How To Survive The Roman Empire, By Pliny And Me
- Radio comedy
- BBC Radio 4
- 2015 - 2018
- 15 episodes (3 series)
Comic drama series is based on real letters written by Pliny to his friends and colleagues in the 1st Century AD. Stars Kieran Hodgson, Nigel Barrett, Joanna Scanlan and Mia Soteriou.
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 3
Further details
Venta has now been Pliny's servant and scribe for four months. They've been happy months, despite living under the unstable Emperor Domitian. But as time goes on, news of arrests and executions begins to circulate.
Doris the cook sees portents of evil everywhere, especially in the entrails of small animals. The uneasiness only gets worse when Pliny receives a visit from his fellow lawyer, and arch-rival, Regulus. Then Pliny makes a trip to Comum to open a new library he has built for his old home town.
When he drops in on his former mother in law, and is given preferential treatment from one of her slaves, Venta too begins to worry about his future.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Wednesday 28th October 2015
- Time
- 10:45am
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Length
- 15 minutes
Cast & crew
| Kieran Hodgson | Pliny the Younger |
| Nigel Barrett | Venta |
| Joanna Scanlan | Marcella |
| Mia Soteriou | Doris |
| Matthew Gravelle | Regulus |
| Mia Soteriou | Pompeia |
| Matthew Gravelle | Pompeia's Slave |
| Hattie Naylor | Writer |
| Kate McAll | Director |
| Kate McAll | Producer |