The Roman Emperors Archives - The Partial Historians: Recent Episodes
The Partial Historians
We sat down recently with Zaza, host of the Eurotrash podcast, to discuss the life and times of Julia the Elder. Julia was Augustus’ only biological child and her life offers some keen insights into the Roman world at that time.
Julia is born of the marriage of the youngish Octavian and Scribonia. While Octavian’s marriage to Scribonia did not last, their daughter Julia goes on to play an important role in the growing Augustan household. Historians often refer to her as Julia the Elder to distinguish her from her daughter with Agrippa, Vispania Julia Agrippina (known as Julia the Younger).
Being Julia the ElderJulia is born into a changing Rome. The politics of the republic is breaking down in spectacular fashion. Octavian and Mark Antony are trying to carve out power positions for themselves in the nominal triumvirate that escalates into civil war. Against this backdrop, Julia is often incorporated into her father’s political aspirations.
This bust thought to be of Julia the Elder. This bust has a damaged nose and a very typical early Julio-Claudian hairstyle with a rolled fringe that leads into a plait that runs along the centre part. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
If you already know a little about Julia (even just from reputation), this episode is not to be missed. If you’re interested in coming to grips with one of the most fascinating women in Augustus’s life, then strap yourself in, because Julia lives life to the fullest!
You can catch all the details over at the Eurotrash podcast and (as a real treat) there’s also a YouTube release of the episode as well.
YouTube: The Scandalous Life of Julia the Elder!
Keen to learn more about the Julio-Claudians?Looking to delve deeper into the Julio-Claudians. We have a couple of episodes that may just be the ticket:
- Episode 6 – Augustus, an Introduction – Augustus has A LOT going on. This is very much just the beginning.
- Episode 8 – The Life of Tiberius … Part I – Julia the Elder and Tiberius definitely end up married at some point, but understanding Tiberius may explain a little bit about how that union ended up…
- Episode 10 – The Life of Julia Maior – our first foray MANY years ago into Julia the Elder’s life!
- Episode 81 – Livia Drusilla – Augustus’ most famous wife gets a pretty bad wrap, but did she deserve it?
“Julia, daughter of Augustus, in exile at Ventotene.” by Pavel Svedomsky in the 19th century.
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
The post Julia the Elder with Eurotrash appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Disruption is at the heart of great changes in human society. How might we understand it? We explore the topic with Professor David Potter.
Read the postSpecial Episode – Disruption with David Potter The post Special Episode – Disruption with David Potter appeared first on The Partial Historians.
It is sometimes claimed that Julius Caesar was the first emperor of Rome. While this was not the case, defining who was the first emperor of Rome is no easy task.
Read the postBad Ancient – Was Julius Caesar the First Emperor of Rome? The post Bad Ancient – Was Julius Caesar the First Emperor of Rome? appeared first on The Partial Historians.
We explore the Year of the Four Emperors - 69 CE with our special guest Dr Rob Cromarty! Join us for all the political machinations and hijinks of this transition from the Julio-Claudians to the Flavians.
Read the postSpecial Episode – The Year of the Four Emperors with Dr Rob Cromarty The post Special Episode – The Year of the Four Emperors with Dr Rob Cromarty appeared first on The Partial Historians.
We return to the fray with the most excellent Rob and Jaime to tackle Dr Radness’ favourite emperor. How will Tiberius fare against the criteria of Totalus Rankium? We’re about to find out! How are we judging Tiberius? Oooo better not to ask me, Dr G, author of this post, because I’m too much of an Augustan fan-girl to answer this question. Okay, okay, here’s how it will work. We’ll discuss Tiberius’ life and career…
Read the postSpecial Episode – Totalus Rankium and the Partial Historians on Tiberius The post Special Episode – Totalus Rankium and the Partial Historians on Tiberius appeared first on The Partial Historians.
We're very excited to bring you a special episode where we sit down with Cam from The Life of Caesar podcast! We're talking about Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti filius Augustus or 'Tibbo' as he's affectionately known.
