Best Ancientgreece Podcasts (2024)

1
Ancient Sicily (pt4). The Sicilian Expedition. 39:31

2h ago39:31

39:31

Continuing my miniseries on ancient Sicily I pick up on the two separate incidents where Athens got directly involved in Sicilian affairs towards the end of the 5th century BC. Was it a good idea and what went wrong? Also, an attempt to describe Syracuse using just your hand. Oh, and a highly consequential eclipse. If you can rate or review the epi…

1
Medieval Table Manners and Food Hygiene 35:35

1d ago35:35

35:35

'Many other improprieties a good servant will avoid.’ ... Rules for health, hygiene and manners in Middle Ages... Yes! They existed. People were worried about manners, and food poisoning and etiquette. Yes people washed their hands before they sat on the table. And much, much more! Listen to todays fascinating episode! Voiceover on "The babees book…

1
Rice and the history of biryani; one dish that conquered the world! 30:44

9d ago30:44

30:44

Hello! Rice is a very ancient food…People ate rice perhaps from 12000 BCE gathered with other seeds and nuts. Today every third person on earth eats rice every day in one form or another. Rice is grown on about 250 million farms in 112 countries. But one dish more than any other, defines the global reach of rice and how it is claimed by many nation…

1
Tyrants in ancient Greece. 28:07

11d ago28:07

28:07

Every wonder what a tyrant was, how a tyrant became a tyrant and if there were any benefits in having a tyrant run your city? In this episode I answer these questions as I examine some tyrants from the Archaic period to the mid-5th century BC. A main source for this episode which I mention is James F McGlew: 'Tyranny and Political Culture in Ancien…

1
Myths and superstitions of tomato and potato's introduction in Greece and Europe 40:43

16d ago40:43

40:43

How old is a Greek salad? And how 'Greek' for that matter? Who introduced the potato to the Greeks? What other dark misunderstandings the introduction of the tomato and potato in Europe has?( and what's got to do with werewolves?) And finally some delightful tomato recipes from the Greek Cycladic Islands for your gastronomic enjoyment! Just to kick…

1
Tselementes - The father of modern Greek Cuisine 28:12

23d ago28:12

28:12

Hello! Nikolaos Tselementes. His name is what every Greek says when talking about cookbook. "Did you look at the Tselementes for your recipe"? Indeed when I was growing up i thought that a guide to cooking, or a book with recipes was called "Tselementes"! :-) On his death in 1958, the impression one is most likely to get from the statements of such…

1
Food of the Aztecs Pt2 34:37

30d ago34:37

34:37

Hello! Welcome to part two of our exploration of the foods of Aztecs. Corn, food of the Gods and humans. The ceremonial drink cacao and the alcoholic drink pulque All here. Plus the importance of the Florentine Codex, a document with descriptions of many native plants and animals and customs of the Aztecs. Here is the Florentine Codex, digital edit…

1
The Foodways of the Aztec Empire Pt1 26:18

1M ago26:18

26:18

Hello! Season 5, has landed! Episode one, part one is out and it's all about the amazing, delicious and perhaps unique foods and farming methods of the Aztecs, and the other indigenous people of Mesoamerica, the area that roughly today covers the country of Mexico, itself a massive area with many unique ecological niches and diverse nature. The foo…

1
Ancient Sicily (pt3). Democracy & Ducetius. 31:54

1M ago31:54

31:54

Continuing the ancient Sicily miniseries I pick up with what happened to the tryant Thrasybulus in Syracuse in the 460s BC. There's a lot of civil unrest and democracy finally makes an appearance. Elsewhere on the island one of Sicily's most intriguing sons, a man called Ducetius, makes a play for power. If you're listening where you can leave a re…

1
History of Irish Food with Regina Sexton Pt2 1:29:24

2M ago1:29:24

1:29:24

Hello! Excite about Part2 of our Irish Food History! The Irish palette, is coarse like an oat cake. Fatty from butter and meat, and salty from preservation of food. What animal shaped the culture of Ireland more than any other? I'll give you a clue with this amazing myth and story. Táin Bó Cúailnge, the story of the cattle raid of Cooley! What's th…

1
A History of Food Culture in Ireland with Regina Sexton Part 1 43:58

2M ago43:58

43:58

Pomponius Mela, a Roman geographer, who hailed from the Roman province of Baetica (now Andalusia) in southern Spain writing in 43AD, he described the Ireland and Irish people as “a people wanting in every virtue, and totally destitute of piety”. And yet this country was so “luxuriant in grasses” that if cattle were “allowed to feed too long, they w…

