Ithaca Bound: Recent Episodes
Ithacabound.com
Ithaca Bound was a podcast hosted by Andrew Schiestel that explored history and mythology in the Mediterranean Basin. From March 22, 2021 to January 21, 2022, it published 188 episodes. Visit the new Ithaca Bound Video Series — youtube.com/ithacabound
In the final series episode of the Ithaca Bound Podcast, Professor Ivana Petrovic, Department of Classics and Department Chair, University of Virginia, joins the show to explore what scholars know about the Greek pantheon.
Pottery in ancient Sparta was used for storage, shipping, communicating moral lessons, and more. Dr Adrien Delahaye, French School at Athens, joins the show to explore what scholars know about Spartan pottery in the Archaic and Classical periods.
Marseille is the oldest city in France but not the oldest French city. Professor Junko Takeda, Syracuse University, joins the show to speak about the period of time when Marseille became part of France.
In 1516, the Ottoman Empire took over the region of Syria from the Mamluk Empire. Professor Stefan Winter, Koç University & University of Quebec at Montreal, joins the show to discuss Ottoman Syria during the century.
Much happened in the 7th century during Umayyad’s prominence including two fitnas (commonly referred to as civil wars), printing coins, and the assembly of a navy. Dr. Antoine Borrut, University of Maryland, joins the show to discuss the caliphate's hegemony in the Mediterranean Basin in the 7th century.
Classical Athens had a principles-based legal system that echoes in many legal systems today. Emeritus Professor Edward Harris, University of Durham, makes a return appearance on the show to discuss what court trials were like in the Classical Athenian period.
Classical Sparta functioned for years with a body of citizens who passed laws while co-existing with two contemporaneously sitting kings (a diarchy). Dr Philip Davies, University of Nottingham, joins the show to explain how government functioned in the Classical Spartan period.
Bronze Age Palaikastro on the Island of Crete remarkably persisted for over two millennia, and peculiarly, may never have had a palatial building. Carl Knappett, a professor and department chair at the University of Toronto, joins the show to share what's known about this ancient Minoan urban centre.
Pompeii became largely uninhabited in the fifth century and began a repopulation process in the fourth. Ivo van der Graaff, Associate Professor, University of New Hampshire, Durham, returns to the show to discuss what was occurring in Pompeii during the fifth and fourth centuries BCE.
The Abbasid Caliphate existed for hundreds of years longer than its Islamic predecessors. Dr Harry Munt, University of York, returns to the show to explain their reign and longevity.
Dr Kathryn Lomas, Durham University, makes a fifth appearance on the show to share what scholars know about Carthage during the interregnum between the Second and Third Punic Wars.
Religion during the Ptolemaic Egypt period was complex and diverse. Dr Julietta Steinhauer, University College London, returns to the show to discuss what religion was like in Ptolemaic Egypt.
In Greek mythology, the region of Thessaly is home to centaurs, Achilles, Jason, and more. Professor Emma Aston, University of Reading, returns to the show to chat about Thessaly appearing in Greek mythology.
During the Late Bronze Age, the Cypriots had a variety of settlements, their own language, and were seafaring. Louise Steel, Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, joins the show to share what civilization was like on the island during this period of time.
After the Bronze Age, life on the Island of Crete continued. Dr Saro Wallace, Senior Research Fellow, Gerda Henkel Research Foundation, joins the show to explain what civilization was like in this period of time on the island.
In the 10th century, in response to the growing presence of the Fatimid Caliphate in northern Africa, an Emir in Córdoba declared himself a Caliph, transforming the Emirate of Córdoba into a Caliphate. Professor Brian Catlos returns to the show to discuss the period in time when the Caliphate of Córdoba was formed.
In the 17th century, the people commonly known as the Hittites created a kingdom called Hattusa. Dr Mark Weeden, Associate Professor of Ancient Middle Eastern Languages, University College London, returns to the show to speak about the Kingdom of Hattusa in the 17th and 16th centuries BCE.
Rome and farming were inextricable. Professor Annalisa Marzano, University of Reading, joins the show to talk about how ancient Romans farmed.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Almohads operated an empire that stretched across much of the Maghreb and southern Iberia, and are known for such features as their level of bureaucracy and minting squared coins. Professor Amira K. Bennison, University of Cambridge, returns to the show to discuss the Almohads.
The Social War was a five-year war fought in the 1st century BCE (91-87) between the Roman Republic and many of its allied communities. Dr. Seth Kendall, Associate Professor, Georgia Gwinnett College, returns to the show to speak about the events in the third year of the war.
The Old Kingdom was not only a period that's known for its pyramids, but also its pantheon of deities. Professor Emerita Fayza Haikal, The American University in Cairo, joins the show to share what religion was like in the Old Kingdom of Egypt.
In the 14th century BCE, Pharaoh Akhenaten controversially moved the capital of Egypt to Amarna (what contemporaries called Akhetaten). Dr Thais Rocha da Silva, University of São Paulo & Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, joins the show to talk about what the city was like.
