The brutal arena sports of Ancient Rome are one of the most iconic images we have of this ancient culture. Gladiatorial combats and beast hunts have come to epitomise popular perceptions of ancient Rome, thanks to famous sword and sandal epics such as Spartacus and Gladiator. To sort the fact from the fiction about these arena sports I am joined by Christopher Epplett, a leading authority on gladiatorial combat and the beast hunt in antiquity.
The legions of Rome were the nucleus of Rome’s military might for centuries. From campaigning in northern Scotland to the Persian Gulf, these devastating battalions extended and cemented Roman power. Yet of these legions there was one whose end is shrouded in mystery: the Ninth Legion. So what mi...
Cicero is often considered to be one of the greatest orators of Ancient Rome. But how did he reach prominence in Roman politics? Why are his speeches so well remembered and what makes them extraordinary? Catherine Steel from the University of Glasgow joined Tristan to talk through the ascent of t...
Gaius Marius. ‘The Third Founder of Rome’. A prominent figure during the late 2nd and early 1st century BC, this Roman general and statesman became one of the most influential figures in the history of the Late Roman Republic. The man is best remembered for his deadly rivalry with Lucius Corneliu...
