The Partial Historians

The early Republic of Rome is full of strife and tension. As we inch deeper into the history, there are neighbourly struggles and internal political discord on the rise. Rome is still mourning the loss of the Fabian gens. The Fabians were almost completely destroyed by the forces of Veii and her northern allies, the Tyrrhenians (think, Etruscans!). Just as Rome was devastated by the loss of the Fa...

After the tragic demise of the Fabii gens, what happens next? The rivalry between Rome and her northern neighbour Veii continues! ‘If Only I Had Some Grain' captures the spirit of this episode. We cover the years c. 476 BCE and part of c. 475 BCE. Is this a sign that our narrative is quickening up? Quite possibly! In this episode we face two strands of narrative: The developing grain crisis...

We return to the history of Rome from the founding of the City and that can only mean one thing – the Fabian family are back front and centre. And, yes, that episode title is a bit of a spoiler! We're talking about the Fabian demise. So where were we in the history? We step back into the narrative with a little bit of orientation. Who does Rome really know about in the region and just how mu...

Would any Ancient Roman podcast hosted by two women be complete without a very special episode on one of the most famous women in the City's history, Livia Drusilla? Obviously not and here we are 🙂 We're taking a detour from our usual primary source focus to start with the depiction of Livia in the seminal I , Claudius BBC series (1976). As we get further into the topic we move backwards through...

Rome and Veii Rome and Veii are central to the politics and military activity of c. 478 BCE. Rome and the Fabians have developed a whole new military tactic by building a fortress near Veii. This is momentous! It allows Rome to station soldiers outside the City in preparation for battle. This force though is made up largely of Fabians and their supporters which will have implications . Livy and Di...

The history of Rome from the founding of the City continues and, if the title is a hint, the fabulous Fabians are at the forefront of the narrative! In the wake of the horrific Battle of Veii in 480 BCE we head into c. 479 BCE. While we follow Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus predominantly at this time, we also see a little of the Fasti Capitolini creep in. After a little bit of faffing about t...

The nascent Roman Republic is well under the influence of the Fabii. Marcus Fabius holds the consulship for the second time. He shares the illustrious role with Gnaeus Manlius. The real trouble lies in Roman domestic diplomacy. Herein the Battle of Veii 480 BCE. The politics starts with some agitation from Titus Pontificus (aka Tiberius Pontificius) the tribune of the plebs who seeks some mov...

We dive back into the history of Rome from the founding of the city and end up right in the challenges of 481 BCE. This means that we're in the hazy early period of the Republic where the conflict between the patricians and plebeians dominates the narratives offered by Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. How consulships are chosen seems to be getting a little more complicated. There are tussles o...

We continue recording in the library, so advance apologies for potential moments of poor editing! Episode 76 – Plebeian Struggles and the Vestal Oppia We return to the podcast fray launching into the elections of c. 483 BCE. The conflict between patrician and plebeian sets the tone. And it turns out that our sources don't agree right from the start! One of the consuls this year is definitely...

The Doctors return with a brand new episode! We are tracing the history of Rome from the founding of the city! At this stage of the narrative, the plebeians and the patricians continue to tussle. And trouble in Rome wouldn't be much without trouble with her neighbours. Tension is also rising between Rome and the Volscii. Laying the scene with the Volscii Quintus Fabius Vibulanus and Servius Cornel...

Episode 74: Gla! In this very GLAmorous episode, Drs R and G return with a special treat for you, our listeners. Step away from Rome with us for a brief time as we travel further back than we've ever gone before! Gla is a huge Mycenaean fortress in Boeotia, Greece. There's no mention of the place in Homer's Iliad and it's more than ten times larger than Athens during the Bronze Age… So what...

We return to the fray to consider the late career of Spurius Cassius! The conflict between the the patricians and plebeians continue and Cassius appears to be running a populist campaign… In this episode we'll consider how the political machinations between these groups play out under a new year and new consuls. Episode 73: The End of Spurius Cassius The Tarpeian Rock. Photo by Lalupa courte...

Our narrative returns to the fray of Spurius Cassius' political machinations while consul! Can he find a way to distribute Rome's bounty three ways with the inclusion of the Latins and Hernicians? Find out as Drs R and G compare the narrative sources! Episode 72: Spurius Cassius and c. 486 BCE For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/ Support th...

