Have Toga, Will Travel: Exploring Greece and Rome, Ancient and Modern

Emily Jusino, PhD (Classics) and Cam Hawkins, PhD (Ancient History)
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A podcast exploring the Mediterranean world, ancient and modern, through the eyes of two former Classics professors. Join Emily and Cam as they chat about all things Ancient Greek and Roman and share their own adventures exploring the Mediterranean world through history, travel, literature, and film. We release new episodes on or about the 1st and 15th of every month. https://havetogawilltravel.com

  1. Hadrian’s Wall, Part II: Walking from Wallsend to Carrawburgh

    MAY 1

    Hadrian’s Wall, Part II: Walking from Wallsend to Carrawburgh

    Curious to know what it’s like to walk the length of Hadrian’s Wall in northern England and experience the monument the way the ancient Romans did (on foot!)? Join Emily and Cam as they describe what there is to see and do along the first 38 miles of Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail. You’ll hear about Roman soldiers from Mesopotamia, a Smell-o-Rama (yes, really!), the modern worship of the ancient god Mithras, and what Cam thinks about Real Ale (spoiler: he loves it!). Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com ---------- 00:10 - Introduction 00:44 - Hadrian’s Wall Path 01:34 - Our experience on the Trail02:12 - The history of the Trail and the English footpath system03:32 - How we came to walk the Wall05:00 - The three main sections of the Wall 06:20 - Arbeia (South Shields) 06:49 - The fort and its garrison: the Tigris rivermen10:43 - Some fun on the Newcastle Metro 11:53 - Wallsend and Segedunum 12:02 - Latin everywhere!12:44 - Exploring Segedunum Roman Fort15:35 - The Wall Passport and Segedunum’s guest book 16:53 - Newcastle and Newburn 16:59 - Tyneside and its industries18:26 - The bridges of Newcastle19:49 - Newburn: Keelman’s Lodge and Big Lamp Brewery21:48 - Cam’s digression on Real Ale 22:58 - Heddon on the Wall 23:19 - Blackberry season!24:06 - The wall re-emerges25:36 - Living with livestock along the Wall 27:19 - The Portgate and Dere Street 28:25 - A digression on Sticky Toffee Pudding 29:50 - Corbridge and Corstopitum 30:25 - A strategic junction: Dere Street, the Stanegate, the Tyne31:50 - The Roman site and the museum33:43 - Getting to Corbridge from the Wall33:47 - Making friends along the trail 37:00 - Heavenfield 37:13 - St. Oswald’s Way37:39 - Bede and the Battle of Heavenfield 38:38 - Planetrees 39:06 - The Broad Wall meets the Narrow Wall39:45 - Why does the Narrow Wall exist? 40:55 - The North Tyne, Chollerford, Chesters 41:22 - The Roman bridge across the North Tyne42:26 - Chesters Fort: the site and its inhabitants45:54 - Greencarts, the AD122 bus, and why doing the Trail in 2 days is a bad idea 48:15 - The Mithraeum at Carrawburgh 49:34 - Mithras: the Romans reimagine an Iranian god50:07 - Mithraism and other mystery cults51:19 - The Mithraeum and its remains52:14 - An encounter with a modern devotee of Mithras 54:55 - Wrap-up

    56 min
  2. Hadrian’s Wall, Part I: The Romans in Britain and the Imperial Frontier

    APR 15

    Hadrian’s Wall, Part I: The Romans in Britain and the Imperial Frontier

    Join Emily and Cam as they discuss the Romans in Britain from the time of Caesar to the emperor Hadrian, and then talk about Hadrian’s monumental wall—what it was, how it was built, what it was for, and why some bits of it still survive today. Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Links David Keys, “Roman Invasion Beach Found in Kent”, The Independent (Friday October 3, 2008). ---------- 00:11 - Introduction 01:58 - The Romans in Britain, from Caesar to Hadrian 02:22 - Caesar’s campaigns in Gaul and Britain, and their aftermath03:35 - Claudius “defeats” Caratacus and conquers southern England13:37 - Boudicca’s Rebellion18:54 - Vespasian and the governorship of Agricola22:05 - Hadrian visits the frontier 23:31 - Building Hadrian’s Wall 23:25 - The route: from Segedunum to Maia25:41 - The wall and its features: stone, turf, milecastles, turrets, and outworks28:57 - Why build part in stone and part in turf?29:28 - The legions and the process of building the wall32:25 - Changing plans: wall gauges, wall forts, and turf replaced by stone 37:56 - The Purpose of Hadrian’s Wall 38:25 - Some puzzling features of Rome’s northern frontier39:07 - A zone of transition: the Roman Empire and British social structures44:22 - The Romans, the Wall, and the transformation of Britain 46:24 - The Wall after Hadrian 46:42 - The Wall from Antoninus Pius to Septimius Severus49:04 - The Wall in the time of Bede51:17 - The 17th and 18th centuries: Hadrian’s Wall and the Military Road53:19 - John Clayton54:39 - The National Trust and UNESCO 55:20 - Wrap-up

