Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. What We Lost in the Fire | 20231108 | 20240707 (R4) | For an aspiring medic it was a dream assignment- official team doctor to the gladiators of Pergamon. The top names in the arena were worth a lot of money and it was up to young Galen to keep them alive. Slash and stab wounds had to be closed quickly and cleanly and diets devised to maintain the perfect balance of fat and muscle for the finest fighters. It gave Galen unrivalled insight into the workings of the human body, knowledge he would use as he went on to treat emperors and write the textbooks that would guide doctors for hundreds of years. Mary Beard traces the career of Rome's greatest medic from its highs to its lowest of lows- the moment when a great fire swept through Rome, threatening to wipe out his life's work. Producer: Alasdair Cross Expert Contributors: Helen King, Open University and Matthew Nicholls, Oxford University Special thanks to the British Museum and the Parco Archeolgico del Colosseo, Roma Join the greatest doctor of his age as Rome's great fire threatens his life's work. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. From official team doctor to the gladiators to personal GP to emperors, Galen had a talent for medicine and social climbing. But could his life's work be wiped out by fire?
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| 5. Battling Bureaucrats | 20231108 | 20240714 (R4) | What does it take to run an Empire? Armies and slaves, of course, but also bureaucrats. At its height the Roman Empire employed thousands of men charged with keeping Rome and its provinces fed, watered and content. This was no easy job. A remarkable set of papyrus scrolls reveals the life of Roman Egypt's very own David Brent, preparing for a a visit from the fearsome Emperor Diocletian. Infuriated by hopeless staff and venal local politicians and continuously harassed by his superiors, Apolinarius of Panopolis becomes increasingly desperate as Diocletian approaches and the tension cranks up. Mary Beard follows Apolinarius's story to reveal the messy realities of Roman administration. Producer: Alasdair Cross Expert Contributors: Colin Adams, Liverpool University and Margaret Mountford Cast: Apolinarius played by Josh Bryant-Jones Special thanks to Jill Unkell and the Chester Beatty collection, Dublin Meet the frustrated office manager trying his best to run an empire. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. What does it take to run an empire? Armies and slaves, of course, but also bureaucrats. Meet Roman Egypt's very own David Brent, desperately trying to hold together an empire.
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| 6. Love in the Borderlands | 20231108 | 20240721 (R4) | At the very edge of Empire, inscribed on a beautifully carved tombstone, there’s a story of love across the tracks. On Hadrian’s Wall a slave girl from Hertfordshire and a lonely traveller from Syria meet and marry. The story of Regina and Barates has inspired poets and writers eager for a simple love story to illuminate a dark and dangerous world. But how true might this be? What brought this couple together across cultures and thousands of miles? Was their alliance true love or forced marriage? Mary Beard tracks our couple from Palmyra to South Shields, revealing the cultural mix of the Empire and the power dynamics of slave and master with the help of Syrian poet, Nouri Al-Jarrah. Producer: Alasdair Cross Expert Contributors: Greg Woolf, University of California Los Angeles and Frances McIntosh, English Heritage Cast: John Collingwood Bruce played by Josh Bryant-Jones and reading of The Stone Serpent by Tyler Cameron Translation of The Stone Serpent: Catherine Cobham Arabic Translation: Samira Kawar Special thanks to Alex Croom and Tyne and Wear Museums A man and a woman meet and marry on Hadrian's Wall. Is it true love or exploitation? From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. On Hadrian’s Wall a slave girl from Hertfordshire and a lonely traveller from Syria meet and marry. Their story inspires poets and artists, but is this true love or exploitation?
