Emperors Of Rome

The Romans had some strange ideas when it came to medical practice, but you have to give them some leeway, and a lot has changed in 2000 years. Some of the thoughts and techniques showed forward thinking, but you might have to ignore the cabbages. Guest: Dr Leanne McNamara (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Rhiannon Evans, Caillan Davenport and Matt Smith each share three Roman topics of interest for three minutes! You will hear: - Scaurus and the marble columns - The 206 fragments of the Portland Vase - The paranoia of Emperor Claudius - The Roman perception of Ireland (featuring exploding sheep) - The vanity of the Alexander the Sophist - An early example of chemical warfare - Living it rough with Seneca - Goldflake and Innocence - The nazi fascination with Tacitus' Germania Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University) Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

For the fifth time, listeners provide questions and Rhiannon and Matt answer! In this episode: - How the orders of Roman society worked - The materials Romans used in clothing - How Romans marked years by Consul - Augustus adopting his wife, Livia - The truth about the Cantabrian warrior Cococotta - How to actually pronounce ‘Pompey’ - Is the Roman salute accurate? - How much of Latin is Greek? - How did the Romans say their own numbers? - How did the relationship change between Patricians and Plebs? - Which Roman figure do we wish we knew more about? Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Gaius Gracchus - awe-inspiring and passionate to exaggeration, a demagogue pure and simple, seemingly shunned the family business, at least to begin with. But however much you may try to defer your fate, sometimes decisions are made for you. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Tiberius Gracchus had introduced property laws that, while unpopular with the ruling elite, went down well with the people of Rome. You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time. But that’s just politics, isn’t it? Nothing to lose your head over. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Any system of government that has been around for long enough is going to develop its problems, and that is definitely the case with the Roman republic. There was inequality between the ruling class and the common people, and if young Tiberius Gracchus decides to take up the cause, what’s the worst that could happen? Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

What we do know about Cornelia is mostly through the lens of her famous sons, but to the Romans she was much more than that. She was put on a pedestal, in bronze, no less, as the ideal mother for Romans to aspire to, and may have been quite influential in politics at the time. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Octavian was barely an adult when he arrived in Rome in 44BCE. Two months had passed since his adopted father, Julius Caesar, was murdered by members of the senate who resented his control as dictator. Octavian stood to inherit Caesar’s fortunes, but few could have imagined that he would inherit Caesar’s power. He would become emperor in 27BCE, reigning as the Augustus and transforming the republic of Rome into an autocratic principate. Under his leadership of forty years Rome would grow in territory, reputation, economy and culture, and change from a city of sun-dried bricks and leave it clothed in marble. How did the young Octavian transform himself into Rome's first emperor? Sponsored by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University. Held at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne on 23 September, 2019. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

The Vestals were an order of priestesses who were sacred to Rome, and were respected and referred as symbols of a safe and stable empire. They had the all-important duty of maintaining the sacred flame, and if it were extinguished, it would be a sign of impending disaster. Guest: Dr Peta Greenfield (Public Historian, co-host of 'The Partial Historians' podcast)

Elagabalus has long been remembered as deviant and sexually depraved. His behaviour was shocking for a Roman citizen, let alone the leader of the empire, and Rome was relieved to see the end of him. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

When Elagabalus finally reached Rome, the city seemed to hold its breath. The young Emperor embraced both the roles of ruler and high priest of a foreign religion, and there were many that questioned where his priorities lie. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

Macrinus has made a treaty with the Parthians and at long last, the two mighty empires are at peace. It likely won’t last, but at this point it matters little: now he can finally get down to the business of ruling the empire. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

With the murder of Caracalla one of the most unlikely men steps into power. Macrinus is unassuming, of the wrong position, and the wrong class. He’d argue he’s the best man for the job, but very few in Rome would agree with him. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University)

Assassination was a regular occurrence in the right Roman circles, and the gossip around the senate floor must have frequently turned to who's knifing who. An emperor would need to keep the senate, the army, and the people on side, or risk a well-placed dagger. Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans (Senior Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

By modern standards the Romans had some fairly unusual ideas, which could be putting it mildly when it comes to the subject of adultery. For the most part the Romans were lack lax in repercussions, unless of course you were embarrassing a man of high status. Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans (Senior Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

While we are lucky that much Roman literature from the late republic and the imperial period comes down to us complete or almost complete, most of the historical and poetic works from the mid-republic have been lost and only survive in fragments. Guest: Dr Hannah Čulík-Baird (Assistant Professor, Classical Studies, Boston University)

The Roman calendar was important to the civic management of Rome - it told when to plant and harvest crops, when to celebrate festivals and when to go to war. The calendar designed by the Romans is used today, more or less unchanged for 2000 years - including paying homage to both Julius Caesar and Augustus. Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans (Senior Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

The historian Edward Gibbon perhaps summed up Caracalla quite succinctly, when he used this phrase to describe his demise while answering a call of nature on the side of the road: "Such was the end of a monster whose life disgraced human nature, and whose reign accused the patience of the Romans." Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University)

The Roman Empire had engaged in Parthian wars for generations, stretching back, off and on, to the days of Pompey the Great. Caracalla makes his foray into this arena, but as always, he’s going to do things a little differently. He shall have a wedding. Or a hanging. Either way he’s going to have a lot of fun. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University)

After unleashing his unique brand of rule on the people of Rome, Caracalla becomes the problem of the provinces. After 212 he’ll spend the rest of his reign either at war or on tour, making the beast of Italy a problem for all Romans to deal with. Guest: Dr Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University)