Dr Nick Groat hears how wine was central in the everyday lives of Greeks and Romans and learns how it transformed from being the common currency of the Mediterranean world to one of the drivers of Roman imperialism.

Guests:

Dr Jane Rempel is an Assistant Professor of Classics at Cambridge University and a Fellow at Clare College, Cambridge. She trained as a Classical Archaeologist and her research interests focus on Greek archaeology, specifically issues surrounding colonisation and social interaction at the margins of the ancient Greek world. The Black Sea region is a major focus of her research and teaching.

Prof Mary Beard is a Classicist specialising in Ancient Rome and Classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement. She’s a Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge. She’s the author of numerous books on society and culture in the ancient world and a regular contributor to radio, television and podcasts.

Dr Emlyn Dodd is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Classical Studies, University of London, and was Assistant Director at the British School at Rome from 2021–23. He has published extensively on ancient wine production in Greek and Roman antiquity, with his research featured regularly in public media, and has authored or co-edited the books:

• Roman and Late Antique wine production in the eastern Mediterranean
• Methods in ancient wine archaeology: scientific approaches in Roman contexts
• Vine-growing and winemaking in the Roman world

Full transcript available ⁠here.⁠