Slaves were an integral part of the Roman society, responsible for much of the domestic duties and manual labour for any self respecting and vaguely wealthy Roman citizen. Life as a slave was harsh – you were treated as property, the best you could hope for was freedom, and at worst being worked to death.…

• via Episode CIV – Slavery — Emperors of Rome

The Catholic Encyclopedia says: “If we knew more of Callixtus from Catholic sources, he would probably appear as one of the greatest of the popes.” Instead, the sources we have are from his greatest critics. But is that a bad thing? His enemies have so much to say! In this episode, we discuss Callixtus’s adventurous…

• via 18. Callixtus — PONTIFACTS

In this episode, we discuss the myths, iconography, and cultic worship of Orpheus and his Mysteries; the Orphic Hymns and the Orphic Theogony; the Orphic Hymn to Melinoe and her connection to the Mysteries, Hekate, and Hermes Psychopompos; the roles of omens, divination, and itinerant seers (including the mythic figures of Tiresias, Mopsus, and Chalcias,…

• via 081 – Orphism, Omens, and Oracles — The History of Ancient Greece Podcast

The Villa of the Mysteries is on the outskirts of Pompeii, and it would be like any other Roman villa if it weren’t for a special set of paintings. One room is lavishly decorated on all walls with a fresco depicting what appears to be an initiation ceremony into a mystery cult. Guest: Dr Gillian…

• via Villa of the Mysteries — When in Rome

In this episode we talk about the history of education in Europe, from classical Greece to the 19th century, covering the origins of many education-related words. Then we turn to the history of second-language teaching of Latin, from Roman Egypt to today’s Living Latin movement.DSM (channel about language and etymology)Sound EducationClassic CocktailEducation videoLearning Latin and…

• via Episode 61: Classing up our Languages? — The Endless Knot