The History of Gladiators

Patrick Geoghegan chats to Prof Diarmaid Ferriter on how Ireland was transformed over the past 25 years, as told in his new book The Revelation of Ireland, 1995-2020; we also hear the untold story of the women on Wall Street and the misogyny they faced, from Paulina Bren's new book She Wolves: The Untold History of Women on Wall Street; and how the IRB changed the course of Irish history, with John O’Beirne Ranelagh.

In this episode of Talking History - the story of Caracalla and Geta, the two emperors who share power in the new Gladiator 2 film, how their father Severus transformed Rome, and how their dynasty ended in violence and murder. Patrick Geoghegan is joined by Dr David Woods, Head of the Department of Classics at UCC; Prof Mark Humphries, Professor of Ancient History, Swansea University; and Dr Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies at Trinity College Dublin.

From Decadence To Despair: in this episode we discuss how Oscar Wilde went from the heights of literary fame to the depths of public scandal, as we debate his remarkable legacy. Joining Patrick Geoghegan is Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin, Manuscripts Curator, the Library of Trinity College Dublin; Martin Burns, creative director, Oscar Wilde House; and Jarlath Killeen, Head of the School of English at Trinity College Dublin.

We're marking the 35th anniversary of one of the most seismic events of the 20th century: the fall of the Berlin Wall. We'll find out why it was built, how it fell, and how it brought an end to the Cold War. Joining Patrick Geoghegan is: Prof Patrick Major, Professor of Modern History at the University of Reading; Katja Hoyer, historian, author of ‘Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990', and visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London; and Frederick Taylor, historian, author of ‘The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989' and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain.