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The Partial Historians

The Partial Historians

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Join Dr Rad and Dr G as we discuss, spar, and laugh our way through different aspects of the ancient Roman world! Our main series 'From the Foundation of the City' follows Roman history year by year from the traditional foundation date of 753 BCE. We also interview academics and specialists from around the globe for their insights into history and the representation of Rome and the ancient Mediterranean in popular culture. Dr Fiona Radford is an expert on Rome on film and wrote her thesis on Kubrick’s Spartacus. Dr Radford is exponent of not only Ancient History, but also Reception Studies. Dr Peta Greenfield is an expert on the Vestal Virgins. Dr Greenfield’s research interests include: religion and politics in Rome, the late republic and Augustan period, and the role of women.



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  • Archaic Roman Religion

    Archaic Roman Religion
    Apr 2 2026

    A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, one of our lovely Patreons requested that we talk about archaic Roman religion. Religion is Dr G’s favourite topic, so we decided it was well and truly time for us to chat about what the Romans were up to in their early days.


    As with all aspects of the archaic period, it can be difficult to find reliable and detailed source material for certain aspects of religious life. However, the gods were hugely important to the Romans, so there are a variety of sources that we can use to piece together an accurate picture. This includes:


    · shrines, temples and tombs

    · inscriptions

    · votive offerings

    · the religious calendar

    · artwork, such as frescoes and sculptures

    · coinage

    · the priestly colleges

    · details of rituals

    · Records, including from groups like the Arval Brethren, a group of 12 priests who worshipped Dea Dia, an agricultural goddess

    · Roman law

    · Extra special sources like the Iguvine Tablets from the mid to late Republic, which were written in Umbrian

    · as well as literary sources


    Where did religion sit in ancient Rome?

    We discuss the nature and role of Roman religion in society, whilst trying to mythbust the belief that the Romans just stole everything from the Greeks.

    Archaic Roman religion is fascinating, with deities like Quirinus and Robigo (goddess of grain mildew) seeming to date back a long way. As Rome progressed, the state cults became more formalised and ritualised, and new gods were incorporated. You may recall that when the Romans conquered Veii in 396 BCE, they went to great lengths to coax the resident goddess, Juno Regina, to their city. Roman expansion allowed them to come into contact with a greater variety of deities.


    There were several important priestly positions in Rome that we refer to in this episode, so here’s your cheat sheet:

    · Rex sacrorum/ Rex sacrificulus – The rex sacrorum was a patrician and seems to have assumed the priestly duties of the kings in the Republic.

    · Flamen Dialis (Jupiter)

    · Flamen Martialis (Mars)

    · Flamens Quirinalis (Quirinus – eventually associated with Romulus)

    · Pontifex Maximus (chief pontiff or priest)

    · And then there were minor flamens, who served gods such as Vulcan, Ceres and Flora

    · And, of course, we also talk about the Vestals! Dr G would never leave these ladies out


    Getting Personal

    On a more personal level, the Romans were also surrounded by the lares, guardian spirits who were seemingly connected to place, such as the hearth, streets, neighbourhoods and boundaries. If you have been to Pompeii or Herculaneum, you may have seen a lararium, or one of the shrines that people could have in their houses for these deities. Their origin is debated, but no one can deny their presence in the Roman world.


    Thinks to Look Out For:

    · Augury – and our musings on how the Romans would have responded to kookaburras

    · The importance of nature

    · The invention of a new dessert: Flamines banana

    · The sacred tree house where only patricians are allowed

    For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/


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    Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire

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    1 h y 27 m
  • The Gallic Sack of Rome - Part 6

