You can tell, and it is pleasing, when an academic really really is into their field. No time wasted talking about anything than the topic at hand and with constant enthusiasm.

God, this was awesome. I’m so looking forward to reading her book. Greetings from Arabia Magna, fellow citizens!

You can really hear Dr. Alcock's enthusiasm for her work through the podcast audio. Great guest!

Great stuff,as always. Read Pausanias if you want to know how greeks of the roman period felt about their past . He takes you by the hand and shows you what was left at the end of 2nd.century. Sad sometimes and nostalgique but very relatable for the modern reader.

Excellent! So inspiring and educational. Is extraordinary how little we have scratched the surface of ancient history.

Oh this is great. In my final year of bachelors of Classics, one of my professors gave us a task to come up with potential classes that could be taken if the degree was restructured. The goal of the assignment was to move away from the traditional 'Athenian Golden Age,' 'Age of Augustus,' and 'Alexander the Great.' One that I was actually thinking about was Roman Greece. I never followed up on researching it, but I think this might be a great introduction for me.

Super fascinating conversation, and this lady surely holds the world record for the number of "you know"s per minute ;)

One of the most enthusiastic guests on the podcast so far. Sue, you fcuking killed it.

Damn, that was both fascinating *and* entertaining! And talk about sharply contrasting personalities working well together 😄

As Dr Alcock alluded to, archeogenetics have made a huge difference in understanding the changing landscape. I am not an expert but I believe several recent papers have addressed this topic, genetic continuity and difference in Greece.

My impression from the latest archaeogenetic studies in Greece is that the Slavic invasions, with one exception, did not leave a genetic fingerprint in the Greek population. The exception is a small population in the Peloponnesian population around Mt. Taygetos, they do have a measurable Slavic genetic component. The father north one looks from Greece (modern boundary) in the Balkan Peninsula, the stronger the Slavic and Bulgarian genetic signatures become. I found this interesting because my father’s family originated in this area, Kalamata, specifically. Our patronymic is Italian, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had significant Italian ancestry, too, from much later invasions by men from the coastal Italian cities like Venice. From the Mycenean Cretans to the modern day, the population genetics have remained fairly consistent, especially considering how many groups have moved through Greece in history, it was principal the bridge between Asia Minor and Western Europe since the Paleolithic (the Lower Danube Valley was another). The earliest (Neolithic) farmers entered Europe through Greece from the Fertile Crescent via the Levant and Asia Minor. Being Greek, I’m interested in every phase of Greek history and archaeology. Thank you for interviewing such a great guest!❤

I loved this one! Miss alcock was very charming. I'd love to hear more of her

So happy to see someone so into their field and her enthusiasm is infectious. Great listen!

I admire the intellect that is capable of digging through mountains of minute details and disconnected information to document the history of man. I don’t have that kind of intellect, but I do enjoy listening to those who do. Sometimes though I wish those beautiful minds had taken a few more speech classes you know.

Fascinating discussion - thank you both.

Yay 48 mins of ancient goodness ❤

And really interesting topic, great talk, thank-you both. I have often wondered about this topic.

Great interview!

Here’s the title of her book: Graecia Capta. Dr, Ryan you should have posted it somewhere. Not everyone can translate Latin by ear to correct text, we’re in a tiny minority.

I hope I can get her book on Audible, it’s so hard to find good history and archaeology books on it. But I love to listen instead of read a paper book, I get a sore arm from 55 years of flipping pages.

It'd be fun to hang out with these two!

Love the podcast

Please talk about Greeks in the East, modern day Afghanistan, Pakistan, North Western India & Central Asia. After collapse of the Greco Bactrian & Indo Greek kingdoms what happened to the Greek culture, people, language in that area?

Greece was always interesting to me because they were powerful in the Bronze age and inspirational in the classical period, and massively successful under Alexander, but then fell under Roman rule and then under the Ottomans up until modern times where they remain a poor whipping boy for the European Union led by the Germans.

Was there a Greek settler movement after Roman conquest of the Greek peninsula? Did Greeks emigrate to non-Roman Byzantium and Black Sea colonies? Was Greece drained if funds and intellect by emigrants moving to Greej communities from Trabzon to Odessa to Biblos ... ? Did Anatolia receive many new Greek settlers after Romans conquered Greece?

Correct me if Im wrong, by you both missuse the word "Greece": Asia Minor was actually "Greece" during this period, whereas I have the feeling that you use the word Greece to refer to Greece proper within a near by Greek World, which was actually "Greece" already for many centuries. Ephesus was a Greek colony since the 10th BC and part of "Greece" eversince.

How does the professor define "Roman Greece"? Because from what I got is that she only talked about the roman province of Achaea.

I thought dr Ryan released is vids at one 1.5x or 2x speed, no he just talks that fast.

Didn't Greece had the last laugh though? WHen the West part fall, the East part pretty much took over with strong Greek culture with Roman identity, till the very end. Even today, I think the legacy of Byzantium/East Roman/Roman stays strong with Greece

Great episode! My alma matter (Florida State) even got a bit of a mention. Go Noles!

This is so refreshing. Thank you for this !!!

Drink every time they say: You know >

1:24 - I thought that was an iPhone sound at first

What happened to ancient Troy?

Talk to geneticist Razib Khan if you want the ancient DNA overview. 👍

What is the time frame for Roman Greece? Of course it starts with the Roman conquest, but how far out is Roman Greece being considered? All the way through 1453?

The Romans incorporated all the great civilizations of the past (Greeks, Etruscans, Egyptians, Phoenicians, etc.), spreading them throughout Europe and subsequently throughout Western civilization

What about the disporia of educated Greek slaves, as the Caesars seemed to have them working in high positions, and making lots of money and influence while doing so. What proportion of Greeks were sold into Roman slavery? Was there a brain drain from Greece?

Rome owned Greece until the 19th century?