3 min listen
9. Soldiering for Softies
ratings:
Length:
28 minutes
Released:
May 21, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
The image of the battle-hardened, well regimented Roman soldier has been set in stone by movies, novels and video games. The letters of Claudius Terentianus reveal something very different. A terrible moaner, the young soldier has to beg his father to send the most basic of equipment, from sandals to swords. Stuck in the marines, the poorly paid squad tasked with guarding grain supplies, he bribes and wangles his way into a more illustrious legion, but still seems to spend more time shopping than fighting.Mary Beard catches up with Terentianus at the British Museum's Legion exhibition and discovers more about his uncanny ability to avoid conflict and ensure a prosperous retirement.Producer: Alasdair CrossExpert Contributors: Carolina Rangel de Lima, British Museum; Livia Capponi, Pavia University and Claire Holleran Exeter UniversityCast: Terentianus played by Robert Wilfort
Released:
May 21, 2024
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (13)
Welcome to Being Roman with Mary Beard: From a slave to an emperor, Mary Beard meets six fascinating people from the Roman Empire. by Being Roman with Mary Beard