Afleveringen
-
A quick update welcoming you to 2025- or the 2778th year of Rome- and a primer on what you can expect for the year ahead. For any ancient Romans listening, feel free to ignore this until your New Year in March.
Sources for this episode:
Blakemore, E., National Geographic (2023), The new year once started in March- here's why (online) (Accessed 31/12/2024). The Editors, Encylopedia Britannica (2024), Chinese New Year (online) (Accessed 31/12/2024). Author unknown, Uchicago (date unknown), Roman Calendar (online) (Accessed 31/12/2024). -
Agamemnon is a family man. It's just a shame that family is also the answer to who needs to be put up on an altar. As the Greeks are loitering at Aulis before setting off for Troy, we watch the goddess Artemis announce that Iphigenia needs to sacrificed in order to placate her anger...
Sources for this episode:
Antoninus Liberalis (1992), The Metamorphoses of Antoninus Liberalis. Translated by F. Celoria. London and New York: Routledge. Euripides (1910), The Plays of Euripides in English in 2 Volumes (Volume 1). Translated by Shelley Dean Milman, Potter and Woodhull. London and New York: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. and E. P. Dutton & Co. Evelyn-White, H. G. (1943), Hesiod: The Homeric Hymns and Homerica. London: William Heinemann Ltd. Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft. Lucretius (1921), On the Nature of Things. Translated by W. E. Leonard. London, Toronto and New York: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. and E. P. Dutton & Co. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Myrmidons (online) (Accessed 07/12/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Snake Island (Ukraine) (online) (Accessed 07/12/2024). -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
Christmas and the Anno Domini system of counting years are very intertwined. So, what better way to celebrate than to talk to someone going through every year of the AD calendar one at a time? We sat down with Dan from Augustus History, the creator of Yearly Histories, to talk about the challenges and the joys of such an endeavour.
-
Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. These are the three goddesses now fighting over an apple. And, strange as it sounds, it's this dispute that will lead to three naked goddesses standing in front of an unsuspecting mortal called Paris...
Sources for this episode:
Brooks, F. (1896), Greek Lyric Poets. London: David Nutt. Euripides (1967), The Bacchae and Other Plays. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd. Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft. Koniaris, G. L. (1967), On Sappho, Fr. 16 (L. P.) Hermes 95(3): 257-268. Raynor, D. J. and Lardinois, A. (2014), Sappho: A New Translation of the Complete Works. New York: Cambridge University Press. Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company. -
Content warning: Peleus is a terrible person, so expect a mild reference to some implied nastiness.
Peleus is one of those people who gets things he doesn't deserve. Despite all that terrible behaviour we outlined in episode 55, he gets to marry a goddess! However, it's at the wedding that the seeds of something dreadful will be sown...
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft. Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books. Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Judgement of Paris (online) (Accessed 01/12/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Thetis (online) (Accessed 01/12/2024). -
In the quiet before the storm of the Trojan War and its immediate causes, we introduce two major characters today. The first is Odysseus, great-grandson of Hermes and creator of oaths that blow up in his face. The second is Achilles- descendant of Zeus and an ancient Greek example of play dress-up to run away from your problems.
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Hyginus (1872), Fabulae. Edited by M. Schmidt. Jenae: Hermann Dufft. Statius (1928), Statius. Volume II: Thebiad V- XII and Achilleid. London and New York: William Heinemann, Ltd. and G. P. Putnam's Sons. -
Content warning: the title should tell you everything you need to know here. The descendants of Tantalus are violent, and they don't mess about.
Tantalus is usually known for being the originator of the word tantalising. But how bad can his story really be? In this episode, Vince tells a progressively more horrified Cassie about the messed-up lives of his descendants- including Agamemnon and Menelaus...
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Oldfather, C. H. (1993), Diodorus of Sicily: the Library of History. In Twelve Volumes. Volume III: Books IV.59- VIII. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books. Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company. Tzetzes, J. (last edited 2018), Chiliades or Book of Histories. Translated by A. Untila, G. Berkowitz, K. Ramiotis and V. Dogani. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Tantalus (son of Thyestes) (online) (Accessed 19/11/2024). -
Meet the most beautiful woman in the world- who may have hatched from an egg. She's got suitors lining up to marry her which poses a problem for her stepfather Tyndareus. Maybe Odysseus will have a short term solution that will only cause problems later?
