Emperors of Rome

When the dust settled on a six month civil war in 238CE, only the 13 year old Gordian III is left standing to take the purple. Once again Rome is left with a teenage emperor. Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

Rome dates its beginning to the 21st April 753BCE, when legend has it that it was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus. While not the only myth connected to this event, it has been the most enduring, and commemorating it became an important event in the Roman calendar. Guest: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University)

Rhiannon Evans, Caillan Davenport, Gillian Shepherd and Matt Smith each share three items of Roman interest for three minutes! You will hear: - Silius Italicus and his unbearable bunion - Pomponius Mela and the wonders of the Nile - Snarky soldiers at the Vindolanda fort - Legacy hunters and the jewels of Matidia - Unusual dedications to the gods - Early sources for the great fire of Rome - The effectiveness of Roman concrete - How Rome dealt with mass burial of the poor - Sea monsters - Curse tablets and sporting fanatics - Vedius Pollio throws a clumsy slave to the lamprey - The rare instances of Romans sacrificing people Guests: Associate Professor Rhiannon Evans (Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics, La Trobe University) Assoc. Professor Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt) Dr Gillian Shepherd (Director, Trendall Centre, La Trobe University)

The Severan dynasty was founded in 193CE by Septimius Severus, but in many ways it was his wife Julia Domna and her sister Julia Maesa who would guide the family, both powerful augustae and instrumental in securing their family’s imperial position. Part X of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Dr Emma Southon (Historian and author of 'A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum').

As the daughter of the previous Emperor, Faustina provided her husband, Marcus Aurelius, with a solid link to the imperial throne. Besides continuity she came to embody motherhood, not just to the next Emperor, but to the empire as a whole. Part IX of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Assoc. Professor Caillan Davenport (Senior Lecturer, Roman History, Macquarie University/Humboldt Research Fellow, Goethe University, Frankfurt)

Sabina bought some much needed legitimacy to the rule of Hadrian. As a grand-niece of Trajan she was an important dynastic link to the previous emperor, and in death Hadrian could deify her, and be the husband to a god. Part VIII of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Professor T. Corey Brennan (Classics, Rutgers University).

When Trajan came to the big city he bought his provincial wife with him. Plotina stood on the steps of Domitian’s palace and promised the people of Rome that she’d keep it real. And from what we can tell from our ancient sources, that’s exactly what she did. Part VII of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Professor T. Corey Brennan (Classics, Rutgers University).

Domitia was princess of the Julio-Claudians who caught the attention of a young Domitian. As Augusta she kept a low profile, and managed to survive and thrive across three imperial dynasties. Part VI of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Dr Trudie Fraser (Honorary Fellow, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne).

As the wife to the Emperor and daughter of Germanicus, Agrippina had grown accustomed to being a voice of influence in Rome. When her son Nero takes the title this changes, and she struggles to have her voice heard. Part V of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Dr Emma Southon (Historian and author of Agrippina: Empress, Exile, Hustler, Whore).

In many ways Agrippina can be associated with the worst qualities of Livia – a scheming, deceiving and manipulating. But in her marriage to Claudius you can see a different side of her: an ambitious, capable Empress who made Claudius look good. Part IV of 'Empresses of Rome' Guest: Dr Emma Southon (Historian and author of Agrippina: Empress, Exile, Hustler, Whore).