Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! | Greek Mythology & the Ancient Mediterranean - podcast cover

Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! | Greek Mythology & the Ancient Mediterranean

Liv Albert mythsbaby.com

The most entertaining and enraging stories from 'Classical' mythology (and, often, ancient history of the wider Mediterranean!) told casually, contemporarily, and (more often than not) sarcastically. The world of Greek mythology and the history of the wider ancient Mediterranean is full of wonder, horror, and utter hilarity. These myths and stories are timeless for a reason, they're just as relevant today as they were 2500+ years ago. With over 700 episodes and counting, we dive deep into the realm of gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, and everything in between.


Regular episodes every Tuesday, conversations with authors and scholars or readings of ancient epics every Friday. LTAMB: The Oracle Edition has ad-free episodes and so much more. Learn more about the podcast, and Liv's work, including her book Greek Mythology: the Gods, Goddess, and Heroes Handbook at mythsbaby.com.

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Episodes

A Full Cast Reading of Emperor Julian’s Symposium of the Caesars

THE SYMPOSIUM OF THE CAESARS. Written by the Roman emperor Julian. Translated from the ancient Greek and directed by Jeremy Swist. Recorded by Jeremy Swist and fellow cast members. Recordings engineered by Christopher Swist at Evenfall Studio in Spofford, New Hampshire, USA. Produced in loving memory of Lawrence P. Swist. Find further details on the production here. DRAMATIS PERSONAE in order of appearance: Jeremy Swist as EMPEROR JULIAN Liv Albert as the EMPEROR’S COMPANION Christopher Polt as ...

Feb 23, 20241 hr 12 minSeason 7Ep. 583

Conversations: A Bunch of Rulers Sit Down for a Chat, Julian’s Symposium w/ Dr Jeremy Swist

Liv speaks with Dr Jeremy Swist about the emperor Julian, his work, and Jeremy's translation and production of the Symposium of the Caesars, coming out on the next episode of the podcast! Find further details on the production here. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Feb 22, 20241 hr 18 minSeason 7Ep. 582

But He’s Such a Nice Guy! Ovid’s Ars Amatoria in Mythological Practice

Liv continues the horror that is Ovid's Ars Amatoria by looking at his tips and tricks being utilized in Augustan Imperial Roman epic poetry. It's dark. Be warned. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: This work is horrifying and promotes absurd levels of misogyny and assault, obviously Liv is provided commentary and breaking down the horror, but it's still horrifying. Sources: Toxic Masculinity in the Ancient World (16: "Toxic Manhood Acts and the 'Nice...

Feb 20, 202440 minSeason 7Ep. 581

Conversations: When Ovid Invented Pick-up Artistry, the Ars Amatoria w/ Imogen Briscoe

Liv is joined by Imogen Briscoe to talk Ovid's Ars Amatoria, the Art of Love, aka the first pick up artist playbook. Did Ovid create the 2000 years of misogyny we've had since? Nope, but he sure made it worse with this one! Read more from Imogen on Twitter and at the Ekklesia Magazine . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as...

Feb 16, 20241 hr 41 minSeason 7Ep. 580

He Is Not All That, Pygmalion the Misogynist Mythological Incel

The story of Pygmalion is... so much. Plus, the time a man "fell in love" with a statue. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Stephanie McCarter; Clement of Alexandria , translated by GW Butterworth; The Erotes, attributed to Lucian ...

Feb 13, 202434 minSeason 7Ep. 579

Liv Reads Quintus Smyrnaeus: The Fall of Troy (Book 1)

Liv reads Quintus Smytnaeus' the Fall of Troy, translated by AS Way. The epic picks up where the Iliad left off, Hector is dead and the Trojans now have help from the Amazons and their queen, Penthesilea. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! This is not a standard narrative story episode, it's a reading of an ancient source, audiobook style. For regular episodes look for any that don't have "Liv Reads..." in the title! For a list of Roman/Latin names and who t...

Feb 09, 20241 hr 11 minSeason 7Ep. 578

You Can Learn All Greek Myth Has to Offer... & the Father Still Devours His Son

Liv re-listens to the very first episode of the show, plays it back to you and breaks it down to add more detail, context, corrections, and to just... bask in the wonder of seven years ago Liv and her view on the mythology. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and ...

Feb 06, 20241 hr 11 minSeason 7Ep. 577

Conversations: Novelizing the *Best* Ancient City-State, Riddles of the Sphinx w/ Meagan Cleveland

Liv is joined by debut author Meagan Cleveland to talk THEBES... And her new YA novel, Riddles of the Sphinx, about Oedipus' underrated daughter/sister, Ismene. Follow Meagan on Instagram . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music us...