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd. Pausanias (1886), Pausanias Description of Greece. In Six Volumes. Volume II: Books VII to X. Translated by A. R. Shilleto. London: George Bell and Sons. Plutarch (1938), Plutarch's Lives. Dryden's Edition, Revised, with an Introduction, by Arthur Hugh Clough. In Three Volumes (Volume I). Everyman's Library 407. London and New York: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. and E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc. Procopius (2016), The Secret History. Translated by G. A. Williamson. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Leda and the Swan (online) (Accessed 17/11/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Penelope (online) (Accessed 17/11/2024). -
Prince Aeneas of Troy has a bit of an unusual parentage- he's the son of minor prince Anchises by Human Woman. Who is definitely human. And not Aphrodite.
Sources for this episode:
Evelyn-White, H. G. (1943), Hesiod: The Homeric Hymns and Homerica. London: William Heinemann Ltd. Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd. Guerber, H. A. (1929), The Myths of Greece & Rome: Their Stories Signification and Origin. London: George G. Harrap & Company Ltd. Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Tithonus (online) (Accessed 16/11/2024). -
The secondborn son of Priam and Hecabe was already making a big splash before he was born- and well before he swooped on a woman called Helen. There's not many of us who get a prophecy about our destructive legacy- or who get confused with a major European city...
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd. Ovid (1914), Heroides and Amores. Translated by G. Showerman. London and New York: William Heinemann and The Macmillan Co. Smith; W. (ed.) (1867), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. In Three Volumes (Vol. 1-3.). Boston: Little, Brown, And Company. Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited. Author unknown, Merriam Webster (date unknown), What is a 'Firebrand?' (online) (Accessed 10/11/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Heroides (online) (Accessed 10/11/2024). -
It's the start of Chapter II, so we're off to the Trojan War! Except... Not just yet. We need some background first. You might have heard of our subject today- she shares a name with one of the co-hosts...
Sources for this episode:
Euripides (1981), Medea and Other Plays. Translated by P. Vellacott. London: The Penguin Classics. Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd. Callimachus and Lycophron (1961). Translated by A. W. Meir. London and New York: William Heinemann and G. P. Putnam's Sons. Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books. Norwich, J. J. (2003), Byzantium: The Decline and Fall. London: The Folio Society.Any sources and future debate about Aesacus to be put here.
-
All Hallows' Eve is upon us... and that means spooky stories! Join us for two longer-form Greco-Roman stories and four tales from around the world. Plus, the Autocrat palace may or may not be haunted. So there's that.
Sources for this episode (to be updated tomorrow):
Marks, A. and Tingay, G. (date unknown), Romans. London: Usborne Publishing. Pliny (1969), The Letters of the Younger Pliny. Translated by B. Radice. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd. Steel, R. W. , Gardiner, R. K. A. , McMaster, D. N. , Dickson, K. B. , Nicol, D. S. H. W. , Clarke, J. I. , Kröner, A. , Middleton, J. F. M. , Mabogunje, A. L. and Smedley, A., Encyclopedia Britannica (2024), Africa (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Tacitus (1983), The Annals of Imperial Rome. Translated by M. Grant. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Africa (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Claudius (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Curtius Rufus (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Hadrumetum (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) List of consuls (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Lucius Vitellius (consul 34) (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Quintus Curtius Rufus (online) (Accessed 28/10/2024). -
Back in episode 15, we discussed the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha in their experience of the great flood sent by Zeus to destroy humanity. However, there are other flood myths we didn't get to cover because of our focus. So, we welcomed Chris Stewart from the History of China to go through Chinese creation stories, flood myths, scientific controversy, and more!
Sources for this episode:
Allan, S. (2017), The Jishi outburst flood of 1920 BCE and the great flood legend in ancient China: preliminary reflections. Journal of Chinese humanities 3.1: 23-34. Bergman, J. (2003), Do Creation and Flood Myths Found World Wide Have a Common Origin? The Proceedings of the International Conference on Creationism 5: 517-528. Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited. Wu, Q., Zhao, Z., Liu, L., Granger, D. E., Wang, H., Cohen, D. J., Wu, X., Ye, M., Bar-Josef, O., Lu, B., Zhang, J., Zhang, P., Yuan, D., Qi, W., Cai, L. and Bai, S. (2016), Outburst flood at 1920 BCE supports historicity of China's Great Flood and the Xia dynasty. Science 353(6299), 579-582. Author unknown (2010), Holy Bible: International Children's Bible (New Century Version). Milton Keynes: Authentic Media Limited. -
After 48 episodes, it's time to move on to the Trojan War. Before we do, let's look back at everything we've covered, watch the co-hosts quiz each other and answer your questions and comments! All while we struggle to pronounce words and feel pain over the fall of Constantinople. Plus, a voice from somewhere beyond the microphone...