The writing system used on the Island of Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age is known by the neologism, Cypro-Minoan. Dr Philippa Steele, University of Cambridge, joins the show to explain what's known about it.
Linear B is the writing system that was used by the civilization(s) known as the Mycenaeans. Professor and Chair of the Department of Classics at the University of Colorado Boulder, Dr. Dimitri Nakassis, joins the show to discuss this Late Bronze Age writing system.
The Samnites were a group of communities from the central Apennine Mountains who shared certain traits and that predominantly appear in the historical sources in the second half of the first millennium BCE. Historian, Dr Rafael Scopacasa, returns to the show to discuss what scholars know about the Samnites in fifth century BCE.
In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Almoravid Empire held vast amounts of territory in northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, and capitalized their state in Marrakesh. Professor Amira K. Bennison, University of Cambridge, joins the show to discuss their reign.
Greek calendars, in the first millennium BCE, were plentiful and varied. Professor Alexander Jones, New York University, joins the show to explain ancient calendars in this period and region of the Mediterranean.
After an evidential hiatus of a few hundred years, an alphabet arrived in Greece, and with it, literacy. Dr Adam Schwartz, University of Copenhagen, returns to the show to talk about early literacy in Greece.
The Principality of Catalonia encompassed Barcelona, and in the fourteenth century, was part of the Crown of Aragon. Dr Jeff Fynn-Paul, Leiden University, joins the show to talk about what urban life was like in this part of the Mediterranean Basin in the period.
Pompeii presents an opportunity to understand the dynamics of city infrastructure better in the ancient period. Professor Eric Poehler, University of Massachusetts Amherst, joins the show to explore Pompeii's infrastructure in the later period of its existence.
In Greek mythology, the Chimera is a figure that is comprised of lion, goat and snake. Professor of Classics & Department Chair, Scott Smith, University of New Hampshire, joins the show to discuss what the Chimera is in Greek mythology.
After Alexander III's death, the relationship that Greek polities had with the Kingdom of Macedon was mixed: some were congenial, some acquiesced, and others outright revolted. Dr Charlotte Dunn, University of Tasmania, returns to the show to discuss what happened in Greece after Alexander III's life.
In the 14th century BCE, the Mycenaeans gained dominion of at least Knossos on Crete, and possibly, the entire island. Professor Louise Hitchcock, The University of Melbourne, makes a fifth appearance on the show to explore the topic.
Three major wars, substantial territorial annexation, and a new form for Consuls to be elected, all occurred between 349 to 300 BCE (late 4th Century BCE). Dr. Gary Forsythe, Associate Professor, Texas Tech University, makes a fifth appearance on the show to explain the events.
Ancient Ostia was a major port city of Rome, and at one point, bustling and diverse. Retired associate professor at the University of Oxford, Dr Janet DeLaine, joins the show to discuss what scholars know about the apartment buildings that existed in Roman Ostia.
In the 3rd millennium BCE, Egypt accomplished a remarkable feat for its time under Pharaoh Djoser—it united. Professor Kamil Kuraszkiewicz, University of Warsaw, joins the show to explain what scholars know about Pharaoh Djoser of the Third Dynasty and his associated pyramid.
The Etruscans were a group of communities, connected through language and culture, that flourished on the Italian peninsula before the Romans. Professor Alexandra Carpino, Northern Arizona University, returns to the show to discuss what scholars know about the Etruscans in the sixth century BCE.
Professor & Graduate Chair, Kelly Olson, Western University, joins the show to discuss what ancient Romans wore. Topics discussed include: the attire, fabrics used, what colour was meant to communicate about the bearer, if undergarments were exercised, how Romans cleansed themselves, and more.
Linear A is the writing system that was used by Minoans on the Island of Crete in the Bronze Age. Undeciphered for over a century, Dr Brent Davis, The University of Melbourne, joins the show to explain what is and isn't known about this ancient writing system.
The fifth century BCE was not only important for the history of theatre in Athens, but formative for the industry, as a whole. Dr. Andrew Walker White, George Mason University, joins the show to treat this period in history and drama.
By many standards, Ptolemy’s reign in Egypt was successful, including an heir, Ptolemy II, who succeeded him without turbulence. Professor Ian Worthington, Macquarie University, returns to the show to analyze Ptolemy’s pharaohship in Egypt.
Pompeii comes into the records in the seventh century BCE, and more materially, in the sixth. Dr. Ivo van der Graaff, University of New Hampshire, Durham, joins the show to discuss what scholars know about Pompeii in the sixth century BCE.
The Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt saw increased political stability and achievements on foreign and domestic fronts. Danish Egyptologist, Dr Nicky Nielsen, The University of Manchester, returns to the show to discuss the circumstances surrounding the founding of the Nineteenth Dynasty.
