Boreas and bad weather. In his Works and Days, the poet Hesiod, writing in the 8th century BC, noted how bad the weather could be in the month of Lenaion (January/February). This was largely attributed to one character, Boreas the god of the north wind. According to the poet his winds would pierce the hides […]
Boreas, Greek god of the north wind. Read More »
Tyrants formed much of the background to this episode so I hope you didn’t suffer from tyrant fatigue! Here are some extra bits which I hope will help you enjoy the episode more. Maps. Below you can make out the wider Greek world around Sicily and how those colonies were networked. In the episode I
Tyrants & Tragedy: Episode notes. Read More »
Coins provide a valuable insight into how those who produced them wanted to be perceived in antiquity. The resonance of this physical propoganda resonates less today, there’s just so many ways to set your brand or identity. For the Greek colonies of ancient Sicily the opportunity to say something about who you were through coins
Coins from ancient Sicily. Read More »
Boeotia – the basics. When it comes to art and ancient Greece Boeotia doesn’t get much of a discussion. However, there are some fine examples of this which I was able to see during my recent visit to the British Museum. In case you aren’t aware Boeotia was a region in central Greece, perhaps the
Boeotian art, women and a goose. Read More »
Back in 2023 the British Museum announced they would have an exhibition titled ‘Legion’ which would feature a range of pieces allowing the visitor a chance to gain a glimpse at what the Roman military machine was like. It didn’t fail to deliver and wasn’t just restricted to the obvious martial elements. There were a
Legion exhibition at the British Museum. Read More »
Hope you enjoy the episode I’m still unsure what I have let myself in for as there is a lot of content. Anyway, here is some supporting content which I hope helps. I recently received some lovely feedback saying that the reading list gave that person more sources to use and ideas to research. H.M.
Ancient Sicily Part One. Episode notes. Read More »
A testudo and testing times for Caesar. In 57 BC Julius Caesar had a problem. Stationed in northern Gaul he became aware of the activities of the Belgae, a confederation of tribes who occupied what is largely north eastern France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Suspicions were further confirmed when one of the Belgae tribes, the
Testudo, Caesar and a quandry. Read More »
In 2017 work was being done outside of Cambridge in the UK. These were upgrades to the A14 road and though needed weren’t exactly headline grabbing. However what they found allowed experts to piece together a tale which linked Roman Britain to the easternmost tips of the Roman Empire. Whilst digging the remains of a
Sarmatia and Roman Britain: an amazing find. Read More »
I hope you enjoyed the episode, there were certainly many elements of it which I felt easier to identify with. Just in case you wondered there is a short piece here on the Saturnalia. You also heard from the Partial Historians – a great podcast if you aren’t already listening to it. In the episode
Saturnalia: episode notes. Read More »
Motya – Sicily’s first Phoenician settlement. Around the 8th century BC the Phoenicians, masters of maritime commerce, committed to founding a settlement on the western tip of Sicily. It was highly likely that the Phoenicians had known and traded with the inhabitants of Sicily for some time. After all they had been founding trading posts
Motya and a star filled pool? Read More »