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| 01 | Loving An Emperor | 20231108 | 20240616 (R4) | Beneath starched Shakespearean togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. To know what it was to be Roman you need to gather the scattered clues until they form a living, breathing human, witness to the highs and horrors of Europe's greatest empire. Mary Beard, Britain's best-selling historian of the ancient world, rebuilds the lives of six citizens of the Roman Empire, from a slave to an emperor. Her investigations reveal the stressful reality of Roman childhood, the rights of women and rules of migration, but it's the thoughts and feelings of individual Romans she's really interested in. In the bloody chaos of civil war, a young bride witnesses the savage murder of her parents, fights for her inheritance and funds her husband's flight from the brutal gangsters carving up the empire. On Hadrian's Wall a Hertfordshire slave girl marries a Syrian trader. Is it a cross-cultural love story or a brutal tale of trafficking and sexual abuse? An eleven year old boy steps on stage to perform his poetry to a baying crowd of 7000 and the Emperor himself. The political and financial future of his entire family will be decided in the next few stanzas. Across six episodes Mary Beard travels the Empire and gathers first-hand testimony and expert comment, creating an extraordinarily vivid sense of Being Roman. In the first episode we meet Marcus Aurelius, the very model of the ideal Roman Emperor. Strong and masculine, but a deep thinker with wise words for every occasion. Richard Harris played him in the film Gladiator as a great leader of men, determined that loyal Russell Crowe inherit the Empire rather than his treacherous son, Joaquin Phoenix. As Mary discovers, Marcus proves much more complicated- and interesting- than his image in popular culture. Letters to his beloved tutor reveal a naïve, sweet and dangerously flirtatious nature, while his record of campaigning and persecution under his rule shows an Emperor as comfortable with brutal violence as stoic philosophy. Expert Contributors: Amy Richlin, UCLA and Elizabeth Fentress Cast: Marcus played by Josh Bryant-Jones and Fronto played by Tyler Cameron Meet Marcus Aurelius- Emperor, warrior, philosopher and dangerous flirt. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Beneath starched togas and the fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. Mary Beard meets the philosopher emperor, Marcus Aurelius |
| 02 | The Vengeance Of Turia | 20231108 | 20231115 (R4) 20240623 (R4) | Beneath starched Shakespearean togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. To know what it was to be Roman you need to gather the scattered clues until they form a living, breathing human, witness to the highs and horrors of Europe's greatest empire. Mary Beard, Britain's best-selling historian of the ancient world, rebuilds the lives of six citizens of the Roman Empire, from a slave to an emperor. Her investigations reveal the stressful reality of Roman childhood, the rights of women and rules of migration, but it's the thoughts and feelings of individual Romans she's really interested in. In the second episode we meet a woman caught up in a brutal civil war. Turia's story starts with the murder of her parents. She tracks down their killers and fights off scavenging relatives desperate for a piece of her inheritance. Before she has a moment to settle her new husband is forced on the run, fleeing the murderous junta that's taken over the empire after the murder of Julius Caesar. She's badly beaten by the leadership's thugs as she pleads her husband's case, but will her sacrifices ensure his safety? Expert Contributors: Greg Woolf, UCLA; Matthew Nicholls, Oxford University; Helen King, Open University Cast: Voice of Laudatio Turiae read by Don Gilet Special thanks to the National Museum of Rome, Baths of Diocletian Meet Turia, a young woman fighting for her family in the chaos of a brutal civil war. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Beneath starched togas and the fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. Mary Beard meets a woman fighting for her family in a vicious civil war. |