Feb 02, 20241 hr 17 minSeason 7Ep. 576

RE-AIR: Sister, Saviour, Survivor, the Gorgon Medusa

Revisiting one of the most controversial women of myth... Medusa is never just one thing: her history, variations on her story, interpretations... There's a whole wide world of Medusa and this episode attempts to touch upon just a fraction of ancient sources and versions. Monster? Beautiful woman? Survivor? Mother? One of three mortal queens? Medusa is everything. Find the thread of relevant Medusa tweets and responses to them here . Liv has also discussed Medusa on the The Partial Historians po...

Jan 30, 202433 min

Conversations: A Peek Behind the Ancient Scenes, the Culture of Theatre w/ CW Marshall

Liv speaks with returning guest CW Marshall about ancient Greek Theatre! Toph goes through the culture of it all, the festivals, the winners and losers, how and why a play gets made, and who pulls the strings... Plus, Euripides is the best, as always. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the r...

Jan 26, 20241 hr 22 minSeason 7Ep. 575

RE-AIR: You Know He Basically Invented Robots?! Hephaestus & His Forge

Revisiting the must underrated of Olympians... Hephaestus beyond the drama: the importance and lasting impact of the god of the forge (there are *robots*!). CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: Theoi.com; the Homeric Hymn to Hephaestus translated by Hugh Evelyn-White; Gods and Robots by Adrienne Mayor. Attributions and licensing information...

Jan 23, 202434 min

Liv Reads Hesiod: The Works and Days

Liv reads Hesiod's Works and Days, translated by HG Evelyn-White, a text that's about mythology and also... farming. Plus, it gets the prize of one of the Most Misogynistic Ancient Texts. Congratulations, Hesiod! This was recorded December 26, 2023. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the rea...

Jan 19, 20241 hr 5 minSeason 7Ep. 574

Digging Deeper Into Minor Gods, Exploring Greece, and Praising Dionysus (New Year Q&A Part 2)

Liv answers listener questions! If you want to submit a question for the next Q&A, do it here . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions . Hosted on Acast....

Jan 16, 20241 hr 1 minSeason 7Ep. 573

Conversations: It's Hestia's World, We're Just Living In It... Divine Might w/ Natalie Haynes

Liv speaks with the always wonderful Natalie Haynes about her newest non-fiction, Divine Might. But really, they talk about Hestia. Because Hestia deserves the world. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can b...

Jan 12, 202457 minSeason 7Ep. 572

Digging Deeper Into Minor Gods, Exploring Greece, and Praising Dionysus (New Year Q&A Part 1)

Liv answers listener questions! If you want to submit a question for the next Q&A, do it here . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributions . Hosted on Acast....

Jan 09, 20241 hr 8 minSeason 7Ep. 571

Conversations: Giving a Voice to the Very Specifically Voiceless, Alcestis w/ Katharine Beutner

Liv speaks with Katharine Beutner, author of the newly re-released novel, Alcestis. They discuss writing a queer retelling pre-Song of Achilles, the wonders of Alcestis, and more. Learn more about Katharine's work here and follow her on instagram here . (Liv really didn't plan how close this would come to those re-airs, Alcestis is just begging to be heard.) Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fictio...

Jan 05, 20241 hr 18 minSeason 7Ep. 570

RE-AIR: We Get it, Liv, You Really Like Euripides (Helen w/ CW Marshall & Alcestis w/ Ellie Mackin Roberts)

To cap off our re-listen to the series on Euripides' Helen and Alcestis, here are the two conversations Liv had about these plays. Helen, with CW Marshall, and Alcestis, with Ellie Mackin Roberts. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for m...

Jan 02, 20242 hr 48 min

RE-AIR: If We're Talking Euripidean Women, Can't Forget Alcestis

We're on a role talking about unique and fascinating Euripidean women, so following Iphigenia Among the Taurians and revisiting the Helen, we're left with the most bizarre story of them all, the Alcestis, a woman who agrees to die for her husband, an absolute [insert very specific British curse word here], only to be saved by Heracles once he's wrestled death. The perfect tragicomedy to end the year. This is all three parts of the episodes covering Euripides' Alcestis. CW/TW: far too many Greek ...

Dec 29, 20231 hr 21 min

RE-AIR: We Love a Complex Woman Living Through the Trojan War, Euripides' Helen

With Iphigenia Among the Taurians so fresh in our minds, I want to revisit another odd, foreign, mistaken identity, escape plan play... What if Helen of Sparta was never taken by Paris, never brought to Troy at all? Euripides' Helen explores a "ghost theory" of Helen, an eidolon theory. This is all four parts of the Helen series in one episode. CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be we...

