This episode is very, very frightning- me! But Bohemian Rhapsody references aside, we continue our story of the kings of Alba Longa down to 856 BCE. Join us for the arrogance of Remulus, earthquakes, divine punishments, and Cassie's intense dislike of an Alban king called Acrota.

Sources for this episode:

• Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

The lightning sound effect used is by TanwerAman (Thunder Strike (Wav) | Royalty-free Music - Pixabay), used under Pixabay licence (Content License - Pixabay).

Quite a few reigns come and go as we head towards 916 BCE. Perhaps the most noteworthy of them all is that of Tiberinus- who drowns in the Albula river during a battle and becomes a god...

Sources for this episode:

• Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Ovid (1959), Ovid's Fasti. Translated by J. G. Frazer. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

Sometimes we like to pause to reflect on what's going on in the world around us at the time of our narrative. Well, at around about the time our Alba Longan kings are ruling, the narratives of the Old Testament and Josephus have David and Solomon ruling over Israel! Let's examine the shenanigans going on in the courts of Hebron and Jerusalem, starting with David and working through twenty generations until the fall of Judah in 581 BCE...

NOTE: The sources used for the family tree made for our logo are listed in the description, with the exception of the birth date of Asa, which is just conjecture on our part.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

From about 1030 BCE, all of our sources about Alba Longa and its kings crumble into disagreement. Get ready for tales of heirs saving puppies in housefires, three kings at once, and whether the recording room of Autocrat is still haunted.

Sources for this episode:

• Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Vol. I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Ovid (1959), Ovid's Fasti. Translated by J. G. Frazer. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

He's finally here! Aeneas II of Alba Longa! Long may he reign gloriously! Get ready for mighty battles, great conquests, soaring triumphs and... what's that? Ovid, Livy and Cassius Dio want to have a word? Well of course, I- what do you mean the history books are empty?

Sources for this episode:

• Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

Pausing our narrative with the death of Silvius in 1111 BCE, we follow his exiled younger son Brutus, who winds up in Britain after a series of Odyssey-style adventures and becomes its first king. His family will rule Britain for centuries according to the mythological narrative of Geoffrey of Monmouth, taking us all the way to the epoch of Rome's founding before we circle back next week to deal with Aeneas II...

Sources for this episode:

• Baker, R. (1670), A Chronicle of the Kings of England. London: Printed for George Sawbridge.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Frazer, J. G. (1921), Apollodorus: The Library (Volume II). London: William Heinemann.
• Geoffrey of Monmouth (1966), The History of the Kings of Britain. Translated by L. Thorpe. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Marks, A. and Tingay, G. (date unknown), Romans. London: Usborne Publishing.
• Shakespeare, W. (2014), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. New York: Race Point Publishing.
• William of Malmesbury (1847), William of Malmesbury’s Chronicle of the Kings of England. London: Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Silvius (online) (Accessed 05/09/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Totnes (online) (Accessed 05/09/2024).

With Ascanius gone, his half-brother Silvius- the posthumous son of Aeneas and Lavinia- steps into the narrative. This week on Autocrat, a contested royal election, murky regency timelines, and the podcast hosts declaring war on Titus Livius.

Would you be interested in a discussion on what the historical founding of Rome was like outside of its mythological origins? Let us know!

Sources for this episode:

• Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Volume I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Meade, G. (2021), Romans, Religion and the Aid of the Gods: An Exploration of the Pontifex Maximus in Roman Society. Portland State University: University Honors Theses: 1035.
• Ovid (1959), Ovid's Fasti. Translated by J. G. Frazer. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.
• Suetonius (1983), The Twelve Caesars. Translated by R. Graves. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.

Sources for the pope's pontifical association (even if not outright calling him pontifex maximus):

• Kelly, J. N. D. (1996), Oxford Dictionary of Popes. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Author unknown (1916), The Book of the Popes (Liber Pontificalis) (Volume I). Translated by L. R. Loomis. New York: Columbia University Press.