    56 min
  3. Monty Python’s Life of Brian: The Greatest Movie about Ancient Rome?

    APR 1

    Monty Python’s Life of Brian: The Greatest Movie about Ancient Rome?

    Emily and Cam chat about whether Monty Python's Life of Brian is truly the greatest movie about ancient Rome (as Cam claimed in the last episode). They also explore what "truths" the movie might expose about life under Roman occupation, and contemplate the Pythons’ love for Aristophanes. Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Cover photo adapted from an image by Grufo (Wikimedia Commons). ---------- 00:11 - Introduction 01:54 - Monty Python: A Primer 02:25 - Five Brits and an American: Monty Python comes together (probably at a bar)04:00 - The Pythons venture into feature-length films 06:56 - Production, Release, Reception 06:58 - On location in Tunisia08:00 - The man they call Brian: the basic plot of the movie09:52 - George Harrison to the rescue!11:13 - Brian banned!12:08 - The peculiar case of Aberystwyth, Wales 13:38 - Some cringey bits: viewer beware! 13:53 - Blackface and ethnic slurs15:20 - Stan / Loretta: mildly transphobic, or surprisingly progressive?16:56 - Some ableist-seeming jokes 19:02 - The Pythons do history hilariously 20:45 - Women and agency22:59 - Businesspeople and professional pride24:36 - Gladiator games, Python-style28:10 - British and Roman imperialism, or what have the Romans ever done for us?32:54 - Ridiculous resistance groups (Splitters!)37:33 - Everyday acts of genuine resistance41:21 - Prophets, saviors, and messiahs—in Roman Judea and elsewhere 45:08 - The Pythons as PhDs of Comedy 45:42 - Learned spoofs of literature and film: The Iliad and Spartacus48:15 - Silly costumes, silly names, silly plots: the Pythons pay homage to Plautus and Aristophanes54:39 - Romanes eunt domus!56:55 - The art of nudity: the Pythons spoof Zeffirelli 59:14 - Wrap-up

    1h 1m
  4. The Persians and the Greeks, Part IV: Salamis, Plataea, and Everything After

    MAR 15

    The Persians and the Greeks, Part IV: Salamis, Plataea, and Everything After

    In the final installment of a four-part series on the Greeks and the Persians, Emily and Cam discuss both the Battle of Salamis and the Battle of Plataea, and finish off with some remarks about the Serpent Column—a living monument to the accomplishment of the Greeks. Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Links Our Blog Post on the Serpent Column.The first episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire).The second episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part II: Darius, Great King, King of Kings).The third episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part III: Xerxes and the Road to Thermopylae). ---------- 00:12 - Introduction 00:58 - Xerxes on the Acropolis 01:18 - The aftermath of Thermopylae and Artemision: Xerxes in Central Greece04:22 - The Athenians face a dilemma07:03 - The Pythia, the wall of wood, and the evacuation of Athens12:46 - The Persians in Athens 14:52 - Blessed Salamis 15:26 - Dissension among the Greeks19:21 - Xerxes, his commanders, and Artemisia the wise advisor24:29 - Themistokles’ Gambit32:21 - The Battle of Salamis36:17 - Xerxes puts Mardonius in charge and heads for home 39:15 - The Campaign and Battle of Plataea 39:19 - Mardonius, Alexander, and an offer to the Athenians41:11 - Spring 479: Mardonius’ capture of Athens, and its aftermath43:23 - All roads lead to Plataea48:21 - The Battle of Plataea 56:09 - Epilogue: the Serpent Column, from Delphi to Istanbul 61:07 - Wrap-up