1
A Short History of Ancient Mesopotamian Food (From the archives) 41:45

2M ago41:45

41:45

...Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the filtered beer of the collector vat, It is (like) the onrush of the Tigris and the Euphrates. Hello! The lines above are from a brilliant Assyrian hymn to the Goddess of the brewing process: Ninkasi. Also a good set of instructions on how to make beer! Aside from beer, there are many other inventions tha…

1
Ancient Sicily (pt2). Tyrants and Tragedy. 36:12

2M ago36:12

36:12

In the second episode on ancient Sicily I turn to the rise of the tyrants and the changing political situation on the island. Covering the period between 600BC and the mid 5th century BC there is a lot to talk about, it's an episode packed with treachery, conquest and even some poetry. If you can leave a review wherever you listen to this please do…

1
The Cuisine of the Black Sea Greeks 30:00

2M ago30:00

30:00

Deep in a mountain in the Pontic Alps, North-East Turkey, there's a monastery reminiscent of Tolkien's Minas Tirith; the seven-walled fortress city built on the spur of a mountain. Nestled in a steep cliff at an altitude of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and facing a beautiful wooded mountain valley is Panayia Soumela Greek Orthodox monastery, dedic…

1
A Feta Fetish: Towards a better feta cheese for all 41:07

3M ago41:07

41:07

Hello....! Who hasn't heard of feta cheese among us? Now I'm not saying that you necessary need to like it, but most of us know about this white, tangy & salty Greek cheese served with your Greek salad on your favourite holiday destination. But is the feta cheese we eat a "fait accompli"? (or feta accompli?) What is Sfella or "Feta of the Fire"? On…

1
From the archive: Traditional Easter Food in Orthodox Greece 27:44

3M ago27:44

27:44

Helloooooo...! Easter in UK and Western Europe (Catholic or otherwise) is nearly upon us! Traditionally the most important celebration of Christianity. On this episode from the archives, from April 2020, I'm re-publishing the episode about Eastern Orthodox Easter where I describe in some general terms what is happening during the Lent and Easter Su…

1
The birth of Modern Greek Cuisine 26:18

3M ago26:18

26:18

Hello! What is Greek Cuisine today? How do we define the food of the modern Greek nation? Clear and in many ways transparent cuisine. can it be defined from the simplicity and freshness of the ingredients, and her frugal, austere or thrifty nature? Is it just this though? And how Greek is mousaka, a dish that is considered so Greek throughout the w…

1
A History of Food Waste and Preservation 50:46

3M ago50:46

50:46

Hello! Today I have the pleasure to interview historian Dr Eleanor Barnett about her new book, "Leftovers". The interview was conducted in January, in anticipation of her new book which is coming out on Thursday 14th of March, as a hardback from Head of Zeus. Preservation of food, and waste management isn't a new problem for our globalized societie…

1
Honey: A sweet history. Food of the Gods, first food of Humankind 47:27

4M ago47:27

47:27

Hello! Welcome back to another archaeogastronomical adventure! I think you'll enjoy this one! Sweet and complex and full of myths, legends and symbolism! Honey is a revered food the world over and bees a sacred and important insect. Let's find out about the first ever apiary, the ancient egyptian practises, mesopotamian myths and ancient greek myth…

1
Minoan Cuisine: The Foods of Bronze Age Crete 1:13:24

4M ago1:13:24

1:13:24

Hello! I have a genuinely exciting episode from the archives of The Delicious Legacy! Even though this is a re-run I have added some extra bits on the intro and outro with bonus ancient recipes! And it's massive! Labyrinth, Minotaur, Talos, and many other myths and legends, Gods and kings and pirates and poets! This is the sun-kissed, sea-guarded C…

1
A Short History of Pistachio 24:41

4M ago24:41

24:41

Hello! Self-Exploding nuts! Now this is fact for the ages! Sadly they haven't been used as a weapon in the ancient past so I can't claim it's known for millennia.. But...Pistachios! Evidence so far points to farmers having domesticated the pistachio during the first millennium BCE “somewhere within its wild range,” which spanned southern Central As…

1
Ancient Sicily (pt1). New neighbours. 31:58

4M ago31:58

31:58

The first of a mini series on ancient Sicily. I begin with a brief sojurn around the island and an overview of the original inhabitants. Then it's onto the Greeks and Phoenicians who founded colonies on the island. I unwrap what form these initially took and what can be inferred from them. If you can leave a review please do! Episode notes includin…

