

Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! | Greek Mythology & the Ancient Mediterranean
Liv Albert
The most entertaining and enraging stories from 'Classical' mythology (and, often, ancient history of the wider Mediterranean!) told casually, contemporarily, and (more often than not) sarcastically. The world of Greek mythology and the history of the wider ancient Mediterranean is full of wonder, horror, and utter hilarity. These myths and stories are timeless for a reason, they're just as relevant today as they were 2500+ years ago. With over 700 episodes and counting, we dive deep into the realm of gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, and everything in between. Regular episodes every Tuesday, conversations with authors and scholars or readings of ancient epics every Friday. LTAMB: The Oracle Edition has ad-free episodes and so much more. Learn more about the podcast, and Liv's work, including her book Greek Mythology: the Gods, Goddess, and Heroes Handbook at mythsbaby.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 31, 2025 • 1h 40min
RE-AIR: Conversations: A Long and Storied History of Sparta, Modern Misuse & Misconception w/ Stephen Hodkinson
This episode originally aired in January 2023. (Note: we'll return to new episodes very soon, there's been some behind the scenes changes and loads of recordings we're perfecting, stay tuned!) Liv speaks with Stephen Hodkinson, expert in all things Sparta. They discuss Sparta throughout history including its use in politics from the founding of the USA to Nazi Germany to modern day misuses of Spartan culture and history. Read more about Sparta and the Capitol insurrection (and so much more Sparta content!) here. Read the book, Classical Controversies, for free here. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 30, 2025 • 43min
Hermes Historia: Giorgos the Oikist, Colonization in Greek Antiquity
Michaela teaches Liv about 6th century Greek colonization for not at all relevant reasons. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbabyCW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: Greek Colonisation: An Account of Greek Colonies and Other Settlements Overseas Vol. 1 and 2, edited by Gocha R. Tsetskhladze; Colony and Mother City in Ancient Greece by A. J. Graham.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 28, 2025 • 1h 22min
RE-AIR: Queering the Classical World w/ Yentl Love (the Queer Classicist)
This episode originally aired in June 2023. Liv speaks with PhD student Yentl Love about queerness in the ancient world and Greek mythology, about classical reception in Lil Nas X, and so much more. Follow Yentl (the Queer Classicist) on Twitter, and learn more on her site. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 24, 2025 • 49min
RE-AIR: Very Extravagant Rich People, Ancient Sparta & The Spartan Mirage (Part Two)
This episode originally aired in January 2023 as part of the research series on ancient Sparta. We're talking all things Spartan culture: all the things made them Spartan, set them apart from the rest of the Greek world. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: Constitution of the Lacedaimonians by Xenophon, translated by Xenophon E. C. Marchant and G. W. Bowersock; Spartan Women by Sarah B. Pomeroy; The Public School of Sparta by T. Rutherford Harley; Spartan Education in the Classical Period by Nicolas Richer. Bad Ancient articles of interest: Spartan infanticide myth, Molon Labe, the 300 at Thermopylae. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 21, 2025 • 41min
What Does it Mean to Rebel? (Ancient) Resistance to Imperial Violence
Revisiting the story of Europa of Tyre alongside the true story of the siege of Milos. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbabyCW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: Hesiod's Catalogue of Women, translated by HG Evelyn-White; Nonnus' Dionysiaca translated by WHD Rouse; Reading from Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by Richard Crawley.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 17, 2025 • 1h 2min
Liv Reads Statius: The Thebaid (Part 1)
Liv reads book one of Statius' Thebaid, translated by JH Mozley. Oedipus looks back on the mess that was his family. His son Polynices is refused his share of the Theban throne and travels to Argos where he meets the king and hero Tydeus. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbabyThis is not a standard narrative story episode, it's a reading of an ancient source, audiobook style. For regular episodes look for any that don't have "Liv Reads..." in the title! For a list of Roman/Latin names and who they generally refer to in the Greek, visit: mythsbaby.com/names Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 16, 2025 • 52min
Hermes Historia: Homer, have you heard of him? Pretty chill dude
On today's Hermes Historia Michaela tells Liv the Homeric origins of her favourite messed up ancient family... For future episodes of Hermes Historia (aside from a few one offs we might release now and then!) subscribe to the podcast's Patreon. The Oracle Edition features AD-FREE episodes, Hermes Historia, and so much more! patreon.com/mythsbabyCW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: Brethlein, J. 2010. “From ‘Imperishable Glory' to History: The Iliad and the Trojan War.” In Epic and History, edited by D. Konstans and K. A. Raaflaub, 122-144. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith. Homer the Preclassic by Gregory NagyAttributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 14, 2025 • 41min
Behind Every ‘Great’ Man… Metis, Thetis, and the Power of Prophecy
The stories of Zeus and two goddesses defined by prophecies and patriarchy. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbabyCW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Sources: Hesiod's Theogony, translated by HG Evelyn-White; Pindar's Isthmian Ode 8, translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien; Nemean Ode 4 from Theoi.com; Maciej Paprocki's "The Rape and Binding of Thetis in Its Mythological Context" from The Staying Power of Thetis.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 10, 2025 • 1h 32min
Conversations: They Weren't Always F***able, the History of Sirens & Harpies w/ Dr Ryan Denson
Liv speaks with returning guest, the Sea Monster Guy Ryan Denson, about the history and transformation of Sirens and Harpies. Find more from Ryan on Twitter/X. Submit to the quarterly Q&A at mythsbaby.com/questions and get ad-free episodes and so, so much more, by subscribing to the Oracle Edition at patreon.com/mythsbabyCW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 7, 2025 • 50min
Greek Myth is So Much More Than Terrible Gods and Misogynist Monsters
What makes a myth, and what does that mean? Liv looks at mythology as a concept and the sources that shared it with us.CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing.Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