| 03 | Rome's Got Talent | 20231108 | 20231122 (R4) 20240630 (R4) | Imagine the feeling in the pit of your stomach as you take to the stage in front of 7000 people to recite a complex poem you've just made up on the spot. 11 year old Sulpicius Maximus knows that the Emperor is in the front row and his parents are counting on his success in Rome's premier festival of the arts. Mary Beard tracks down the clues behind an extraordinary story of Roman life, revealing the reality of Roman childhood and the desperate attempts of the poet's parents to escape the shadow of their slave roots and rise through the ranks of Roman society. Expert Contributors: Valentina Garulli, Bologna University and Kathleen Coleman, Harvard University Poetry Translation: Barbara Graziosi Cast: Sulpicius played by Joseph Goodman and oration read by Tyler Cameron Special thanks to Barbara Nobiloni at the Centrale Montemartini Museum, Rome Meet a child prodigy who recited his poetry for the Emperor and the raucous Roman crowds. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. An 11-year-old boy takes to the stage to recite a poem in front of 7000 people, with the Emperor watching from the front row. Mary Beard tells the story of a child prodigy of Rome. |
| 04 | What We Lost In The Fire | 20231108 | 20231129 (R4) 20240707 (R4) | For an aspiring medic it was a dream assignment- official team doctor to the gladiators of Pergamon. The top names in the arena were worth a lot of money and it was up to young Galen to keep them alive. Slash and stab wounds had to be closed quickly and cleanly and diets devised to maintain the perfect balance of fat and muscle for the finest fighters. It gave Galen unrivalled insight into the workings of the human body, knowledge he would use as he went on to treat emperors and write the textbooks that would guide doctors for hundreds of years. Mary Beard traces the career of Rome's greatest medic from its highs to its lowest of lows- the moment when a great fire swept through Rome, threatening to wipe out his life's work. Expert Contributors: Helen King, Open University and Matthew Nicholls, Oxford University Special thanks to the British Museum and the Parco Archeolgico del Colosseo, Roma Join the greatest doctor of his age as Rome's great fire threatens his life's work. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. From official team doctor to the gladiators to personal GP to emperors, Galen had a talent for medicine and social climbing. But could his life's work be wiped out by fire? |
| 05 | Battling Bureaucrats | 20231108 | 20231206 (R4) 20240714 (R4) | What does it take to run an Empire? Armies and slaves, of course, but also bureaucrats. At its height the Roman Empire employed thousands of men charged with keeping Rome and its provinces fed, watered and content. This was no easy job. A remarkable set of papyrus scrolls reveals the life of Roman Egypt's very own David Brent, preparing for a a visit from the fearsome Emperor Diocletian. Infuriated by hopeless staff and venal local politicians and continuously harassed by his superiors, Apolinarius of Panopolis becomes increasingly desperate as Diocletian approaches and the tension cranks up. Mary Beard follows Apolinarius's story to reveal the messy realities of Roman administration. Expert Contributors: Colin Adams, Liverpool University and Margaret Mountford Cast: Apolinarius played by Josh Bryant-Jones Special thanks to Jill Unkell and the Chester Beatty collection, Dublin Meet the frustrated office manager trying his best to run an empire. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. What does it take to run an empire? Armies and slaves, of course, but also bureaucrats. Meet Roman Egypt's very own David Brent, desperately trying to hold together an empire. |
| 06 | Love In The Borderlands | 20231108 | 20231213 (R4) 20240721 (R4) | At the very edge of Empire, inscribed on a beautifully carved tombstone, there's a story of love across the tracks. On Hadrian's Wall a slave girl from Hertfordshire and a lonely traveller from Syria meet and marry. The story of Regina and Barates has inspired poets and writers eager for a simple love story to illuminate a dark and dangerous world. But how true might this be? What brought this couple together across cultures and thousands of miles? Was their alliance true love or forced marriage? Mary Beard tracks our couple from Palmyra to South Shields, revealing the cultural mix of the Empire and the power dynamics of slave and master with the help of Syrian poet, Nouri Al-Jarrah. Expert Contributors: Greg Woolf, University of California Los Angeles and Frances McIntosh, English Heritage Cast: John Collingwood Bruce played by Josh Bryant-Jones and reading of The Stone Serpent by Tyler Cameron Translation of The Stone Serpent: Catherine Cobham Arabic Translation: Samira Kawar Special thanks to Alex Croom and Tyne and Wear Museums A man and a woman meet and marry on Hadrian's Wall. Is it true love or exploitation? From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. On Hadrian's Wall a slave girl from Hertfordshire and a lonely traveller from Syria meet and marry. Their story inspires poets and artists, but is this true love or exploitation? |
