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Episodes

Jan. 3, 2020

27 – The Empire Strikes Back

The year is 285. Diocletian is the undisputed master of a Roman world in tatters. Gaul has fallen completely apart as its own people ravage the land looking for food while German hordes poor in. Diocleatian sends two emperors...

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Nov. 30, 2019

26 – The Gallic Empire

Rome is falling apart. It's being invaded along its entire northern and eastern borders. Emperors are assassinated. Usurper generals rise up every year to seize power. Plague devastates the empire. Out of this chaos a Gallic ...

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Nov. 16, 2019

25 -The Ancient Superpower and its Decline

Rome ascends to unprecedented glory by the time of Antoninus Pius. Then the unthinkable happens and the ancient superpower is hit with one disaster after another. Plague, civil war and invasion bring the glorious empire to it...

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Oct. 26, 2019

The Phoney War with Cameron Zinsou

Dr. Cameron Zinsou talks about the tense waiting period known as 'The Phoney War.' Zinsou argues that despite no large-scale military engagements occuring a whole lot happened. French society had to reorganize for total war a...

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Oct. 19, 2019

24 -The Two Lost Centuries

Nearly two centuries of Gallia's history go missing. What happened to the records and what happened in Gallia?

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Oct. 12, 2019

France, Haiti and the American Civil War with Dr. Matthew Clavin

The Haitian Revolution has often been described as an oddity that had little impact on the world. Since then, historians have challenged this narrative and argue that Haiti's victory over France had a huge impact on the Atlan...

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Oct. 5, 2019

23 – Three Gods, Four Emperors

The Year of the Four Emperors in the Roman Empire brings chaos and war. In Gallia, three people claim divinity as they revolt against the empire.

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Sept. 28, 2019

The Merchant of Revolution with Sarah K. Miles

Guest host Sarah K. Miles tells the fascinating story of how radical bookseller François Maspero spread revolutionary anti-colonial ideas from the left bank of the Seine. Listen as Ms. Miles recounts how Maspero evaded govern...

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Sept. 21, 2019

22 – Twilight of the Druids, Madness of Emperors

Another revolt convinces Tiberius and later Claudius that the only way to civilize Gallia is to rid it of its druids. Gallia survives the madness of Caligula and then unites with Hispania to overthrow Nero.

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Sept. 14, 2019

Disability and Disease in 19th Cent. Paris with Dr. Catherine Kudlick

Dr. Catherine Kudlick of San Francisco State University talks about a blind community in 19th century Paris. Furthermore, she talks about disability, disease and what those meant in French history.

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Sept. 7, 2019

21 – The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest

Augustus decides to invade Germania and Romanize it as he did with Gallia. Family drama and an insurrection give the Germans a chance to revolt. What follows is one of Rome's greatest tragedies and a history-defining moment f...

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Aug. 31, 2019

Jews and Jewish-Muslim relations in France, 1940-2019 with Dr. Ethan …

UC Berkeley's Dr. Ethan Katz talks about how Jewish Resistance Fighters captured Algiers for the Allies in 1942. Then we discuss the history and importance of Jewish-Muslim relations in France, which has the largest populatio...

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Aug. 24, 2019

20 – The Tragedy of Drusus the Good Son

Gallia wasn't as peaceful as Augustus' propaganda would have you believe. Meanwhile, Germania's shadow stretched across the Rhine. Until the bold leader Drusus decides to march to the ends of the Earth for the glory of Rome a...

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Aug. 10, 2019

Post-WW2 French Science Fiction with Prof. Annabelle Dolidon

Prof. Annabelle Dolidon talks about the history of French science-fiction and how it deals with questions of transhumanism, artificial intelligence, climate change, and other potential futures.

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Aug. 10, 2019

19 – New Gods, New Rulers and Togas: Augustan Gallia

How much of Celtic religion and culture remained during the Augustan reforms? Did the Romans wipe away the old Gaul? And how much did the Gauls influence Rome? All of these and more are answered in today's episode.

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Aug. 3, 2019

Energy and Power with Dr. Joseph Bohling

Dr. Bohling of Portland State University explains how France, a country with very limited fossil fuels, became an energy leader. Along the way he dispels myths about France falling in love with nuclear power and their positio...

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July 27, 2019

18 – Pax Gallia: Rebuilding a Roman Gaul

Caesar launches a civil war, then Octavian and Mark Antony launch another, and finally Octavian turns on Mark Antony. All the while the Roman wars leave Gaul in relative peace as the country heals. Octavian becomes the first ...

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July 20, 2019

African American Soldiers in France with Taylor Marrow

In this very special episode I interview the man who inspired me to become a historian, Taylor Marrow. Marrow talks about African-American service in World War I and II France, how this impacted the United States, and what Fr...

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July 13, 2019

17 – A Bitter Peace

The Gallic Wars finally ends as most of Gaul submits to Caesar in a desperate attempt to bring peace to war-torn Gaul. Yet, a few tribes have hatched one final scheme to repulse the Roman invaders that may be even …

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June 29, 2019

16 – The Gallo-Roman Apocalypse

52 BCE and Prince Vercingetorix unites Gaul in a war to the death with Caesar that will decide Rome and Gaul's fates.

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June 15, 2019

15 – Fate Meets Folly

It's 53 BCE and Marcus Licinius Crassus is tired of watching Pompey and Caesar take all the glory. Crassus raises an army to invade Persia, a gambit which determines Rome's fate. Meanwhile, Caesar's divide and conquer tactics...

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June 1, 2019

14 – A Year of Heroes: Lucius Vorenus, Titus Pullo and Vertico the Ga…

Caesar begins the year by invading Britannia and harassing Belgica. Meanwhile Celtica rises up and the Gauls surround two Roman armies. With doom approaching heroes are born as Vorenus and Pullo make an epic last stand.

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May 25, 2019

Between Throne and Altar: French Kings Versus the Papacy with Quentin…

The fall of Rome meant the rise of the Vatican as Europe broke up into small feudal states. But when France emerged as a major nation its kings were done taking orders from the Papacy. What followed was centuries of …

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May 18, 2019

13 – The End of the World and Beyond: Caesar’s Invasions of Germania …

Caesar's devastation of the Belgae opens up Gaul to a German invasion to the east. To the north, Britannia unsettles Gaul. To solve both problems Caesar will have to go where no Roman ever has and become more than a …

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