Why, yes, I did murder the King: The Women of Early Rome

Often overlooked, but never really absent, are the women of Rome’s early history. While Lucretia is justifiably well-known, she’s not the only woman who deserves a place in our understanding of the growth of Rome under the kings. From Hersilia, wife of Romulus, who gets involved in politics to Tullia who was complicit in the murder of her father, King Servius Tullius, Rome’s early women are less known today but they certainly weren’t boring! Dr Fiona Radford and Dr Peta Greenfield, the hosts of the popular Roman history podcast, The Partial Historians, will explore the fantastic tales of Rome’s early women by considering their representation in the ancient sources.

Dr Fiona Radford is an expert on Rome on film, particularly Kubrick’s Spartacus (1960). Her most recent work is a commentary on the script for The Gladiators. Dr Peta Greenfield is an expert on Rome’s Vestal Virgins. Her most recent work is writing for Bad Ancient, interrogating common claims about the ancient world. They have hosted The Partial Historians podcast since 2013 bringing ancient Rome to listeners across the world, have collaborated with TED-Ed to bring the history of the Vestal Virgins, Spartacus, and Augustus to a wider audience, and have spoken internationally about the value of podcasting as part of academic outreach. Rumour has it they are writing a book together on Rome’s kings.

This event was co-hosted by Australasian Women in Ancient World Studies.