Autocrat- A Roman History Podcast

Now that we have finished the Aeneid- and indeed the epic narratives surrounding the Trojan War- we pause the narrative for a quick intermission before we finish off Aeneas. So, join us for three more stories of Greco-Roman protagonists founding nations of their own!Sources for this episode:TBA

Aeneas has his final stand-off with Turnus, but that seems almost tangential in comparison to a daughter of a king called Camilla who carves a path of destruction and intimidation through the Trojan lines. As we wrap up the Aeneid and indeed the cycle of epics about the Trojan War and its aftermath, join us for vengeance for Pallas, military circle time and anti-prayers.Sources for this episode:TBA

Virgil may be slowly unravelling as Augustus forces him to write propaganda into the Aeneid, but Aeneas is charging full steam ahead into his conflict against the Rutulians. Join us for duels, ancient world macchiatos and a boat-based answering machine. Oh, and a tangent exploring who exactly these Etruscans are we will be hearing so much about.Sources for this episode:TBA

Now in Italy, Aeneas gets a new wife called Lavinia- and rivalry for her hand starts a war against the king of the Rutilians. Join us for more prophecies and visions of Rome than you can shake a stick at, Venus magicking shields into Aeneas' tent, and just whether Aeneas is an introvert.Catch Tsar Power wherever you get your podcasts, and thanks to Roberto and Aurora for collaborating with us!Sources for this episode:Drummond, A. 2015), Evander. Oxford Classical Dictionary (online) (Accessed 19/10/2025).Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd.Moorton, R. (1988), The Genealogy of Latinus in Vergil's Aeneid. Transactions of the American Philological Association 118: 253-259.Papaioannou, S. (2003), Founder, Civilizer and Leader: Vergil's Evander and His Role in the Origins of Rome. Mnemnosyne Fourth Series 56(6): 680-702.Rosivach, V. J. (1980), Latinus' Genealogy and the Palace of Picus (Aeneid 7, 45-9, 170-91. The Classical Quarterly 30(1): 140-152.Virgil (1976), The Aeneid. Translated by W. F. J. Knight. London: Penguin Books Ltd.Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Battle of Actium (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Evander of Pallantium (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025 and 19/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Latinus (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Janus (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Shield of Aeneas (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Temple of Janus (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).Incidentally, Aphrodite's Wikipedia informs me that the story of her cheating with Ares comes from Book VIII of the Odyssey. So, the reference for the Odyssey is:Homer (1983), The Odyssey. Translated by E. V. Rieu. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

Aeneas holds some surprise funeral games in honour of his father, as he unexpectedly remembers that it's been one year since his father Anchises died. Not only that, but he must also venture deep into the bowels of the underworld to go and speak to that same father- and receive a prophecy about the future of his lineage and the people he will found. But does the underworld have any snack machines?Thanks again to Roberto from the History of Saqartvelo Georgia for collaborating with us! Check out his show wherever you get your podcasts.Sources for this episode:Virgil (1976), The Aeneid. Translated by W. F. J. Knight. London: Penguin Books Ltd.Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.Author unknown, University of Leeds (date unknown), Inferno, Major Themes: Virglin (online) (Accessed 14/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Christian interpretations of Virgil's Eclogue 4 (online) (Accessed 14/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Dante Alighieri (online) (Accessed 14/10/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Inferno (Dante) (online) (Accessed 14/10/2025).Drum sound effect: Sound Effect by Adhi Mahadi from Pixabay

We set off from the burning rubble of Troy again- but this time instead of Odysseus, it's everyone's favourite serial kidnap victim Aeneas we are following! Join us for Carthage, Dido, very fast mural painters with very up-to-date information and Neptune advocating beaurocracy.Sources for this episode:Virgil (1976), The Aeneid. Translated by W. F. J. Knight. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

Agamemnon comes home to find consequences waiting for him in Argos. This sets off a chain reaction resulting in a cycle of violence swirling around Orestes, son of Agamemnon. We get scenes of Furies chasing him from Argos to Athens where his fate will get decided by a trial- with Apollo's only contribution being an attack on all women...Sources for this episode:Aeschylus (1977), The Oresteia. Translated by R. Fagles. London: Penguin Books Ltd.The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (date unknown) Zygote (online) (Accessed 27/08/2024).Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume I). London: William Heinemann.Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann.Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd.Ovid (1968), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Erinyes (online) (Accessed 27/08/2024).