| 07 | Loving An Emperor | 20231108 | Beneath starched Shakespearean togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. To know what it was to be Roman you need to gather the scattered clues until they form a living, breathing human, witness to the highs and horrors of Europe's greatest empire. Mary Beard, Britain's best-selling historian of the ancient world, rebuilds the lives of six citizens of the Roman Empire, from a slave to an emperor. Her investigations reveal the stressful reality of Roman childhood, the rights of women and rules of migration, but it's the thoughts and feelings of individual Romans she's really interested in. In the bloody chaos of civil war, a young bride witnesses the savage murder of her parents, fights for her inheritance and funds her husband's flight from the brutal gangsters carving up the empire. On Hadrian's Wall a Hertfordshire slave girl marries a Syrian trader. Is it a cross-cultural love story or a brutal tale of trafficking and sexual abuse? An eleven year old boy steps on stage to perform his poetry to a baying crowd of 7000 and the Emperor himself. The political and financial future of his entire family will be decided in the next few stanzas. Across six episodes Mary Beard travels the Empire and gathers first-hand testimony and expert comment, creating an extraordinarily vivid sense of Being Roman. In the first episode we meet Marcus Aurelius, the very model of the ideal Roman Emperor. Strong and masculine, but a deep thinker with wise words for every occasion. Richard Harris played him in the film Gladiator as a great leader of men, determined that loyal Russell Crowe inherit the Empire rather than his treacherous son, Joaquin Phoenix. As Mary discovers, Marcus proves much more complicated- and interesting- than his image in popular culture. Letters to his beloved tutor reveal a nave, sweet and dangerously flirtatious nature, while his record of campaigning and persecution under his rule shows an Emperor as comfortable with brutal violence as stoic philosophy. Expert Contributors: Amy Richlin, UCLA and Elizabeth Fentress Cast: Marcus played by Josh Bryant-Jones and Fronto played by Tyler Cameron Meet Marcus Aurelius - emperor, warrior, philosopher and dangerous flirt. | |
| 07 | The Whistleblower | 20240507 | 20240508 (R4) | Beneath starched Shakespearean togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. To know what it was to be Roman you need to gather the scattered clues until they form a living, breathing human, witness to the highs and horrors of Europe's greatest empire. Mary Beard, Britain's best-selling historian of the ancient world, rebuilds the lives of six citizens of the Roman Empire, from a poet to a squaddie. Her investigations reveal death and deceit on the Nile and the art of running a Roman pub, but it's the thoughts and feelings of individual Romans she's really interested in. It's 61AD. The rebellion of Boudicca has finally been quashed, but London and other Roman cities lie in ruins. A new finance officer for the province, Gaius Julius Classicianus arrives, to face an enormous recovery job. Standing in his way is the Governor, busy exacting terrible reprisals from the local population. Classicianus does what brave subordinates have done ever since. He whistle-blows – writing to the emperor to remove the Governor from British shores. The stage is set for an imperial face off. For Britannia, the stakes could not be higher. Meet the savvy political operator who cleaned up Britain after Boudicca's revolt. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Beneath starched togas and the fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. Mary Beard meets the savvy operator who cleaned up after Boudicca's revolt. It's 61CE. The rebellion of Boudicca has finally been quashed, but London and other Roman cities lie in ruins. A new finance officer for the province, Gaius Julius Classicianus arrives, to face an enormous recovery job. Standing in his way is the Governor, busy exacting terrible reprisals from the local population. Classicianus does what brave subordinates have done ever since. He whistle-blows – writing to the emperor to remove the Governor from British shores. The stage is set for an imperial face-off. For the people of Britain, the stakes could not be higher. Expert Contributors: Matthew Nicholls, University of Oxford and Michael Marshall, Museum of London Archaeology Cast: Tacitus played by Robert Wilfort Translations by Mary Beard Special thanks to the British Museum |
