Lexie and Megan are back for season 3! Welcome back to the Reading Party Podcast! In this exciting episode of our Rome Centric Season 3, we have not one, but two special guests: ancient historians Aaron Irvin and Jeff Stevens both experts on the Roman Empire, as well as consultants for Starz series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”. Join us as we dive deep into the world of "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," focusing on episodes five and six.

In this episode, we recap the intense journey of Spartacus, a Thracian warrior turned gladiator, as he fights for survival and seeks to reunite with his wife. We discuss the brutal realities of gladiatorial life, the historical accuracy of the show's portrayal of the pits, and the complex social hierarchies within the ludus.

Aaron and Jeff share their insights on the historical context of gladiators, the motivations behind characters like Varro, and the significance of the show's representation of violence and sexuality. We also explore the challenges of balancing historical accuracy with modern sensibilities in storytelling.

Whether you're a fan of the series or just curious about ancient Rome, this episode is packed with fascinating discussions and expert analysis. Don't miss out!

Guests:

Aaron Irvin: A professor at Murray State University specializing in ancient Rome, Egypt, the ancient Near East, and ancient Greece. He contributed to the Spartacus series during his grad school years at UCLA.

Jeff Stevens: An ancient historian at the University of Missouri and the director of undergraduate studies. Like Aaron, he worked on the Spartacus series as a grad student at UCLA and is currently involved in archaeological digs in Italy.

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