In 229BCE two Roman ambassadors travelled across the Adriatic Sea to the kingdom of Illyria. Their mission was simple: demand to Queen Teuta that the piracy of their vessels cease immediately.
The Illyrians commonly practiced piracy, and the rich trading lanes between Rome and Greece as well as the numerous Greek colonies in the area presented a tempting target. The Romans had ignored it up to a point, but with Carthage challenging their authority they couldn’t afford an enemy on two fronts.
Queen Teuta considered the request, and then had one of the ambassadors, the one who disrespected her, chased down and beheaded.
This is how the Illyrian Wars began.
The Illyrian Wars is a four episode podcast miniseries examining a small Roman story in large detail. The miniseries will be available to supporters only, and release will commence at the conclusion of the campaign.
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Dr Christopher Gribbin is a public historian specialising in ancient Greece and Rome. He has lectured in Classics at Melbourne and Monash universities and has worked with a number of institutions to deliver community education programs and develop material for teachers. He also works as a tour leader, sharing some of his favourite sites with people, including some of the key sites of the Illyrian Wars.
Matt Smith makes podcasts. You might know him from such series as Emperors of Rome, When in Rome and Caesar’s Gallic War, with additional jiggery-pokery on Archive Fever. He has been stopped and questioned by airport security several times due to traveling with suspicious looking microphones.
The podcast miniseries has been recorded and is in production. Release should commence at the conclusion of the kickstarter campaign.