Autocrat- A Roman History Podcast

Vince and Cassie

A relaxed journey through Roman history and mythology, hopefully with plenty of tangents, sidebars and interesting distractions along the way. Our goal- even if it ends up being unrealised- is to journey from the Theogony all the way to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and beyond. This show is just for fun, and we hope you have fun with it too!

  1. 100- And Now, the Beginning!

    6D AGO

    100- And Now, the Beginning!

    WE MADE IT! One hundred episodes in and we finally got to the founding of Rome. Just under thirty-nine hours of content later, we finally get to the point of the podcast. Romulus and Remus set out to found a city, but will it be Rome or Remoria? Will it be on the Palatine or the Aventine hill? Only one combination can win- and only one twin will leave the founding alive... Sources for this episode: TBA

    28 min
  2. 99- Summary of Chapter III: After the Fall

    FEB 8

    99- Summary of Chapter III: After the Fall

    We've covered a lot of ground between the 1180s and 754 BCE. So, let's recap that in a bit more of a barebones recap today. Along the way, let's revisit the stories of Camilla, Remulus the hubristic king and Dido of Carthage. We'll also watch the co-hosts sass each other a lot more than necessary and pretend they don't know what a Rome is!

    11 min
  3. 98- Insert Wolf Trop Here

    FEB 1

    98- Insert Wolf Trop Here

    Romulus and Remus have been ejected into the Tiber by their granduncle/possibly father Amulius- but Fate has other plans. The boys wash up near a fig tree and survive by getting suckled by a she-wolf- all of which spells bad news for Amulius of Alba Longa... Sources for this episode: Boitani, L., Phillips, M. & Jhala, Y. V. ( 2023)  Canis lupus (amended version of 2018 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T3746A247624660. Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Eutropius (1760), Eutropius; Epitome of the Roman History. London: Printed for W. Johnston et al.Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Plutarch (1938), Plutarch’s Lives (Volume I). London and New York: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. And E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc.Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

    13 min
  4. Edict- The Princess Imperial

    JAN 24 · BONUS

    Edict- The Princess Imperial

    Today is a day of great rejoicing. Sometime over the past month, we became parents! Say hello to Her Imperial Highness, the Princess Imperial, Duchess of Constantinople and heiress presumptive to the Roman empire. We are very excited, but you may have to bear with us in terms of the schedule as we navigate through the waters of early parenthood. Thank you for your patience!

    2 min
  5. 97- Usurpation!

    JAN 18

    97- Usurpation!

    With the reign of Proca in the rear view mirror, we turn our attention to his two sons- Numitor and Amulius. A murderous plot and a usurpation leads to a young woman being condemned to a life as a Vestal Virgin. However, that doesn't stop her getting pregnant somehow. Oh well, let's put those twin boys in the Tiber... Sources for this episode: Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (2025), Vestal Virgins (online) (Accessed 15/08/2025).Eutropius (1760), Eutropius; Epitome of the Roman History. London: Printed for W. Johnston et al.Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Plutarch (1938), Plutarch’s Lives (Volume I). London and New York: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. And E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc.Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

    23 min
  6. Bonus XVIII- My City For an Olive Tree

    JAN 15 · BONUS

    Bonus XVIII- My City For an Olive Tree

    In our main narrative, a certain Italian city state is not far away from being founded. So, let's talk today about the myth of another famous city- Athens- and its beginnings. Expect olive trees, salt springs and a half-snake king whose descendants get up to all kinds of divinity-adjacent tomfoolery. Sources for this episode: TBA

    12 min
  7. 96- King of the Hill

    JAN 11

    96- King of the Hill

    Aventinus and Proca take us all the way down to the 790s BCE. Along the way, we see another hill of a certain famous city gets its name, the city chugs along quietly in the background, and the Herbology teacher from Harry Potter gets a cameo story in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Wait... What was that last part? Sources for this episode: Appian (1972), Appian's Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). Translated by H. White. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ld. and Harvard University Press.Dio (1961), Dio's Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seven hills of Rome (online) (Accessed 15/08/2025).

    14 min
  8. 95- Thunderbolts and Lightning

    JAN 4

    95- Thunderbolts and Lightning

    This episode is very, very frightning- me! But Bohemian Rhapsody references aside, we continue our story of the kings of Alba Longa down to 856 BCE. Join us for the arrogance of Remulus, earthquakes, divine punishments, and Cassie's intense dislike of an Alban king called Acrota. Sources for this episode: Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College. The lightning sound effect used is by TanwerAman (Thunder Strike (Wav) | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay), used under Pixabay licence (Content License - Pixabay).

    12 min
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About

A relaxed journey through Roman history and mythology, hopefully with plenty of tangents, sidebars and interesting distractions along the way. Our goal- even if it ends up being unrealised- is to journey from the Theogony all the way to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and beyond. This show is just for fun, and we hope you have fun with it too!

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