation overshadowed by his darker deeds? This is a Short History Of Sir Francis Drake. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Hannah Cusworth, curator of the Atlantic at Royal Museums Greenwich. Written by Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact Check: Sean Coleman Unlock the next two episodes of Short History Of… right now by subscribing to Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network, including Real Survival Stories and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed, or head to www.noiser.com/subscriptions to get started. ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The American singer-songwriter and musician Bob Dylan is one of the most important recording artists on the planet. A cultural icon, his work has had a profound influence on popular music since the 1960s. First gaining fame as a folk singer with songs that addressed the subjects of the Cold War and the civil rights movement, he later revolutionised rock music. But Dylan is an artist of contradictions. A magnetic performer who remains fiercely private. One of the wealthiest musicians of his generation who dresses like a vagabond. A womaniser who has penned some of the world's most tender love songs. But how did a suburban boy from Minnesota become one of the world's most famous artists? Why does he inspire such fierce devotion and myth-making? And after six decades of songwriting and performing, how can we begin to characterise his legacy? This is a Short History Of Bob Dylan. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Michael Gray, the pioneer of Dylan Studies, and the author of the first critical study of Bob Dylan's work, Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan. Written by Nicola Rayner | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact Check: Sean Coleman Unlock the next two episodes of Short History Of… right now by subscribing to Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network, including Real Survival Stories and Sherlock Holmes Short Stories. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed, or head to www.noiser.com/subscriptions to get started. ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Petkas is a historian, writer, and podcaster. What can one of history's greatest empires, and its most notorious leaders, teach us about the modern world? We all know the story of Julius Caesar and his famous assassination… but what really happened? And what lessons from Ancient Rome still shape our lives today? Expect to learn why learning about roman history useful or instructive at helping us in the modern world, what Caesar's life teach us about being a good person, What actually happened the night Caesar crossed the Rubicon, how Cleopatra managed to secretly meet Caesar inside the palace at Alexandria, what Caesar's his last night like, the convincing argument that convinced Brutus that killing Caesar was necessary and much more… Timestamps: (0:00) Why Roman History Still Matters Today(5:18) Julius Caesar: Genius or Tyrant?(9:58) The Origins of Caesar's Ruthless Ambition(25:48) The Pirate Story That Defined Caesar(29:25) How Caesar Won the the People of Rome(34:02) The Strategy Behind Caesar's Loyal Following(40:58) Caesar & Pompey: Allies or Enemies?(47:32) When Did Caesar and Pompey Become Enemies?(55:41) Was Crossing the Rubicon a Declaration of War Against the Senate?(01:03:07) How Pompey's Murder Led Caesar to Egypt(01:16:13) Cleopatra's Winning Tactics Over Caesar(01:21:14) Were Caesar and Cleopatra Lovers?(01:25:18) Inside the Final Day of Caesar's Life(01:38:25) The Bad Omens That Caesar Ignored(01:49:50) The Decisions That Sealed Caesar's Fate(01:58:23) Where to Find Alex Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠⁠ Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT's most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom Get the brand new Whoop 5.0 and your first month for free at https://join.whoop.com/modernwisdom Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠⁠ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠⁠ Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins⁠⁠ #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson⁠⁠ #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠⁠lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman⁠⁠ - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠⁠ - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if reality isn't what you think it is? In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro peel back the limits of human perception—starting with a real scientific phenomenon that suggests some people can see millions more colors than the rest of us. Meet the mysterious test subject known as CDA-29, whose vision may reveal that what we call “reality” is just a simplified version our brains can handle. If that's true… what are we not seeing? Then, the journey shifts from science to something far more unsettling. Deep within the historic forts of San Juan, Puerto Rico, a sentry once vanished without a trace—sparking centuries of chilling theories involving vampires, shadowy creatures, and something lurking just beyond the edge of perception. Fast forward to the 1970s, and reports of blood-drained livestock begin surfacing across the island… leading to one of the most infamous cryptids in modern history: the Chupacabra. Is it folklore? Misidentified animals? A military experiment gone wrong? Or something far stranger? Plus, in this episode's “Thing in the Middle,” discover some of the strangest taxes ever imposed—from urine in Ancient Rome to window taxes that literally darkened cities. This episode blends science, mystery, and the unsettling possibility that the world around you is far more complex—and far more terrifying—than you realize. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices