The History of Rome

Technology has been affecting the lives of people for thousands of years. Today’s modern world has given us more access to information than at any time in history. Hopefully we are using it to benefit our lives rather than allowing technology to take it over. One way I have found to use technology to my benefit is through podcasts. Podcasting is a newer, growing medium that anyone can use. Generally podcasts are created by normal people, TV and radio stations, websites, blogs, companies, etc. They have a huge variety of subjects from educational, news, sports, hobbies, comedy, politics, and many more. I first started listening to podcasts during college when I was trying to maximize the use of my new iPod. You subscribe to podcasts through their websites or through a general database like iTunes. Brooke and I have our favorite podcasts and we always look forward to the next episodes.

My favorite podcast of all time is called “The History of Rome”. It was created in July of 2007 by an ambitious young man who noticed there was not a podcast on Roman history yet. He had been studying Livy and noted that some of the stories of Rome were not well known so he set out a basic podcast format that would tell the history of Rome in simple half hour episodes that would end in a month or two. What started as a small project turned into an award winning, top rated education podcast that lasted five years, covering 74 hours of airtime in 179 episodes. On Sunday The History of Rome Podcast finally ended with the last episode being distributed. I listened to that episode today and I have to say that it was sad. It was certainly a day that I never wanted to come as I wanted the podcast to last forever. I feel it is similar to watching the series finale of your favorite TV show end. Can anything replace it?

I started listening to The History of Rome Podcast when Brooke and I were living in our first apartment in Provo. I listened as I worked at KLAS and studied for the LSAT. I listened when we moved to Omaha for law school. I listened throughout my time at Creighton School of Law. I listened during my time studying for the bar in Utah. I listened after I passed the bar, looked for work, and finally found work. I listened and learned. It has been with me for so long I don’t remember a time without it. I played the episodes while exercising, on the road, changing out the light sockets, doing dry wall, on an airplane, shoveling snow, trying to sleep, working, studying, doing nothing, painting, dishwashing, vacuuming, watching TV, and many other activities I’ve done over the past five years.

I wanted to say goodbye to something that has been so important to me. If anyone wants to check The History of Rome Podcast out you can find it at www.thehistoryofrome.typepad.com or on iTunes. All the episodes are free of charge and the narrator makes the podcast fun but education. I would recommend it to anyone even if they don’t like history. If you had a history teacher like Mike Duncan than you might find history far more interesting than real life.

I bid so long to The History of Rome Podcast. You have been a constant companion for me these many years. Fortunately, I have kept every podcast episode on iTunes so if I want I can return to relearn about the great city of Rome. So I guess this is goodbye, kind of, for now. I just wanted to say thank you as I close. You deserve a special place in my collection of interests, one that I doubt will ever be replaced. Until the next time I relisten to your episodes, farewell.