It’s been an exciting ride so far!
This year is a big year for the Partial Historians. Part of the excitement is being in the eternal city to marry the best man I’ve ever known.
It just so happens that I fell in love with a Roman. This is truly convenient for a Roman historian and I can highly recommend it. I’m travelling to Rome more frequently than I would ever be able to justify otherwise! I feel more in touch with the ancient spaces every year and being in Rome simulates the thought processes for more research. Win and win.
The true sadness here is that I don’t have my beloved Dr Radness with me. She is an absolute star, breathtakingly intelligent and grounded with a fantastic sense of humour. It is an honour to have built The Partial Historians together with her and I hope one day we can record in Rome together!
The Partial Historians Take on America
Speaking of all good things related to this podcast, Dr Radness and I will be going on tour in early January to San Diego! We’ll be speaking at the Society of Classical Studies conference in a panel entitled ‘Podcasting the Classics’. We’re so excited to be spreading the word about the benefits and challenges of podcasting. If you live in the US, we’d love to have the chance to meet you!
Bella Roma
Here’s a little taste of the sights I’ve been seeing to ward off missing Dr Radness!
The Ara Pacis
The Ara Pacis is an incredibly important structure for understanding the developing principate of Augustus. The restoration we have today is from the Mussolini period, so we aren’t entirely sure if it’s been put together correctly, nevertheless the frieze work is stunning and extensive. This place is a must-see if you get the chance.
The Roman Forum
Nothing beats the Roman forum for feeling the weight of history bearing down upon you. The antiquity of the area means that there are so many layers to consider and archaeological work continues in the area even today. Recent highlights include the reopening of the atrium Vestae and the new sneaky north-eastern entrance (beat the crowds!). You can usually also get in without a queue at the Palatine entrance. Be warned though: the Palatine and forum are connected, so your ticket will only allow you to enter the Palatino-forum area once. This means you need to plan as this is a huge space to navigate and appreciate.
Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day
Although maybe it could have been if they’d used Lego 😉
This mosaic Lego dsiplay is beautiful and now I’m just waiting for the model to come out! A great example of classical reception. This is currently on display at the Lego store in Euroma 2, the massive shopping centre in the EUR district.
A Monument to Remember
This beautiful structure sits right in a later Roman wall which has helped to preserve it. Today it faces onto a busy intersection, adjoins a cat sanctuary and the cemetery for non-Catholics. This cemetery is stunning. You can find the graves of Shelley, Keats, and Gramsci here. And cats. I did mention the cats, didn’t I?
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