    The Gallic Sack of Rome - Part 6
    Mar 19 2026
    We have finally reached the LAST part of our coverage of the Gallic Sack of Rome. Once again, whilst there are similar elements in our sources, it is astonishing to see the different way the authors weave the details together.Another Amazing Camillus Montage It is not often that Diodorus Sicilus is praised for his accuracy, but this is one of those rare moments. Savour it, everyone! Dr G takes us through the details of his account, in which Camillus is on a military rampage. Forget the Rocky training montage that Livy includes. This is a Rambo montage, with Camillus kicking ass all over Italy. He’s taking down the Volscians, the Aequians, the Etruscans…. where does he find the time? It is during his escapades that Camillus recovers the ransomed gold, not the rather more dramatic intervention included in Livy’s history. However, Diodorus and Livy are not the only sources to have different explanations for the return of the gold! Some sources claim it was the people of Caere who retrieve the ransom after defeating the Gauls in a battle, and others claim it was one of the Emperor Tiberius’ ancestors who won it back in a battle with a Gallic chieftain. We will let you guess which version Dr Rad prefers…There’s No Place like Rome Unlike Diodorus, Livy is content to keep the focus on affairs inside Rome. Camillus gets a triumph and then keeps his dictatorship because things are not yet as they should be. Camillus needs to make sure that Rome remains on the good side of the gods. Purification and restoration of the temples was the name of the game. However, most of the remainder of Livy’s account for this year is dedicated to Camillus giving the MOTHER of all speeches. The tribunes of the plebs were stirring up trouble by pushing for Rome to be moved to Veii. Urgh, the tribunes. They were the only people Camillus did not miss whilst he was in exile. Why go to the effort of rebuilding the city when there’s a perfectly good abandoned one right over there? Well, Camillus can tell you exactly why and in a painful level of detail. To cut a long story short: · Rome is far too amazeballs to leave· It seems incredibly DUMB to have defended it fiercely against the Gauls if they just planned to up sticks · Um, the location?! The views? · You can’t just relocate your religion – we JUST patched things up with the gods, guys · This is just lazy behaviour and he doesn’t like it. In fact, it is UN-ROMAN Camillus’ rhetoric was incredibly powerful, but a sign sent straight from the gods helped to seal the deal. The Romans were staying put! Time to get Bob the Builder on the phone. Whichever historian you prefer, we both end up in roughly similar places by the end of 390 BCE (or thereabouts): the gods have been taken care of, the city has been rebuilt, the gold is back in Roman hands, and Camillus is the most awesome general… well, ever! And THAT brings the Gallic Sack of Rome to a close. Things to Look Out For: · The famously preserved head that was allegedly discovered on the Capitoline · The possible founding of the Capitoline Games for Jupiter Optimus Maximus · The building of a temple to Aius Locutius who TRIED to warn them about the Gauls. Schwoops!· Matrons! Yes, finally some women briefly grace our podcast once more · A mention of the Social War (91-87 BCE) between Rome and its Italian allies over their rights. Some of Camillus’ speech may have been shaped by pro-Roman propaganda that originated during this conflict. · Ancient building programs – state-funded, no less · Very sweaty historians by the end of this showFor our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/Support the showPatreonKo-FiRead our booksRex: The Seven Kings of RomeYour Cheeky Guide to the Roman EmpireThere wasn’t room to have the social media links in there as well so I’ve prioritised the books for now and our patreon.For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/Support the showPatreonKo-FiRead our booksRex: The Seven Kings of RomeYour Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h y 27 m
  • Swords and Cinema with Dr Jeremiah McCall

    Swords and Cinema with Dr Jeremiah McCall
    Mar 5 2026
    You know that the Partial Historians can’t resist talking about Ancient Rome on film, so we were thrilled to chat to Dr Jeremiah McCall about his book, Swords and Cinema.Who is our special guest?Dr Jeremiah McCall (or DMac as his students call him) is a teacher at Cincinnati Country Day School in Ohio with a PhD in Ancient History. Along with an interest in Roman military and political systems in the Republic, he has done a lot of work on pedagogy of using video games to learn about history, publishing Gaming the Past: Using Video Games to Teach Secondary History in 2022. He divides his research time between historical game studies and Roman history. Dr McCall’s other publications include The Cavalry of the Roman Republic (2002); the Sword of Rome (2012), Clan Fabius: Defenders of Rome (2018) and Rivalries that Destroyed the Roman Republic (2022). Manly Men We will touch on the battle scenes and depiction of the Roman military in all your favourite Roman movies and TV shows. Things to look out for: · The defeat of Spartacus - Spartacus vs. Rome: The Last Battle· The battle of Alessia (52 BCE) in HBO’s Rome - Rome Fighting with Gauls HD· The battle of Philippi in HBO’s Rome - HBO Rome - Battle of Philippi (Battle only)· The opening battle sequence in Gladiator (2000) - Gladiator 2000 Opening Battle· And a bit on Centurion (2010) and The Eagle (2011) to finish!· The Eagle | Channing Tatum Fends Off A Midnight Sneak Attack· The Eagle | Channing Tatum Leads Roman Centurions Into Battle· Centurion 2010 Best movie Scene HD· Plus some things that get set on fire! You will need your popcorn for this special episode! Our music is by Bettina Joy de Guzman. For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/Support the showPatreonKo-FiRead our booksRex: The Seven Kings of RomeYour Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h y 10 m
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What do we really know about ancient Rome? How much did the Romans themselves know about their remote past? Can anyone make sense of the evidence available? In this podcast series, a pair of modern historians each tackle these questions through the lens of two ancient historians, Livy and Dionysius, constructing a narrative of Rome's early history that does justice to what the Romans themselves believed, what archeology continues to reveal, and the different uses to which Roman history has been put in subsequent eras. But historiographical rigor aside, this series is above all fun—not a strained look through a glass darkly, but an episodic spinning kaleidoscope, entertaining us with unexpected angles on the past.

My favorite historical podcast

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