Odysseus. The man we accused of being a failure all throughout the Iliad and the Posthomerica. But will we like him any better during his own spin-off show? Join us for an extra long episode hosted by Vince's sister the Jingle-Jangler- who has studied the Odyssey and can help us condense it. Will Vince get increasingly frustrated at the inconsistency of Greek omens? Will Cassie have to employ increasing levels of sarcasm against Odysseus' flaws? Will the hosts become enraged at Odysseus, misogyny in the Greek world and Greek mythology in general? Find out with us!NOTE: This episode is a bit of a longer one, so it has been split into three sections with musical interludes at 35:39 and 01:13:50 for those who need a break.Sources for this episode:Homer (1983), The Odyssey. Translated by E. V. Rieu. London: Penguin Books Ltd.Majdic, G. (2021), Graceful Swan: A Symbol of Love. Chapter in: Soul Mate Biology: p. 93-102.

Now that the Iliad and the Posthomerica are both behind us, it is time for a recap of the craziness that has been the Trojan War! Join us for two mini quizzes, another opportunity to dunk on Achilles and a reminder that all that terrible nonsense the House of Tantalus got up to existed.

It's finally time! As the Trojans are chased into the city, some bright spark (obviously it's Odysseus) suggests that we build a farmyard animal out of wood and push it in front of the Trojan gates! Let's shove some warriors in it and pretend to leave, then the Trojans will surely drag it into the city. But don't worry, there's no way they're foolish enough to actually go for it... Surely?Sources for this episode:Brown, S. P., West, S. A., Diggle, S. P. and Griffin, A. S. (2009), Social evolution in micro-organisms and a Trojan horse approach to medical intervention strategies. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 364: 3157-3168.Desmedt, Y. (2025), Trojan Horses, Computer Viruses, and Worms. Chapter in: Encyclopedia of Cryptography, Security and Privacy (p. 2649-2651).Quintus Smyrnaeus (1934), The Fall of Troy. Translated by A. S. Way. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Testudo formation (online) (Accessed 24/06/2025).Credit for the lightning noise: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/heavy-thunder-sound-effect-no-copyright-338980/ (free for use under the Pixabay Content Licence, https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/).

Our alternative title today is Goodbye Paris. Either way, you can probably guess how this is going to go. But before we say farewell to everyone's favourite princess-kidnapper, let's see how his ex-wife feels about saving him! I'm sure there will be no hard feelings there... Right? Please? Oenone?Sources for this episode:The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (2015), Philoctetes (online) (Accessed 24/06/2025).Quintus Smyrnaeus (1934), The Fall of Troy. Translated by A. S. Way. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Author unknown, Google Maps (online) (Accessed 06/07/2025).Author unknown, Philoctetes (date unknown), Story of Philoctetes (online) (Accessed 24/06/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antenor (online) (Accessed 24/06/2025).Fire sound effect (clipped and some fading added second time):https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/fire-sound-334130/. Free for use under Pixabay Content Licence (https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/) (Accessed 07/07/2025).

Eurypylus has been killing like there's no tomorrow- and it's up to a boy from Scyros to sort it out. Let's introduce Neoptolemus son of Achilles onto the world stage and watch him wreak havoc while the gods dance in between the lines.Sources for this episode:Quintus Smyrnaeus (1934), The Fall of Troy. Translated by A. S. Way. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company.Author unknown, Google Maps (online) (Accessed 23/06/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Peleus (online) (Accessed 23/06/2025).