1
A History of Saffron - The most expensive spice in the world 53:43

4M ago53:43

53:43

A huge volcanic explosion... An city buried under tonnes of pumice and ash... No, we are not talking about Pompeii or Herculaneum, but another place and volcano, at least one thousand five hundred years before... An island civilization destroyed by a cataclysmic eruption around 1600 BCE, roughly 3600 years ago! Akrotiri, a town on the Greek island …

1
Nutmeg, Cloves, Vanilla; A quest for the most expensive spices in the world! 45:18

5M ago45:18

45:18

Hello! According to some definitions, "Globalisation is a term used to describe how trade and technology have made the world into a more connected and interdependent place." But this is not a new phenomenon. For many centuries, this process was happening driven partly or mostly because of the lust for spices. Rare, highly prized and expensive. Toda…

1
Foodways of The Hittites 40:34

5M ago40:34

40:34

Hello!!! This week we are going back roughly 4000 years ago, in Anatolia, in what is today Turkey. A plateau, created by the forces of the tectonic plates pushing each other, bordering Syria, Iran, Iraq, Armenia or encompassing some of the current countries, the Hittites were an ancient civilization a powerhouse controlling much of the fertile land…

1
Whiskey and Haggis- A Burns Night Dinner 25:52

5M ago25:52

25:52

25th of January is the birthday of Scotland's National Poet: Robert Burns. What was served on the first ever commemorative dinner in honour of Burns? What are the origins of the delicious pudding Haggis, and how is related to an ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes? How are the Arabs responsible for Whiskey? And what is on offer on a traditional Bu…

1
A (Pungent) History of Beans 51:39

5M ago51:39

51:39

Why Pythagoras was afraid of a field of beans? Did really an angel decent from Heaven to cook up the most tasty bean soup in a Byzantine Monastery? Do the British love beans or is it just the canned beans? What's pease pudding and what Santorini Fava gotta do with it? And have you heard of this Lancashire delicacy called "parched peas"? This is the…

1
Ancient Rome's Worst Emperors with LJ Trafford 1:05:54

5M ago1:05:54

1:05:54

Ever wonder who the worst Roman Emperors were? Well, LJ Trafford has written a book on this question and we sit down to chat about three candidates I selected from it. This is LJ's third appearance on the podcast and as ever she was fab to chat to. Have a listen and see if you agree! If you can rate and/or review on the platform you are using to li…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Ancientgreece Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Ancient History Hound

Ancient Blogger

1
The Delicious Legacy

The Delicious Legacy

1
Modern Classics

Sophie

1
The Unusual History of Every Thing

Melanie Dellas and Karen Lacy

1
Ancient Sicily (pt4). The Sicilian Expedition. 39:31

1
Medieval Table Manners and Food Hygiene 35:35

1
Rice and the history of biryani; one dish that conquered the world! 30:44

1
Tyrants in ancient Greece. 28:07

1
Myths and superstitions of tomato and potato's introduction in Greece and Europe 40:43

1
Tselementes - The father of modern Greek Cuisine 28:12

1
Food of the Aztecs Pt2 34:37

1
The Foodways of the Aztec Empire Pt1 26:18

1
Ancient Sicily (pt3). Democracy & Ducetius. 31:54

1
History of Irish Food with Regina Sexton Pt2 1:29:24

1
A History of Food Culture in Ireland with Regina Sexton Part 1 43:58

1
A Short History of Ancient Mesopotamian Food (From the archives) 41:45

1
Ancient Sicily (pt2). Tyrants and Tragedy. 36:12

1
The Cuisine of the Black Sea Greeks 30:00

1
A Feta Fetish: Towards a better feta cheese for all 41:07

1
From the archive: Traditional Easter Food in Orthodox Greece 27:44

1
The birth of Modern Greek Cuisine 26:18

1
A History of Food Waste and Preservation 50:46

1
Honey: A sweet history. Food of the Gods, first food of Humankind 47:27

1
Minoan Cuisine: The Foods of Bronze Age Crete 1:13:24

1
A Short History of Pistachio 24:41

1
Ancient Sicily (pt1). New neighbours. 31:58

1
A History of Saffron - The most expensive spice in the world 53:43

1
Nutmeg, Cloves, Vanilla; A quest for the most expensive spices in the world! 45:18

1
Foodways of The Hittites 40:34

1
Whiskey and Haggis- A Burns Night Dinner 25:52

1
A (Pungent) History of Beans 51:39

1
Ancient Rome's Worst Emperors with LJ Trafford 1:05:54

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