When in Rome

Rome had an extensive road network, stretching from one end of the empire to the other. It aided travel, communications, movements of army and trade, and to this day has helped funnel a steady stream of visitors back to the mighty city. Guest: Professor Catherine Fletcher (History, Manchester Metropolitan University). Professor Fletcher is the author of 'The Roads to Rome'

The Saepta Julia began with a noble intention - a defined place for citizens to meet, debate and vote. It was built at the instruction of Julius Caesar, at a time when the ideals of voting were still being upheld. Guest: Assoc. Professor Rhiannon Evans (Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

In the outer suburbs of Rome is a well preserved late Roman mausoleum, built for the daughter of Constantine the great. While late Roman in nature it shows the influences of early Christian architecture. Guest: Dr Christopher Gribbin (Adjunct Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

In Pompeii there is a House of the Baker - a strangely designed dwelling with a famous mosaic of a man handing out bread that gives it its name. But perhaps the image indicates a different scene. Guest: Professor Steven Tuck (History and Classics, Miami University).

The Temple of Bel in Palmyra mixed the religions of Rome with beliefs in the east, providing the residents of the city with their own unique deities. While significant as a Roman temple, it had a long history in the years that followed, and has played an important part in Syria’s recent tragic events. Guest: Dr Peter Edwell (Senior Lecturer, History and Archaeology, Macquarie University).

Founded as a Phoenician city, Utica became an important Roman colony on what is now the Tunisian coast, but it never managed to get past a healthy rivalry with nearby Carthage. Guest: Assistant Professor J. Andrew Dufton (Archeology, Dickinson College)

No structure says ‘Crisis of the Third Century’ more than the Aurelian Walls. The city of Rome had long been at peace and largely untouchable, but Aurelian realised that times had changed, and the capital of the empire needed defending. Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Cyprus was in an excellent position for trade in the mediterranean, not just for the Roman empire but later for the Byzantine empire as well. In the old capital of Neo Paphos, one of the richest and most extensive residences is the Villa of Theseus. Guest: Dr Christopher Gribbin (Adjunct Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Paestum is a city on the western coast of Italy, founded by Greeks and known in the modern day as the site of impressive temples and elaborately painted tombs. Guest: Dr Tiziana D'Angelo (Director, Archeological Park of Paestum and Vella). Support the kickstarter campaign for When in Rome series 7. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nightlight/when-in-rome-podcast-series-7

The cloaca maxima is the great sewer of Rome. A tad smelly but highly functional, it funneled water and waste increasing health and sanitation, and earned admiration for its importance to the people. Guest: Dr Gillian Shepherd (Trendall Centre, La Trobe University)

Venta Silurum was a city on the western fringes of Roman Britannia, established to integrate the conquered tribes of the Silures. Its ruins are found on the grounds of the welsh town of Caerwent, where modern buildings are side by side with the Roman archaeology. Guest: Dr Peter Guest (Vianova Archaeology).

Hadrian loved Greece, and part of his grand plan involved making his mark on the city of Athens. The library he built on the north side of the Acropolis was just one of his building projects, and a contribution to the culture he so admired. Guest: Associate Professor Caillan Davenport (Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University).

Salona was the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia and sits along the coast of the Adriatic on the banks of the river Jadro. It is strongly associated with early Christianity, and is now the largest archaeological site in Croatia. Guest: Dr Christopher Gribbin (Adjunct Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University).

Melite was an ancient Roman settlement on the site of M’Dina in modern Malta. A small island in the middle of the mediterranean, Malta was in the path of wars and trade routes throughout the classical period, and we’re only just beginning to learn what it mean to live in Roman Malta. Guest: Robert Brown (PHD candidate in archaeology, Australian National University, and managing director of the Melite Civitas Romana Project).

Palmyra is an ancient ruined city in modern Syria, long known for its place in the Roman empire and strongly influenced by Persian and Hellenistic cultures. In modern times it has been associated with the major destruction by the Islamic State, and there are currently hopes for its restoration. Guest: Dr Peter Edwell (Senior Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology at Macquarie University).