Tacfarinas: The Desert Hydra

The Ancients

History Hit

History

4.7 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 17 August 2021

⏱️ 66 minutes

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Summary

He was one of the greatest rebels of Rome from the 1st century AD, but his name is not one you might initially think of. Derided by Roman historians as being little more than a bandit, the truth is very much the opposite. For several years, between 17 and 24 AD, Tacfarinas led a revolt against the Romans in North Africa, sending the province into turmoil and becoming the bane of all troops stationed there to fight him. Several times the Romans believed they defeated Tacfarinas and his Berber followers. Several times they were proved wrong as time after time Tacfarinas emerged from the desert with a new force to wreak havoc on wealthy North Africa. For too long, Tacfarinas’ name has been side-lined in favour of more famous 1st century AD Roman rebels such as Boudica, Arminius and Caratacus. Now we’re going to right that wrong. Joining Tristan on today’s podcast is Dr Jo Ball, an Ancients veteran having been on the show twice before. Together Tristan and Jo talk through the incredible story of Tacfarinas and why he really was ‘the Desert Hydra.’

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's the entrance on History Hit.
0:04.6	I'm Tristan Hughes, your host.
0:06.7	And in today's podcast, we are focusing in on one of those rebels of Rome in the first
0:11.2	century AD.
0:13.0	But not one who you might initially have thought of.
0:15.0	We're not looking at Arminius, not Budica, not Caratius.
0:18.8	But we're focusing on a figure who is arguably just if not more extraordinary than all of
0:25.0	those figures listed above.
0:26.8	And this is someone who I like calling the Desert Hydra, the Burba Rebel, the auxiliary
0:33.2	turns to Fector who was Tachphyrinus, the nightmare of the Emperor Tiberius in North Africa.
0:41.6	He is an extraordinary figure.
0:43.4	He rises up again and again and again to become this bane of Rome in North Africa.
0:50.0	Now to talk through what we know about the campaigns, the guerrilla war of Tachphyrinus
0:54.3	against Rome and delighted to say that I was rejoined by Dr. Joe Ball.
0:59.2	Joe seems to be a good luck charm for the ancients.
1:01.4	Whenever she comes on the podcast, that podcast proves to be one of the most popular to that
1:06.4	date on the pod.
1:08.2	We've had her on talk about the Tudorberg Forest.
1:10.5	We've had her on to talk about Roman prisoners of war.
1:13.6	And now she's here to talk all things Tachphyrinus.
1:17.9	So that further ado, here's Joe.
1:24.6	Joe, always a pleasure.
	...

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