All episodes of The Toldinstone Podcast

Episodes

Matthew Blair and I discuss the uses and abuses of ancient myth and history in comic books.

Published 07/25/24

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.

Published 07/09/24

21 – The Ancient Architecture of New York City

Elizabeth Macaulay and I discuss New York's neo-antique architecture.

Published 03/08/24

20 – Medicine, Roman and Modern

Dr. Athalia Pyzer and I discuss what - if anything - modern medicine owes to its classical roots.

Published 01/01/24

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.

Published 12/17/23

18 – The Siege and Fall of Constantiople

Roger Crowley and I discuss the Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1453.

Published 12/04/23

17 – Greece under Roman Rule

Sue Alcock and I discuss the fate of Greece after its conquest by Rome.

Published 11/03/23

16 – Climate, Disease, and the Fall of Rome

Kyle Harper and I discuss how climate and disease shaped Roman history.

Published 08/25/23

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.

Published 08/11/23

14 – The Evolution of the Roman Frontier

David Breeze and I discuss the Roman frontiers, with a special emphasis on Hadrian's Wall.

Published 07/07/23

13 – Rome and Persia: 700 years of rivalry

Adrian Goldsworthy and I discuss the long rivalry between the Roman and Persian Empires.

Published 06/16/23

12 – Building a LEGO Model of Ancient Rome

Rocco Buttliere and I discuss his new LEGO model of imperial Rome.

Published 05/26/23

11 – When was Rome founded?

Paolo Carafa and I discuss the archaeology of the Palatine Hill.

Published 05/04/23

10 – Reading the Herculaneum Scrolls

Dr. Brent Seales and I discuss the fascinating challenge of "virtually unwrapping" the Herculaneum Papyri.

Published 03/16/23

9 – The Byzantines and the Classical Past

Anthony Kaldellis and I discuss the complex relationship between Byzantium and the classical tradition.

Published 01/27/23

8 – Jerusalem in the Roman World

Simon Goldhill and I discuss Jerusalem's place in the classical world.

Published 01/13/23

7 – Trivia, ancient and modern (with Ken Jennings)

Jeopardy! legend Ken Jennings and I discuss trivia and esoterica.

Published 12/16/22

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.

Published 12/06/22

5 – The lives of Roman slaves

Dr. Jerry Toner and I discuss the many shapes of slavery in the Roman world.

Published 11/10/22

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.

Published 10/26/22

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.

Published 09/22/22

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.

Published 09/09/22

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.

Published 08/24/22

Ten Turkish Buildings 03: The Obelisk of Theodosius

Already eighteen centuries old when it was set up in the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the Obelisk of Theodosius loomed over the greatest arena of Byzantium's two bloodiest pastimes: chariot racing and politics.

Published 11/30/18