The Roman Republic went from a regional power ruling over Italy to master of a Mediterranean-wide empire in under 50 years, warring against powerful states like the Carthaginians and the Hellenistic kingdoms, yet always coming out on top. Dr. Bret Devereaux joins the show to discuss the Roman military and analyze the various factors that enabled their rapid expansion into the Hellenistic East, and eventually the downfall of the Republic itself. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2023/04/07/interview-the-roman-republic-at-war-with-dr-bret-devereaux/) Dr. Bret Devereaux A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry (https://acoup.blog/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/BretDevereaux) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

During the Illyrian Wars of 229-228 and 219, the Roman Republic would intervene in the affairs of Greece for the first time. Their swift defeats of Queen Teuta and Demetrius of Pharos impressed the Greek communities, but would draw the attention of King Philip V of Macedonia. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2023/03/16/084-rome-arrives-in-the-hellenistic-east/) Episode Transcript: (rome-arrives-in-the-hellenistic-east-pdf.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/084-rome-arrives-in-the-hellenistic-east-pdf.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

The “Argonautica”, written by the third century poet Apollonius of Rhodes, is the only surviving epic poem from the Hellenistic period. Recounting the travels of the hero Jason and his crew of Argonauts as they searched for the Golden Fleece, Apollonius managed to pay homage to the works of Homer while also reinventing the genre to better reflect the scholarship coming out of Alexandria. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2023/03/04/083-hellenistic-literature-apollonius-of-rhodes-and-the-argonautica/) Episode Transcript: (hellenistic-literature-apollonius-of-rhodes-and-the-argonautica-transcript.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2023/03/083-hellenistic-literature-apollonius-of-rhodes-and-the-argonautica-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

The various dynasties that rose from the ashes of Alexander's empire proved to be a lucrative source of income for aspiring poets. Ptolemaic Alexandria hosted some of the influential artists of the day, such as Callimachus of Cyrene and Theocritus of Syracuse. Euphorion of Chalcis would move to Seleucid Antioch, and Aratus of Soli would compose his famous Phaenomena under the auspices of Antigonus II Gonatas. These figures would re-define the art of poetry for the next several centuries, and set the standards for literary culture for the entire Hellenistic period. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2023/01/27/082-hellenistic-literature-court-poetry-and-propaganda/) Episode Transcript: (hellenistic-literature-court-poetry-and-propaganda-transcript.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/082-hellenistic-literature-court-poetry-and-propaganda-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

In April 1900, a crew of Greek sponge divers found a 2,000 year old shipwreck at the bottom of the sea of the small island of Antikythera. A century of underwater expeditions has revealed many works of art such as rare life-sized bronze statues and glassware that provides a snapshot of the Late Hellenistic economy, along with the famous Antikythera Mechanism, the world’s oldest surviving analog computer. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2023/01/02/bonus-the-antikythera-shipwreck/) Episode Transcript: (the-antikythera-shipwreck-transcript.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/bonus-the-antikythera-shipwreck-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Rather than writing tales of gods and heroes or flattering court panegyrics, the poet Theocritus of Syracuse (early second century B.C.) chose to focus on the simple life. As the founder of "Bucolic" or pastoral poetry, Theocritus cast the humble shepherd as the main subject, using idyllic scenes from the ancient countryside to illuminate his poems in a fashion that would be emulated by later artists such as Virgil. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/12/10/081-hellenistic-literature-theocritus-and-bucolic-poetry/) Episode Transcript: (hellenistic-literature-theocritus-and-bucolic-poetry.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/081-hellenistic-literature-theocritus-and-bucolic-poetry.pdf) So You Think You Can Rule Persia?: Website (https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.wordpress.com/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/RankingPersia) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

The playwright Menander of Athens (342/341 – 290 B.C.) was the most renowned comedic author of antiquity, surpassing even Aristophanes in popularity. As the father of the New Comedy, Menander moved away from biting satire to draw humor from the interactions of everyday people, popularizing the use of “stock characters” and romance plots that audiences could appreciate regardless of background or education. Of his 108 plays, only one has survived in complete form (The Dyskolos or “The Bad Tempered Man”), and in this episode we will delve into the history of New Comedy and Menander’s works in particular. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/11/25/080-hellenistic-literature-menander-and-new-comedy/) Episode Transcript: (hellenistic-literature-menander-and-new-comedy-transcript.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/080-hellenistic-literature-menander-and-new-comedy-transcript.pdf) The Alexander Standard Podcast: Website (https://alexanderstandardpod.podbean.com/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/AlexStandardPod) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/alexanderstandardpod/?hl=en) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

The anchor was the most recognizable image associated with the Seleucids, who used it as their dynastic seal to symbolize their royal authority. Its origins are interwoven into the stories of the dynasty’s founder, Seleucus I Nicator, as omens and prophecies associated the anchor with his imperial destiny. These stories might have been tied to the now-lost Seleucus Romance, but the anchor continued to be used by later monarchies, a testament to the lasting appeal of Seleucid kingship in the Near East and Central Asia. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/11/05/bonus-anchors-aweigh-the-seleucid-anchor-and-imperial-iconography/) Episode Transcript: (anchors-aweigh-the-seleucid-anchor-and-imperial-iconography-transcript.pdf">https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/bonus-anchors-aweigh-the-seleucid-anchor-and-imperial-iconography-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

The Kushans were the premier dynasty of the Yuezhi, a nomadic confederation that migrated and settled in northern Bactria during the mid-to-late second century BC. With a steady hand, their empire would eventually encompass most of Central Asia and Northwestern India for the next 300 years, the former heartlands of the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms. Dr. Lauren Morris lends her expertise on this often poorly understood group, tracing the history of the Kushans and their impact on the broader framework of Eurasia by using key archaeological finds such as the Begram Hoard to illustrate the dynamism of these kings in their presentation and policies. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/10/27/interview-the-kushan-empire-with-dr-lauren-morris/) Dr. Lauren Morris Links: Central Asia in Antiquity Blog (https://centralasiainantiquity.wordpress.com/) Academia.edu (freiburg.academia.edu/LaurenMorris">http://uni-freiburg.academia.edu/LaurenMorris) Twitter (https://twitter.com/laurenbc) Handbook of Ancient Afro-Eurasian Economies (Open Source PDF) (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110607741/html?lang=en) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

The period from the first century B.C. through the third century A.D. saw a time of unprecedented economic contact between the Mediterranean world (under the dominion of the Roman Empire) and the political entities bordering along the Western Indian Ocean. This fostered the exchange of goods and ideas, leading some scholars to identify it as the first period of globalization. Joining the show is Dr. Serena Autiero, who helps elaborate on how we can apply modern concepts like globalization in an ancient context by using material and written evidence to demonstrate the complex interactions that occurred in the flourishing Indo-Roman trade. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/10/22/interview-globalization-in-the-ancient-mediterranean-and-indian-ocean-with-dr-serena-autiero/) Dr. Serena Autiero Links: DiGA [Digitization of Gandharan Artifacts] (https://diga.ceres.rub.de/en/) Academia (https://rub.academia.edu/SerenaAutiero) Twitter (https://twitter.com/ArchaeoGlobal) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast">https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)