Ravenna is one of Italy’s most quietly extraordinary cities – a place where the final centuries of the Roman world can still be read through intricate mosaics and imperial monuments.

In this episode we are joined by Dr Eireann Marshall as she explores how this lagoon city rose to prominence, becoming first a Roman Imperial capital, then the seat of Ostrogothic power, and finally a key centre of the Byzantine world.

At the heart of this story are not only Emperors and armies, but a remarkable group of women whose lives intersected with some of the most dramatic events of late antiquity.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

At the glittering court of Louis XIV, where art functioned as an extension of power, no figure defined the sound of absolutism more completely than Jean-Baptiste Lully.

Rising from modest origins in Florence to become the most influential musician in 17th century France, Lully crafted a distinctly French operatic style that mirrored the grandeur and discipline of the Sun King’s reign.

In this episode we are joined by Dr Tarita Botsman as she explores explores how Lully secured his extraordinary position at court and forged a close working relationship with the king himself. Featuring musical excerpts from Lully's works, Tarita reveals how his compositions helped define the cultural identity of the ancien régime.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

Corinth was a central city of the Greek world, influential in shipbuilding, colonisation and pottery production, and later in architecture, politics and early Christianity.

Today we are joined by Dr Amelia Brown – an archaeologist, historian and Hellenist. In this conversation, Amelia moves beyond the familiar comparisons with Athens to reveal a city whose character was forged through trade, travel and cultural encounter.

Amelia is the author of 'Corinth in Late Antiquity: A Greek, Roman and Christian City', based on her extensive on-site research. She is currently preparing a new study examining who was represented in Corinth’s Roman public portraiture, and joins Academy Travel as a tour leader in 2027.

Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.

Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/