Imperial Rome and Ostia - for iPod/iPhone - podcast cover

Imperial Rome and Ostia - for iPod/iPhone

The Open Universitywww3.open.ac.uk
The splendidly evocative ruins of ancient Rome have long been a challenge to historians and archaeologists in reconstructing how it looked and functioned. It became the largest city in the western world during the imperial period, so how was the city constructed, and what were the materials used? How was it defended, supplied with food and water, and how were the people housed and entertained, and above all, how did it function? These video tracks use various famous sites such as the Baths of Caracalla and the Pantheon to answer some of these questions. This material forms part of the course AT308 Cities and technology: from Babylon to Singapore.
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Episodes

Aqueducts in Rome

A look at how aqueducts were a great engineering achievement in Imperial Rome.

Aug 23, 20092 min

The Aurelianic wall

The renewed threat of barbarian invasion led to the construction of the Aurelianic wall - the second fortification in the history of Imperial Rome.

Aug 23, 20091 min

Transcript -- The Aurelianic wall

Transcript -- The renewed threat of barbarian invasion led to the construction of the Aurelianic wall - the second fortification in the history of Imperial Rome.

Aug 23, 2009

Feeding the Roman Empire

This track looks at how grain - a staple part of the Roman diet - was shipped in to feed the Roman's and where the grain was stored.

Aug 23, 20091 min

Transcript -- Feeding the Roman Empire

Transcript -- This track looks at how grain - a staple part of the Roman diet - was shipped in to feed the Roman's and where the grain was stored.

Aug 23, 2009

Ostia

Ostia became one of the largest provincial cities of the Roman Empire and here we look at how built-up the ancient settlement was, and the importance of river trade.

Aug 23, 20095 min

Transcript -- Ostia

Transcript -- Ostia became one of the largest provincial cities of the Roman Empire and here we look at how built-up the ancient settlement was, and the importance of river trade.

Aug 23, 2009

Insulae

Insulae were apartment buildings used to house the Romans. This video looks at the construction of these buildings, paying particular attention to the materials used.

Aug 23, 20095 min

Transcript -- Insulae

Transcript -- Insulae were apartment buildings used to house the Romans. This video looks at the construction of these buildings, paying particular attention to the materials used.

Aug 23, 2009

Roman industries

Fulleries and bakeries played a prominent part in everyday Roman life. This video explains how.

Aug 23, 20092 min

Transcript -- Roman industries

Transcript -- Fulleries and bakeries played a prominent part in everyday Roman life. This video explains how.

Aug 23, 2009

Roman baths

The Romans have always been renowned for their famous baths. This video focuses on the engineering and technologies behind them.

Aug 23, 20094 min

Transcript -- Roman baths

Transcript -- The Romans have always been renowned for their famous baths. This video focuses on the engineering and technologies behind them.

Aug 23, 2009

Monumental buildings

This video explores several monumental buildings in Imperial Rome, notably, the Imperial palaces of Rome.

Aug 23, 20092 min

The Pantheon Temple

A comprehensive look at the history and construction of the lavish Pantheon Temple.

Aug 23, 200912 min

The Baths of Caracalla

Roman baths acted as urban social spaces, like the leisure centres of modern world. This video track explains the routine a Roman might go through upon visiting the baths.

Aug 23, 200910 min

Transcript -- The Baths of Caracalla

Transcript -- Roman baths acted as urban social spaces, like the leisure centres of modern world. This video track explains the routine a Roman might go through upon visiting the baths.

Aug 23, 2009

The dome of the caldarium

This video concludes how the Romans were excellent developers of technology, but not necessarily very inventive.

Aug 23, 20092 min
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