Gladiators: The Colosseum

Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit

History

4.7 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2024

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Join Dan on an adventure in Rome as he traces the true history of the gladiators. He begins his story in 64 AD with the great fire of Rome that left the city in ruin. From the ashes rose a new Emperor and his dreams for a gargantuan amphitheatre, unlike anything the Empire had ever seen. With the help of leading experts, Dan explores the building of the Colosseum, the biggest stage in the Roman world, and the ingenuity and cruelty of the entertainment that took place there during the inaugural 100 days of games in 80AD.

This is episode 1 of a 4-part mini-series 'Gladiators'.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’.

We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at [email protected].

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You're curious, inquisitive. You've heard about People's Postcode lottery and you want to join.
0:05.3	Just enter your postcode and you'll be automatically entered into all drawers. And in our December
0:09.9	draws, you could win a share of 32.5 million pounds. Just imagine the dream home renovations and dream
0:17.1	your holidays. For the chance to win, sign up before midnight on the 1st of December, because good news
0:22.4	could be delivered to your door.
0:24.6	People's Postcode Lottery managed lotteries on behalf of good causes, 18 plus conditions
0:27.7	applied, they're responsibly not available in Northern Ireland.
0:35.2	64 AD, Rome was burning.
0:38.3	A great fire swept through the city, destroying a third of it.
0:43.3	Scholars trawled through the ashes of the forum, while mothers and fathers wept in the ruins of their family homes.
0:51.3	The city was a shadow of its former self.
0:56.6	To add insult to injury,
0:59.4	what was going to rise from the ashes,
1:01.4	was an opulent golden palace.
1:04.7	Not for the people, but for the emperor.
1:08.5	The Domus Aurea, built for the Emperor Nero. With its lavish gardens and palatial
1:15.6	halls, it would take up something like a third of the city's footprint. Rumors swirled as to whether
1:23.2	Nero had started the fire himself as part of a land grab. It's no surprise that by the time he died, four years later, he was probably the most hated
1:32.3	emperor yet.
1:34.6	With his suicide, Rome was thrown into further chaos and misery.
1:38.2	Three emperors temporarily filled the position, none of them presenting a lasting solution.
1:42.6	It looked like Rome's grip on its empire might loosen with each change of emperor.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from History Hit, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of History Hit and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.