iPodi Lateiactum

I have been listening to The History of Rome podcast for over a year now. As a Classicist, I've learned some Roman history in formal classroom settings, but I've found that listening to this podcast has really strengthened my understanding in ways that regular lectures may not. First of all, it's been produced (nearly) every week for at least two years. The constant reinforcement over such a long time allows for both breadth and depth of information retention. I myself am an aural learner, love to learn through listening and storytelling. Things I read in print or on the screen can slip out of my head but something expressed with a human voice stays with me. This podcast has really been a significant part of my education.

Which is why I was ecstatic to see this week that The History of Rome has been nominated for a Best Educational Podcast of 2010 at PodCastAwards.com Maybe some of my classmates and readers will see some of their favorite podcasts nominated as well. If you don't, then perhaps you'll consider voting for The History of Rome; trust me, this podcaster deserves to be recognized for his outstanding work and dedication.

Since I first began listening, I realized there was pedagogical potential to this podcast. Although the podcaster is not a historian or Classicist by trade, nothing he says has conflicted with what I've learned from professionals in the field. If he should make a mistake, listeners will leave a comment and he will make a correction in his next episode. So I consider him to be a reliable source of information, especially if you continue to listen every week in case of corrections, if you're first acquainting yourself with Roman history and culture (i.e. maybe it's not a good source for you doctoral thesis), and if you're learning about Rome from other sources too.

While I could see the podcast as a whole being a part of my curriculum, one episode stands out as a good example of a stand alone resource.
Every once in a while, Mr. The History of Rome takes a break from the chronological procession of events in ancient Rome and explores a social/cultural topic. The last episode he uploaded before a break for his own wedding and honeymoon was A History of Rome Wedding which you can hear yourself at this link.
When I first heard this episode, I had just caught up with the podcast and so was hearing it as the podcaster was about to get married. He refers to his own wedding preparations and plans in the episode and connects them to Roman traditions. It's always fascinating to realize that we do things as the Romans did; we wear wedding rings, white dresses and veils, get married in June, eat wedding cake, etc. As he puts it: "Weddings are a confusing amalgam of emotion, tradition and bureaucratic legalese. If that doesn't sound like the Romans, well, I don't know what does."

I also enjoy his inclusion of his own wedding practices because it reminds us that when we're learning online, or anywhere, that the people we're learning from are real people with their own personal concerns and life events. The History of Rome listeners are a great community to be a part of, and so many people shared their congratulations and well wishes to one of their favorite podcasters that week.
I think for students, moments like these might remind them that it's just everyday people who are passionate about ancient history and culture, that in addition to the mundane affairs they also devote themselves to learning and sharing what they learn. We're reminded us that we can all be lifelong learners and that we can share our creativity with supportive learning communities.