Read the postSpecial Episode Tiberius with the Life of Caesar Podcast The post Special Episode Tiberius with the Life of Caesar Podcast appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Would any Ancient Roman podcast hosted by two women be complete without a very special episode on one of the most famous women in the City's history, Livia Drusilla? Obviously not and here we are :)
Read the postEpisode 81 – Livia Drusilla The post Episode 81 – Livia Drusilla appeared first on The Partial Historians.
The Colosseum is the most famous example of a Roman amphitheatre and also the largest! The connection between competition, sport, and power is all up for grabs in this special collaboration between the Wonders of the World Podcast and Dr G from our very own Partial Historians. You can hear it all here. Enter Vespasian Stage Right Vespasian comes from a middling political family, who made his name as a commander of troops. So how…
Read the postSpecial Episode The Colosseum – Dr G and The Wonders Podcast The post Special Episode The Colosseum – Dr G and The Wonders Podcast appeared first on The Partial Historians.
The Doctors investigate the life and rule of the reputedly very nice emperor, Antoninus Pius. The character of his imperial rule is like a breath of fresh Italian air in Rome. With only a few sources to guide a reading of this emperor, a little mystery, and perhaps a little warm feeling, is preserved for this elder statesman.
Read the postEpisode 33 – Antoninus Pius The post Episode 33 – Antoninus Pius appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Hadrian is a complex and interesting figure who divides the opinion of the senate, and is both praised and critiqued by the historical record. The Doctors guide you through some of the interesting details of his rule!
Read the postEpisode 32 – Hadrian The post Episode 32 – Hadrian appeared first on The Partial Historians.
In this episode, the principate of Trajan is presented in swathes of very Pliny-coloured praise!
Read the postEpisode 31 – Trajan The post Episode 31 – Trajan appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Domitian is dead! Murder most foul! Who will take the wings? Only man is right for the task ... Marcus Cocceius Nerva. Who, you might ask? A man of Roman politics, a man of some distinction and it seems a man of many talents for reform. His reign is quite short, but it packs some reform punch!
Read the postEpisode 30 – Nerva The post Episode 30 – Nerva appeared first on The Partial Historians.
The Doctors take you through the reign and tumultuous drama of the final Flavian emperor. Was he really as bad as the sources would have us believe? And why is there such a negative tradition against Domitian in any case?
Read the postEpisode 29 – Domitian The post Episode 29 – Domitian appeared first on The Partial Historians.
The Flavian dynasty is getting into the swing of things with a new, charismatic emperor. Welcome to the reign of Titus, a man of many talents and a knack for having a rule riddled with natural disasters. The Doctors explore the details of Titus' style of rule and the sad, quick end of this most stellar example of imperial majesty.
Read the postEpisode 28 – Titus The post Episode 28 – Titus appeared first on The Partial Historians.
There are no prizes for guessing who takes home the prize of ruling for longer than a few months. You're totally right, it's Vespasian! So let's dive in - your Doctors consider Vespasian's background and the character of his rule.
Read the postEpisode 26 – Vespasian The post Episode 26 – Vespasian appeared first on The Partial Historians.
The year 69 CE continues apace, and Doctors R and G peer through the mists of time to focus on the shifts in power and machinations postulated in the source material. Herein the short reigns of Otho and Vitellius.
Read the postEpisode 25 – The Year of the Four Emperors – Part the Second The post Episode 25 – The Year of the Four Emperors – Part the Second appeared first on The Partial Historians.
When the Julio-Claudian dynasty falls, what happens next? Prepare yourself for chaos, as the infamous Year of the Four Emperors is here. In this episode we turn our gaze on two of the early contenders for the rule of Rome: Galba and Otho.
Read the postEpisode 24 – The Year of the Four Emperors – Part the First The post Episode 24 – The Year of the Four Emperors – Part the First appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Oh Nero ... It's a long way to the top, and when you get there it's a long way to fall. We like to think of it this way, he sings "I didn't start the fire", but of course he didn't fiddle while Rome burned. No, it was far more interesting than that!
