When in Rome

In the Roman period, Nea Paphos was the capital of Cyprus and a thriving centre of administration, culture, and commerce. Its theatre—first built in the Hellenistic age and later transformed under Roman rule—became one of the city’s most impressive monuments, a place where architecture, performance, and imperial power all came together.

Guest: Dr Craig Barker (Head of Public Engagement, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney and Director of the Paphos Theatre Archaeological Project)

As a prominent coastal city on the island of Cyprus, Salamis had a lot to offer the Romans. Well situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, it was the perfect location for maritime trade, as well as, unfortunately, the occasional war.

Guest: Dr Christopher Gribbin (Adjunct Lecturer, Classics and Ancient History, La Trobe University)

Lepcis Magna, the ancient Roman city on the coast of modern day Libya, has such a long history of excavation and restoration that it deserves its own episode. While much of the city remains undisturbed beneath the sand, plenty has been explored, restored, or scattered throughout Europe.

Guest: Dr Niccolò Mugnai (Assistant Professor at the Institute of Classical Archaeology at the University of Tübingen, Germany)

Lepcis Magna had much in common with Roman cities in Northern Africa - former colonies, built on the coast next to a river, and a blend of Roman and local cultures. So it would have continued until the late 2nd century, when Septimius Severus, a local lad who made it big, became the Rome’s newest emperor.

Guest: Dr Niccolò Mugnai (Assistant Professor at the Institute of Classical Archaeology at the University of Tübingen, Germany)

To the Romans the Porta Nigra would have been nothing remarkable - while it’s an impressive city gate, there were many like it, offering entrance through the walls into the Roman city of Augusta Treverorum. To today’s residents and visitors to Trier in Germany, it is a reminder of the city’s Roman past, as well an important part of early Christianity.

Guest: Dr Christian Rollinger (Senior Lecturer, Ancient History, University of Trier)