Ancient Christian anchorites rejected many aspects of ordinary life and practiced denying various bodily pleasures. Professor Andrew Jotischky, Royal Holloway, University of London, returns to the show to discuss their practices and way of life in the Mediterranean Basin.
The Mycenaeans were a group of prehistoric Greek people. Dr. Kim Shelton, University of California, Berkley, joins the show to share what's known about their settlements on mainland Greece and how the settlements would have been used in the Bronze Age.
To understand the Italian community, Samnium, in the Iron Age (9th to 6th centuries), scholars predominantly rely on funerary evidence. Dr. Rafael Scopacasa returns to the show to share what's known about Samnites in this period of time.
The Pompeiians had a wide variety of products at their disposal. Dr Ria Berg, Director, Institutum Romanum Finlandiae, joins the show to discuss the products that were being used in Pompeii by the 1st century CE.
In the ancient period, Delphi offered highly sought-after oracular services, hosted quadrennial sporting games, and was a nexus for culture and information sharing. Professor Michael Scott, Warwick University, joins the show to discuss Delphi in the ancient period.
In Greek mythology, the Trojan prince, Paris, choosing Aphrodite as the most beautiful Goddess, laid the antecedents for the Trojan War. Professor Joel Christensen, Brandeis University, returns to the show to discuss who Paris is in Greek tradition.
In 6 CE, inhabitants of the Province of Illyricum rebelled against Roman rule, resulting in a four-year war, known as the Batonian War (6-9 CE). Dr Danijel Džino, Macquarie University, joins the show to explain what's known about the uprising.
Minoan settlements in the Bronze Age were advanced for the time, including featuring labyrinthine architecture in their palatial buildings. Professor Louise Hitchcock, The University of Melbourne, makes a fourth appearance on the show to discuss Minoan palaces, villas, and other residential buildings during the Bronze Age.
The Social War was a five-year war (91-87 BCE) fought between Rome and many of its allied communities—some communities pursued citizenship; others yearned for independence. Dr. Seth Kendall, Georgia Gwinnett College, joins the show to explain the particulars of the second year of the war.
The ancient Olympic Games occurred every four years, prizes only went to the winner of each competition, and some city-states enshrined victors with tax exemptions and free food for life. Professor Judith Barringer, The University of Edinburgh, returns to the show to share more.
Ptolemy I was the forefather of a dynasty in Egypt that lasted nearly 300 years, eventually ending with Cleopatra VII. Dr Charlotte Dunn, University of Tasmania, returns to the show to speak about the period when the Ptolemys came into power.
Thutmose I was an Egyptian pharaoh from the 18th dynasty. Dr Filip Taterka, Institute of Mediterranean & Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, returns to the show to explain who he was and the life he lived.
Hannibal Barca is one of the most well-documented Carthaginians and became legendary because of his efforts in the Second Punic War. Dr Eve MacDonald, Cardiff University, joins the show to share what’s known about who he was and the life he lived.
The volume of Roman history builds, along with its perceived historicity, in the 4th century BCE. Dr. Gary Forsythe, Texas Tech University, returns to the show to discuss the Roman Republic in the early fourth century BCE.
In less than a century from inception, the Ottomans began minting coins; formed an independent state; and originating from the Anatolian peninsula, expanded its hegemony as far west as the Balkans. Dr. Huseyin Yilmaz, George Mason University, returns to the show to explain.
The Republic of Florence formed in the 12th century and became one of the premiere states in Europe during the period. Dr. Brian Brege, Syracuse University, returns to the show to explain how it was established.
The Second Punic War was the second of three wars principally fought between Rome and Carthage, and lasted 17 years. British historian, Dr Kathryn Lomas, Durham University, returns to the show to explain the series of events.
On January 10th, 49 BCE, Julius Caesar, with an army, crossed the Rubicon River, hence, commencing a civil war in Rome. Professor Richard Alston, Royal Holloway, University of London, makes a fifth appearance on the show to share what happened, and to treat the middle period of Caesar’s life.
The unexpected death of King Alexander III of Macedon (commonly known as Alexander the Great) ended the Classical period and ushered in the Hellenistic period. Dr Charlotte Dunn, University of Tasmania, joins the show to explain the succession after Alexander's life.
Tutankhamun was an Egyptian King of the 18th dynasty who came to rule as a child and lived until approximately the age of 18. British egyptologist, Dr Nicky Nielsen, The University of Manchester, joins the show to discuss what's known about who he was and the life he lived.
Hatshepsut was a female Pharaoh from the 15th century BCE who demonstrated agency and integrity to the customs of Egypt. Egyptologist, Dr Filip Taterka, Institute of Mediterranean & Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, joins the show to share what's known about who she was and the life she lived.
The Umayyad Caliphate not only held substantial land holdings in the Mediterranean Basin, but they situated their capital in the Basin—in Damascus. Dr Marie Legendre, The University of Edinburgh, joins the show to speak about the caliphate's administration policies and practices.
Roman libraries began being built in the 1st century BCE and held a variety of Latin and Greek texts. Classicist and a co-chair at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Stephanie Frampton, joins the show to share what's known about early libraries in the City of Rome.
