Episodes

  • Episode 32: Aeneid Book 8 - Part 1
    Jan 30 2026

    The next episode in our Aeneid series for A Level and GCSE students (and anyone else!). Here we tackle the first half of Book 8. Expect fantastic similes, nerdy tangents on guest-friendship and the nature of religious experience, and of course the monster Cacus. We unpick all the different layers of the omens and myths that Virgil throws at the reader, and dispute whether one 'rows' or 'sails' up a river. Enjoy!

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    43 mins
  • Episode 31: Aeneid Book 7 - Divine Causation
    Jan 26 2026

    In this episode Mr Burns and Mr Feeney continue with the Aeneid in an episode designed for our A Level students. Of course all are welcome to listen! Mr Burns hogs the mic with his many thoughts about the sophistication of divine causation in the Aeneid while Mr Feeney displays the patience of a saint and scepticism of a scholar. Expect a lot of focus on the most terrifying character in the whole poem: Allecto the Fury.

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    52 mins
  • Episode 30: Advice to those starting GCSE and A Level Classics subjects
    Sep 11 2025

    In this episode Mr Feeney and Mr Burns give their wise advice to those starting either GCSE or A-Level in Latin or Greek. Who flunked their GCSE Latin mock? What's the best way to get a top grade? Listen to find out.

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    28 mins
  • Episode 29: Roman Education
    Jun 25 2025

    In this episode, Mr Feeney and Mr Burns discuss Roman education. Was school so much better in the old days? Did the Romans have much more sensible ideas about discipline and learning? Will Mr Feeney and Mr Burns in fact have children together as they imagine in this podcast? There's only one way to find out!

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    33 mins
  • Episode 28: Who Would Win in a Fight?
    Jun 9 2025

    This week Mrs Greenbury, Head of Classics at KES, asks the tough questions. Who would win in a fight between Caesar, Alexander, and Hannibal? Which hero would you want your sister to date? If you want to know the answer to crucial questions like these, then join us in this episode.

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    34 mins
  • Episode 27: Roman Religion With Professor Denis Feeney
    May 21 2025

    In this special episode of KES Publica, we interview Professor Denis Feeney about Roman Religion. Professor Feeney is a renowned Classicist and a global staple of university reading lists. He is also Mr Feeney's father! He is currently Professor Emeritus at Princeton, and has worked in top global institutions throughout his career. We get his thoughts on what was distinctive about Roman religion, starting with the small city state in Latium and ending with the mediterranean empire facing the baffling phenomenon of early Christianity. A must-listen for all our A Level students, and a fascinating insight into the top level of classical scholarship for everyone.

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Episode 26: Aeneid Book 6 - Part 3
    Apr 29 2025

    Mr Feeney and Mr Burns finally get to the end of their katabasis. The crescendo of Book VI is reached! Not to be missed if you're studying the Aeneid in any subject.

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    42 mins
  • Episode 25: This is Sparta
    Mar 20 2025

    Most people think they know about Sparta: shining and brave defenders of Greek liberty against the ranks of despotism; the heroic self-sacrificing defenders of Thermopylae, with noble bearing and massive muscles. In this episode Mr Burns contends that this is all, utterly wrong (apart from possibly the muscles). The Spartans were utterly detestable ethnic supremacists who built a society of brutality, exploitation, and violence. Mr Feeney takes a more nuanced position. Who is right? Have a listen to make up your own minds.

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    45 mins