    1h 2m
  5. The Persians and the Greeks, Part III: Xerxes and the Road to Thermopylae

    MAR 1

    The Persians and the Greeks, Part III: Xerxes and the Road to Thermopylae

    Emily and Cam dive into Xerxes’ decision to invade Greece, and tell the story of his expedition as far as the Battle of Thermopylae. (Featuring a very brief digression on "300".) Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Links The first episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire).The second episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part II: Darius, Great King, King of Kings).Our episode on Aeschylus’ Persians (Aeschylus’ “Persians”: The OG Greek Tragedy).Our episode on heroes in the ancient Greek world (Holding Out for a Hero—in Ancient Greece). ---------- 00:12 - Introduction 01:18 - The Last Years of Darius 02:38 - Xerxes, King 02:59 - Xerxes and the Many Sons of Darius04:57 - Xerxes Quells Rebellions in Egypt and Babylon 05:39 - Xerxes’ Project: The Invasion of Greece 06:08 - Herodotus’ Understanding of Xerxes’ Motivations08:47 - A Persian Perspective? 10:31 - Planning Xerxes’ Campaign 11:00 - The Mt Athos Canal and Supply Depots in the Northern Aegean12:39 - Ships and Cables14:07 - Mustering the Army 14:28 - Xerxes Travels from Susa to Sardis 16:59 - Early Greek Responses to Xerxes’ Plans17:15 - Initial Rumors18:02 - Xerxes Demands Earth and Water20:00 - The Range of Greek Responses: Submission, Accommodation, Resistance25:35 - Greek Spies in Sardis26:04 - Strategy and the Problems of Interstate Rivalries 27:28 - The Coming Storm 27:54 - Xerxes Crosses the Hellespont: the Pontoon Bridges29:51 - Xerxes Counts his Forces (and why we should doubt Herodotus’ numbers)34:27 - The March to Therma and the Kingdom of Macedonia37:14 - The Greeks at Tempe and the Submission of the North 39:46 - Thermopylae and Artemision: Greek Plans and Preparations 40:10 - The Geography of Thermopylae and Artemision (with a digression on “300”)43:04 - The Greek Forces 48:33 - Thermopylae and Artemision: The Battles 48:58 - Spartan Hairstyles and Xerxes’ Frustrations51:56 - The First Day of Fighting: Stalemate43:30 - The Second Day of Fighting: Xerxes, Ephialtes, and the March of the Immortals57:23 - The Third Day of Fighting: The Last Stand 65:12 - Wrap-up

    1h 7m
  6. The Persians and the Greeks, Part II: Darius, Great King, King of Kings

    FEB 15

    The Persians and the Greeks, Part II: Darius, Great King, King of Kings

    Emily and Cam continue their discussion of the conflict between the Persians and the ancient Greek world. In this episode, they chat about Cyrus’ son Cambyses, about the rise to power of Darius, and about Darius’ relationships with Greeks on the western frontier of his empire. Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Episode Links The first episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire).Part I of our series on the Athens Marathon, which includes a discussion of the Battle of Marathon and the legend of Pheidippides.Wikipedia’s article on Darius’ Bisitun Inscription, which includes photos. Image credits: Cover / instagram image adapted from a photo by Lee van Dorp (Wikimedia Commons), which shows a closeup of Darius as he is depicted on the Bisitun Inscription.Social sharing image adapted from a photo by Korosh091 (Wikimedia Commons), which shows the Bisitun Inscription's main relief. ---------- 00:13 - Introduction 01:31 - Sources for the reigns of Cambyses and Darius 01:49 - Herodotus’ Persian stories02:41 - Inscriptions and papyri documenting Persian kings 03:01 - Cambyses, son of Cyrus: portraits of his Reign 03:27 - Herodotus’ take on Cambyses: a mad and murderous king11:59 - A more sympathetic take: the Apis inscriptions, the Udjahorresnet inscription, and what they tell us about Cambyses 16:35 - The Death of Cambyses and the rise of Darius 17:01 - Herodotus’ tale of the usurper Smerdis and the (Persian) Magnificent Seven21:06 - Darius’ Bisitun Inscription and the “Official” story of his rise to power 28:02 - Darius and the Greeks 28:41 - Darius’ Scythian Expedition and the Greeks of Ionia and Aeolia32:01 - The Ionian Revolt and its causes: Aristagoras and Naxos, plus the problem of tyranny, tribute, and triremes39:39 - The Athenians and the sack of Sardis43:00 - The Marathon Campaign: Darius seeks revenge 44:58 - Wrap-up

