Ancient Rome Refocused

This placeholder gives you a sneak peek into three upcoming episodes. Natalie Haynes, will speak on Greek Tragedy, and her book The Furies. Vicky Alvear Schecter on her book Cleopatra's Moon, on Selene the daughter of the Egyptian Queen. Arthur Phillips on his book, The Egyptologist, a truly mysterious protagonist that looks into the ancient world of the Egyptians.   ANCIENT ROME REFOCUSED IS BACK...

An exploration of Queen Zenobia in popular culture and song. Actors and musicians based in the American mid-west write, compose and perform a musical based on this 3rd century queen that defied Rome. Rob Cain interviews Lorrisa Julianus and Craig Engel. Zenobia, is an original musical written by Lorrisa and composed by Angela Salvaggione. It premiered at the Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center, and...

Could an MEU bring down the Roman Empire?   Marine expeditionary units are the smallest air-ground task forces in the United States Fleet Marine Force. Each MEU is an expeditionary quick reaction force, deployed and ready for immediate response to any crisis, whether it be natural disaster or combat missions.   Rob Cain Interviews the screenwriter James Erwin who wrote a story on the popular websi...

  Dramatic Narrative My favorite show. Venus tells us her tale. The Goddess talks.

Dramatic Narrative: In this episode Rob and Nancy Cain perform a dramatic narrative of a Roman couple going to the theater to see the great Roman actor Quintus Roscius Gallus. The soldier has been away for six long years and doubts his wife's fidelity. She doubts his fidelity as well. Can a night at the theater change everything? Has the years changed him? Can she put aside her love for the great...

Teaser for an unaired TV show Imagine if Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Paris of Troy and Romulus Augustus, the last Emperor of Rome of the Western Empire, were gathered around a table. What would they say to each other? The show is hosted by Rob Cain. This podcast is a tribute to the show Meeting of Minds, which aired on PBS from 1977 to 1981. The host was the comedian Steve Allen.  The show featured...

Dramatic Narration: The episode starts out with a modern version of the Aeneid. Please forgive me, Virgil. Annie meets a guy visiting from overseas and conspires to keep him in Chicago so she can work her charms on him. It's a chicklit all based on the Aeneid.    The author Natalie Haynes is interviewed by Rob Cain on her book The Ancient Guide to Modern Life.   The show concludes with a plug for...

What makes a Caesar? Dramatic Narrative: Mr. Cain travels to the time of Alaric the Visigoth. This warrior chieftain sacked Rome and we explore the temptations of Rome and whether he would of considered the 'imperial purple.' Mr. Cain has a rant about the symbols of empire and modern day Neros. After he calms down he interviews Mark Schauss of the podcast Russian Rulers History on connections betw...

Dramatic Narrative: Mr. Cain goes back to Ancient Troy and we join Aeneas as he flees the city guided by the goddess Aphrodite. Interview with Eric Shanower about his graphic novel: Age of Bronze. . Yes, Brad Pitt is discussed and the movie Troy.

"Why We're All Romans" by Dr. Carl J. Richard. A study of the Founding Fathers and how they were influenced by the classics. Dr. Richard is associated with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Dramatic Narration: A look at a boy who visits a soothsayer and is foretold of his rise to the emperorship of Rome. Rob reviews the cancelled NBC show KINGS, and a comparison of what it means to be part of the imperial family. The listener then travels back in time (in Mr. Cain's time machine) to interview for the position of emperor.   This is the last episode of Season One.

Interview with Bryan Doerries, director for the THEATER OF WAR. This podcast follows a performance of AJAX translated by Bryan Dorries starring movie and TV stars who volunteered their time.  Theater of War Productions works with leading film, theater, and television actors to present dramatic readings of seminal plays—from classical Greek tragedies to modern and contemporary works—followed by tow...

A study of the Roman Triumph, its purpose and modern equivalents. Interview with Steven Saylor.  He is an American author of historical novels. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics. Saylor's best-known work is his Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series, set in ancient Rome.

Dramatic Narrative - Unchained slaves show up at a Roman Farm and start to cause trouble. Is Spartacus coming?   Rob rants on why the slave army turned back from the Alps. Why not escape, or was the promise of loot just too attractive?  Is Spartacus a hero or a brigand?  

Rob has a time machine. He can take you back to the ancient world.  However, he tries to talk you out of going.  Would you go?  Seriously?  Rob brings up some points for  you to consider.  You have to understand, the past is different there. At the end of the podcast would you still go to 51 B.C.?  Leave a comment below. 

First episode of Ancient Rome Refocused.  A podcast devoted to the comparison of modern society to the ancient world.  This series of podcasts present interviews with those that use the ancient world as their muse.  On the show are interviews with authors, musicians, professors and enthusiasts telling their story and those of ancients.  Included in the show are dramatic narrations - original stori...

An interview with UK Composer Daniel Denyer.  Rob visits Daniel at his apartment at the Kilburn stop off the Jubilee Line in London, England.  Through his window the overground can be heard to rattle by, and from his apartment that sound is transformed.  His works include composition and performances of THE BACCHAE and surreal sounds for a micro-opera about the ancient city of Troy.