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Ancient History 101

Author: Alexandra Sills

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If you're the type of person who thinks about Rome once a day, this is the show for you.

Hosted by award-winning ancient historian Alexandra Sills, each week we invite an expert guest to give us a crash course in a topic related to ancient Greece, Rome, or their neighbours.

We'll have biographies of historical figures, introductions to ancient works of art and literature, blow-by-blow accounts of events that changed the world, and histories of some of the most special archaeological sites around the Mediterranean.

Whether you already know a little or a lot, our experts know their subjects like the backs of their hands - they will bust myths, explain key concepts, and ensure we have the absolute essential facts we need to understand each topic. Think of us as the university alternative, bringing the teaching straight to you: a comprehensive curriculum, just without the campus!

Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.org and see our socials at https://linktr.ee/ancienthistory101podcast



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8 Episodes
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Gods in Epic Poetry

Gods in Epic Poetry

2026-04-0101:22:45

In this episode of Ancient History 101, we're joined by Laura Jenkinson-Brown, the award-winning educator, illustrator and author, to talk about just how central the gods were in the narratives of epic poetry. Would the Trojan War even have happened were it not for the actions of the gods? And how did they drive and mould the narrative of the lives of countless mortals?For a transcript of this episode, plus recommendations for translations and further reading, head to the episode webpage.To learn more about Laura's excellent infographics about the Iliad, Odyssey and more, head to GreekMythComix.To buy a copy of Laura's innovative, interactive book "You Are Odysseus", click here to buy in the UK, click here to buy in the United States, or here to buy elsewhere.To listen to "You Are Odysseus" as the fabulous ebook/podcast, subscribe now here, or wherever you get your podcasts.Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory CollectiveThanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dr Mike Beer returns to carry on his conversation with Alexandra about all things Augustus. In this second half of the discussion, we tackle Augustus' private life, his creation of his own image, his later career as First Citizen, and his enduring impact on history.You can find a list of suggested further reading, images, a family tree and a transcript on the episode's official webpage.Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.org or follow our socials.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective.Thanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Before we tackle the emperors of Rome who were mad, bad, and dangerous to know, we need to first get to grips with the man who created the concept of Rome even having emperors: Augustus. The first in a two part discussion, this episode talks about Augustus when he was a young man known as Octavian, his steep climb to power, and his fatal rivalry with Antony and Cleopatra.Our special guest expert this week is Dr Mike Beer, who will explain why Octavian wasn't always the obvious choice for Rome's First Emperor...You can find a list of suggested further reading, images, a family tree and a transcript on the episode's official webpage.Find us online and follow our socials.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective.Thanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Xenophon - A Biography

Xenophon - A Biography

2026-03-1801:30:461

Forget Herodotus, forget Thucydides - Xenophon is a historian worth getting to know, and he did so much more than simply write histories... Join Owen Rees and I as we chat about a Greek man who turned his hand at just about anything, and whose biography reads like an adventure novel.Owen Rees is the author of 'The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past' and is the founder of www.BadAncient.com, where ancient historians tackle some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about ancient history. You can find him on Bluesky or read his work on Substack.For further reading and supplementary learning materials, click here.Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.org or follow our socials.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective.Thanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What does Classics mean to you? Cadillacs? Mozart? Dickens novels? or Ancient Greece and Rome? And why does the word CLASSIC seem to be used as a synonym for 'best', 'valuable' or 'timeless'?In this, our first interview episode, your host wrestles with her love-hate relationship with her favourite topic and the way it is taught, and invites Dr Dan Stewart of the University of Leicester to explain why 'Classics' got its name in the first place.What is 'Classics', anyway?Find Ancient History 101 on social media and our website.Ancient History 101 is a proud member of the Mnemosyne Memory CollectiveThanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The inaugural episode of Ancient History 101!Why not visit our website to learn more about our episodes, meet our contributors, and read about our ethos? You can also find all the links to our socials here, so make sure to give us a follow on your preferred platform.Learn more about the show's creator and host Alexandra Sills here, and read about the wonderful work of the Mnemosyne Memory Collective on the official website.If you think Ancient History 101 is the kind of show for you, make sure to click subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.Thanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trailer

Trailer

2026-03-0801:32

If you want to learn about the Ancient Mediterranean but don't know where to start, Ancient History 101 is the podcast for you. Expert guests guide us through a new topic every week with a back-to-basics approach that covers all the essentials. We invite you to join your host Alexandra Sills and her very clever friends as they discuss everything that is entertaining, compelling and even grotesque about the worlds of ancient Greece, Rome and their neighbours.We have military history, biographies of famous figures, events that changed the ancient world, deep dives into religion, culture and politics and much much more. A comprehensive college curriculum, just without the campus!Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.orgThanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
If you want to learn about the Ancient Mediterranean but don't know where to start, Ancient History 101 is the podcast for you. Expert guests guide us through a new topic every week with a back-to-basics approach that covers all the essentials. We invite you to join your host Alexandra Sills and her very clever friends as they discuss everything that is entertaining, compelling and even grotesque about the worlds of ancient Greece, Rome and their neighbours.We have military history, biographies of famous figures, events that changed the ancient world, deep dives into religion, culture and politics and much much more. A comprehensive college curriculum, just without the campus!Find us online at www.ancienthistory101.orgThanks for listening! If you want to know more about the topic of the week, head to www.ancienthistory101.org. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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