🔥 Meet Tacfarinas — the forgotten African rebel who defied Rome under Emperor Tiberius.⚔️ Archaeologist Dr Joanne Ball reveals how his guerrilla war shook the empire and rivals Arminius and Spartacus.https://linktr.ee/RockPaperSwordsSupport us on Patreon:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast🍺 Buy us a beer and get a shoutout by heading to ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/rockpaperswordsWas Tacfarinas Rome’s forgotten rebel? In this episode of Rock Paper Swords, hosts Matthew Harffy and Justin Hill are joined by Dr Joanne Ball (archaeologist, historian, and author of Tacfarinas: An African Rebel Against Rome).We explore the extraordinary story of Tacfarinas, a Numidian soldier-turned-rebel who defied the Roman Empire under Emperor Tiberius. From guerrilla warfare in North Africa to comparisons with figures like Arminius and Spartacus, Tacfarinas nearly destabilised Rome’s control of the region for nearly a decade.Dr Ball reveals how archaeology, ancient sources, and modern research bring his story to life — and how Rome underestimated this desert fighter again and again.🔹 Topics covered:Tacfarinas and his revolt against RomeRoman North Africa under TiberiusComparisons with Arminius, Verus, and SpartacusGuerrilla tactics vs Roman legionsFolk memory and the legacy of Tacfarinas todayIf you love Roman history, rebellions, and the untold stories of Rome’s enemies, this episode is for you.📚 Guest: Dr Joanne Ball – archaeologist, Roman battlefield specialist, author of Tacfarinas: An African Rebel Against Rome🎙 Hosts: Matthew Harffy (Bernicia Chronicles) & Justin Hill (Shieldwall, Viking Fire)👉 Subscribe for more on Rome, Vikings, medieval warfare, and historical fiction. Support us on Patreon for bonus episodes!#Tacfarinas #RomanHistory #AncientRome #JoanneBall #Arminius #Tiberius #Spartacus #RomanEmpire #NorthAfrica #RockPaperSwords

Author Simon Tolkien (grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien) joins the Rock, Paper, Swords! podcast to talk about his powerful historical novels, his research into the Spanish Civil War, and his work with Amazon’s Rings of Power.⁠

https://linktr.ee/RockPaperSwords

Support us on Patreon:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast

🍺 Buy us a beer and get a shoutout by heading to ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/rockpaperswords

In this interview, Simon shares how he moved from courtroom thrillers to sweeping historical fiction, why the 1930s still matter today, and how his grandfather’s influence shaped his own writing journey.

Highlights:

Writing The Palace at the End of the Sea & The Room of Lost Steps

Researching the Spanish Civil War and 1930s New York

Insights on J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, and the First World War

Simon’s involvement in Amazon’s Rings of Power

Why history, memory, and storytelling still resonate today

If you love history, Tolkien, or epic storytelling, don’t miss this episode!

Buy the books from our bookshop.org store:📚The Palace at the End of the Sea - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14768/9781662528644

📚The Room of Lost Steps - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14768/9781662528668

#SimonTolkien #SpanishCivilWar #Tolkien #LordOfTheRings #RingsOfPower #HistoricalFiction #Podcast

Our guest today is Angus Donald, author of the Outlaw Chronicles, about a medieval gangster called Robin Hood, a 17th-century series about an unusual but rather brilliant chap called Holcroft Blood. And writing as Angus Macallan, he has also tried his hand at fantasy with the Gates of Stone.

We previously had Angus on the podcast to talk about his Fire Born series, set in 8th century Europe. His newest book, out at the end of August, is Templar Traitor, the first in a trilogy based on the true story of an Englishman who fought with the Mongols on the side of Genghis Khan.

Welcome to RPS, Angus.

https://angusdonaldbooks.com/

Buy Templar Traitor from the RPS Bookshop (affiliate link): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14768/9781835980903

Link Tree:⁠ ⁠https://linktr.ee/RockPaperSwords⁠⁠

Support us on Patreon:⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/RockPaperSwordsPodcast⁠⁠

Buy us a beer and get a shoutout by heading to ⁠https://ko-fi.com/rockpaperswords⁠

Tips for Writing, Publishing and Marketing Your Novel: How we sold over 750,000 books!

⁠https://mybook.to/RPSTipsForWriting