In less than a millennium, Pompeii went from being indigenous, to Samnite, to Roman, and in the 1st century CE, was cataclysmically destroyed by the eruption of a volcano. Professor & chair in the Department of History & Archaeology at Macquarie University, Dr Ray Laurence, joins the show to discuss ancient Pompeii.
Family members of the Medici family were banking pioneers, nobility, monarchs, and popes. Historian Dr. Brian Sandberg, Northern Illinois University, joins the show to share more about the Medici's manifold of activities, and rise to prominence, during the Italian Renaissance.
The Social War was a peninsular war that lasted five years and was fought between Rome and many of its allied communities. Roman historian, Dr. Seth Kendall, Georgia Gwinnett College, joins the show to share what occurred during the first of five years of the war.
A codified law, nascent territorial expansion, and the creation of offices such as Quaestor and Tribune of the Plebs, all occurred in Rome during the 5th century BCE. Dr. Gary Forsythe, Texas Tech University, returns to the show to discuss what occurred with the Roman Republic during the century.
The Bay of Naples featured a mosaic of luxury estates by the first century. Classical archaeologist, Dr. Mantha Zarmakoupi, University of Pennsylvania, joins the show to share what villa-style living was like for Romans in this part of the Italian peninsula.
Communities from the Aegean, including the Minoans and Mycenaeans, conducted trade in Egypt. Dr. Uroš Matić, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Archaeological Institute, joins the show to discuss.
The Hellenistic period brought increased variety and diversity in art in the Mediterranean. Archaeologist and ancient historian, Dr Jane Masséglia, University of Leicester, joins the show to discuss art in the Hellenistic period in eastern part of the Mediterranean Basin.
The seventh province of Rome was called Asia. Dr. Julietta Steinhauer, University College London, joins the show to discuss it.
Evidence shows that Christian monasticism started in the eastern Mediterranean, and more specifically, Egypt. Professor of Medieval History, Dr Andrew Jotischky, Royal Holloway, University of London, returns to the show to discuss the formation of Christian monasticism in the eastern part of the Basin.
The ancient Illyrians were indigenous communities along the Dalmatian Coast and stretching across to the central Balkans. Dr Danijel Džino, Macquarie University, joins the show to discuss what’s known about these peoples.
Julius Caesar is considered by many as a key individual whose influence ended the Roman Republic. His life was complex, and in modern times, his legacy lives on in facets like the Month of “July”. Head of the Classics Department, Professor Richard Alston, Royal Holloway, University of London, joins the show again to discuss the early period of Julius Caesar’s life.
Akhenaten was an Egyptian Pharaoh in the 18th dynasty that departed from traditional worship to primarily worship the sun deity, Aten, moving Egypt from polytheism to henotheism. British Egyptologist Dr Joyce Tyldesley, The University of Manchester, joins the show again to discuss what scholars know about Akhenaten’s life.
The Social War took place on the Italian Peninsula in the 1st century BCE between Rome and its allied communities. Professor Federico Santangelo, Newcastle University, is back on the show to explain what happened and why it occurred.
The Minoans were a civilization on the Island of Crete that flourished, and ended, during the Bronze Age. Professor in Archeology, Dr Louise Hitchcock, The University of Melbourne, joins the show again to share what's known about them.
The Etruscans were an ancient civilization on the Italian Peninsula that had a distinct language, were skilled at seafaring, and worshiped their own pantheon of deities. Professor Alexandra Carpino, Northern Arizona University, joins the show to discuss this ancient civilization.
The Tetrarchy was a collegiate form of government when four emperors ruled Rome simultaneously. Dr Roger Rees, University of St Andrews, joins the show again to explain what the Tetrarchy was, how it functioned, and why it was dissolved.
Honorary Research Fellow at Durham University, Dr Kathryn Lomas, joins the show again to discuss what occurred with Rome during the interregnum between the First and Second Punic Wars (241-218 BCE).
In Late Antiquity, Ravenna became one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean, including becoming capitals of the Western Roman Empire and Byzantine Italy at different times. Dr Veronica West-Harling, University of Oxford, joins the show and explains.
A nomadic Turkic community in the Anatolian Peninsula became the Ottomans. Dr. Huseyin Yilmaz, George Mason University, joins the show to explain what scholars know about their formative years.
The Seljuk Empire was a Turkic state that served an important role in the history of the development of the eastern Mediterranean. Professor of Religion, Dr. Suleiman Mourad, Smith College, joins the show to explain the Seljuk's previous hegemony in the Mediterranean Basin.
Part-human, part-horse, centaurs show up in various Greek mythology. Dr Emma Aston, University of Reading, joins the show to discuss the role of centaurs in Greek mythology.
Adjunct Professor of Art History at The American University of Rome, Dr Jason Cardone, joins the show to discuss art during the Italian Renaissance.
