Ancient Rome Refocused

Why Study the Classics (BONUS 3, Epi 22, S4)

Dr. Joel Christensen, Brandeis University, gives his opinion on why it's important to study the classics, and why we should learn Latin and Ancient Greek.

The Sound of Ancient Greek (BONUS 2, Epi 22, S4)

Rob Cain and Dr. Christensen of Brandeis University have a small exchange on the question,
"Do we really know what Ancient Greek sounded like?"

Batraomyomachia (BONUS 1, Epi 22, S4)

An original composition from the podcast Mice and Frogs Behaving Badly.
Composer:
Matthew Leigh Embleton
http://www.matthewleighembleton.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4pgcRSMEr4

Mice and Frogs Behaving Badly (Epi 22, S4)

The Batrachomyomachia or Battle of the Frogs and Mice is a comic epic, or a parody of the Iliad, commonly attributed to Homer. Prof. Joel Christensen and Eric Robinson have translated this odd poem putting frogs and mice in the place of the Homeric Heroes.
 
Dr. Christiansen, is an associate professor of Classical Studies and comparative literature, and is the chair in the Department of classical studies, and teaches courses in Greek Epic and Archaic Poetry, Rhetoric and literary theory, linguistics, and mythology. He has taken the time to talk to us about an odd poem that has be translated repeatedly over the years. Why do people over the generations find this poem so interesting?
 
With an original musical piece written by Matthew Leigh Embleton, a reading of the Battle of the Frogs and Mice is read not only by Dr. Christensen, but intersects with Graeme Malcolm with permission of Random House Audio books.
Are you a frog or a mouse?
Step into the pond and find out.

The Case of the Ebay Conundrum (Epi 21, S4)

Rob Cain discovers antiques being sold on the internet. He digs deeper and deeper into what is real and what is perceived to be real. He answers an inquiry from Robert W.M. Greaves, the author of the popular blog site Matters Arising, and airs an interview by the late Archaeologist William Glover on the nature of context. This is a true investigation of what is real and what is not.
Can we trust the popular auction house Ebay in buying our history?
The only conclusion is: "Context is everything."

The Case of the Caesarian [sic] Quote (Epi 20, S4)

Time for a little detective work.
Did Julius Caesar actually say: "I could kill you faster than I could threaten to kill you?" It's on the internet. So it has to be true. Right?
Rob Cain's Historical Detective Agency tries to find the out the truth.
 

Call-in Show Opening Kickoff (Epi 19, S4)

Old friends call in.

Something Wonderful (Epi 18, S3)

 
00:00 - 18:35
Come with us to Mars!
What if a civilization was discovered on Mars?  What if behind a stonewall, the remnants of a Martian Civilization was discovered?  Ancient Rome Refocused presents a dramatic narration of how this could very much match an unusual mania that swept the world in the 1920s.  Upon the discovery of King Tut's tomb, music, art, advertising, movies and fashion, reflected a mania for all things reflecting ancient Egypt.   What is a dead Martian Civilization (like the Martians in the Ray Bradbury novel Martian Chronicles) were discovered beneath the surface?  Let  your imagination fly on this most unusual episode. 
Now that your thinking about it, let's review the Egypto-mania Craze that took over society in the early 20 century.  
18:36 - 1:01:52
From there let's explore Rob's favorite book:  THE EGYPTOLOGIST BY Arthur Phillips.  
The Egyptologist is structured as journals, letters, telegrams, and drawings, from several different points of view. The main story is set in 1922 and follows a hopeful explorer who, working near Howard Carter (the man who discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun), risks more and more of his life and savings on an apparently Quixotic effort to find the tomb of an apocryphal Egyptian king.  It's a detective story.  It is a detective story combined with archaeology.  We are digging to find an Egyptian King, and the real identity of Ralph Trilipush.   
Phillips takes us on an adventure. 
I needed one.
So do you.

Growing Up, Cleopatra! (Epi 17, S3)

What's it like to be daughter of a Queen?
Rob Cain interviews author and educator Vicky Alvear Shecter. She wrote the book Cleopatra's Moon, a tale of Selene, daughter of Cleopatra and Marc Antony.
 
Dramatic narration from Ms. Shecter's book.
Nancy provides the voice of Selene who witnessed the Donations of Alexandria, where Antony distributed Roman lands to his children and Queen Cleopatra. As you can guess this did not go over well in Rome, and led to the battle of Actium.
 
Check out Vicky Alvear Shecter's website at:
https://www.vickyalvearshecter.com/

Tragedy Ain’t for Sissies (Epi 16, S3)

 
Author and BBC Channel 4 host Natalie Haynes is interviewed by Rob Cain. Her book The Furies tells the story of a teacher that teaches Greek Tragedy to a class of hard-luck students. As you may guess, tragedy follows. Ms Haynes talks to us about ancient tragedies, her life, and the writing process. Check out the interview with Ms. Haynes.
 
The show has two musical pieces. Jim Malcolm's The Flowers of Edinburgh is performed in a tavern, and is particularly toe tapping. Also on the show is the music of Michael Travlos (composer) and Iwona Travlos (flutist) mixed with Rob Cain's beat poetry about the ancient gods in the ancient world