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New Books in Ancient History

New Books Network
Christianity
Late Antiquity
Roman Empire
Buddhism
Archaeology
Democracy
Judaism
Hinduism
Ancient Rome
Slavery
Sanskrit
Plato
Ashoka
Alexander the Great
New Testament
Jesus
Ancient History
Mesopotamia
Second Temple Judaism
Plato's Republic

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: newbooksnetwork.com Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ge... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes718Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

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Artwork for New Books in Ancient History

Latest Episodes

After Caesar's assassination, the triumvirs drew up a kill list; one such target, a man named Lucius Plotius Plancus, fled to a villa near Naples and tried hiding behind a curtain. The soldiers found him anyway–thanks to his heavy perfume.

Pliny the... more

How Roman Britain ended is one of the most controversial questions in British history. Unique among former Roman citizens in Western Europe, the Britons established long-lived kingdoms, resisting 'barbarian' political takeover for centuries. Yet so l... more

The Romans loom large in the imagination, credited with roads, aqueducts, politics, plumbing and empire – yet these familiar achievements tell only part of the story. The Romans: A People’s History (Reaktion, 2026) turns away from generals and empero... more

The practice of history in premodern Java was profoundly influenced by precarious conditions of textual production and preservation: fragile manuscripts perished in the tropical environment, archival records were scattered far afield, and historical ... more

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Recent Guests

Paul Chrystal
Author of books on ancient Rome and women in Roman society
Episode: The Romans: A People’s History with Paul Chrystal (Reaktion, 2026)
John Davie
Author of Greek To Us: The Fascinating Ancient Greek That Shapes Our World
Bloomsbury
Episode: John Davie, "Greek To Us: The Fascinating Ancient Greek That Shapes Our World" (Bloomsbury, 2026)
Robin Whelan
Author of Serving the Christian State in Late Antiquity
University of Liverpool
Episode: Robin Whelan, "Serving the Christian State in Late Antiquity" (Cambridge UP, 2026)
Jane Draycott
Roman historian and archaeologist
University of Glasgow
Episode: Jane Draycott, "Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome" (Yale UP, 2025)
Marios Koutsoukos
Author of Restoring the Ancient Religion: Theurgic Orthopraxy in Iamblichus
University of Liverpool alumnus; author
Episode: Marios Koutsoukos, "Restoring the Ancient Religion: The Theurgic Orthopraxy of Iamblichus" (Palgrave MacMillan, 2026)
Dominik Haas
Postdoc at the Austrian Academy of Sciences; contributor to the Mantrams Project
Austrian Academy of Sciences
Episode: Dominik A. Haas, "South Asia Before Religion: Reflections on an Anachronistic Concept" (Knowledge Commons Works, 2026)
Katherine Krauss
Assistant Teaching Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Penn State
Penn State
Episode: Katherine Krauss, "Exemplarity and Allusion in Macrobius' Saturnalia" (Oxford UP, 2026)
Olivier Hein
Author of Mother of the World, The Remarkable History of Turkmenistan
Hurst Publishers / author of the book discussed on the episode
Episode: Olivier Hein, "Mother of the World: The Remarkable History of Turkmenistan" (Hurst, 2026)
Thomas Arentzen
Senior lecturer; co-author of Ecologizing Late Ancient and Byzantine Worlds
Sankt Ignatios College, Stockholm; Uppsala University project
Episode: Laura Borghetti and Thomas Arentzen, "Ecologizing Late Ancient and Byzantine Worlds" (Bloomsbury, 2025)

Hosts

Željko
Host of the interview
Dr. Raj Bhalper
Host of the New Books Network interview program
Nicholas Gordon
Host of The Asian Review of Books podcast done in partnership with The New Books Network
Ryan Schinkel
Host of Madison's Notes and professor at Princeton
Paul Sterrabin
Host of American Beyond on the New Books Network

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 48 ratings
  • Very informative!

