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Artwork for Ancient History Fangirl

Ancient History Fangirl

Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy
Roman Empire
Goths
Rome
Hanging Gardens Of Babylon
Alaric Of the Visigoths
Great Pyramid Of Giza
Project 2025
Artemis
Amazons
Julius Caesar
Lighthouse Of Alexandria
Pompeii
Visigoths
Human Sacrifice
Heritage Foundation
Herodotus
Temple Of Artemis
Egypt
Temple Of Artemis At Ephesus
Diodorus Siculus

An ancient history podcast run by two Millennial women. Misbehaving emperors, poison assassins, mythological mayhem; it’s like if Hardcore History met up with My Favorite Murder in the ancient world, with a heavy helping of booze and laughter.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes362Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Ancient History Fangirl

Latest Episodes

⁠⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon!

One of the most famous quotes from Augustus’ reign was “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” And Augustus did that—he had a real thing for construction. Augustus w... more

⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! ⁠

Have you noticed that our tech overlords cannot be normal

about the Roman Empire?

Elon Musk has approximately 14 known children, which he

refers to as his “Legion.” Mark Zuckerberg fam... more

YouTube

⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon!

Slavery touched every part of life in ancient Rome. Depending on the time period and location, as many as one in ten or one in three people was enslaved.

How does it warp a democracy when... more

YouTube

Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! ⁠⁠

In our last episode, Livia and Octavia were at each other’s throats over which one of their sons would be chosen as Augustus’ heir. The unfortunate thing is that the heirs kept dying.

M... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Emma Southon
Historian and author, Roman history specialist
self-employed / author
Episode: A Democracy Built on Slavery (With Emma Southon)
Elizabeth May
Author of The Wolf and the Crown of Blood; Katrina Kendrick author
Author
Episode: AHFG Book Club: If Villain Bad, Why Villain Hot? (With Elizabeth May)
Saara El-Arifi
Internationally bestselling author of The Ending Fire trilogy and the Faebound trilogy
Author, Cleopatra adaptation novel
Episode: AHFG Book Club: Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh (With Saara El-Arifi)
Barry Strauss
Historian, academic, author and professor
Baruch College / Princeton University (as appropriate from context)
Episode: RE-RELEASE: Actium, Baby! (With Barry Strauss)
Mike Duncan
Host of The History of Rome and Revolutions; author
The History of Rome / Revolutions
Episode: RE-RELEASE: Spartacus vs. Toussaint L'Ouverture (With Mike Duncan)
David Chaffetz
Author of Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empires
Episode: The Ancient History of the Horse (with David Chaffetz)
Ayana Gray
New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey and debut adult novel I Medusa
Episode: Maiden, Monster, Medusa with Ayana Gray
Ashlee Cowles
Author and co-writer with Danielle Stinsen under the pen name AD Rhine.
Episode: Horses of Fire, Daughters of Bronze (with AD Rhine)
Danielle Stinsen
Author and co-writer with Ashlee Cowles under the pen name AD Rhine.
Episode: Horses of Fire, Daughters of Bronze (with AD Rhine)

Hosts

Jennifer Williamson
Co-host of Ancient History Fangirl; long-running host with focus on accessible historical storytelling and banter
Genn McMenemy
Co-host of Ancient History Fangirl; expert in making scholarly history engaging and entertaining

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • *redacted* YEAH!

    I loved them until they started bashing Trump. And then I loved them even more.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lupo Blaidd Ulv
    United States4 days ago
  • Unfortunately political

    I did try to listen. I love history and hearing different takes. What I don’t need to hear is the same old woke TBS blasted at me when I just want a little respite while I do my workout.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    A406B
    United States2 months ago
  • Praise Dionysus

    I have listened to dozens of these episodes and love the show. I’m going to buy the audio book next.

    I especially loved the Dionysus arc where it goes from the brilliantly entertaining mythology while slowly almost deceptively devolving into the real history and the slave revolt.

    Great stuff!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bryonius Maximus
    United States3 months ago
  • Swooooon!

