The Partial Historians
The Partial Historians
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Top 10 The Partial Historians Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Partial Historians episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Partial Historians for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Partial Historians episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Special Victims Unit
The Partial Historians
10/19/23 • 59 min
In this episode we tackle the years 413 and 412 BCE. These years come hard on the back of the murder of the patrician Postumius. Rome is facing challenges that seem to be bound up in the spolia in times of war and the broader annalist focus on the idea of the Struggle of the Orders which has been the defining feature of the early republic in Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. To catch up on the unfortunate fate of Postumius, check out Episode 142 – A Wrongheaded Man.
Episode 143 – Special Victims Unit
Onwards and Upwards?
Murder is not something to be overlooked lightly, especially when the victim is a Roman patrician. It might be time for an investigation! And not just any investigation, but a special taskforce is assembled to consider all the evidence and follow the clues wherever they lead.
Livy mentions this group as a quaestio perpetua, but there’s good reason to be suspicious of this classification for the investigators. Strong evidence for the quaestio perpetua doesn’t emerge until the second century BCE over 250 years on from 413 BCE!
Agrarian Reform
Will Rome find a way to reform its practices around conquered land? This topic comes back to the fore as we have the name for a of the tribunes of plebs. Roman conquest of new lands also brings this thorny subject back into the public discourse. How historical could the issue be at this point in the early republic? And will the patricians finally offer the plebeians something on this matter? Time will tell!
Issues with the Volscians
Rome’s perennial tousle with their neighbours, the Volscii, continues in 413 BCE. The Hernicians seek Rome’s aid against the Volscian forces and Rome is happy to oblige. The city of Ferentinum comes to our attention through this situation. We learn about the location of Ferentinum as likely corresponding with modern Ferentino, which is to the southeast of Rome, and likely part of the territory of the Hernicians at this time. What happens next to the city of Ferentinum? Tune in to find out!
Is that Ferentinum way down to the southeast of Rome in the territory of the Hernicii? It surely is! Source: https://www.heritage-history.com/
The Return of the Icilii
Perhaps Rome’s most famous plebeians gens at this point in early republican history is the Icilii. And in 412 BCE, we see another member of the Icilii gens come into the role of tribune of the plebs. Famously, the Icilii are connected with the Lex Icilia de Aventino Publicando which our annalist tradition places as early as 456 BCE. Looking to brush up on this? Check out our Episode 104 – Aventine, Aventine. Another Icilius is also connected with the second decemvirate on account of being engaged to Verginia. To revisit Verginia’s tale, see Episode 114 – The Tale of Verginia.
Things to Listen Out For
- Ancient sources? What sources?
- Leniency for those found guilty
- Land redistribution in Bolae?
- Does Rome even have ager publicus to redistribute???
- Volero returns!?
- The introduction of later sources Florus and Zonaras
- The Latin League
- Is Rome entering an expansionist phase?
- A history of the Icilius gens
- Pestilence!
- The Hernician Federation
Our Players 413 BCE
Consuls
- Aulus (or Marcus) Cornelius – f. – n. Cossus (Pat.)
- Lucius Furius (L. f. Sp. n.?) Medullinus (Pat.)
Interrex
- Quintus Fabius Vibulanus (Pat.)
Our Players 412 BCE
Consuls
- Quintus Fabius – f. – n. Ambustus Vibulanus (Pat.)
- Gaius Furius – f. – n. Pacilus (Pat.)
Tribune of the Plebs
- Lucius Icilius
Our Sources
- Dr Rad reads Livy 4.51.1-4.52.1
- Dr G reads Diodorus 13.43.1, 14.54.1; Florus 1.17.1-2; Zonarus 7.20
- Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
- Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis)
- Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A Commentary on Livy: Books 1-5 (Clarendon Press).
Sound Credits
Our music was composed by Bettina Joy de Guzman. Sound effects courtesy of Freesounds.
The Roman remains at Ferentino (anc...
2 Listeners
Factional Foibles
The Partial Historians
06/13/24 • 1 min
We jump into the year of 402 BCE and Rome and Veii are tooth and nail in siege mode. In addition to this, Rome is rapidly approaching the end of the 5th century BCE, a date that is meaningful for historians and scholars but less significant for the Romans who understood the years through the names of the magistrates more than being overly interested in the base ten system.
Episode 151 – Factional Foibles
Watch your back!
Rome’s siege of Veii continues so there’s good reason to see six military tribunes with consular power in the role this year. But it may be the case that Rome’s military preoccupation with Veii is about to become costly. Just ask the Rome’s new garrison at Anxur in Volscian territory...
Siege Developments
Now you’d be forgiven for thinking a siege is not the most exciting form of warfare. And if it was just Rome versus Veii, it may indeed have remained a boring affair. But sometime in this year, it seems that Veil’s northern neighbours have realised that Veii falling to Rome might be terrible for them. Enter the Capenantes and Falscians and cue siege chaos! How will the situation be resolved? Tune in to find out.