Alba Longa is here! Pig City! Or Long White City. Or Longtown... The etymology is disputed. As is pretty much everything else from the reign of Ascanius! Join us for revisions of our timeline from episode 77, a wine obsession on the part of Dionysus of Halicarnassus, and far too much of our Auto-cat Felix disrupting recording.

Sources for this episode:

• Appian (1972), Appian’s Roman History in Four Volumes (Vol. I). London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dio (1961), Dio’s Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59- VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Eutropius (1760), Eutropius; Epitome of the Roman History. London: Printed for W. Johnston et al.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Sextus Aurelius Victor (2004), Origo Gentis Romanae: The Origin of the Roman Race. Translated by K. Haniszewski, L. Karas, K. Koch, E. Parobek, C. Pratt and B. Serwicki. Canisius College Translated Texts 3. Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.
• Virgil (1976), The Aeneid. Translated by W. F. J. Knight. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
• Author unknown (date unknown), Nuremberg Chronicle: being the Liber Chronicarum of Dr. Hartmann translated in English. Morse Library, Beloit College.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Dionysus of Halicarnassus (online) (Accessed 23/11/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Falerna (online) (Accessed 23/11/2025).

Everyone has their time come sooner or later- and that time has come for Aeneas. The new king of the Latins shuffles off this mortal coil, either to die and head down to Hades, or else to transform into the god Indiges. Either way, it's time for us to leave a character we've accompanied since the Iliad behind and travel on with his descendants!

Sources for this episode:

• Dio (1961), Dio's Roman History (Volume I). Translated by E. Cary. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Diodorus of Sicily (1993), The Library of History Books IV.59-VIII. Translated by C. H. Oldfather. London and Cambridge, Massachusetts: William Heinemann Ltd. and Harvard University Press.
• Dionysus of Halicarnassus (1960), The Roman Antiquities of Dionysus of Halicarnassus. Translated by E. Cary. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.
• Livy (1971), The Early History of Rome. Translated by A. de Sélincourt. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Ovid (1968), The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.

Now that we have finished the Aeneid- and indeed the epic narratives surrounding the Trojan War- we pause the narrative for a quick intermission before we finish off Aeneas. So, join us for three more stories of Greco-Roman protagonists founding nations of their own!

Sources for this episode:

TBA

Aeneas has his final stand-off with Turnus, but that seems almost tangential in comparison to a daughter of a king called Camilla who carves a path of destruction and intimidation through the Trojan lines. As we wrap up the Aeneid and indeed the cycle of epics about the Trojan War and its aftermath, join us for vengeance for Pallas, military circle time and anti-prayers.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

Pentheus is a man with a simple feeling- he does not think this Dionysus kid is all that. He really doesn't. No, it doesn't matter that he's already caused sailors to turn into dolphins and made them hallucinate all sorts of crazy stuff. He doesn't care it will see him get torn to pieces- wait, what was that last one?

Sources for this episode:

• Ovid (1968), Metamorphoses. Translated by M. M. Innes. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.

Our thanks to various Pixabay artists for the special effects.

Virgil may be slowly unravelling as Augustus forces him to write propaganda into the Aeneid, but Aeneas is charging full steam ahead into his conflict against the Rutulians. Join us for duels, ancient world macchiatos and a boat-based answering machine. Oh, and a tangent exploring who exactly these Etruscans are we will be hearing so much about.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

Now in Italy, Aeneas gets a new wife called Lavinia- and rivalry for her hand starts a war against the king of the Rutilians. Join us for more prophecies and visions of Rome than you can shake a stick at, Venus magicking shields into Aeneas' tent, and just whether Aeneas is an introvert.

Catch Tsar Power wherever you get your podcasts, and thanks to Roberto and Aurora for collaborating with us!

Sources for this episode:

• Drummond, A. 2015), Evander. Oxford Classical Dictionary (online) (Accessed 19/10/2025).
• Graves, R. (1981), Greek Myths: Illustrated Edition. London: Cassell Ltd.

