The Partial Historians

The topography of regal Rome was very different to today. We sit down with Neil, the Ancient Blogger, to explore the details.

Rome contends with the Etruscan city of Veii and the Volscian city of Artena. Will they win the day with the support of Servius Romanus?

In this episode, we talked about the style and function of Augustus' mausoleum and how it was repurposed over time with Dr Victoria Austen. This unique monument has as much to tell us about later periods as it does about Augustus himself.

406 BCE stands out for the assertion that this year is the first time the Roman soldiers receive pay for their service. Show me the money!

Dr Bret Devereaux joins us to discuss all things military and the development of the army in the early years of Ancient Rome. How did Rome go from raids to world domination?

It's 407 BCE and the Romans face a significant military setback at Verrugo. Is Roman dominance at risk? Their enemies may have the upper hand!

The Romans have to battle a coalition from Antium, the Volscii and the Aequii. To win, they elect a dictator, but not everyone is pleased.

We delve into the world of Roman names. How do we understand who’s who? We’re consider the complexities of ancient Roman naming conventions!

In 409 BCE, there is drama in Rome when the plebeians set their sights on electing one of their own to the quaestorship.

The Partial Historians recap what the ancient sources have recorded for the 410s BCE in Ancient Rome.

The citadel of Carventum enters Roman history when the Volsicans and Aequians squeeze Rome’s allies the Hernicians… how will Rome respond?

We sit down with Dr Emma Southon to discuss her brand new book. We delve into the real and very fascinating lives of Rome's women.

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,

We delve into more ancient Roman conflict which revolves around the patrician Postumius, described by historians as a wrongheaded man.

This episode features Professor Alastair Blanshard in a conversation about the representation of classical myths in Disney's Hercules (1997).

This episode delves into more conflict between the Romans and the Aequians, as well as some more classic Conflict of the Orders.

We sit down with Yentl Love to take a deep dive in the layered symbolism of the classical allusions in Lil Nas X's music video for 'Call Me By Your Name'.

We consider the drama of 419 and 418 BCE. These years are packed with exciting moments as we get to learn about an uprising from below...!

We sit down to chat with Genn and Jenny, the fabulous cohosts of the Ancient History Fan Girl podcast about their book Women of Myth!

The Partial Historians recap the major events in Ancient Rome during the 420s BCE.