| 08 | Death On The Nile | 20240514 | 20240515 (R4) | Julia Balbilla is an accomplished poet and close friend of the wife of one of Rome's mightiest emperors. Hadrian loves to travel and takes Julia and an entourage of thousands on the ultimate elite tourist trip- a leisurely Nile cruise to the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Colossus of Memnon, a statue that will sing for anyone blessed by the gods. Julia inscribes her poems on the giant foot of the statue, praising the power of Hadrian and the beauty of his wife, Sabina. It's a charming scene, darkened only by the fact that Hadrian's male lover, Antinous has only just drowned in the Nile. Was he murdered by jealous rivals, killed in a lover's tiff or did he drunkenly slip from the deck? Hadrian is publicly bereft, founding a new city in the name of Antinous, but seems happy to continue his luxury cruise. Mary Beard hops aboard Ancient Rome's most intriguing cruise with historian T. Corey Brennan and archaeologist Elizabeth Fentress. Expert Contributors: Corey Brennan, Rutgers University and Lisa Fentress Cast: Julia Balbilla played by Juliana Lisk Special thanks to Andrea Bruciati, Villa Adriana Join Hadrian and his court poet for one of the strangest voyages in the history of Rome. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Mary Beard joins the Emperor Hadrian, his wife Sabina, his young male lover Antinous and his court poet, Julia Balbilla on one of the strangest cruises in the history of Rome. |
| 08 | The Vengeance Of Turia | 20231108 | 20231115 (R4) | Beneath starched Shakespearean togas and the pungent fug of gladiator sweat there are real Romans waiting to be discovered. To know what it was to be Roman you need to gather the scattered clues until they form a living, breathing human, witness to the highs and horrors of Europe's greatest empire. Mary Beard, Britain's best-selling historian of the ancient world, rebuilds the lives of six citizens of the Roman Empire, from a slave to an emperor. Her investigations reveal the stressful reality of Roman childhood, the rights of women and rules of migration, but it's the thoughts and feelings of individual Romans she's really interested in. In the second episode we meet a woman caught up in a brutal civil war. Turia's story starts with the brutal murder of her parents. She tracks down their killers and fights off scavenging relatives desperate for a piece of her inheritance. Before she has a moment to settle, her new husband is forced on the run, fleeing the brutal junta that's taken over the empire after the murder of Julius Caesar. She's badly beaten by thugs as she pleads her husband's case and hides him until he can return safely to Rome. Expert Contributors: Greg Woolf, UCLA; Matthew Nicholls, Oxford University; Helen King, Open University Cast: Voice of Laudatio Turiae read by Don Gilet Special thanks to the National Museum of Rome, Baths of Diocletian Meet Turia, a young woman fighting for her family in the chaos of a brutal civil war. |
| 09 | Soldiering For Softies | 20240521 | 20240522 (R4) | The image of the battle-hardened, well regimented Roman soldier has been set in stone by movies, novels and video games. The letters of Claudius Terentianus reveal something very different. A terrible moaner, the young soldier has to beg his father to send the most basic of equipment, from sandals to swords. Stuck in the marines, the poorly paid squad tasked with guarding grain supplies, he bribes and wangles his way into a more illustrious legion, but still seems to spend more time shopping than fighting. Mary Beard catches up with Terentianus at the British Museum's Legion exhibition and discovers more about his uncanny ability to avoid conflict and ensure a prosperous retirement. Expert Contributors: Carolina Rangel de Lima, British Museum; Livia Capponi, Pavia University and Claire Holleran Exeter University Cast: Terentianus played by Robert Wilfort Mary Beard meets the young Roman soldier who spends more time shopping than fighting. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Mary Beard meets the young Roman soldier who spends more time shopping than fighting. Could he ruin the image of the Roman army as a ruthlessly efficient machine of conquest? |
