The Exploress

Season 2, Episode 15. Welcome to a day in the life of an ancient Roman matrona. Now that we've learned a bit about Rome's overarching history, woken up, visited the bathroom, and gotten dressed and ready for the day in Part 1, let's explore our domus, meet our husband, and talk about some of our rights under the law. We'll find out what women are doing for work and take a trip to the House of Vesta to meet the Vestal Virgins, who are some of the most powerful women in Rome. For a transcript, a list of my sources, and lots of images, check out my website. To support the show and get extra content and goodies, go to my Patreon page or explore my merchandise shop. Music featured comes courtesy of Michael Levy. Thanks to our Rome expert guests Dr. Rhiannon Evans, main guest on the podcast Emperors of Rome, and Dr. Rad and Dr. G of The Partial Historians.

Season 2, Episode 14. Let's travel back to ancient Rome and meet the women who lived amid this ancient-world juggernaut. Many are Roman citizens: the wives and daughters and sisters of influential men who use every tool at their disposal to leave a lasting mark on their fast-changing world—and survive its cutthroat rules about what women were allowed to do and be. Others are "barbarians" who refuse to bow to the ever-expanding Empire, fighting against it with both cunning and spears. We will explore the events and laws they had to navigate, the intrigues and wars in which they had a hand. And as always, we’ll try to understand what life was like in ancient Rome for women: what did it look like through their eyes? Grab a really long sheet and a few vials of poison…just in case.  For a list of my sources, and lots of images, check out my website. To support the show and get extra content and goodies, go to my Patreon page or explore my merch shop. Music featured comes courtesy of Michael Levy. Thanks to our Rome expert guests Dr. Rhiannon Evans, main guest on the podcast Emperors of Rome, and Dr. Rad and Dr. G of The Partial Historians.

Join Lyndsey Craig, a grad student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, as we explore the history and cultural significance of women's pubic hair. We discuss the feminist perspective, evolutionary reasons, and societal influences behind pubic hair removal. We also delve into the purpose of pubic hair, historical perspectives, and the changing practices of hair removal throughout civilizations. Through creation myths and cultural stories, we uncover the connection between pubic hair, women, sexuality, and personal grooming choices.

Season 2, Episode 12. In Part 1 we met Olympias, Alexander the Great's mother, and saw her navigate some savage drama to get her and her son to the top. Now let's see what she does when he goes off conquering. When he dies, she and several of Alex's women will battle with the men around them for power - often a battle to the death - in a war for an empire that would put Game of Thrones to shame. Get ready for a whole lot of stabbing. Check out the show notes for a transcript, images, a list of my research sources, and more. To support the show, become a patron or go and nab something from my brand-new Exploress Etsy shop.

Season 2, Episode 11. Ancient Greek queen Olympias went to epic lengths to ensure her son Alex ended up on the throne. In doing so, she helped make him worthy of his title: Alexander the Great. Alexander accomplished a lot all on his own, but there’s no doubt he got a lot of help from his momma. Despite what some people believed about women being meek and quiet, Olympias was one of the most influential people in his life. She was the ultimate momager, shaping his view of himself and the world, maneuvering through the complexities of the cutthroat Macedonian court to ensure her son became a conqueror, becoming one of the most powerful women in the ancient Greek world. But she wasn’t the only strong-willed woman in Alex’s orbit. There were others: a sister who broke hearts and helped ruled a kingdom; a half-sister and her daughter, who led armies and killed queens; even an Amazon who traveled quite a long way to demand some connubial communion with him in his tent. Get ready to enter Macedonia. We’ll face assassinations, intrigue, a little snake worship, warrior women, and an epic battle for an empire that would put Game of Thrones to shame. Check out the show notes for a transcript, images, and more. To support the show, become a patron or go and nab something from my brand-new Exploress Etsy shop.

