Lucius Caecilius Iucundus kept the economic wheels of Pompeii well greased. He was a middle man doing very nicely- part money-lender, part auctioneer, part banker, all hustler. Thanks to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the preservation of the ruins of Pompeii, we can still visit his house, look at his bronze portrait, and read his account books. 150 tablets of receipts, carbonised in the destruction of Pompeii, lead us through the deals that keep the city’s economy moving. If you want to buy a Ferrari-level horse but only have the cash for a Fiesta then Iucundus is your man. It might look like dry stuff, but it's as revealing of real life as snooping on someone’s Paypal account or leafing through their credit card receipts might be now. Never mind imperial plunder and luxury lifestyles, it’s a glimpse of how the economy works in a regular town. Mary Beard visits Iucundus's home and talks to the novelist Robert Harris about his fascination with the Pompeii moneylender.Producer: Alasdair CrossExpert Contributors: Sophie Hay, Parco Archeologico di Pompei; Matthew Nicholls, Oxford UniversitySpecial thanks to National Archaeological Museum, Naples and Parco Archeologico di Pompei

Allia Potestas is a woman remembered in one of the most intriguing and affecting funeral orations of the ancient world. Her lover remembers her diligent application to housework before praising to the skies her beauty and her erotic skills. But he didn’t have Allia to himself. She was shared in a ménage à trois with his male friend. It’s an unusual domestic arrangement and a surprising one to advertise on a tombstone. The lines themselves reveal an enormous amount about Roman morality and the sexual politics of the time, but the story between the lines is even more fascinating. Can we dig beneath the emotional turmoil of the man and guess what Allia herself thought about the arrangement? Mary Beard is joined in Rome by Allison Emmerson of Tulane University to examine this extraordinary funerary monument at the Baths of Diocletian.Producer: Alasdair CrossExpert contributors: Allison Emmerson, Tulane University; Helen King, Open University; Mairead McAuley, University College LondonCast: Tyler Cameron as AlliusSpecial thanks to Museo Nazionale Romano

Delve into the intriguing world of ancient Roman pubs with Calidius Eroticus and Fannia Voluptas, as the podcast explores their bawdy adventures and the bar culture of the Romans. From basic takeaways to lavish dining rooms, discover the social dynamics and culinary offerings of Roman bars. Uncover the taboo connection between emperors and bars, while exploring social norms, love dynamics, and financial chaos in a satirical thriller radio show.

The image of the battle-hardened, well regimented Roman soldier has been set in stone by movies, novels and video games. The letters of Claudius Terentianus reveal something very different. A terrible moaner, the young soldier has to beg his father to send the most basic of equipment, from sandals to swords. Stuck in the marines, the poorly paid squad tasked with guarding grain supplies, he bribes and wangles his way into a more illustrious legion, but still seems to spend more time shopping than fighting.Mary Beard catches up with Terentianus at the British Museum's Legion exhibition and discovers more about his uncanny ability to avoid conflict and ensure a prosperous retirement.Producer: Alasdair CrossExpert Contributors: Carolina Rangel de Lima, British Museum; Livia Capponi, Pavia University and Claire Holleran Exeter UniversityCast: Terentianus played by Robert Wilfort

Julia Balbilla is an accomplished poet and close friend of the wife of one of Rome’s mightiest emperors. Hadrian loves to travel and takes Julia and an entourage of thousands on the ultimate elite tourist trip- a leisurely Nile cruise to the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Colossus of Memnon, a statue that will sing for anyone blessed by the gods. Julia inscribes her poems on the giant foot of the statue, praising the power of Hadrian and the beauty of his wife, Sabina. It’s a charming scene, darkened only by the fact that Hadrian’s male lover, Antinous has only just drowned in the Nile. Was he murdered by jealous rivals, killed in a lover’s tiff or did he drunkenly slip from the deck? Hadrian is publicly bereft, founding a new city in the name of Antinous, but seems happy to continue his luxury cruise. Mary Beard hops aboard Ancient Rome's most intriguing cruise with historian T. Corey Brennan and archaeologist Elizabeth Fentress. Producer: Alasdair CrossExpert Contributors: Corey Brennan, Rutgers University and Lisa Fentress Cast: Julia Balbilla played by Juliana LiskSpecial thanks to Andrea Bruciati, Villa Adriana

Beneath starched Shakespearean togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. To know what it was to be Roman you need to gather the scattered clues until they form a living, breathing human, witness to the highs and horrors of Europe’s greatest empire.Mary Beard, Britain’s best-selling historian of the ancient world, rebuilds the lives of six citizens of the Roman Empire, from a poet to a squaddie. Her investigations reveal death and deceit on the Nile and the art of running a Roman pub, but it’s the thoughts and feelings of individual Romans she’s really interested in.It's 61CE. The rebellion of Boudicca has finally been quashed, but London and other Roman cities lie in ruins. A new finance officer for the province, Gaius Julius Classicianus arrives, to face an enormous recovery job. Standing in his way is the Governor, busy exacting terrible reprisals from the local population. Classicianus does what brave subordinates have done ever since. He whistle-blows – writing to the emperor to remove the Governor from British shores. The stage is set for an imperial face-off. For the people of Britain, the stakes could not be higher.Producer: Alasdair CrossExpert Contributors: Matthew Nicholls, University of Oxford and Michael Marshall, Museum of London ArchaeologyCast: Tacitus played by Robert WilfortTranslations by Mary BeardSpecial thanks to the British Museum

Exploring the complex story of a Roman woman's journey from slavery to marriage, the podcast discusses the collision of cultures within the Roman Empire and the personal connections felt by individuals. It analyzes the story of Regina through the discovery of a tombstone and examines the multicultural nature of the Roman Empire. The hosts reflect on their exploration of characters from the Roman Empire, acknowledging the diversity and reinvention of these characters.

Explore the challenges of running the Roman Empire and organizing an emperor's visit. Uncover the life of a middle-ranking civil servant in Ancient Rome and the frustrations they face. Discover the hidden documents and papyrus scrolls that provide insights into the Roman world. Delve into the frustrations caused by uncooperative town councils and the challenges of transporting pink granite columns.

This podcast explores the life and work of Galen, Rome's greatest medic. It discusses the devastating impact of the Great Fire in Rome on Galen, the preservation and circulation of Greek texts in the Eastern Roman Empire, the discovery of a lost text by Galen, and explores Galen's resilience and achievements in ancient Rome.

Explore the story of an 11-year-old poet in Imperial Rome, his journey from slave to scholar, and his parents' desperate attempts at social mobility. Discover the significance of poetry and culture in ancient Rome and the power of free speech through the art of poetry.