Map of Veii including cities to the north Capena (Capenantes) and Falerii (Falsicans).
Things to Listen Out For
- The joys of Cornettos
- Skipping through the daisies
- A hideous sandwich situation
- Consideration of the extent of the powers of the tribunes of the plebs
- A potted introduction to the 3rd century CE writer Dio Cassius
- Some details about the archaeological record between Veii and Rome during this period
- A new record with the Partial Pick!
- A very late background contribution from one of our star podcats 🙂
Our Players for 402 BCE
Military Tribunes with Consular Power
- Gaius Servilius P. f. Q. n. Ahala (Pat)
- Quintus Servilius Q. f. P. n. Fidenas (Pat)
- Lucius Verginius L. f. Opetr. N. Tricostus Esquilinus (Pat)
- Quintus Sulpicius Ser. f. Ser. n. Camerinus Cornutus (Pat)
- Aulus Manlius A. f. Cn. n. Vulso Capitolinus (Pat)
- Maelius Sergius L. f. L. n. Fidenas (Pat)
Our Sources
- Dr Rad reads Livy 5.8.1
- Dr G reads Diodorus Siculus 14.38.1; Fragmentvm de Praenominibus; Fasti Capitolini; Dio Cassius Book 6.23ish
- Arizza, M., Rossi, D. 2022. ‘The territory between Veii and Rome in the Archaic period: Rural structures as territorial markers of cultural frontiers’ Frontière.s, Revue d’archèologie, histoire et histoire de l’art Volume 6: 49-62. https://journals.openedition.org/frontieres/1297
- Bradley, G. 2020. Early Rome to 290 BC (Edinburgh University Press). Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
- Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis) Forsythe, G. 2006. A Critical History of Early Rome: From Prehistory to the First Punic War(University of California Press)
- Lomas, Kathryn (2018). The rise of Rome. History of the Ancient World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. doi:10.4159/9780674919938. ISBN978-0-674-65965-0. S2CID239349186.
- Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A Commentary on Livy: Books 1-5 (Clarendon Press).
Sound Credits
Our theme music was composed by the amazing Bettina Joy de Guzman
Map of Veii from The Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria by George Dennis 1848
Automated Transcript
Lightly edited for Latin terminology and to support our wonderful Australian accents!
Dr Rad 0:15
Welcome to The Partial Historians.
Dr G 0:19
We explore all the details of ancient Rome.
Dr Rad 0:23
Everything from political scandals, the love affairs, the battled wage and when citizens turn against each other. I’m Dr Rad.
Dr G 0:33
And I’m Dr G, we consider Rome as the Romans saw it, by reading different authors from the ancient past and comp...
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Special Episode - Women of Myth with Ancient History Fan Girl
The Partial Historians
07/27/23 • 54 min
Content warning for this episode: violence, sexual violence, removal of children
We sit down to chat with Genn and Jenny, the fabulous cohosts of the Ancient History Fan Girl podcast. They have recently published Women of Myth: From Deer Woman and Mami Wata to Amaterasu and Athena which examines fifty women and femme presenting figures from cultures across the globe.
While Women of Myth is the centre of this conversation, there’s no way to discuss ancient ideas about women without considering how that might reflect upon the contemporary issues that women face. This also leads into consideration of the challenges faced by women throughout history.
We wrap up with a discussion of looking beyond the ancient Greco-Roman world – the value of doing that and what that can look like in podcasting.
Special Episode – Women of Myth with Ancient History Fan Girl
What makes a book?
In this interview, we explore some of the details of the book including
- The ideas that shaped the concept for Women of Myth
- The role of Sara Richard’s illustrations in expanding representation
- What it was like to co-write a book together
Listen out for discussions about
- Amba/Shikhandi – The Vengeance-Seeking Genderqueer Warrior of the Mahabharata
- Atalanta – The Ancient Greek Warrior, Athlete, and Argonaut
- Ītzpāpālōtl – The Skeletal Warrior Goddess of the Aztecs
- La Llorona – The Wailing Woman of Mexican Mythology
- Medea – Dr G draws parallels with La Llorona and Medea’s stories
- The Morrigan – The Ancient Irish Goddess of War and Battle Frenzy
- Oya – The Yoruba Warrior Goddess and Orisha of the Wind
Interested in Women of Myth?
Consider these retailers:
- Booktopia (Australia)
- Bookshop.org (US)
- Bookshop.org (UK)
- Contact your local indie bookstore
- Contact your local library
The book cover!
Sound Credits
Our music was composed by Bettina Joy de Guzman.
An illustration by Sara Richard from Women of Myth of Ītzpāpālōtl, the Aztec Skeletal warrior goddess.
She appears as a crown skull with green feathered hair surrounded by flames.
Automated Transcript
Dr Rad 0:16
Welcome to The Partial Historians.
Dr G 0:20
We explore all the details of ancient Rome.