Known for her intelligence and power, Athena is one of the most important, and written about, deities in Greek mythology. Dr. Mary Lefkowitz, Professor Emerita of Classical Studies, Wellesley College, joins the show to discuss Athena in Greek mythology.
The Rashidun Caliphate is a term used to describe the period of the caliphs in the Muslim community following Muhammad and preceding the Umayyad Caliphate. Dr Harry Munt, University of York, joins the show to share the caliphate's hegemony in the Mediterranean Basin.
Alexander III, known to many as Alexander the Great, was King of Macedon, and in a short period of time, conquered an immense amount of territory, including defeating the formidable Achaemenid Empire. Professor Pat Wheatley, University of Otago, joins the show to discuss what scholars know about Alexander’s life.
Florence during the Renaissance was precocious on several fronts, including commerce. American historian, Dr. Brian Brege, Syracuse University, joins the show to talk about what commerce was like in Florence during the Italian Renaissance period.
Professor Uri Yiftach, Tel Aviv University, joins the show to share what law was like in the Ptolemaic & Roman Egyptian periods.
Plato wrote on a variety of topics, including mythology. Dr. Tae-Yeoun Keum, University of California, Santa Barbara, joins the show to discuss the myths that show up in Plato's writings.
Carthage was a major power, and destination, in the first millennium BCE in the Mediterranean; and despite losing the Punic Wars, its history, and lore, never seems to fade. Dr Eve MacDonald, Cardiff University, joins the show to discuss the ancient civilization.
Diocletian's reign as Roman Emperor had many voluminous points: his antipathy towards Christianity, the creation of the Tetrarchy, and a rare imperial retirement. Dr Roger Rees, School of Classics, University of St Andrews, joins the show to discuss Diocletian's life.
Renaissance historian, Dr. Kenneth Bartlett, Victoria College, University of Toronto, joins the show to discuss what the Italian Renaissance was, how long it lasted, and some of its other aspects, including the conspicuous and the subtle.
There was an approximate 23-year interregnum between the first and second Punic Wars. Dr Kathryn Lomas, Department of Classics and Ancient History, Durham University, joins the show to explain what occurred with Carthage during this period.
For nearly a century, the Umayyad Caliphate controlled a vast amount of territory in the Mediterranean, stretching from the Levant, through northern Africa, and even most of the Iberian Peninsula. Emeritus Professor at SOAS, University of London, Dr Gerald R. Hawting, joins the show to discuss the caliphate's hegemony in the basin.
The Sasanian Empire existed in the 3rd-7th centuries, and for a period of time, held hegemony in various parts of the eastern Mediterranean Basin. Dr. Michael Decker, United Arab Emirates University, joins the show again to share what's known about the Sasanian Empire's hegemony in the Basin.
Before Christianity in ancient Rome, religion was diverse and vast. Dr. Michele R. Salzman, University of California, Riverside, joins the show to share what religions and forms of worship existed in ancient Rome and how they functioned.
Livia, also known as Julia Augusta, was wife of Rome’s first emperor and mother of its second. Professor & Head of the Classics Department at Royal Holloway, University of London, Dr Richard Alston, joins the show again to discuss what scholars know about Livia's life.
Gaius Marius was a Roman Consul an unprecedented seven times, and lived in a period of much military turmoil and activity in Rome. Dr Federico Santangelo, Newcastle University, joins the show again to share what's known about Marius' life.
The Samnites were an ancient group of people that lived amongst the Apennine Mountains in the Italian Peninsula. Dr Rafael Scopacasa joins the show to discuss what's known about who they were and how they lived.
Santorini, in the context of the Bronze Age, was called Thera. Professor of Archaeology, Dr Louise Hitchcock, The University of Melbourne, joins the show again to discuss what civilization was like on Thera during the Bronze Age.
Constantine I became a Christian, founded Constantinople, was involved in numerous military affairs, and more, during his reign as Roman Emperor. Dr. David Potter, University of Michigan, joined the show to discuss Constantine's reign as a Roman emperor.
The Emirate of Córdoba was a muslim-oriented state that comprised of most of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th-10th centuries. Dr. Brian Catlos joins the show again to discuss what life was like in the emirate.
In the fourth century Rome was still a prominent city and Constantinople became a principal city of the Roman Empire. Head of the Classics Department, Dr Lucy Grig, The University of Edinburgh, joins the show to discuss the similarities and contrasts between Constantinople and Rome during the century.
Theatre artist and cultural historian, Dr. Andrew Walker White, joins the show to discuss what scholars know about early theatre in Greece.
Flax, wool, dyes, and more were used in the Bronze Age to produce textiles in the Mediterranean Basin. Dr Serena Sabatini, University of Gothenburg, joins the show to discuss textile production in northern Italy in the Late Bronze Age.
Before Rome was a republic, it was a kingdom. Dr. Gary Forsythe, Texas Tech University, joins the show again to discuss Rome's transition from a regal structure to a republic.