A birth of a republic seems midwived by a lot of local conflict. In this episode, the Doctors return to explore Rome's continued struggles with her most estimable neighbours, the Volscians, the Hernicans, and the Aequians. The intricacies really start to come to the surface in the consulship of Proculus Verginius and Spurius Cassius. Hear it all here! Episode 71: Proculus Verginius and Spurius Cas...

The Doctors are back! And celebrating reaching our seventieth episode no less! We dive right back into the narrative of Rome's history from the founding of the City with an examination of the years just following the death of Coriolanus. Rome, perhaps unsurprisingly, doesn't really know how to get along with her neighbours… Episode 70: The Volscians, The Aequians and the Hernicians Artwork:...

It’s time for a special episode! After such a tumultuous life, it comes as no surprise that Coriolanus goes on to have a legacy that spreads after his literal death. So Coriolanus dies, but he lives! In this episode, the Doctors turn their roving eye on how the story of Coriolanus has been transformed by his reappearance into the cultural mind of the West through Shakespeare's play and the ce...

After much ado, many conflicts, we're finally here! It is the end of Coriolanus. How does his grisly end unfold? Who will be pivotal to the end of his career? In this episode, Drs R and G push through all the barriers to make sure this part of Roman history comes to a close! Check out the link below to tune in: Episode 68 – Coriolanus, the Final Chapter Artwork: Franz Anton Maulpertsch, c. 1...

It's a new year and a new breath of fresh on the Partial Historian breeze! Oh wait, what's that? Could it be … Coriolanus? Indeed it is! The complexities of Coriolanus' narrative continue to build and things are about to get a little bit hairy for our man of the moment. Join Drs R and G for the ride ahead: Episode 67 – Coriolanus – Exiled!   Artwork: Wilhelm Wandschneider's...

The holiday season is nearly upon us, dear Listeners, and what better way to celebrate than to take a little trip to Italy. In this short and sweet episode, Dr Radness asks Dr G the big question of the year – how was *that* trip to Italy? Part tavelogue, part history, all Partial Historian 🙂 Episode 66 – Dr G does Italy   Artwork: Dr G (left) and Dr R (right) getting into the spi...

Doctors G and R return with a brand new episode from the realms of the ancient past! As the suspense develops in Coriolanus' career, how are the relationships between the patricians and plebeians working out? With the new force of the tribune of the plebs to reckon with, Coriolanus is not a happy patrician. Let's take a look at the different narrative on offer from the primary sources – Livy...

Dr G has returned from Italy and to Dr R and that means, dear Listeners, that the history of Rome from the founding of the city is back on! When we last conversed, Coriolanus loomed large on the agenda, and here he takes centre stage again (as he very well may for a few more episodes!). Ever wondered what a real patrician's patrician looked like? Wait no more! Listen below to catch all the scintil...

The Doctors pursue the different elements coming to the fore in the 490s BCE by looking at a little more detail at the development of the position of aedile, and the significance of the fetiale priests in matters relating to war, peace, and oaths. And no episode looking at this period would be complete without more on the developing career of Coriolanus! Hear it all here:   Episode 63 –...

After a brief sojourn into Rome on film, the Doctors return to the narrative of Rome's history from the founding of the city! In this episode, the Doctors examine the continuing Struggle of the Orders, some of the consequences of the strife between the Plebeians and Patricians, and *drum roll please* … we catch our first glimpse of the man who will become Coriolanus. Join us as we explore th...

The intrepid Doctors return with an all new, all fabulous episode! The episode in which Drs R and G explore the Coen Brothers take on the Golden Age of Hollywood with Hail, Caesar! We may have been enticed by the prospect of George Clooney as a Roman general, but we stayed for the tribute to the big studio days of American cinema. Take a sojourn with your ears and see how the film stacks up a...

The Partial Historians have hit the big 6-0! And what better way for the Doctors to celebrate with you than with an episode packed with all manner of interesting things. As you know, Dr R specialises in Rome on film. In this episode, let us take on a journey through the film Trumbo  (2015) , which is a bio-pic of the life of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. Trumbo broke the blacklist when he was g...