Priam reaches out for help to yet another ally- this time the grandson of Heracles. Meanwhile, over in the Greek camp- or Greel if you believe Vince's mangled pronounciation- Ajax and Odysseus get into an argument over who gets Achilles' armour. I'm sure that will go swimmingly...Sources for this episode:Marks, A. and Tingay, G. (date unknown), Romans. London: Usborne Publishing.Quintus Smyrnaeus (1934), The Fall of Troy. Translated by A. S. Way. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company.Author unknown, Johns Hopkins Medicine (date unknown), Cholecystitis (online) (Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, NIH News in Health (date unknown), Can You Recognize a Heart Attack or Stroke? (online) (Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, Theoi (date unknown), Quintus Symrnaeus 6 (online) (Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ajax the Great (online) Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Astyoche (online) Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Oileus (online) Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Phobos (online) Accessed 21/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Teucer (online) Accessed 21/05/2025).

On today's installment of the Trojan War, Apollo lands a well-aimed shot to finally lay Achilles low. Oh, and also a debate about chariots. That, and Vince may have rediscovered the reverb function on his Audacity. Either that, or we've been graced with a visit from the Greek gods. One of these two things.Sources for this episode:Arrian (1805), Arrian's Voyage Round the Euxine Sea (etc.). Oxford: S. Collingford.Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd.Quintus Smyrnaeus (1934), The Fall of Troy. Translated by A. S. Way. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nereids (online) (Accessed 13/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Periplus of the Euxine Sea (online) (Accessed 13/05/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Snake Island (online) (Accessed 13/05/2025).Source for the cricket noises:Sampled from Crickets by freesound_community (https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/crickets-26444/). Licence under the Pixabay content licence (https://pixabay.com/service/license-summary/) (Accessed 25/05/2025).

Quintus Smyrnaeus may have been the least favourite child according to Autocrat lore, but he did give us a new source called the Posthomerica- a.k.a. the Fall of Troy- which takes us all the way to the end of the Trojan War! Our first two books of the Posthomerica see two different attempts by outside armies to rescue Troy- and they both go the same way...Sources for this episode:Quintus Smyrnaeus (1934), The Fall of Troy. Translated by A. S. Way. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Terme River (online) (Accessed 02/04/2025).

It's finally the end of the Iliad! But before we wrap up, we still have time for a few questions. For instance, are all Achilles' funeral games either problematic or rigged? Will Cassie pointing out errors in the script lead to an increasingly irate Vince? And will the Jingle-Jangler make a cameo? All that to come on the final part of the Iliad!Sources for this episode:Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.Author unknown, Theoi (date unknown), Sperkheios (online) (Accessed 03/04/2025).Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Spercheios (online) (Accessed 03/04/2025).

It's been a long time in the making, but we finally get the fight between Achilles and Hector. Tune in for Priam and Hecabe trying to make their son see reason, a surprise cameo from Eddie Redmayne and how not to be respectful to your enemy's corpse...Sources for this episode:Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.

A shorter episode today discussing book XXI of the Iliad! Achilles goes round murdering people like there's no tomorrow, and one of the rivers he keeps flinging people into objects to this. Not only that, but we get more partisanship from the gods and an honouring of a grisly promise.Sources for this episode:Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Scamander (online) (Accessed 03/04/2025).As also stated in the episode audio, there will be no episode for the next two weeks as Autocrat is on a bit of an Easter break.

Patroclus is dead and Achilles is feeling seriously unhappy about it. And the Trojan army is going to know about it. But along the way, join us to give a sulking Odysseus a video game controller as a distraction and watch two grown men negotiate over a woman! Yay...Sources for this episode:Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antenor (Trojan) (online) (Accessed 22/02/2025).

We've had Hector going ballistic on the opposing side- well, now it's Achilles' turn. He's not quite in the war itself yet, but we see him terrify the Trojans with just his appearance and Thetis getting Hephaestus to make new armour for mummy's special boy...Sources for this episode:Homer (1965), The Iliad. Translated by E. V. Rieu. Harmondsworth; Penguin Books Ltd.