The Roman Republic statesman & general, Sulla, did something unusual for the time—he led an army on Rome. Dr Federico Santangelo, Newcastle University, joins the show to speak about Sulla.
Dean & Professor at the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, Dr. Joshua David Holo, joins the show to share how Jewish people conducted commerce in the Byzantine Empire.
Are Cyclopes in Greek mythology malevolent, benign, or something else? Dr Mercedes Aguirre Castro & Dr Richard Buxton join the show to explore the role of Cyclopes in Greek mythology.
Through a series of unexpected events, King Henry III of Navarre became King Henry IV of France. Professor Emeritus Mack Holt, George Mason University, joins the show to share Henry's accession to the French throne.
Greek mythology is not only proverbial, it's legendary. Dr. Sarah Iles Johnston, The Ohio State University, joins the show to discuss Greek mythology.
Amongst other things, Athens was an early adopter of the rule of law. Emeritus Professor Edward M. Harris, Durham University, joins the show to explain how law functioned in Classical Athens.
The Plague in Europe in the 14th century was devastating and changed society in many ways. Dr. Guido Ruggiero joins the show to discuss what romantic relationship were like in northern Italy during the Plague.
Achilles is one of the central figures in Homer's The Iliad. He not only lives on in Greek mythology but in the commonly used idiom Achilles' heel. Dr. Joel Chistensen, Brandeis University, joins the show to talk in depth about the Greek mythological hero, Achilles.
Egypt is where astronomy is known to have begun in the Mediterranean Basin. Dr. Alexander Jones, New York University, joins the show to explore what scholars know about the previous astronomy practices in Hellenistic & Roman Egypt.
Colonnaded streets were prevalent in the eastern Roman Empire and their origins pre-date their use in the City of Rome. Australian scholar, Dr Ross Burns, joins the show to discuss what's known about the colonnaded streets that existed in the eastern Roman Empire.
King Philip II of Macedon is famous for a number of things including being the father of Alexander the Great. Dr Ian Worthington, Professor of Ancient History, Macquarie University, joins the show to discuss what scholars know of Philip's life.
Juba II of Mauretania was married to Cleopatra VII of Egypt's daughter, Cleopatra Selene II, and was king of the ancient Maghreb state of Mauretania. Dr. Duane W. Roller, Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University, joins the show again to discuss Juba's life.
Dr. Hugh Elton, Professor of Ancient Greek & Roman Studies, Trent University, joins the show to discuss what life was like in the Anatolian Peninsula in the sixth century.
Philip II of Spain inherited the Kingdoms of Valencia, Granada, Naples & Sicily, Sardinia, the County of Barcelona, the Duchy of Milan, and more. Dr Gonzalo Velasco Berenguer, University of Bristol, joins the show to discuss Philip's territorial holdings in the Mediterranean Basin.
Berenice II was a Queen of Egypt in the third century B.C.E. and married to Pharaoh Ptolemy III. Professor Dee L. Clayman, The City University of New York, joins the show to discuss who Berenice was and the life she lived.
Constantinople was the principal city of the Byzantine Empire for over a millennium, was held by the Ottomans for centuries, and continues contemporarily as Istanbul in Turkey. Dr. Michael Decker, Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University, joins the show to discuss Constantinople's founding.
Antoninus Pius is known as one of the "Five Good Emperors". Professor & Head of the Department of History at Penn State University, Dr. Michael Kulikowski, is back on the show to discuss what's known about his life.
A Bronze Age fortress in Egypt, Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham, existed near the border with Libya and was used for defence and to support the network of maritime trade in the Mediterranean. Dr Steven Snape, University of Liverpool, joins the show to speak about its history and broader geopolitical considerations during the era.
Rome ruled Egypt for several hundred years. Anthropologist, Dr. Anna Lucille Boozer, The City University of New York, joins the show to discuss what life was like in Roman Egypt.
The Achaemenid Empire was the largest empire for its time and held substantial holdings in the eastern Mediterranean Basin. Dr Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Cardiff University, joins the show to discuss the empire's hegemony in the Mediterranean.
Nefertiti was an Egyptian queen in the fourteenth century BCE. British archaeologist and Egyptologist, Dr Joyce Tyldesley, The University of Manchester, joins the show to share what’s known about who she was and the life she lived.
A woman from Attica, Greece, Irene Sarantapechaina, became Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Professor Emerita Judith Herrin, King's College London, joins the show to discuss who Irene was and the life she lived.
Takabuti was a woman believed to have lived in Thebes, Egypt, during the Twenty-fifth Dynasty. British Egyptologist, Emeritus Professor Rosalie David, The University of Manchester, joins the show to discuss the mummy and life of Takabuti.
The Levant, Egypt, Italian city states, Caliphates, and more, played a role in the evolution of the concept of a company in the eastern Mediterranean. Tel Aviv University professor, and former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr Ron Harris, joins the show to discuss.