Dr Rad 0:23
Everything from the political scandals, the levels as the battles waged, and when citizens turn against each other. I’m Dr. Rad.
Dr G 0:34
And I’m Dr. G. We consider Rome as the Romans saw it, by reading different authors from the ancient past and comparing their stories.
Dr Rad 0:43
Join us as we trace the journey of Rome from the founding of the city. Welcome to a very special edition of The Partial Historians. I am Dr. Rad.
Dr G 1:00
And I’m Dr. G.
Dr Rad 1:02
And Dr. G, we are joined today by two extra special guests. I know this is very exciting for us two extra special people are with us. And the mystery of way shall soon be revealed. I know what I mean, this is this is really a treat because we are joined by two members of the unofficial lady pod squad. And that is right we are joined by Jenny and Genn, who are the hosts of the extremely popular Ancient History Fan Girl podcast. And we are both fan girls of that podcast. Are we not Dr. G?
Dr G 1:39
We are so it’s like super, super exciting. It’s like ancient history girls unite.
Dr Rad 1:43
Exactly, exactly.
Jenny 1:45
The feeling is mutual.
Genn 1:46
Very mutual.
Dr Rad 1:50
It’s actually it’s actually really shocking that we have not had you on our show before this because it was many, many moons ago that we recorded Spartacus together. And I feel like it’s because we’re constantly in contact in terms of I constantly see what you guys are up to on Instagram and constant...
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Quo Vadis (1951) - Part One
The Partial Historians
05/25/23 • 50 min
This episode we return to the ‘Golden Age of Hollywood’ with a classic sword and sandal epic, Quo Vadis (1951). This film is available through many streaming platforms and we highly recommend revisiting it.
In Part One of two episodes on Quo Vadis, we examine the context for the film and the plot.
Quo Vadis (1951) helped to ignite Hollywood’s passion for ancient epics in this decade. It was a smash hit with some of the legendary stars of the era, including Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov. This film is not only epic in terms of length, but in terms of all the aspects that you could discuss in connection with it.
Special Episode – Quo Vadis (1951) – Part One
Resistance
The tale itself has a lengthy backstory which takes us all the way back to 19th century Poland. Henryk Sienkiewicz wrote the book in a serialised format between 1894-1896. Poland had been going a through a tough time over the course of the preceding century, in the sense that it did not exist independently between 1795 and 1918. During this period, the Catholic Church was crucial in preserving Polish culture. Sienkiewicz often wrote historical novels that would lift the spirits of his fellow poles, and Quo Vadis was no exception. For Sienkiewicz, the triumph of Christian characters such as Lygia and Ursus (meant to be from Lugii, i.e. Poland) represent the ultimate triumph of Poland over its cruel oppressors, with Nero representing nations such as Russia, Austro-Hungary and Prussia.
Sienkiewicz’s novel was well-received, and was therefore adapted into toga plays, operas, and several films. The earlier film versions were made in Europe, including the notable 1912 silent classic.
Join us for the fascinating background of the 1951 film and stay tuned for Part Two!
Quo Vadis – Roll Call!
There are a LOT of characters to keep track of in a film of this length, so if you need a handy reference, check out the cast list on IMDB.
The main people that you need to know for our episode include:
LygiaFictional main lady love interest. Christian, hostage-turned-adoptive daughter of Roman general Aulus Plautus, and his wife, Pomponia Graecina.
Marcus ViniciusFictional main manly love interest. Roman, not Christian (yet). Militaristic, aggressive to start, turns all moral as the film progresses.
Lygia (Deborah Kerr) and Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) in the courtyard of her adoptive parents’ home in Rome.
Source: FilmAffinity.
Historical figure. Really was Roman emperor from 54-68 CE. Known as the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Really was terrible, although maybe not quite as unrelentingly awful as many suggest – including this film. Probably not as amusing as Peter Ustinov!
A gold coin showing the obverse portrait of Nero. Bust of the historical Nero Peter Ustinov as Nero in Quo Vadis (1951) Poppaea SabinaHistorical figure. Elite Roman lady. Complicated love life. Winds up as Nero’s second wife. Called beautiful but awful in the surviving sources. We say – the jury is out on that one. Typical fun, adulteress type character used to contrast to the ‘good girl’, Lygia. Historically, she is murdered by Nero while pregnant with their child. In Quo Vadis, Nero strangles her. An awful demise in reality and in film.
Statue of the historical Poppaea Sabina found in Olympia, Greece Patricia Laffan as Poppaea Sabina in Quo Vadis (1951) Petronius (Gaius Petronius Arbiter)Historical figure. Served as governor of Bithynia and was consul in either 62 or 63 CE. Did a decent job, but in his personal life seems to have made pleasure his main goal. Dubbed the ‘Arbiter of Elegance’ by Nero. Accused of being part of a conspiracy against Nero and suicided whilst chatting casually to friends. Thought to be the author of the novel, The Satyricon, which is a very unusual piece because it does NOT focus on the elite and is pretty ... eye-opening. Possibly makes fun of Nero through the gross figure of Trimalchio, a freedmen who has become a wealthy show-off with no taste. Close associate of Nero. In the movie, Petronius is Vinicius’ uncle and an elegant, witty, intelligent member of Emperor Nero’s inner-circle. He also has a weird obsession with the enslaved Eunice...
