Our Fake History

Episode #249 - Who Built Rome? (ft. Dr. Emma Southon)

April 21, 2026·1h 25m
Episode Description from the Publisher

The Roman Empire is often remembered for it's grand works of architecture and formidable military. However, for most of its history Rome's economy was underpinned by the labour of millions of individuals who had been forced into slavery. Despite the fact that enslaved people quite literally built Rome, their lives were rarely recorded by the ancient historians. In her new book Not Built In a Day historian Emma Southon seeks to bring new attention to Rome's relationship with slavery. Dr. Southon joins Sebastian for a wide ranging chat about Rome's addiction to bondage and the lives of people caught up in the this brutal institution. Tune-in and find out how fake speeches, bogus Bithynians, and heartwarming graffiti all play a role in the story.Pre-order Not Built In a Day here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Not-Built-in-a-Day/Emma-Southon/9781668089552See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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