Ancient Egyptians had a sustenance, linguistic, cultural, and religious relationship with animals. Egyptologist Dr Salima Ikram, American University in Cairo, joins the show to explain.
Lydia was an ancient civilization in the Anatolian Peninsula, and amongst other things, considered to have first used coinage. Dr. Andrew Ramage, an archaeologist & Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, joins the show to discuss this civilization.
The way food was sourced in the City of Rome changed in the Middle Ages. Dr Caroline Goodson, University of Cambridge, joins the show to explain.
Dr. Bruce W. Frier, University of Michigan Law School, University of Michigan, joins the show to discuss the composition of contract law in Rome.
Dr. Edward Muir, Northwestern University, joins the show to talk about Venice during the Renaissance: island infrastructure projects, trade, governance, level of religious tolerance, & more.
In the 14th century, Florence's economy took off. Director & Professor at Vanderbilt University, Dr. William Caferro, joins the show to explore what happened.
Hoplites were Greek people, most of which were citizens, who fought in battles as their city-states required. Dr Adam Schwartz, University of Copenhagen, joins the show to explain this military post in ancient Greek history.
The Punic Wars was a series of three wars fought between two of the Mediterranean's superpowers: Carthage and Rome; the result of which changed the balance of power in the region. Dr Kathryn Lomas, Durham University, joins the show to explain what happened in the First Punic War.
In the eighth century, a surviving member of the Umayyad Caliphate arrived in the Iberian Peninsula and founded the Emirate of Córdoba. Dr Alejandro García-Sanjuán, University of Huelva, comes on the show to discuss the emirate.
Mark Antony was a prominent figure in Rome’s transition to an empire; he was also famously a partner of Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Professor Richard Alston, Royal Holloway, University of London, is back on the show to discuss what's known about his life.
The third and fourth centuries in the Roman Empire were marked with perpetual internal conflict. Dr Adrastos Omissi, University of Glasgow, joins the show to explain.
Cicero lived, orated, and wrote, in a very tumultuous time in Roman history. Dr. Katharina Volk, Professor, Columbia University, joins the show to examine the middle and later periods of his life.
British historian, Dr James Morton, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, joins the show to discuss Byzantine Canon law: What it was, when the corpus began, the process of creating canons, and more.
Olympia, Greece, is where the ancient Olympic Games began. Professor Judith Barringer, The University of Edinburgh, joins the show to discuss Olympia's ancient history.
The Rosetta Stone is one of the most significant artifacts known to have been found in the Mediterranean Basin. Dr. Jed Z. Buchwald, Professor, Caltech, joins the show to discuss it.
John Zacharias Aktouarios was a physician who lived in the 13th & 14th centuries in Constantinople. Dr Petros Bouras-Vallianatos, The University of Edinburgh, joins the show to discuss John's life and medical practices.
There are many stories of the founding of Rome. Dr. Gary Forsythe, Texas Tech University, joins the show to explore how Rome was formed in mythology and legend.
University of Toronto, Associate Professor, Dr. Seth Bernard, joins the show to discuss how the City of Rome was constructed during the republican period.
The reputation of ancient Sparta’s military is revered. Emeritus Professor Dr Stephen Hodkinson, University of Nottingham, joins the show to discuss its military practices, and to what degree the evidence matches the reputation.
Venice became a prominent city in the Middle Ages. Retired professor, Dr. John Osborne, Carleton University, joins the show to discuss its evolution over the medieval period.
Emeritus Professor Dr David d’Avray, University College London, joins the show to discuss the formation, and enforcement, of Canon law in the late antiquity period.
The story of a heavily outnumbered Greek army, led by a Spartan commander, called the Battle of Thermopylae has captured people’s interests, and imaginations, for eons. Dr Chris Carey, Emeritus Professor, University College London, joins the show to share what happened.
Constantine I was one of the most pivotal emperors of the Roman Empire. Dr. David Potter, University of Michigan, joins and shares Constantine’s accession to becoming Emperor of Rome.
University of Cambridge Emeritus Professor, Dr Paul Cartledge, joins the show to discuss commerce in archaic Greece.
Athens wasn't the first major city-state in Greece but it became the most prominent. Dr. Jeffrey Rusten, Professor, Cornell University, joins the show to discuss Athens' rise to prominence in the Classical period.
Dr Christopher Siwicki, The Norwegian Institute in Rome, joins the show to discuss how buildings were constructed in ancient Rome.
Many scholars regard Tacitus as the greatest Roman historian from the period. Dr Gavin Kelly, Professor, The University of Edinburgh, joins the show to discuss his life and writings.
Classical archaeologist in Greek sculpture, Dr Olympia Bobou, Aarhus University, joins the show to discuss ancient sculptures, and their evolution, in Greece.
Herodotus is the oldest Greek historian whose works survive. He has been called the “father of history.” Dr Oswyn Murray, Emeritus Fellow, University of Oxford, joins the show to discuss Herodotus’ life and writings.
