PodCompanions
Discussions: 2026-W43 — page 49
Discussions added each week. These are publication dates here; the original episodes may be older.
- 55:00–1:00:00
Cooper describes urban abandonment, scavenging and the changing landscapes of London, Bath and York.
- 50:00–55:00
Cooper discusses changing identities, ruined villas, Vindolanda finds and reuse of frontier structures.
- 45:00–50:00
Cooper uses Gildas to describe troop losses, recounts Constantine’s challenge and turns to the ending of Roman administration.
- 40:00–45:00
Cooper describes Maximus’s ambitions, the wider imperial crisis and his campaign against Gratian.
- 35:00–40:00
Cooper narrates attacks and Roman recovery, then describes economic decline and introduces Magnus Maximus.
- 30:00–35:00
Cooper discusses Severus’s response, later imperial challengers and the approach of the fourth-century crisis.
- 25:00–30:00
Cooper recounts Albinus’s bid for imperial power, defeat and the consequences he attributes to taking troops from Britain.
- 20:00–25:00
Cooper connects plague and political conflict with the power of Britain’s garrison and introduces Clodius Albinus.
- 15:00–20:00
Cooper discusses Roman urban life, provincial costs and threats, then introduces coin hoards as evidence of insecurity.
- 10:00–15:00
Cooper describes northern peoples, a military tablet, frontier walls and resistance to Roman rule.
- 5:00–10:00
Cooper recounts Roman perceptions of Britain, earlier invasions and the conquest under Claudius.
- 0:00–5:00
Cooper introduces The Ruin and uses its imagined setting to frame the story of Roman Britain.
- 3:55:00–3:58:13
Cooper credits the performers and historical adviser, introduces his book and explains ways listeners can support the series.
- 3:50:00–3:55:00
Cooper presents Ozymandias and an ancient harper’s song as reflections on ruined monuments, mortality and enjoyment of life.
- 3:45:00–3:50:00
Cooper discusses the last known hieroglyphic inscription and Philae, then introduces the statue and literary competition associated with Ozymandias.
- 3:40:00–3:45:00
Cooper recounts the sack of Thebes, later foreign rule and Cleopatra’s death as Egypt came under Roman control.
- 3:35:00–3:40:00
Cooper considers accounts of an unsuccessful Assyrian attack, then recounts later invasions and Egypt’s resistance.
- 3:30:00–3:35:00
Cooper describes the Nubian dynasty and Taharqa’s reign while introducing the growing threat from Assyria.
- 3:25:00–3:30:00
Cooper discusses Kushite wealth, religion and political influence, then recounts Piye’s conquest of northern Egypt.
- 3:20:00–3:25:00
Cooper describes the growing power of Amun’s priesthood, political fragmentation and the Tale of Wenamun.
- 3:15:00–3:20:00
Cooper reconstructs the attack on Ramesses III, discusses his mummy’s injuries and recounts the aftermath of the conspiracy.
- 3:10:00–3:15:00
Cooper discusses Egypt’s condition after the conflict, the Deir el-Medina strike and a conspiracy within the royal household.
- 3:05:00–3:10:00
Cooper recounts Ramesses III’s preparations and battle against the Sea Peoples through royal inscriptions.
- 3:00:00–3:05:00
Cooper presents accounts of famine, introduces Ramesses III and describes the destructive campaigns attributed to the Sea Peoples.