From left: Petronius (Leo Genn) attempting to advise Nero (Peter Ustinov) in a scene from Quo Vadis (1951).
Image source: FilmFanat...
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Special Episode - Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
The Partial Historians
09/19/24 • 103 min
We are in shock that it has taken us this long to cover the cult classic that is Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979). We have Rslaugesen over on Patreon to thank for pointing out this glaring oversight.
Special Episode – Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
Once we got started, it was hard for us to stop talking about the Life of Brian. British comedy was a staple of our childhoods and Monty Python was one of our favourites. It was a treat to follow the development of this movie from Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory to a Sliding Doors-style story of Brian Cohen, born in the manger over from Christ.
The cast of Monty Python’s Life of Brian in a scene from the filmA still from Life of Brian showing Brian’s followers admiring his sandal, one of the sacred objects he unwittingly bestows upon them. Courtesy of FM Cinema.
Whilst Monty Python were probably trying to make a parody of 1970s Britain rather than a historically accurate portrait of first century CE Judea, we still found this film intriguing. From wolf’s nipples to imperialism, we take you through all the best Roman scenes... and perhaps a few non-Roman scenes as well. Who can resist talking about the Virgin Mandy?
Part of the appeal of Life of Brian is the fact that it is not afraid to make fun of the Romans (or anyone) and shows a much less glamorous side of the empire. Quite the contrast to the epics of the 1950s and 1960s.
Things to Look Out For:
- Far too many ‘reenactments’ of our favourite moments
- The Biggus Dickus scene
- What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us? Not as much as this scene claims!
- The People’s Front of Judea in action!
- The famous BBC2 interview with John Cleese and Michael Palin
- The hilarious parody of the BBC2 interview on Not the Nine O’Clock News
- Dr G’s excitement upon spotting the frescoes from the Villa of the Mysteries
Comedies don’t always stand the test of time. We can spot some awkward moments in the film, but overall, we think Life of Brian stands the test of time. Forty-five years after it’s release, we would love to know whether you agree!
Our Sources
- Blanshard, A. J. L., Shahabudin, K. 2011. ‘Satirising Cine-Antiquity – Monty Python’s Life of Brian 1979’ in Classics on Screen: Ancient Greece and Rome on Film (Bristol Classical Press), 172-193.
- James G. Crossley (2011) ‘Life of Brian or Life of Jesus? Uses of Critical Biblical Scholarship and Non-Orthodox Views of Jesus in Monty Python’s Life of Brian.’ Relegere: Studies in Religion and Reception 1 (1): 93-114.
- Cyrino, M. S. 2005. ‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ in Big Screen Rome (Blackwell), 176-193.
- Ehrman, B. (2015). Brian and the Apocalyptic Jesus: Parody as a Historical Method. In Jesus and Brian (pp. 141–150). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567665362.ch-011
- Horsley, Richard A. 2014. Jesus and the Politics of Roman Palestine (University of South Carolina Press)
- Keddie, A. 2019. Class and Power in Roman Palestine: The Socioeconomic Setting of Judaism and Christian Origins (Cambridge University Press)
- Levine, A.-J. (2015). Beards for Sale: The Uncut Version of Brian, Gender and Sexuality. In Jesus and Brian (pp. 167–184). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567665362.ch-013
- Stiebel, G. D. 2015. ‘‘Romani Ite Domum’ – Expressions of Identity and Resistance in Judaea’ in Taylor, Joan E. (ed). Jesus and Brian: Exploring the Historical Jesus and his Times via Monty Python’s Life of Brian (Bloomsbury), 107-112.
- Taylor, J. E. (Ed.). (2015). Jesus and Brian exploring the historical Jesus and his times via Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Bloomsbury T&T Clark.
- Telford, W. (2015). Muggeridge/Stockwood interviewMonty Python’s Life of Brian and the Jesus Film. In Jesus and Brian (pp. 3–18). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567665362.ch-001
Sound Credits
Our music is by Bettina Joy de Guzman.
Automated Transcript
Dr Rad 0:15
Music. Welcome to the partial historians.
Dr G 0:18
We explore all the details of ancient Rome,
Dr Ra...
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Episode 150 - Rhetorical Fireworks
The Partial Historians
05/09/24 • 91 min
It is 403 BCE and we’re about to be blinded by some rhetorical fireworks. The situation between Rome and Veii is getting more serious.
Episode 150 – Rhetorical Fireworks
We’ve Got Chills, They’re Speechifying!