During the Crusades in 1119, a Seljuk Turkish army defeated a Frankish Crusading army in an important battle near Aleppo. Dr Nicholas Morton, Nottingham Trent University, shares what happened.
Dr Louise Hitchcock, The University of Melbourne, joins the show to discuss architecture on the Greek islands in the Bronze Age, including the islands of Crete and Santorini.
One of the most powerful European families in the second millennium, the Habsburg dynasty, began ruling early modern Spain, not by conquest, but by a marriage. Dr John Edwards, University of Oxford, joins the show to tell the story.
Cleopatra Selene II was the daughter of the famous historical figures, Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Mark Antony of Rome. Dr. Duane W. Roller, Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University, joins the show to explore what's known about Cleopatra Selene.
Professor William Wallace, Washington University in St. Louis, has studied the life, and works, of Michelangelo for about 40 years. He joins the show to discuss the later period of the Italian Renaissance artist’s life.
An Islamic dynasty, the Umayyad Caliphate, began to settle in the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century—a reign that would last over 700 years, and remarkably influence culture and architecture in Spain. Dr. Brian Catlos joins the show to discuss how the hegemony started.
Roman Emperor Constantine I is believed to be the first emperor of the Roman Empire to become Christian. Professor Emeritus, Dr. Harold Drake, University of California, Santa Barbara, joins the show to illuminate this event in history.
Giotto di Bondone was a revolutionary artist from Florence who lived in the 13th & 14th centuries. Dr Francesco Benelli, Università di Bologna (Italy), joins the show to explore how architecture influenced Giotto's artwork, and how Giotto's artwork influenced architecture.
Professor, Royal Holloway, University of London, Dr Andrew Jotischky, joins the show to discuss monasticism, focusing on how it was applied during the crusading period in the eastern Mediterranean.
Dr. Anthony Kaldellis, Professor & Chair of the Department of Classics, The Ohio State University, joins the show to discuss what civilization was like in Attica, Greece (Athens & region) in Late Antiquity.
Anna Komnene was a historian, intellectual, and daughter of Byzantine Emperor, Alexios I Komnenos. Professor & Department Chair, Dr. Leonora Neville, University of Wisconsin-Madison, joins the show to explore more about Anna's life and writings.
Hadrian was the first Roman Emperor to have a fully provincial background. Professor & Head of the Department of History, Penn State University, Dr. Michael Kulikowski, joins the show to discuss Hadrian’s life.
Professor Emerita & Chair in Medieval History, University of Cambridge, Dr Rosamond McKitterick, joins the show to discuss the formation of the papacy.
Primeval coinage, bars of iron, animal products, olive oil, wine, and more, were used to facilitate trade in the Northern Aegean region in the eastern Mediterranean in ancient times. Senior Lecturer, Dr Zosia Archibald, University of Liverpool, comes on the show to discuss.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (Cicero) is one of the most talked about, and cited, figures from the Roman Republic. Professor of Latin, University College London, Dr Gesine Manuwald, joins the show to discuss what’s known about his life.
The story of the Jewish resistance to a Roman siege at Masada, and the fortress' eventual fall, has gripped religious, and scholarly, interests for many years. Dr. Jodi Magness, Professor, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, joins the show to share the story and more details about it.
A triumphal column, The Column of Justinian, built in the 6th century in Constantinople, is considered to have been a tour de force, and over a thousand years ahead of its time as a constructional feat. Dr. Elena Boeck, Professor, DePaul University, joins the show and explains more.
Leonardo da Vinci was ahead of his time in painting remarkably delineated anatomical features. Art history professor, Dr. George Bent, Washington & Lee University, joins the show to discuss Leonardo's life, and this area of artistic excellence.
In Greek mythology, the Titans reigned over the cosmos before the existence of humans, and preceded the Olympian Gods. Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies & Folklore, Indiana University, Bloomington, Dr. William Hansen, joins the show to explain more.
Egyptian hieroglyphs were the writing system of Ancient Egypt. The writing system has captured the interest of scholars, governments, and the public for many years. Egyptologist, Dr Bill Manley, joins the show to share more about this ancient writing system.
The Hittites, people formerly domesticated in the Anatolia Peninsula, were considered a significant civilization in the Bronze Age. Sr. Lecturer, SOAS, University of London, Dr Mark Weeden, joins the show to discuss this civilization.
The Phoenicians were indigenous to the Levant, were considered ahead of their time as seafarers, and were the founders of the legendary city of Carthage. Dr. Carolina López-Ruiz, Professor, The Ohio State University, joins the show to discuss the Phoenicians settling in the Iberian Peninsula.
Professor & Head of the Classics Department at Royal Holloway, University of London, Dr Richard Alston, joins the show to discuss the transition of when Rome went from a republic to an empire.
The Mycenaean Greeks, during the Bronze Age, were one of the most prominent civilization(s) in the Mediterranean Basin. Dr. Michael Galaty, University of Michigan, and Andrew Schiestel, speak more about this civilization and period in history.