The Toldinstone Podcast
36 episodes
37 – How Accurate was HBO’s Rome?
36 – The Late Bronze Age Collapse
Eric Cline and I discuss the causes and consequences of the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
35 – The Spartan Mirage
Stephen Hodkinson and I discuss the latest research on classical Sparta.
34 – Ancient Rome and America’s Founding Fathers
Carl Richard and I discuss how Ancient Greece and Rome shaped the American Revolution and US Constitution.
33 – Understanding the Valley of the Kings
Chris Naunton and I discuss history's most iconic necropolis.
32 – Tactics of Alexander the Great
Roel Konijnendijk and I discuss the army and tactics of the most iconic Greek general.
31 – How the Renaissance invented Ancient Rome
Ada Palmer and I discuss how the Italian Renaissance transformed our understanding of antiquity.
30 – The Mind of a Roman Gladiator
Harry Sidebottom and I discuss the unique place of gladiators in Roman society.
29 – A Short History of Roman Spain
Paco Alvarez and I discuss the remarkable history of Roman Spain.
28 – What bones tell us about ancient Rome
Deborah Ruscillo and I discuss how zooarchaeology has transformed our understanding of the classical world.
27 – The Mona Lisa of Ancient Coins
Nick Vaneerdewegh and I discuss the Aetna Tetradrachm - the "Mona Lisa of numismatics" - and other treasures of the Brussels Coin Cabinet.
25 – The History of Ancient Rome in 12 Coins
Gareth Harney and I discuss how coins tell the story of Roman history.
24 – Decline and Fall of the Roman City
Luke Lavan and I discuss the transformation of Roman cities in late antiquity.
23 – Greek myths in comics
Matthew Blair and I discuss the uses and abuses of ancient myth and history in comic books.
22 – Reading the Herculaneum Papyri
In this episode, Dr. Federica Nicolardi and I discuss the challenges of reading the scrolls charred and buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.
21 – The Ancient Architecture of New York City
Elizabeth Macaulay and I discuss New York's neo-antique architecture.
20 – Medicine, Roman and Modern
Dr. Athalia Pyzer and I discuss what - if anything - modern medicine owes to its classical roots.
19 – The Rules of Gladiatorial Combat
Michael Carter and I discuss the rules and rituals that governed the lives - and deaths - of Rome's gladiators.
18 – The Siege and Fall of Constantiople
Roger Crowley and I discuss the Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1453.
17 – Greece under Roman Rule
Sue Alcock and I discuss the fate of Greece after its conquest by Rome.
16 – Climate, Disease, and the Fall of Rome
Kyle Harper and I discuss how climate and disease shaped Roman history.
15 – Julius Caesar and the Rhine Frontier
Nico Roymans and I discuss Rome's frontier on the lower Rhine, in what is now the Netherlands.
14 – The Evolution of the Roman Frontier
David Breeze and I discuss the Roman frontiers, with a special emphasis on Hadrian's Wall.
13 – Rome and Persia: 700 years of rivalry
Adrian Goldsworthy and I discuss the long rivalry between the Roman and Persian Empires.
12 – Building a LEGO Model of Ancient Rome
Rocco Buttliere and I discuss his new LEGO model of imperial Rome.
11 – When was Rome founded?
Paolo Carafa and I discuss the archaeology of the Palatine Hill.
10 – Reading the Herculaneum Scrolls
Dr. Brent Seales and I discuss the fascinating challenge of "virtually unwrapping" the Herculaneum Papyri.
9 – The Byzantines and the Classical Past
Anthony Kaldellis and I discuss the complex relationship between Byzantium and the classical tradition.
8 – Jerusalem in the Roman World
Simon Goldhill and I discuss Jerusalem's place in the classical world.
7 – Trivia, ancient and modern (with Ken Jennings)
Jeopardy! legend Ken Jennings and I discuss trivia and esoterica.
6 – Why was Alexander the Great so successful?
Dr. Adrian Goldsworthy and I discuss the incredible careers of Alexander the Great and his father Philip II.
5 – The lives of Roman slaves
Dr. Jerry Toner and I discuss the many shapes of slavery in the Roman world.
4 – How to address a crowd in ancient Rome
Dr. Gregory Aldrete and I discuss how Roman orators used rhetorical tricks and hand gestures to win friends and influence people.
3 – Why the Romans Still Matter
Gareth Harney (OptimoPrincipi on Twitter) and I discuss why the Romans are so intriguing - and why, in a broader sense, they still matter in the 21st century.
2 – The Lord of the Rings and Ancient Rome
In this episode, Bret Devereaux (the blogger behind "A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry") discusses the relationships between fantasy and ancient history - and why historical accuracy matters.
1 – Why the Fall of Rome Set Europe Back 1,000 Years
In this inaugural episode of the Toldinstone Podcast, Professor Bryan Ward-Perkins outlines the archaeological evidence for the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, and explains why the fall of Rome was so catastrophic.