    46 min
  7. The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire

    FEB 1

    The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire

    Emily and Cam talk about the ancient Persians and the growth of their empire in the first episode of a series on the conflict between the Persians and the ancient Greek world. Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Cover photo adapted from an image by Jakub Hałun (Persian Warriors, Pergamon University, Berlin) ---------- 00:12 - Introduction 01:07 - Who were the Persians? 01:11 - The ancient Persians, the ancient Iranians, and the Indo-European dispersion02:52 - The Old Persian language (and a digression on Persian names)08:35 - Zoroastrianism and the religion of the ancient Persians 13:59 - The Rise of the Persian Empire 14:23 - The Middle East in the 6th Century BCE: Persia and its neighbors16:29 - Herodotus and the legend of Cyrus the Great20:06 - Cyrus the Great and his conquests24:04 - Cyrus’ successors: Cambyses and Darius24:48 - The Persian Empire in 500 BCE 25:12 - The Structure of the Persian Empire 25:25 - Cooperative local elites and the obligations of empire26:35 - Satraps, provinces, and the Iranian diaspora 28:45 - The Ideology of the Persian Empire 29:04 - Cyrus as champion of local gods in Babylon and Judah30:49 - Darius as champion of Ahura Mazda 32:47 - The Mechanics of Empire in the Age of Darius 32:52 - Imperial ideology and imperial violence34:00 - Local elites and imperial entanglements: the story of Syloson of Samos 38:04 - Wrap-up

    40 min
  8. Aeschylus' "Persians": The OG Greek Tragedy

    JAN 17

    Aeschylus' "Persians": The OG Greek Tragedy

    Emily and Cam break down “The Persians”—the oldest surviving Greek tragedy, which offers a surprisingly sympathetic take on the enemies of Athens. Visit our homepage to subscribe, to find us on social media, and to contact us by email: https://havetogawilltravel.com Cover photo adapted from an image of the Salamis Soldiers' monument, by Ziegler175: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SalamisPaloukiaSchlacht2.jpg ---------- 00:10 - Introduction 01:43 - Aeschylus and his historical context 01:56 - The subject of the play (and its peculiarity)03:06 - The Battle of Salamis and the Persian Wars05:10 - Aeschylus’ Career 06:22 - The Persians in performance 06:30 - The Dionysia of 472 BCE and Aeschylus’ tetralogy08:35 - Pericles as producer (choregos)09:09 - A synopsis of the play11:12 - The structure of Greek Tragedies (or, how do we know that the Persians only needs two actors apart from the chorus?) 14:03 - Interpreting the play: sympathy for the Persians? 15:06 - The survival of the play: evidence of its popularity?16:04 - Triumphalism vs. a recognition of common experience17:06 - Differences between Greek and Persians in the play: archers vs. spearmen, autocracy vs. autonomy, proskynesis and lamentation20:36 - Aeschylus argues for common experiences: the Persians as Homeric heroes, the horrors and the costs of battle, and Aeschylus’ rejection of the “effeminate Persians” trope 26:37 - The play’s main theme: empire and hubris 27:00 - Xerxes and his bad decisions27:56 - The gods’ desire to punish Xerxes28:53 - The hubris of Xerxes, or the hubris of the Empire? (Featuring Emily’s rant about hubris in ancient and modern thought)34:27 - Aeschylus, the gods, and Athenian imperialism36:55 - The social function of tragedy: thinking through big problems37:28 - What staging the Persians can tell us about the play 39:12 - Wrap-up

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
6 Ratings

About

A podcast exploring the Mediterranean world, ancient and modern, through the eyes of two former Classics professors. Join Emily and Cam as they chat about all things Ancient Greek and Roman and share their own adventures exploring the Mediterranean world through history, travel, literature, and film. We release new episodes on or about the 1st and 15th of every month. https://havetogawilltravel.com

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