Emperors of Rome

How did Octavius become Octavian? We trace what we know of Octavius’ early life in Rome during a tumultuous era of violence and civil conflict, through to Julius Caesar's unexpected adoption of a perennially sickly teenager.

Come and see a live recording of the Emperors of Rome podcast at the Melbourne Museum on 4th of August. Tickets here

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Episode CCLVII (258)

Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans

Before Augustus reached his great heights as Emperor, before he was even Octavian, he was Giaus Octavius, born to a relatively humble family and giving no indication of the greatness he would achieve. While his father had a reasonably successful political and military career, it’s almost certain that he wouldn’t have become princeps at all without the important connections provided by his mother, Atia.

We are crowdfunding a podcast miniseries on Tacitus' Germania! It is exclusive to supporters only, and available now on kickstarter.

Support Emperors of Rome on Patreon: patreon.com/romepodcast

Episode CCLVII (257)

Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans

Tacitus's Germania is one of the most fascinating, strange, and surprisingly modern texts to survive from the ancient world. Part ethnographic survey, part moral provocation, part geopolitical warning, it describes the tribes living along Rome's northern frontier: their customs, their gods, their warriors, their women, and their stubborn refusal to become Roman.

This is the first episode of a new podcast miniseries from Rhiannon Evans and Matt Smith. It is exclusive to supporters only, and available now on kickstarter.

Support Emperors of Rome on Patreon: patreon.com/romepodcast

Episode CCLVI (256)

Guest: Dr Rhiannon Evans

In 305 CE, a carefully staged transition took place: the emperors Diocletian and Maximian retired, handing power to a new generation of rulers. Exactly how it happened is still debated, but the act itself was unprecedented in the long history of the Roman Empire.

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Episode CCLV (255)

Part VII of Diocletian

Guest: Professor Caillan Davenport (Centre for Classical Studies, Australian National University)

In the early fourth century the emperors of the Tetrarchy initiated what later Christians would call the “Great Persecution.” Under Diocletian and his colleagues, churches were demolished, sacred texts seized, and believers forced to choose between sacrificing to the Roman gods or facing punishment by the state.

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This month's bonus episode on Patreon is with Caillan Davenport, looking at the Christian martyr, Saint Sebastian..

Episode CCLIV (254)

Part VI of Diocletian

Guest: Professor Caillan Davenport (Centre for Classical Studies, Australian National University)