| 10 | A Bag Of Snails And A Glass Of Wine | 20240528 | 20240529 (R4) | An obscure carved stone dug up from a vineyard in southern Italy tells the story of a pair of publicans- the delightfully named Calidius Eroticus and Fannia Voluptas- and their bawdy adventures in the pub trade. Fans of Frankie Howard, the Carry On films and the sitcom Plebs will instantly feel at home with the Roman sense of humour, but these two characters have so much more to offer than lame jokes and a glass of rough wine- they're our window into the fascinating bar culture of the Romans. Most urban Romans had neither the facilities nor the time to cook their own food so meals were eaten and drinks drunk from bars. New discoveries at Pompeii reveal the complex stratification of the culture, from the most basic takeaways to dining rooms that mimicked the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Cast: Robert Wilfort and Tyler Cameron Expert contributors: Allison Emmerson, Tulane University, Claire Holleran, Exeter University and Sophie Hay, Archaeological Park of Pompeii Special thanks to Antonio Valerio of Campi Valerio and Museo Archeologico di Santa Maria delle Monache, Isernia Translations by Mary Beard Mary Beard joins Calidius Eroticus and Fannia Voluptas for a Roman bar crawl. From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Join Mary Beard for a Roman bar crawl through the streets of Pompeii. With all but the wealthiest urban Romans unable to cook at home it was the bars where life really went on. |
| 11 | Three Lovers And A Funeral | 20240604 | 20240605 (R4) | Allia Potestas is a woman remembered in one of the most intriguing and affecting funeral orations of the ancient world. Her lover remembers her diligent application to housework before praising to the skies her beauty and her erotic skills. But he didn't have Allia to himself. She was shared in a ménage à trois with his male friend. It's an unusual domestic arrangement and a surprising one to advertise on a tombstone. The lines themselves reveal an enormous amount about Roman morality and the sexual politics of the time, but the story between the lines is even more fascinating. Can we dig beneath the emotional turmoil of the man and guess what Allia herself thought about the arrangement? Mary Beard is joined in Rome by Allison Emmerson of Tulane University to examine this extraordinary funerary monument at the Baths of Diocletian. Expert contributors: Allison Emmerson, Tulane University; Helen King, Open University; Mairead McAuley, University College London Cast: Tyler Cameron as Allius Special thanks to Museo Nazionale Romano Two men, one woman. All three seem devoted to each other. Love story or exploitation? From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. Two men, one woman. All three hopelessly devoted to each other. Apparently. Mary digs into an unconventional love story from ancient Rome. |
| 12 | The Wolf Of Via Vesuvio | 20240611 | 20240612 (R4) | Lucius Caecilius Iucundus kept the economic wheels of Pompeii well greased. He was a middle man doing very nicely- part money-lender, part auctioneer, part banker, all hustler. Thanks to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the preservation of the ruins of Pompeii, we can still visit his house, look at his bronze portrait, and read his account books. 150 tablets of receipts, carbonised in the destruction of Pompeii, lead us through the deals that keep the city's economy moving. If you want to buy a Ferrari-level horse but only have the cash for a Fiesta then Iucundus is your man. It might look like dry stuff, but it's as revealing of real life as snooping on someone's Paypal account or leafing through their credit card receipts might be now. Never mind imperial plunder and luxury lifestyles, it's a glimpse of how the economy works in a regular town. Mary Beard visits Iucundus's home and talks to the novelist Robert Harris about his fascination with the Pompeii moneylender. Expert Contributors: Sophie Hay, Parco Archeologico di Pompei; Matthew Nicholls, Oxford University Special thanks to National Archaeological Museum, Naples and Parco Archeologico di Pompei Mary joins novelist Robert Harris to uncover the story of a Pompeii hustler From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard reveals the real people of the Roman Empire. 150 receipts, carbonised in the ruins of Pompeii, reveal the economic life of the city- and the profitable life of the local moneylender |