    I’m throughly enjoying this podcast. I’m still working through from the beginning but its easily one of the main shows I listen to. I swoon over the hosts. They’re funny, interesting and the shows are well researched.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Possum4488
    United States5 months ago
  • While drinking steadily, these ladies will simultaneously entertain you and inform you about ancient history. This podcast is a lot of fun!

    Podcast Addict
    4
    Lord Gro
    5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise deep research and entertaining delivery.
Fans value banter and storytelling as much as historical accuracy.
Some reviews note political commentary detracts from entertainment for some listeners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#128
Spain/History
Apple Podcasts
#171
Philippines/History
Apple Podcasts
#212
Chile/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AHFG Book Club: If Villain Bad, Why Villain Hot? (With Elizabeth May)
Q: How would you describe this story and what makes it different from other romantas you've written?
Elizabeth May explains that Wolf and the Crown of Blood blends mythic inspirations (Beauty and the Beast, Eros and Psyche) with a unique setting where a princess is bound to a death pact with a Storm God; the result is a story that prioritizes intense romance while expanding the world and subverting traditional myth structures.
AHFG Book Club: Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh (With Saara El-Arifi)
Q: What was it like digging into such a famous and well-known historical figure? And what were the challenges in creating your version of Cleopatra?
Saara describes the process as a balance between honoring sources while filling gaps with imagination, focusing on Cleopatra's humanity and relationships, especially with Charmian, to present a nuanced, queer-centered view.
RE-RELEASE: Actium, Baby! (With Barry Strauss)
Q: Why fight at sea instead of risking a land engagement with Antony?
The hosts discuss that Antony would have preferred land combat, but Octavian's camp in the hills and his naval strength, plus the logistical challenge of feeding a large army in Greece, pushed the confrontation to the sea where Octavian had better control over supplies and maneuverability at that moment.
RE-RELEASE: Actium, Baby! (With Barry Strauss)
Q: What would Caesar have done?
Barry explains that the question is a useful heuristic for evaluating risk and logistics, but cautions that we should beware applying Caesar's exact playbook to Actium, since the circumstances, leadership, and strategic aims differed; Octavian and Agrippa's approach emphasizes supply lines and resource control, which is not a straightforward Caesar replica.
The Ancient History of the Horse (with David Chaffetz)
Q: What's your experience with horses and what inspired you to want to write this book?
Chaffetz shares his journey, starting with his decision to ride in Afghanistan, where he realized the significance of horses in traditional societies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Ancient History Fangirl

What is Ancient History Fangirl about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Derives a broad, history-forward conversation with expert analysis and pop-culture flair. The show frequently digs into ancient politics, slavery, gender dynamics, and myth-making, often drawing modern parallels to wealth, power, and social issues, all delivered with humor and banter. Noteworthy is the duo's knack for making academic history accessible and entertaining, plus regular guests ranging from scholars to historical fiction authors who illuminate underrepresented perspectives in antiquity.

Potential listeners can expect lively storytelling, rigorous research, and accessible context about ancient societies, with a healthy dose of skepticism toward traditional narratives and a habit of connecting the past with contemporary debates.

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How many listeners does Ancient History Fangirl get?

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How many subscribers and views does Ancient History Fangirl have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Ancient History Fangirl has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Ancient History Fangirl?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ancient History Fangirl:

1. History Tea Time
2. Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! | Greek Mythology & the Ancient Mediterranean
3. Queens Podcast
4. Vulgar History: Tudors
5. The Ancients

How many episodes of Ancient History Fangirl are there?

Ancient History Fangirl launched 9 years ago and published 362 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Ancient History Fangirl?

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What guests have appeared on Ancient History Fangirl?

Recent guests on Ancient History Fangirl include:

1. Emma Southon
2. Elizabeth May
3. Saara El-Arifi
4. Barry Strauss
5. Mike Duncan
6. David Chaffetz
7. Ayana Gray
8. Ashlee Cowles

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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