Episode 2, Season 10. The ancient Greeks told lots of stories about the Amazons: the mythic bands of warrior women that Hellanikos of Lesbos described as "golden-shielded, silver-axed, man-loving, boy-killing females.” They made up fantastic stories about both loving and subduing these women who were bold, violent, promiscuous, and independent: everything a good Greek wife wasn’t supposed to be. To many they were a fantasy, equal parts exciting and terrifying. And for a long time, scholars thought that was all they were: a figment of the Greek imagination. But now we understand that the ancient world saw its fair share of warrior women, living on the move, hunting and fighting, living and dying on their own terms. Who were these women the Greeks saw in their pleasant dreams and worst nightmares? Let’s join up with them in this second installment as we ride off into battle, have some sexual communion, enjoy ourselves around the fire, and meet up with some of the individual warrior women who terrified Greece: Fu Hao, Tomyris, and Artemisia I and II. Check out the show notes at my website for a transcript, images, and more. To support the show, become a patron or go and nab something from my Exploress shop. To hear the amazing music featured in this episode (The Sack of Troy, Ancient Lyre Strings, and Procession of the Olympians), all composed on recreated lyres of antiquity, check out Michael Levy.

Season 2, Episode 9. The ancient Greeks told lots of stories about the Amazons: the mythic bands of warrior women that Hellanikos of Lesbos described as “a host of golden-shielded, silver-axed, man-loving, boy-killing females.” They made up fantastic stories about both loving and subduing these women who were bold, violent, promiscuous, and independent: everything a good Greek wife wasn’t supposed to be. To many they were a fantasy, equal parts exciting and terrifying. And for a long time, scholars thought that was all they were: a figment of the Greek imagination. But the ancient world saw its fair share of warrior women, living on the move, hunting and fighting, living and dying on their own terms. It turns out the Amazons were very real. Who were these women the Greeks saw in their pleasant dreams and worst nightmares? Let’s go hunting beyond the myths and legends to try and find them. Check out the show notes for a transcript, images, and more. To support the show, become a patron or go and nab something from my Exploress shop. The music featured in this episode (The Sack of Troy, Ancient Lyre Strings, and Procession of the Olympians) are composed on recreated lyres of antiquity by Michael Levy.

Episode 2, Episode 8. When it comes to the words that made it through time to us, ancient Greece is particularly loud with men’s voices. But if you listen, you can hear one woman through the crowd—we still hear her today. Heralded as a genius in her time, Sappho was called “The Poetess” and “The Tenth Muse.” People made coins with her face on them and created honorary statues of her all over Greece. In our century, she’s heralded as one of the earliest same-sex love advocates, boldly writing about lesbian desire. Who was this mysterious woman poet? What did it mean, in her time, to write about same-sex relationships? What did it mean to be in one? Check out the show notes for a transcript, images, and more. To support the show, become a patron or go and nab something from my brand-new Exploress Etsy shop. To hear the amazing music featured on this episode, all make on recreated lyres of antiquity, check out Michael Levy.

Season 2, Episode 7. Ancient Greece is notorious for keeping women silent, veiled, and firmly fixed at the loom. But was life for women in places like Athens really so restrictive? What did they get up to behind those veils and shaded screens? After exploring their houses, rights and duties in Part 1, we're going to talk about life as a matron: childbirth, Athenian nightlife (including the famous escorts who rule it), ritual and festivals. We'll even hop over to ancient Sparta to see what those hardcore ladies get up to. To check out the show notes, go here. If you'd like to give a one-off donation or become a patron of the show, check out my Patreon page. Music composed on replicated lyres of antiquity (cool!) by Michael Levy, licensed through AKM Productions. Show theme song by Paul Gablonski. Featuring the voiceover stylings of Katy and Nathan at Queens Podcast, Genn and Jenny from Ancient History Fangirl, and Shawn at Stories of Yore and Yours.

Season 2, Episode 6. Ancient Greece is notorious for keeping women silent, veiled, and firmly fixed beside the loom. But was life for the ladies in places like Athens really so restrictive? What did they get up to behind those veils and shaded screens? Let's time travel back to the Classical period to find out what it was like to be them. To check out the show notes, go here. If you'd like to give a one-off donation or become a patron of the show, check out my Patreon page. Music composed on replicated lyres of antiquity (cool!) by Michael Levy, licensed through AKM Productions. Show theme song by Paul Gablonski. Featuring the voiceover stylings of Katy and Nathan at Queens Podcast, Genn and Jenny from Ancient History Fangirl, and Shawn at Stories of Yore and Yours.