As the Romans prepare for a long siege, the suggestion was casually made that the soldiers will need to remain in winter quarters. The Romans were not used to being in the field this long and the tribunes of the plebeians were immediately suspicious. Is this why military pay had just been introduced? To distract the people whilst forcing them to live in a state of slavery? Outrageous. Nonetheless, this is what the plebeians get when they keep electing patricians into office.
One of the military tribunes decides to hit back at the tribunes with their own epic speech. Who better for the task than the uber-patrician Appius Claudius? Let’s watch those rhetorical fireworks fly!
Appius’ speech, with its’ mixture of conservatism and logic, is so effective that he wins some of the people over. As everything hangs in the balance, word reaches Rome of a serious setback at Veii. A sneaky night attack led to all the Roman siege equipment being destroyed by fire and some of the soldiers had died trying to extinguish the blaze.
Aule Metele (The Orator). A hollow-cast bronze showing an Etruscan male known as Aulus Metellus or Aule Metele in Roman-style clothing, dated to early 1st century BCE.. While this figure is not from our time period, the combination of Etruscan and Roman culture and the speechifying aspect of this statue seemed appropriate! Courtesy of https://www.collegesidekick.com/study-guides/boundless-arthistory/later-etruscan-art
This disaster tips the balance in favour of Appius’ arguments. Patricians and plebeians put their differences aside so that they could focus on the war effort. Those Etruscans were asking for it!
The senate no longer had to worry about whether the people were on board regarding winter service. Romans from various backgrounds were throwing themselves at the senate, begging to be allowed to go to war.
Who knew that war could make people so happy? That’s the Romans for you!
Please Sir. I Want Some... More?!
Camillus, one of the Furii clan, makes his debut in this year as one of the censors. In order to pay for some of these new expenses, the censors introduced some new taxes on unmarried men and ...orphans. Way to be harsh, Rome!
Our Players 403 BCE
Military Tribunes with Consular Power
- M’. Aemilius Mam. f. M. n. Mamercinus (or Mamercus) (Pat) Cos. 410, Mil. Tr. c. p. 405, 401
- L. Valerius L. f. P. n. Potitus (Pat) Cos. 392, Mil. Tr. c. p. 414, 406, 401, 398
- Ap. Claudius P. f. Ap. n. Crassus Inregillensis (Pat) Cos. 349 ?
- M. Quinctilius L. f. L. n. Varus (Pat)
- L. Iulius Sp.? f. Vopisci? n. Iullus (Pat)
- M. Furius – f. – n. Fusus (Pat)
- ? M. Postumius (Pat)
- ? M. Furius L. f. Sp. n. Camillus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 401, 398, 394, 386, 384, 381
- ? M. Postumius A. f. A. n. Albinus Regillensis (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 426
Censors
- M. Furius L. f. Sp. n. Camillus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 401, 398, 394, 386, 384, 381
- M. Postumius A. f. A. n. Albinus Regillensis (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 426
Our Sources
- Dr Rad reads Livy, ab Urbe Condita, 5.1-5.7.
- Dr G reads Plutarch, Life of Camillus, 1-3; Valerius Maximus 2.9.1; Diodorus Siculus, 14.35.1.
- Bradley, G. 2020. Early Rome to 290 BC (Edinburgh University Press).
- Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
- Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis)
- Forsythe, G. 2006. A Critical History of Early Rome: From Prehistory to the First Punic War(University of California Press)
- Lomas, Kathryn (2018). The rise of Rome. History of the Ancient World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. doi:10.4159/9780674919938. ISBN978-0-674-65965-0. S2CID239349186.
- Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A ...
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The Partial Recap - 420s BCE
The Partial Historians
07/13/23 • 14 min
Another decade is gone and it’s time for a Partial Recap! We run through what the ancient sources tell us about this decade. There are some real highs and lows!
The Partial Recap 420s BCE
If you are keen to for some more detail, you can jump into our narrative episodes at 134 – A Dry Period.
A view to the East over the Roman Forum with the Temple of Saturn on the left and the Palatine Hill on the right, showing the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Arch of Titus, Santa Francesca Romana, and the Colosseum. Detail from the photograph by Nicholas Hartmann, June 1976. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons. Used under license.
Sound Credits
Our music was composed by the fabulous Bettina Joy de Guzman.
Automated Transcript
Dr Rad:
Welcome to the Partial Recap for the 420s BCE!
Dr G: I’m Dr G
Dr Rad: and I’m Dr Rad
Dr G: and this is our highlights edition of the 420s in Rome. We’ll take you through from 429 to 420 in an epitome of our normal episodes.
Dr Rad: Perfect for those mornings when you don’t want some lengthy rhetoric with your coffee – but please be warned – the Roman world is a violent one.
Dr G: Get ready for a recappuccino.
429 BCE
- In 429 BCE, the consuls were Hostius Lucretius Tricipitinus and Lucius Sergius Fidenas
- Who could forget this year? Well, apparently a lot of people could – nothing was recorded in some of our sources
- For others, it might be an issue of confused dates and actually LOTS of things happened that sound very similar to the events of 428
428 BCE
- In 428 BCE, the consuls were Aulus Cornelius Cossus and Titus Quinctius Poenus Cincinnatus
- Or maybe Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus and Aulus Sempronius Atratinus
- Come on Romans, get your consuls straight!