Dec 26, 20232 hr

Liv Reads Ovid: The Metamorphoses, Book XV

Liv reads the final section, Book 15, of Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Brookes More. Mythology melds with the history of, weirdly, Pythagoras?, and Rome with Caesar being deified and other such Latin nonsense. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! This is not a standard narrative story episode, it's a reading of an ancient source, audiobook style. For regular episodes look for any that don't have "Liv Reads..." in the title! For a list of Roman/Latin name...

Dec 22, 20231 hr 17 minSeason 7Ep. 569

Half Naked Dudes & Lots of Blood, Gladiators on Screen w/ Alexandra Sills

In this holiday special episode, Liv speaks to Alexandra Sills about gladiators on screen... From Spartacus to Gladiator to (Starz) Spartacus, there's a history of good and bad gladiator portrayals (and lots of half-naked Australians). Read more from Alexandra at Bad Ancient and Working Classicists . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as ...

Dec 19, 20231 hr 7 minSeason 7Ep. 568

Conversations: Wandering Through Wine Culture, Ancient Greek Drinking w/ Dr Nadhira Hill

Liv is joined by Dr Nadhira Hill to talk about boozing it up in ancient world, which basically just meant... Drinking a lot of wine, all the time, in many different ways. Praise Dionysus! Read more from Nadhira on Notes from the Apotheke and follow Nadhira on Instagram . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were...

Dec 15, 20231 hr 32 minSeason 7Ep. 567

Estranged Siblings, a Mysterious Statue, and a Dramatic Escape (Euripides’ Iphigenia Among the Taurians Part 4)

Newly reunited siblings plan their dramatic escape from the Taurians! For background on Iphigenia's family and the events that lead to this play, check out this Spotify playlist . Submit your Q&A responses here ! Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: Iphigenia Among...

Dec 12, 202340 minSeason 7Ep. 566

Conversations: Zeus Just Can't Keep It In His Chiton, Theologizing the Gods w/ Dr Maciej Paprocki (Part 2)

Liv speaks with Dr. Maciej Paprocki about theologizing the gods, looking for rules and order amongst the mess that is the Greek Pantheon. Learn more about the Thetis book mentioned . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in t...

Dec 08, 20231 hr 13 minSeason 7Ep. 565

Orestes, Captaining the Ship of Catastrophe (Euripides’ Iphigenia Among the Taurians Part 3)

More tension, more unknown sibling secrets, and the hatching of a plan... For background on Iphigenia's family and the events that lead to this play, check out this Spotify playlist . Submit your Q&A responses here ! Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Sources: Iphigenia A...

Dec 05, 202335 minSeason 7Ep. 564

Conversations: Assigning Order to the Chaos, Theologizing the Gods w/ Dr. Maciej Paprocki (Part 1)

Liv speaks with Dr. Maciej Paprocki about theologizing the gods, looking for rules and order amongst the mess that is the Greek Pantheon. Learn more about the Thetis book mentioned . Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in t...

Dec 01, 20231 hr 9 minSeason 7Ep. 563

No One Does a Dramatic Sibling Reveal Quite Like Euripides (Iphigenia Among the Taurians Part 2)

This family has the worst luck! Iphigenia, Orestes, and Pylades deal with a bit of a misunderstanding. For background on Iphigenia's family and the events that lead to this play, check out this Spotify playlist . Submit your Q&A responses here ! Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the rea...

Nov 28, 202339 minSeason 7Ep. 562

Liv Reads Ovid: The Metamorphoses Book XIV

Liv reads the penultimate book of Ovid's Metamorphses, translated by Brookes More. We here about Circe, Aeneas, and far too much about Rome. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.co...

Nov 24, 20231 hr 12 minSeason 7Ep. 561

A Case of Ancient Fanfiction, Euripides’ Iphigenia Among the Taurians (Part 1)

What happened after Iphigenia was sacrificed for a bit of good wind? Euripides has a theory... For background on Iphigenia's family and the events that lead to this play, check out this Spotify playlist . Submit your Q&A responses here ! Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing....

Nov 21, 202332 minSeason 7Ep. 560

Conversations: Giving Circe the Agency She Deserves, w/ Sophia Kouidou-Giles

Greek-American author Sophia Kouidou-Giles joins Liv to talk Circe, Skylla, Greece, and her new novel An Unexpected Ally. Help keep LTAMB going by subscribing to Liv's Patreon for bonus content! CW/TW: far too many Greek myths involve assault. Given it's fiction, and typically involves gods and/or monsters, I'm not as deferential as I would be were I referencing the real thing. Attributions and licensing information for music used in the podcast can be found here: mythsbaby.com/sources-attributi...

Nov 17, 20231 hr 6 minSeason 7Ep. 559
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