• Moorton, R. (1988), The Genealogy of Latinus in Vergil's Aeneid. Transactions of the American Philological Association 118: 253-259.
• Papaioannou, S. (2003), Founder, Civilizer and Leader: Vergil's Evander and His Role in the Origins of Rome. Mnemnosyne Fourth Series 56(6): 680-702.
• Rosivach, V. J. (1980), Latinus' Genealogy and the Palace of Picus (Aeneid 7, 45-9, 170-91. The Classical Quarterly 30(1): 140-152.
• Virgil (1976), The Aeneid. Translated by W. F. J. Knight. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
• Wilkinson, P., Carroll, G., Faulkner, M., Field, J. F., Haywood, J., Kerrigan, M., Philip, N., Pumphrey, N. and Tocino-Smith, J. (2018), The Mythology Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Battle of Actium (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Evander of Pallantium (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025 and 19/10/2025).

• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Latinus (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Janus (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Shield of Aeneas (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Temple of Janus (online) (Accessed 18/10/2025).

Incidentally, Aphrodite's Wikipedia informs me that the story of her cheating with Ares comes from Book VIII of the Odyssey. So, the reference for the Odyssey is:

• Homer (1983), The Odyssey. Translated by E. V. Rieu. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

Aeneas holds some surprise funeral games in honour of his father, as he unexpectedly remembers that it's been one year since his father Anchises died. Not only that, but he must also venture deep into the bowels of the underworld to go and speak to that same father- and receive a prophecy about the future of his lineage and the people he will found. But does the underworld have any snack machines?

Thanks again to Roberto from the History of Saqartvelo Georgia for collaborating with us! Check out his show wherever you get your podcasts.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

Drum sound effect: Sound Effect by Adhi Mahadi from Pixabay

Aeneas takes a break from finding Italy to find love- and then destroy it all in a life-ending tragedy that will set up the Punic Wars. Join us for recollections of the cyclopes Odysseus fought, Virgil standing up for family values and just quite how romantic spelunking was in the ancient world.

NOTE: We mention the mythical founding of Carthage being centuries apart from the supposed date of the fall of Troy in the episode. Ancient authors do not really agree with each other about the date, so we get anywhere from 50 years after Troy falls to 65 years before Rome is founded as the date.

Sources for this episode:

• TBA

We set off from the burning rubble of Troy again- but this time instead of Odysseus, it's everyone's favourite serial kidnap victim Aeneas we are following! Join us for Carthage, Dido, very fast mural painters with very up-to-date information and Neptune advocating beaurocracy.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

Odysseus. The man we accused of being a failure all throughout the Iliad and the Posthomerica. But will we like him any better during his own spin-off show? Join us for an extra long episode hosted by Vince's sister the Jingle-Jangler- who has studied the Odyssey and can help us condense it. Will Vince get increasingly frustrated at the inconsistency of Greek omens? Will Cassie have to employ increasing levels of sarcasm against Odysseus' flaws? Will the hosts become enraged at Odysseus, misogyny in the Greek world and Greek mythology in general? Find out with us!

NOTE: This episode is a bit of a longer one, so it has been split into three sections with musical interludes at 35:39 and 01:13:50 for those who need a break.

Sources for this episode:

TBA

This weekend was meant to be the release date for episode 80 on the Odyssey, but that has had to be pushed back because one of the hosts currently isn't in the country! The perils of international travel and its unexpected delays... In the meantime, this is a bit of a refresher on what our schedule is going to look like (as it's changed a fair bit over the last few months) and when you can expect episode 80 to air.

Agamemnon comes home to find consequences waiting for him in Argos. This sets off a chain reaction resulting in a cycle of violence swirling around Orestes, son of Agamemnon. We get scenes of Furies chasing him from Argos to Athens where his fate will get decided by a trial- with Apollo's only contribution being an attack on all women...

Sources for this episode:

TBA