Some sources for this episode:
Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), History of Portugal (online) (Accessed 17/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Siege of Perinthus (online) (Accessed 17/10/2024). -
It is time to say an emotional goodbye to Heracles- but not before he sacks Troy before it becomes cool, does some light target practice on a centaur and builds himself a funeral pyre.
Sources for this episode:
Berg, J. M., Tymoczko, J. L. and Stryer, L. (2007), Biochemistry (6th edition). New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. Homer (2021), The Iliad & The Odyssey. Translated by S. Butler. Ovieda, Spain: King Solomon. Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume I). London: William Heinemann. Plutarch (1973), The Age of Alexander. Translated by I. Scott-Kilvert. Harmonsworth: Penguin Books Ltd. Robertson, J. (1788), The Parian Chronicle, or the Chronicle of the Arundelian Marbles; with a Dissertation Concerning its Authenticity. London: J. Walter, Charing Cross. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Agesilaus II (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Argead dynasty (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Aristomachus (mythology) (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Caranus of Macedon (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Cleodaeus (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Coenus of Macedon (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Eurysthenes (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Heracleidae (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Iole (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Leonidas I (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Neoptolemus (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Temenus (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Tyrimmas of Macedon (online) (Accessed 06/10/2024).Sources for drawing research:
Afidah, A., Agustina, M. F. and Trisnawati, R. K. (2022), Colorful God and Goddess as the representation of modern Greek mythology in Lore Olympus. DIKSI 30(2): 160-169. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Apollo (online) (Accessed 14/10/2024). -
Just to let you know that there won't be a new episode this week due to one of the co-hosts not feeling great. However, stick with us! In this filler episode, we discuss the direction the podcast is going to take over the next few weeks and go through a bit of housekeeping. Not only that, but if you are lacking your history podcasting fix this week, there's an exclusive clip of episode 69 of After Alexander- before it's even out on that podcast's feed...
-
Another instance of a cursed family tree- this time in two stories. The first is one of a man who just wants to find a nice statue and settle down. In the second, a series of cursed events lead to someone Aphrodite can fall in love with! A handy precedent to set as we wind our way towards the Trojan War...
Sources for this episode;
Bernstein, N. W. (2023), The Complete Works of Claudian: Translated with an Introduction and Notes. Oxon and New York: Routledge. Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann. Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd. Ovid (1955), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. London: Penguin Books. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Galatea (mythology) (online) (Accessed 13/08/2024). -
Quick correction- we call Orthus the father of Cerberus in the episode, but it's actually Typhon! Just swap 'father' for 'brother' and everything still works.
The final and most dangerous task is here, and we've got to go down into the underworld... We've got the whole package: Heracles solving fighting-based problems; Harry Potter connections from Cassie, and Vince going down a rabbit hole about mythological chronologies!
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume I). London: William Heinemann. Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd. Guerber, H. A. (1929), The Myths of Greece & Rome: Their Stories Signification and Origin. London: George G. Harrap & Company Ltd. Oldfather, C. H. (1989), Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes. Volume I: Books I and II, 1-34. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, UK: Harvard University Press. -
Back in episode 33, we examined what the ancient authors had to say about the phoenix. Well, this time the basilisk is under scrutiny! Also, find out which snake we think it probably sprung from! That and Part II of Harry Potter references...
Sources for this episode:
Alexander, R. McN. (1963), The Evolution of the Basilisk. Greece & Rome 10(2): 170-181. Rackham, H. (1967), Pliny Natural History with an English Translation in Ten Volumes. Volume III: Libri VIII-XI. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd. -
Originally meant as a wedding gift for either Zeus or Hera, the Golden Apples lie in a garden far in some direction- either north or west, the sources disagree. Look forward to a cameo from a sly Atlas! He may have already become a mountain due to Perseus' shenanigans in episode 17 if you believe Ovid but hey, who's really keeping score... Plus sky giraffes. We can't forget about those.
Sources for this episode:
Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume I). London: William Heinemann. Guerber, H. A. (1929), The Myths of Greece & Rome: Their Stories Signification and Origin. London: George G. Harrap & Company Ltd. Oldfather, C. H. (1989), Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes. Volume I: Books I and II, 1-34. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, UK: Harvard University Press. - Laat meer zien