    A great way to stay up on what’s new. I appreciate the time it must take to conduct and produce these podcasts. Thanks!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    zagobago
    United States6 months ago
  • Interview with a BS artist

    They interviewed an author who seriously argues that Native Americans sprung out of the ground, all while claiming that actual paleontologists and archaeologists are just imperialist pigs. I listen to these podcasts to avoid the propaganda from people who are afraid of facts. Do better

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nj2348
    United States10 months ago
  • Dreadful

    Dreadful - heaps and heaps of adverts. No thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    KVP123
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Outstanding!

    The authors are compelling advocates for their titles and their knowledge encompasses for more than the titles suggest. So many of these interviews are diamonds.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aethelstan972
    United States2 years ago
  • Stunningly informative

    What an extraordinary range of subjects! If you love ancient history this podcast is a must. It covers areas and subjects that I had no idea existed and gives instant access and insight to the most specialised learning.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hokeykokey
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, range-spanning discussions that reward attentive listeners.
A must for ancient history buffs who want nuanced academic perspectives.
Very informative notes on current scholarly work.
Ad-heavy episodes in some releases may detract from interviews.
Interviews frequently spotlight authors with deep dives into sources and methods.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Romans: A People’s History with Paul Chrystal (Reaktion, 2026)
Q: Do non-royal women get any sort of exercise of economic or political power?
Most women had few rights and were controlled by male guardians, though some became prominent as lawyers, poets, philanthropists, local officials, or property owners. Women's rights and independence increased over time.
The Romans: A People’s History with Paul Chrystal (Reaktion, 2026)
Q: Did class mobility exist? Were you, if you were born a slave, that was it? I mean, how did that work?
Mobility was possible but limited. Plebeians could sometimes rise through commercial or military success, while some freedmen gained influential roles in imperial administration.
Marios Koutsoukos, "Restoring the Ancient Religion: The Theurgic Orthopraxy of Iamblichus" (Palgrave MacMillan, 2026)
Q: What's Iamblichus objecting to? What's the response?
He objects to Porphyry's claim that practices like theurgy are irrational or could coerce gods; he argues that theurgy is a disciplined, highly experiential path where the practitioner harmonizes with the divine rather than coercing it, and that efficacious epiphanies arise from proper inner alignment and ritual knowledge.
Legacy of the Ancient Greeks: On Classical and Modern Democracy with Josiah Ober
Q: What is the core insight about democracy from Aristotle's taxonomy and how it applies today?
The discussion highlights that Aristotle framed democracy as one form among several, with ongoing debates about the conditions under which collective self-government can function and endure.
Legacy of the Ancient Greeks: On Classical and Modern Democracy with Josiah Ober
Q: How did you get into history?
Ober describes a personal journey from studying Greek history to focusing on the elite-mass dynamics and public speech, which led to his later work on democratic Athens and civic institutions.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Ancient History

What is New Books in Ancient History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features scholarly interviews with authors and researchers who discuss recently published work in ancient history, classical studies, archaeology, and related disciplines. Episodes frequently center on late antique culture, ancient political systems, religious movements, and cross-cultural exchanges, often linking primary sources, material culture, and methodological questions to larger historical narratives. A notable strength is the rigorous, interdisciplinary approach that helps listeners understand complex topics through clear explanations, with occasional personal anecdotes from hosts and guests. The lineup tends to attract academics, students, and intellectually curious professionals seeking deep dives into specialized histo... more

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1. In Our Time
2. Instant Classics
3. HistoryExtra podcast
4. The Ancients
5. The Ancient World

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New Books in Ancient History launched 5 years ago and published 718 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in Ancient History?

Recent guests on New Books in Ancient History include:

1. Paul Chrystal
2. John Davie
3. Robin Whelan
4. Jane Draycott
5. Marios Koutsoukos
6. Dominik Haas
7. Katherine Krauss
8. Olivier Hein

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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