- Veii started muscling in on Roman turf, perhaps with some help from the Fidenates
- The Romans assembled an elite task force to look into their involvement and some men from FIdenae found themselves banished to Ostia for being decidedly shifty
- For a bit of extra security, more settlers were sent to the colony of Fidenae
- Rome was then hit by a severe drought, which led to the spread of disease amongst cattle and the citizens
- In desperation, some superstitions started to spread amongst the populace and had to be reined in
427 BCE
- In 427 BCE, the consuls were Caius Servilius Structus Ahala and Lucius Papirius Mugillanus
- Putting the tough times behind them, the ROmans felt well enough to seek revenge against Veii
- But there’s a procedure to this people! Someone call the fetiales so they can call on Jupiter and get this ball rolling
426 BCE
- In 426 BCE, the military tribunes with consular power were Titus Quinctius Poenus Cincinnatus, Caius Furius Pacilus Fusus, Marcus Postumius Albinus, and Aulus Cornelius Cossus – whew!
- The military tribunes with consular power set about this war with Veii – but they didn’t play well together, leading to some humiliating results on the battlefield
- Crushed and angry, the Romans turned to their favourite solution – a dictator!
- Mamercus Aemilius was chosen by Cossus, and he chose Cossus to be his Master of the Horse – making them the cutest couple in Rome
- Meanwhile, Veii was bragging about their recent success to anyone who would listen, and Fidenae agreed to join forces with them once again.
- Lucky the Romans had Mamercus to whip them all into shape. He and his band of trusty helpers worked together like a well-oiled machine to grind their enemies into the dust!
- Once more, Cossus was a standout in the battle and Mamercus received a triumph
- If this all seems very familiar, it is. Suspiciously so!
- Compare the events yourself by revisiting our episode on 437 BCE
425 BCE
- In 425 BCE, the military tribunes with consular power were Aulus Sempronius Atratinus, L. Quinctius Cincinnatus, Lucius Furius Medullinus and Lucius Horatius Barbatus.
- Nothing much happened!
- The Veientes and the Aequians were each granted truces
424 BCE
- In 424 BCE, the military tribunes with consular power were Appius Claudius Crassus, Spurius Nautius Rutilus, Lucius Sergius Fidenas, and Sextus Iulius Iullus.
- Games were held and the Romans were exceedingly polite hosts.
- The tribunes of the plebs found the whole scene in the city far too peaceful and started haranguing the pop...
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Where in the World is Carventum?
The Partial Historians
11/16/23 • 61 min
Carventum enters the annalistic narrative of Rome and raises some questions. But in order to get there, we need to consider what Rome faces in 411 BCE. And it seems that the Roman elite are having a run on consuls recently, which, if we follow Livy, means that the plebeians continue to be locked out of the highest magistracy...
Episode 144 – Where in the World is Carventum?
411 BCE – A Year Better Forgotten?
Sadly there’s not much to report about 411 BCE and what there is to know if the kind of thing the Romans would probably rather forget. Turns out that there’s a pestilence on the loose! To compound problems, sick people can’t farm and this has compromised the harvest. Rome faces challenges to its grain supply and they turn to their neighbours for aid.
Keen to catch up on the action from the years leading up to this situation? Check out Episode 143 – Special Victims Unit.
Where in the world is Carventum?
410 BCE gets off to a bad start when the Volsicans and Aequians decide to try to squeeze Rome’s allies the Hernicians... how will Rome respond? First they’ll have to find the citadel of Carventum (location unknown). And that’s only after they resolve the challenge of pulling together a fighting force.
Whenever there’s a tribune of the plebs, we can assume there’s going to be something going on between the elite families of Rome. The tribunes come into their own when there’s a military affair in the off-ing because they can push for rights and recognition for the plebeians in potential exchange for military service. Will the patricians negotiate land rights in order to field a force against the Volscians and the Aequians?
Map of central Italy including Rome and Praeneste, one of the theorised locations of Carventum to the east of Rome.
An ovatio with the a side of verbal abuse...
The Roman populace may be under the pump of the patricians much of the time, so perhaps a protest action at the scene of an ovatio is a very legitimate form of criticism! While Valerius attempts to process through the city to celebrate a military win, things don’t feel so much like a celebration as the people hurl abuse. Who will the crowd turn their support towards in the aftermath?
Things to Listen Out For:
- Disagreements about Livy
- What’s happening in the Mediterranean?
- Who is Cassiodorus?
- Samnites and Sicilians
- A tribunician veto? In this economy?
- What is the tribune of the plebs and how did this position really work in the early Republic?
- Mercenaries????
- What are the quaestors up to?
Our Players 411 BCE
Consuls
- Marcus Papirius L. f. – n. Mugillanus (or Atratinus?) (Pat.)
