Emperors of Rome

The Roman fort functioned as a base of operations for the army, a defensive and functional structure that could protect both the frontier of the Roman Empire and the supply lines. Guest: Dr Adrian Goldsworthy (historian and author, whose most recent work of fiction is titled 'The Fort').

For the seventh time, listeners provide questions and Rhiannon and Matt answer! In this episode: - What happened to the original sources - Did the Romans have dogs, and how did they use them? - What types of jobs did the Romans have that don’t exist today? - Did far-flung provinces retain their own languages? - What kind of libraries did the Romans have? - Did Emperors support the arts? - Have we rethought Domitian? Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of School of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

Romans had the reality of witches, those who made the brews and prepared the curses, but also the witches of fiction. In their poems and stories, a witch took on a horrific persona, one that skews much more closely to the modern idea of a witch. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

A witch occupied a strange niche in the Roman world. Distrusted but respected, persecuted but employed by the most elite, a witch in Rome existed on the sidelines and spoken of in hushed terms, and to many of the powerful, a weapon that could be employed. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

When Apuleius married his friend’s mother, little did he realise that it would lead to a charge of sorcery, with a raft of seemingly innocent actions from buying a mirror to writing bad poetry bought up in front of the courts to prove his wicked intentions. Unfortunately for his accusers, Apuleius was a skilled orator, educated in the art of philosophy and highly skilled at slandering his enemies. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

When Pedanius Secunus was murdered by his slave the law was precise - every slave in his household, every man, woman and child, would be crucified as punishment. The law that allowed this was the Senatus Consultum Silanianum, It existed to ease the minds of the wealthy slave owners of Rome, allowing them to live in power amongst slaves who knew that their actions would mean that all are punished. Guest: Assistant Professor Zachary Herz (Legal Historian, Department of Classics, University of Colorado Boulder)

In 60CE Rome came close to losing the province of Britannia in an uprising led by the warrior queen Boudicca, who united the tribes in the area, destroyed several Roman settlements and defeated part of a Roman legion. She has become an icon of British resistance, highlighting the difficulty Rome had in controlling the distant provinces. Part III of ‘Enemies of Rome’ Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

There were few enemies of the Romans who had as much success as Arminius. One of the Germani who fought at their side, he was able to unite the disparate tribes, lure three Roman legions into a trap, and defeat them at the battle of Teutoburg Forest. His success and later resistance would leave the area largely free of Roman influence. Part II of ‘Enemies of Rome’ Guest: Dr Emma Southon (Historian and author of 'A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum').

Vercingetorix was a Gallic leader who managed to unite the local tribes and mount a credible defence against Caesar during his campaign in Gaul. While his resistance was ultimately futile, he has become a symbol of French nationalism and a much needed foe to Caesar’s Gallic war commentaries. Part I of ‘Enemies of Rome’ Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

Magic was an essential part of the Roman world. You could use it in love, revenge, profit, life and death. All levels of Roman society made use of it, and it was an integral part of the understanding of both religion and medicine. Guest: Professor Daniel Ogden (Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter)