Blood and Honour: The Podcast

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In the shadow of Rome, a disgraced centurion fights to reclaim his legacy. Based on the novel Blood and Honour by Martin Antrobus, this podcast brings Roman Britain to life through gripping storytelling, ancient conflict, and the fate of a forgotten legion.

  1. Fire on the Crag: Beeston Castle and the Magic of Bronze

    10/19/2025

    Fire on the Crag: Beeston Castle and the Magic of Bronze

    From burial mounds to blazing forges, Beeston Castle rises from the Cheshire Plain as a sacred mountain of metal and memory. In this episode of Echoes of Empire and Iron, we walk the crag where Neolithic footsteps linger, step inside Bronze Age roundhouses alive with flame and craft, and trace how the Cornovii transformed Beeston into a powerhouse of trade, ritual, and defence.Hear the ring of hammer on anvil, the hush of votive offerings buried beneath the ramparts, and the tactical genius of an Iron Age entrance designed to expose an attacker’s unshielded side. We follow tin from Cornwall and copper from Wales to the crucibles on the summit, watch bronze give way to iron, and glimpse why this hill kept its spirit into the Roman era.

    10 min
  2. Tomen Y Mur - The Lost Amphitheatre of Snowdonia

    09/02/2025

    Tomen Y Mur - The Lost Amphitheatre of Snowdonia

    Tomen y Mur - Navigating the Snowdonia Uplands Geological Setting Tomen y Mur sits at 200m elevation on Cambrian sedimentary rocks - ancient mudstones and sandstones that form the rolling hills of central Snowdonia. The site was chosen where a natural spur provides 360-degree visibility across the Trawsfynydd valley. The underlying geology creates naturally well-drained ground - essential for a permanent military installation. Walking Sarn Helen to Tomen y Mur Starting Point: Trawsfynydd village (SH704354) OS Map: Explorer OL18 Harlech, Porthmadog & Bala The Roman Road Approach From Trawsfynydd, follow the minor road northwest for 2km to reach the site. This route closely follows Sarn Helen, and you can identify several sections of original Roman engineering: Kilometre 1: Look for the agger as a low ridge running parallel to the modern road Height: Approximately 0.5m above surrounding fields Width: 6-8m across the base Drainage: Notice the ditches on either side, still functioning after 2000 years Kilometre 2: The road climbs steadily toward the fort Roman gradient: Never exceeds 1:20 (5%) - remarkable engineering for this terrain Cutting: Where the road cuts through a small ridge, you can see the Roman engineers' work Stone revetment: Look for large stones supporting the road edges Identifying the Roman Complex The Fort(SH707386): Ramparts: Clearly visible as grass-covered banks forming a rectangle Gateways: Look for gaps in the ramparts with slightly raised approaches Internal buildings: Visible as low mounds and rectangular depressions The Amphitheatre (SH706387): Oval depression: 50m x 40m, with raised banks around the edge Entrance: Single gap in the eastern side Seating banks: Still visible as terraced slopes The Parade Ground (SH705388): Flat platform: Artificially levelled area northwest of the fort Drainage: Roman engineers created a slight camber for water runoff Geological Advantages Natural drainage: The site sits on permeable sandstone that prevents waterlogging Building stone: Local sandstone provided excellent construction material Strategic position: The geology creates a natural "island" of high ground surrounded by valleys

    9 min
  3. Echoes of Empire and Iron: A Journey Through Roman and Celtic Wales

    08/30/2025

    Echoes of Empire and Iron: A Journey Through Roman and Celtic Wales

    Echoes of Empire and Iron is your immersive journey into the dramatic landscapes of Wales and the Welsh Marches, where ancient earthworks, Roman fortresses, and Celtic hillforts still whisper the stories of those who lived, fought, and built here two millennia ago. In each episode we’ll walk side by side with the past—tracing the footsteps of legionaries who marched beneath the eagle of Rome, Celtic warriors who guarded their homelands from high ridges, traders who brought the world to these frontiers, and druids who preserved memory through ritual and myth. Together, we’ll ask why these places were chosen, what life was like inside their walls, and how their echoes still shape our understanding of history today. Every episode is a focused ten-minute exploration of a single site—perfect for listening on a walk, during a commute, or while planning your next adventure. From the formidable strongholds of the Roman military machine to the enigmatic ramparts of Celtic hillforts, we’ll dive into the latest archaeological research, uncover the legends that cling to these places, and connect landscape with memory in ways that bring the ancient world vividly alive. But this is more than history—it’s a guide for explorers. We’ll give practical insights on visiting these sites yourself, from hidden paths to visitor facilities. Our unique rating system weighs historical importance, preservation, accessibility, and atmosphere, helping you choose where to go next—whether you want a windswept ruin that fires the imagination or a well-preserved fort with a museum on site. So whether you are an armchair historian seeking stories, a walker eager to tread Roman roads, or a budding archaeologist curious about how past and present meet in the soil of Britain, Echoes of Empire and Iron offers something for you.

    2 min
  4. The Fortress of Segontium

    08/30/2025

    The Fortress of Segontium

    Segontium - Reading the Menai Landscape Geological Foundation Segontium sits on Ordovician volcanic rocks dating to 450 million years ago, part of the ancient Snowdonia volcanic complex. The fort was built on a natural terrace of igneous bedrock that provided excellent drainage and a stable foundation for stone buildings. The elevated position (50m above sea level) offers commanding views across the Menai Strait, a glacially-carved channel that separates mainland Wales from Anglesey. Walking the Roman Approach Routes Starting Point: Segontium Roman Fort Museum (SH485624) OS Map: Explorer OL17 Snowdon Route 1: Following the Roman Road to Caernarfon From the museum, walk southeast toward Caernarfon town centre. This route follows the approximate line of the Roman road that connected Segontium to the harbour. Look for: Elevation changes: Notice how the Roman engineers chose a gentle gradient down to the waterfront Stone walls: Many contain reused Roman masonry from Segontium Field boundaries: Several follow the Roman road alignment What to Look For: Roman masonry: In Caernarfon Castle walls - look for the distinctive red sandstone blocks with Roman tooling marks Natural terraces: The Romans built on a natural shelf in the hillside, visible as you approach from below Drainage patterns: Roman engineers diverted natural springs - you can still see stone-lined channels Route 2: The Sarn Helen Connection Walk northeast from Segontium toward Bontnewydd (1.5 miles). This section follows part of Sarn Helen, the great Roman road network across Wales. Waymarks to Identify: Raised causeway: About 800m northeast of the fort, look for a slight elevation in the field - this is the agger of Sarn Helen Straight field boundaries: Roman roads maintain their alignment even when plowed over Stone scatter: Look for dressed stone blocks in field edges - often robbed Roman road material Geological Clues Glacial erratic's: Large boulders scattered across fields show ice movement patterns that Romans had to work around Spring lines: Where water emerges from hillsides - Romans always built near reliable water sources Bedrock exposure: On clear days, you can see the geological "grain" of Snowdonia - the Romans aligned their roads to work with, not against, this natural pattern

    7 min
  5. The Living Past: Crafting Historical Fiction

    08/18/2025

    The Living Past: Crafting Historical Fiction

    In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Martin Antrobus—author of Blood and Honour—invites listeners into the hidden workshop of historical fiction. With candour and reflection, he explores the challenges of stepping into history’s shadows: balancing research with imagination, giving voice to the long-silenced, and weaving ritual, violence, and love into stories that resonate across centuries. From the battlefield of Lugdunum to the amphitheatre of Deva, Martin reveals the inspirations and disputes that shape his writing. He discusses how characters like Varro, Aerwyna, and Catena act as bridges between past and present, and why storytelling carries a responsibility not only to entertain but to remember. The Living Past is more than a discussion of craft—it is a personal meditation on why we write about the dead, and how, through fiction, they live again.

    14 min
  6. Cunobara: The Spirit of the Hills

    07/02/2025

    Cunobara: The Spirit of the Hills

    In Blood and Honour, Martin Antrobus weaves a tale of resistance, loyalty, and identity set against the storm of Roman Britain—but at its heart stands Cunobara, the old woman of the Ordovices, whose voice carries the wisdom of a land scarred yet unbroken. Cunobara is more than a character—she is a force of nature, a symbol of the ancestral memory of the Celtic peoples. In a world dominated by imperial legions and their brutal machinery of conquest, Cunobara represents the unyielding strength of the old ways. She is the keeper of the sacred bonds between land, ancestors, and those who still dare to dream of freedom. Where Roman eyes might see only age and frailty, Cunobara’s people see the truth: a leader chosen not by birth right, but by the weight of her knowledge, her vision, and her deep communion with the earth itself. In the traditions of the Celtic tribes, women like Cunobara could stand as equals to chieftains, as seers, judges, and voices of the gods. The Author honours this history, giving Cunobara a role that reflects the real power women held in many ancient British societies—where wisdom, not brute force, commanded respect. Her insights are shaped by a lifetime of watching empires rise and fall, of seeing sacred groves felled and rivers polluted, of mourning kin carried off in chains. Yet Cunobara is not driven by vengeance. She is the guardian of the land’s memory, the one who whispers to warriors that their struggle is not for revenge, but for the restoration of balance. Her words, described as “like smoke and ash,” stir the souls of those who listen—calling them to remember who they are, and the sacred duty they carry. Cunobara’s bond with the land and the ancestors is not mere symbolism. In Blood and Honour, her decisions shape the fate of Varro, Lucius, and the remnants of Legio XX. When these fugitives seek refuge, it is Cunobara who weighs their worth. She does not grant sanctuary lightly. Instead, she binds them to an oath as old as the hills: to fight not for empires or gold, but for the land beneath their feet and the spirits who walk beside them. In Cunobara, Blood and Honour offers readers a reminder that true leadership does not always come with banners and swords. Sometimes, it comes from a quiet voice that carries the weight of generations—a voice that calls us back to what truly matters: identity, duty, and the unbroken bond between people and the land they call home.

    4 min
  7. Julius Sabinianus: Loyalty Forged in Blood and Bond

    06/29/2025

    Julius Sabinianus: Loyalty Forged in Blood and Bond

    Julius Juba Sabinianus had long known the cost of service. He had stood firm through sieges, marched under banners that promised glory but delivered only blood, and kept his oath even as comrades fell around him. But it was in the eliptical building in the heart of the roman fortress of Deva —on that day of the brutal murder of bitter spectacle—that the last thread binding him to his Roman masters snapped.They had dragged Stilcho, Varro’s loyal bondman, his companion in war—stood before him. The man who had cooked his meals, tended his wounds, and stood at his side for years. He had followed Varro into war, not as a warrior, but as a loyal servant. He should not have been here. Julius was forced to watch, helpless, as Paulus Catena, the very man who claimed to speak for the empire, made a show of the execution. Stilcho had done no wrong but serve with honour—yet here he was, condemned for nothing more than loyalty to a fallen officer. Stilcho did not plead before his execution. Did not beg. He simply turned to Varro, his eyes calm, and said, “Domine, be strong.”And in that instant, Julius’s heart turned to iron. Whatever duty he had once felt toward Rome died with Stilcho. The empire that could do this to its own—could butcher the faithful just to project the absolute power and control he held of varro. Rome was no longer worthy Julius's allegiance. His face was stone, his eyes fixed on the horror before him, but within, something hardened beyond breaking.From that day, Julius Juba Sabinianus no longer marched for emperors or governors. His loyalty belonged to the man beside him, the comrades who bled as he bled, and to the oath that bound him not to Rome, but to honour itself. Where Varro led, Julius would follow—not for Rome’s sake, but to see men like Catena fall, and justice rise in their place.

    13 min
  8. Lucius and Aerwyna: A Unity of Souls

    06/28/2025

    Lucius and Aerwyna: A Unity of Souls

    In this extended episode of Blood and Honour, we explore one of the most compelling relationships at the heart of Blood and Honour: the unbreakable bond between Lucius Cunovalos and Aerwyna. Together, these two figures stand not only as warriors but as symbols of a fractured land’s hope for unity. Their story is one of loyalty, resilience, and the quiet heroism that endures when empires crumble. Lucius Cunovalos is a man of two worlds—born of a Roman father and a Celtic mother. His very name reflects this: Cunovalos, “hound of valour,” speaks to his deep connection to the land and its people. As a warrior, Lucius’s duty lies not with distant emperors, but with his brothers-in-arms and the memory of the Twentieth Legion’s fallen. He is the iron shield of the rebellion: loyal, steadfast, and unyielding. His courage is not born of ambition, but of devotion to a cause greater than himself—the fight to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and to preserve the honour of comrades who gave their lives in the struggle against tyranny. Aerwyna is the voice of the land, the spirit of the people Rome could never truly conquer. A daughter of the Ordovices, she is a leader, a seer, and a guide. Her strength lies not only in her skill as a fighter but in her wisdom, her connection to the earth, and her vision of a future where the people of Britannia are free to shape their own destiny. She sees beyond vengeance, urging those who follow her to fight not just for survival, but for the restoration of balance between the land and its children. Together, Lucius and Aerwyna forge a partnership that transcends bloodlines and banners. Their bond is built not on romance, but on mutual respect, shared purpose, and the understanding that their fates are intertwined. Where Lucius brings the discipline and tactics of the legion, Aerwyna brings the subtlety and knowledge of the land. Their unity shows listeners how strength comes not from domination, but from choosing to stand side by side in the face of overwhelming odds. In Blood and Kin, we’ll take you deeper into their world: exploring key scenes where their partnership shapes the course of the rebellion, the moments of quiet trust that bind them, and the way their story reflects the larger themes of Blood and Honour—loyalty, sacrifice, and the hope of rebuilding from ruin. Join us as we uncover how Lucius and Aerwyna, two souls born of different worlds, become the beating heart of a people’s fight for freedom.

    27 min
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In the shadow of Rome, a disgraced centurion fights to reclaim his legacy. Based on the novel Blood and Honour by Martin Antrobus, this podcast brings Roman Britain to life through gripping storytelling, ancient conflict, and the fate of a forgotten legion.

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