- Spurius (or Gaius) Nautius Sp. f. Sp. n. Rutilus (Pat.)
Our Players 410 BCE
Consuls
- Manius Aemilius Mam. f. M. n. Mamercinus (Pat.)
- Gaius Valerius (L. f. Vol. n.) Potitus Volusus (Pat.)
Tribune of the Plebs
- Marcus Menenius
Our Sources
- Dr Rad reads Livy 4.52.2-4.53
- Dr G reads Diodorus 13.68.1, 13.76.1; Cassiodorus Chronica
- Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
- Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis)
- Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A Commentary on Livy: Books 1-5 (Clarendon Press).
Sound Credits
Our music was composed by Bettina Joy de Guzman. Sound effects courtesy of BBC Beta and Freesounds.
Crop from “A new map of Latium, Etruria, and as much of ancient Italy, as lay between Gallia Cisalpina and Græcia Magna, shewing their principal divisions, cities, towns, rivers, mountains &c.”
Sheldonian Theatre (Publisher); Wells, Edward, 1667-1727 (Cartographer).
Source: New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Automated Transcript
Edited for Latin terminology and to support our wonderful Australian accents!
Dr Rad 0:12
Welcome to The Partial Historians.
Dr G 0:15
We explore all the details of ancient Rome.
Dr Rad 0:20
Everything from political scandals to love affairs, the battles waged and when citizens turn against each other. I’m Dr. Rad.
Dr G 0:30
And I’m Dr. G. We consider Rome as the Romans saw it by reading different ancient authors an...
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Building the Bromance
The Partial Historians
03/16/23 • 72 min
What do you get when Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus and Aulus Cornelius Cossus return in our source material? The continuation of a beautiful bromance.
After an unfortunate amount of disease and destruction in our last episode, we return to Rome for some classic political and military action.
The Romans are ready to put a year of horrible drought behind them and seek revenge on Veii and the ongoing thorn in their side. Fidenae. It also turns out that war is the perfect backdrop for some male bonding.
Episode 135 – Building the Bromance
Jupiter as my Witness!
Before the Romans can get involved in any conflicts with Veii, there are rules of warfare that need to be observed. It is time for the fetiales! With Jupiter as their witness, they will make sure that Rome only goes to war in the right circumstances.
Fresco of Jupiter, National Archaeological Museum of Naples (inv. nr.9551).
From Pompeii, House of the Dioscuri, dating to the 1st century CE, so much later than the 420s BCE! Jupiter was invoked by thefetiales during their rituals.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Building the Bromance
The Romans elect military tribunes with consular power as they embark on their war with Veii. Unfortunately, the tribunes don’t have a talent for teamwork. It’s time for a dictator!
Our old friend Cossus nominates Mamercus Aemilius as dictator. In return, Aemilius makes Cossus his Master of the Horse. The bromance between these two is so strong that Veii doesn’t stand a chance. They are the Roman equivalent of Batman and Robin.
Watch out Etruscans! The caped crusaders are out to get you.
The classic duo: is that Mamercus and Cossus or Batman and Robin? When we squint, we can’t even tell, that’s how strong the bromance is here.
Things to Look Out For:
- More confusion over consuls
- Murder most foul
- Birds in the sky (they might be trying to tell you something)
- Smugness from Mamercus
- Fiery combat
- Did we write a book? Oh boy, yes we did! If you enjoy the podcast, this might be just the ticket. You can purchase our popular history Rex: The Seven Kings of Rome HERE
- Interested in the first instalment of the bromance between Cossus and Mamercus? We’ve got you covered – that’d be Episode 129 – Lars Tolumnius and the Fate of Fidenae
Our Players 427 BCE
Consuls
- C. Servilius – f. – n. Structus Ahala (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 419, 418, 417
- L. Papirius (L. f. – n.) Mugillanus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 422
Our Players 426 BCE
Military Tribunes with Consular Power
- T. Quinctius L. f. L. n. Poenus Cincinnatus (Pat) Cos 431, 428a, Mil. Tr. c. p. 420?
- C. Furius – f. – n. Pacilus Fusus (Pat) Cos. 441
- M. Postumius A. ? f. A.? n. Albinus Regillensis? (Pat) Mil. Tr. c. p. 403?
- A. Cornelius M. f. L. n. Cossus (Pat) Cos. 428
Dictator
- Mam. Aemilius M. f. – n. Mamercinus (Pat)
Master of the Horse
- A. Cornelius M. f. L. n. Cossus (Pat) Cos. 428a, Mil. Tr. c. p. 426
Legates
- T. Quinctius Poenus Cincinattus (Pat) Cos. 431, Mil. tr. c. p. 426, 420?
Our Sources
- Dr G reads Diodorus Siculus 12.78.1, 12.80.1; Dionysius of Halicarnassus Roman Antiquities 12.6; Valerius Maximus 3.2.4; Frontinus Stratagems 2.4.18-19, 2.8.9; Florus 1.6.7; Aurelius Victor De Viris Illustribus urbis Romae 25; Orosius 2.13.8-11
- Dr Rad reads Livy ab Urbe Condita 4.31-34.
- Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
- Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis)
- Forsythe, G. 2006. A Critical History of Early Rome: From Prehistory to the First Punic War(University of California Press)
- Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A Commentary on Livy: Books 1-5 (Clarendon Press).
- Santangelo, F. 2008. ‘The Fetials and Their Ius’. Bulletin: Institute of Classical Studies 51:1, 63-93.
Sound Effects
Fesliyan Studios, Orange Free Sounds and Pixabay.
Thanks to the fabulous Bettina Joy de Guzman...
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A Wrongheaded Man
The Partial Historians
09/28/23 • 72 min
In this episode, we tackle the years 415 and 414 BCE and the downfall of Postumius, a very wronghead man.
Episode 142 – A Wrongheaded Man
Did you remember to RSVP for the war?
In 415 BCE, the Romans were gearing up for war with Veii and the Aequians... but neither of their dance partners turned up! It takes two to tango and in this case, neither the people of Veii or the Aequians felt ready to get down and boogie.
A Wrongheaded Man Indeed!
War against the city of Bolae kicked off in 414 BCE. One of the military tribunes with consular power, Postumius, was placed in command against this Aequian tribe. Whilst the Romans enjoyed success in battle, their internal problems overshadowed the victory.
How do you create chaos in Rome? Simply take a tribune of the plebs, add a dash of agrarian reform, then stir in an arrogant patrician. Livy described Postumius as a wrongheaded man, and a questionable comment certainly had serious repercussions. Will sticks and stones, or words, do the most damage?
Quote courtesy of Teacher’s Corner.
Join us for another tale of disaster with one of the Postumii at the centre.
Need to catch up on the previous conflict with the Labici? You can find our previous episode here.
Things to Look Out For:
- Dr G accidentally skipping over 415 BCE
- Various attempts at agrarian reform
- What is #trending amongst the elite
- A snide aside with very dramatic consequences
- Several important lessons from the Romans that could also be applied to parenting
Our Players 415 BCE
Military Tribunes with Consular Power
- P. Cornelius A. f. P. n. Cossus (Pat)
- C. Valerius L. f. Volusi n. Potitus Volusus (Pat) Cos. 410, Mil. Tr. c.p. 407, 404
- N. (or M.?) Fabius Q. f. M. n. Vibulanus (Pat) Cos. 421, Mil. Tr. c.p. 407 *
- Q. Quinctius L. f. L. n. Cincinnatus (Pat) Mil. Tr. c.p. 405
Tribune of the Plebs
- L. Decius
Our Players 414 BCE
Military Tribunes with Consular Power
- Cn. Cornelius A. f. M. n. Cossus (Pat) Cos. 409
- L. Valerius L. f. P. n. Potitus (Pat) Cos. 393, 392, Mil. Tr. c.p. 406, 403, 401, 398
- Q. Fabius Q. f. M. n. Vibulanus (Pat) Cos. 423, Mil. Tr. c.p. 416
- P. Postumius A. f. A. n. Albinus Regillensis (Pat)
Tribune of the Plebs
- M. Sextius
Quaestors
- P. Sextius (or Sestius)
Our Sources
Dr G reads Virgil, Aeneid, 6.771-776; Diodorus Siculus 13.34.1, 13.381, 13.42.6; Dio Cassius, Roman History, 6.23; and the Fasti Capitolini.
Dr Rad reads Livy ab Urbe Condita 4.49-50.
Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis)
Forsythe, G. 2006. A Critical History of Early Rome: From Prehistory to the First Punic War(University of California Press)
Lomas, Kathryn (2018). The rise of Rome. History of the Ancient World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. doi:10.4159/9780674919938. ISBN 978-0-674-65965-0. S2CID 239349186.
Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A Commentary on Livy: Books 1-5 (Clarendon Press).
Sound Credits
Our music was composed by Bettina Joy de Guzman. Sound effects courtesy of BBC and Orange Free Sounds.
Automated Transcript.
Courtesy of Otter AI.
Dr G 00:12
Welcome to the partial historians.
Dr Rad 00:15
We explore all the details of ancient Rome. Everything from political scandals to love affairs, the battles waged, and when citizens turn against each other. I’m Dr. Rad.
Dr G 00:30
And I’m Dr. G. We consider Rome as the Roman saw it by reading different an...
1 Listener
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Partial Historians have?
The Partial Historians currently has 210 episodes available.
What topics does The Partial Historians cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, History and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on The Partial Historians?
The episode title 'Special Victims Unit' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Partial Historians?
The average episode length on The Partial Historians is 45 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Partial Historians released?
Episodes of The Partial Historians are typically released every 20 days, 17 hours.
When was the first episode of The Partial Historians?
The first episode of The Partial Historians was released on Feb 28, 2013.
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