Read the postEpisode 16 – The End of Nero The post Episode 16 – The End of Nero appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Claudius is dead, and who should emerge as the new imperator ... none other than Nero, the son of Agrippina. While we explore the early years of Nero's rule under the guidance of his mother Agrippina the Younger, we also consider the influential roles of Seneca and Burrus.
Read the postEpisode 15 – Nero and Agrippina The post Episode 15 – Nero and Agrippina appeared first on The Partial Historians.
With Messalina dead, Claudius begins the process that any good Roman man would: choosing a new wife. As emperor, Claudius just happens to be the most eligible bachelor in town. He has a pick of the ladies and decides on Agrippina.
This is an unusual match in a number of respects, not least because she is his niece! In this episode, Doctors R and G explore the various intricacies of the relationship between Claudius and Agrippina.
Read the postEpisode 14 – Claudius and Agrippina The post Episode 14 – Claudius and Agrippina appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Valeria Messalina was a cousin of Claudius and there was quite an age difference between them. He was born in 10 BCE, while she was born in c. 20 CE. This thirty year age gap may go some way to explaining the character of the marriage as it developed over time. In this episode, your intrepid Doctors explore the myth, the legend, and the history that is her legacy.
Read the postEpisode 13 – Claudius and Messalina The post Episode 13 – Claudius and Messalina appeared first on The Partial Historians.
In this episode, we consider Claudius' less than illustrious beginnings and the progression of his career into Rome's top job. Claudius' expansionist policy, his relationship with the Praetorian guard, and the focus of the sources on his freedmen are all up for discussion!
Read the postEpisode 12 – Claudius, an imperial life with unusual twists The post Episode 12 – Claudius, an imperial life with unusual twists appeared first on The Partial Historians.
We examine Caligula's rise to power, the changes his principate means for the developing empire of Rome, and touch on the some of the shocking tales connected with his reign. It's times like these, dear listener, that you begin to wish Tacitus' account of this period had survived - could the sources be less balanced?
Read the postEpisode 11 – Caligula … The post Episode 11 – Caligula … appeared first on The Partial Historians.
We take a detour from the Julio-Claudian emperors to examine one of the women pivotal to Augustus' family and the future of his family line: Julia Maior, Augustus' biological daughter. Who was Julia exactly? And why was she important?
Read the postEpisode 10 – The Life of Julia Maior The post Episode 10 – The Life of Julia Maior appeared first on The Partial Historians.
In this episode, we tackle the issues Tiberius faced in his career as he tried to fill the political shoes of Augustus. We consider the following questions in regard to Tiberius' leadership: What style characterised his rule? What troubles did he face and how did he address them? And what about those stories of sexual deviancy?
Read the postEpisode 9 – Tiberius’ Life Part II – Sexual and Otherwise The post Episode 9 – Tiberius’ Life Part II – Sexual and Otherwise appeared first on The Partial Historians.
What was Tiberius' early life like? What milestones mark his political career? And how does he journey to become the princeps of Rome? In this episode, we trace Tiberius' life from his birth in 42 BCE to the moment of his transition from citizen of Rome to the leading man of the state in 14 CE.
Read the postEpisode 8 – The Life of Tiberius … Part I The post Episode 8 – The Life of Tiberius … Part I appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Our exploration of Augustus (63 BCE - 14 CE) takes a titillating turn as we consider some of the evidence for Augustus private life. With a reasonable degree of historian skepticism, we consider some of the challenges with the source material relating to sex in ancient Rome!
Read the postEpisode 7 – Augustus, A Sexual Life The post Episode 7 – Augustus, A Sexual Life appeared first on The Partial Historians.
Octavian, later Augustus, rises to become the foremost politician in Rome and establishes the Principate (a percursor to the Roman Empire). From his humble beginnings being taken under the wing of Julius Caesar, he rises to become the most powerful politician and military leader of his generation. We explore his rise here!
Read the postEpisode 6 – Augustus, an Introduction The post Episode 6 – Augustus, an Introduction appeared first on The Partial Historians.